Page 41 of Bernadette
“We’re taking him to Bismarck.”
“Why so far away?” Morgan asked.
“They have a trauma unit, Bozeman does, but not at the scope of Bismarck, besides, that’s where they took Chuck,” Tom said.
“Do you know the extent of Chuck’s injuries?” Bernie demanded, then stepped back when everyone gave her a funny look. “Sorry, guess it’ll take some time to get used to the fact that I’m not in the military any longer.” They all nodded, and Bernie sighed in relief. She really liked the guy and didn’t want to see him severely hurt, or dead. “We’ll all meet you at the hospital. Maybe by the time we get home, changed, and drive there, they will have answers for us.” Everyone watched as the EMTs rushed to the waiting chopper, and Morgan climbed in after they put Wyatt in. She ended up sitting up front with the pilot and as soon as they took off, they turned and saw Tom still standing there.
“Do I even want to know why there are three men sitting in a pile of horseshit with filthy socks stuffed in their mouth?” It took everything he had not to burst out laughing at the sight before him.
“Nope,” seven women said, and he shook his head at them. He turned and looked Bernie dead in the eye, and said on a serious note, “I’m going to be wanting a copy of your interrogation tape.”
“Later, after we get home from the hospital.”
“Did any of you Mirandize them?”
They looked at each other in shock, then shrugged. “Not really, I figured our investigations were different. While you concentrate on who hired them to take out Wyatt and Morgan, and the shootings, we can concentrate on the other part of the investigation.”
“Do I dare ask if you got what you wanted?”
Bernie only grinned at the other man, then watched as yet another chopper approached and began to land. “What’s that for?” She saw that this one was black and white, not red like the first one, and the word ‘Police’ was written on the side of it.
“To get these guys to the station. It’s easier and faster than to go over the fields.”
“Ah, okay, then we’ll clean up here and meet you at the hospital.”
“Okay, but really, why are they sitting in a pile of horseshit?” Tom pointed to the officers as they wrinkled their noses as they approached the three men cuffed and gagged.
“They shot Wyatt’s horse out from under him,” Dillon said as he approached. “We have all the photos, and we didn’t want to just leave him here, so we had them dig a pit to bury him.”
“Christ, was it Wyatt’s prize stallion?”
“Not Midnight, but he was Midnight’s son.”
“The new one he was grooming to take over for Midnight?”
“Yep.”
“There’s a felony there.”
“Why?” Bernie asked in shock. “It’s just a horse.”
“That may be, but that horse is, or was worth at least one and a half million dollars. If he had been in his prime, we’re talking closer to three million.”
“Holy shit, so because they shot him out from under Wyatt, they’ll be facing felony charges?”
“Or more, we take fucking with our horses seriously in this area,” Tom said, and left it at that. He went over to the police officers and started talking with him. Bernie stood there until the police left, then turned to the others. “Let’s go check out the area they hurt Chuck, then get home, I want to get changed then get to the hospital.” They all agreed, and in under fifteen minutes they were underway. It turned out that Bernie rode on the back of Wilson’s machine. By the time they arrived to where the other accident occurred, it was cleaned up, and they headed home. The sun was just coming up when they pulled into the compound, and the first person out the door was April. After she looked around wildly, she demanded of Dillon.
“Where’s Lucas? Is he hurt?”
“No, come inside,” Dillon said and helped her in, with everyone following close behind. Bernie didn’t know whether she should cry in happiness or not when cups of coffee were being handed out, along with breakfast sandwiches. Everyone devoured what they had been handed, and left the details of what happened to Wilson and Dillon as they went up to shower and change before heading to the hospital to see Wyatt and Chuck.
Once everyone was back downstairs, Bernie chewed herself out mentally when she realized she was the last to arrive. After her own shower, she had to resort to putting her stiff brace back on because of all the activity she’d done the night before. She looked up and saw everyone looking at her, and realized that Dillon had taken a shower along with everyone else.
“Who’s all going to the hospital?” she asked.
“Everyone except for DJ and me,” Wilson said. “We’re going to have to go over and make sure the chores are done, then get on with the rest of the ranch work.”
“Okay, has anyone heard from Miller?” She watched as everyone pulled their phones, then swore when they realized their batteries were dead, even her own. It was decided they would charge them up when they were driving to the hospital. Instead of taking twelve vehicles, they doubled up and the Stuarts all fit into three trucks, and Bernie rode with Dillon. She sighed in gratitude when Dolly began handing out paper bags and the smells coming from them were heavenly. She didn’t remember even tasting the first sandwich she’d been given when she’d first arrived over an hour ago. Dillon helped her into the front of his truck, then turned to gather April in his arms. She turned to give them privacy, then nodded when Dillon climbed in and asked if she was ready to go.
