Page 49 of Barry

CHAPTER 20

Kathy tried to hold still. Muscles she didn’t know she had ached, and the psychotic troll in her brain using a stone club to bash against her could stop at any time. The IV she was hooked up to was delivering pain medication, and both the troll and her aches were lessening. Dr. Montrose had given her a pair of scrubs, and with her help, she’d changed into clean clothes. A washcloth and a tub of warm water had made a world of difference.

Both Dr. Cassidy and Dr. Montrose were monitoring the discoloration spread from the bite at her hip. Both seemed sure the antivenom would do its job because she’d had no immediate acute reactions. But they did warn her the muscle aches, tiredness, and headache could continue for extended periods of time. She’d be going home withpain medication and was told repeatedly not to wait until she was in pain to take one. Apparently, getting in front and staying ahead of the discomfort from a rattlesnake bite was difficult. That was a bit of information she’d never wanted to know.

The door opened, and Barry came in. A second later, he was at her side. He bent down and kissed her gently. “I’m so sorry.” He rested his forehead against hers.

She lifted her arm and touched his face briefly. The medication made her limbs feel rubbery and weak. “This isn’t your fault. He was insane.”

Barry lifted and stared at her. “He was, but he wouldn’t have taken you if I?—”

“Shhh …” Kathy closed her eyes and shook her head. “I love you. I wouldn’t change one thing about us. Wishing it hadn’t happened is wishing we hadn’t happened.” She opened her eyes to see pain radiating from his expression.

“I don’t deserve you. Someday, I will.” He lightly touched a nasty bruise on her cheek. “Someday, I’ll be the man you deserve.”

“You’re that man now.” She shivered a bit.

“Are you cold?” He glanced around the room.

“A bit,” she admitted. He walked over to the cupboards and opened each one until he found a stash of blankets. He took two out and spread them over her before carefully sitting beside her again.

“Can you tell me what happened?” Barry held her handand lifted it. He placed a kiss on the bandage covering the cuts on her wrist.

“I was getting ready. The dogs went crazy, so I walked out of the bedroom. He was there. He grabbed at me, but I was able to get back into the bedroom. I tried to shut the door, but he hit it and knocked me down. We fought, and then he hit me.” She lifted her hand to the bruise on her cheek. “I woke up, and he made me walk to where you found us. My truck is out there somewhere.”

“We’ll find it.” Barry swallowed hard. “Did he assault you sexually?”

She shook her head and watched as the world's weight seemed to slip off his shoulders. “He wanted to hurt you. Everything he did was to try to get you ostracized from the town, to get you alone so he could make you suffer.”

“So, when he couldn’t, he went after you.” Barry sighed. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t. Don’t take the blame for what that crazy man did.” She lifted her arm, which now weighed close to the weight of a tree trunk. Her eyes were hard to keep open. “I listened to what his brother recorded on his phone. Nothing he said blamed you. He said he thought you saw him and that he’d keep the faith, but … he died soon afterward. I don’t know if anyone could have saved him. He said he could see his intestines.” She sighed and closed her eyes. “The medicine is making me sleepy.”

She felt his lips on hers again. “Sleep. Your mom and dad are here, and I won’t leave.”

She smiled or hoped she did. “Promise?”

“Promise. You’re stuck with me.”

She wanted to say,Good, but a warm darkness overtook her, and she let herself slip into sleep.

Barry reluctantly letLorna sit with Kathy while she slept. Melvin directed him into another room where food had been delivered with a small bowl of saltwater taffy in the middle of the tray. Mr. Marshall’s doing, no doubt.

“We already ate. It’s good food.” Melvin sat down with him. “You eat while I talk.”

Barry did a double-take at Kathy’s dad. His defenses flew up, and he tensed. Was that when Melvin would tell him to leave his daughter alone? He put his fork down. “About?”

“Nothing bad.” Melvin nodded at the covered plate. “Eat.”

Barry narrowed his eyes for a moment and then did as instructed. The aroma of fried chicken made his stomach growl. He looked up at Melvin. “I’m eating. You should be talking.”

“Bossy, ain’t ya?” Melvin chuckled.

“Not usually, but you have me worried.” Barry stabbed the mashed potatoes with his fork and shoved the bite into his mouth. The flavor exploded, and his stomach, which assumed his throat had been slit, growled again.

Melvin leaned forward, placing his weight on his forearms, which were resting on the table. “Been talking with Lorna. What would you think about working at our place instead of the Hollisters?”

Barry stopped chewing and swallowed the bite. “Sir?”

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