Page 6 of The Sheriff's Mistletoe Bride
Matt laid a calming hand on hers and his was instantly gripped.“Help her…help them.Not me,” she repeated.
“Help is here, and they will all be helped.But the little girl is just fine.She is safe.”
“Thank God,” she breathed and caught her breath on a painful note.
“I’m going to move now and let the paramedics help you.”
Her hand gripped his tighter.“Find them please.”
“I promise I’ll find them for you.And I’ll be right beside you as we get all of you to the hospital.”
“Promise?”And there was a look in those blue eyes, now fully centered on him, that made any other word impossible to utter.
“I give you, my word.”Then she was in the hands of the paramedics and her hand lost his.Mentally shaking himself, Matt backed out of the car and stood, his gaze scanning the area.He called out two of the four deputies.“You and Bobby keep traffic under control,” he said to one of the closer deputies.“Rich and Sandy, you search for a possible two others she mentioned…Teddy and Annie.Perhaps they were thrown from the car on impact when the glass shattered.Increase the search area.”
The paramedics stabilized her and then moved her onto a stretcher.“Sheriff,” one of them called out.“We can’t be sure of internal injuries, and with the road under repairs closer to town, we’re calling in the chopper.”
Matt nodded.“Bobby…you guys secure a landing spot and set out a smoke flare for their approach for wind gusts on the road.”
“We got it, Sheriff.”His team was good.And in moments like this, they did their jobs without hesitation.
“We have searched high and low,” Franny said, as she handed over a small purse.“Her ID is in there…Ally Jones from New York City.Long way from home.And there is no sign of any person other than her.We’re taking the luggage and bags she has into the station for inspection.Maybe we’ll know more then.”
“Hey!I got Teddy over here,” one of the officers called out.Matt and Sandy ran to the area.There, they found Teddy.
“It’s a poor little dog,” Sandy said, bending down to speak softly to him.“Looks like a broken bone maybe but really scared.His collar has Teddy on it.”
“One mystery solved.Keep searching the area for anything or anyone else.Load the dog into the back of my vehicle and I’ll drop him over at Doc’s before I get to the hospital.You guys know what to do here.”
They nodded and Franny gently transported the dog to the SUV.He called after her, “And tell my daughter to keep her hands and that cat away from the dog.”Franny nodded.
The sound of blades beating air could be heard in the distance.He walked to the stretcher where the supine body of the woman looked even smaller under the white sheet.Her face was almost as pale.Matt’s hand rested on her lower arm.
Those blue eyes tried to focus better on him.There was a silent plea in them.
“We have Teddy.I’m going to take him myself to the vet…who is really good.He may just have a broken leg, but Doc will fix him up.Stop worrying for now about him.No sign of Annie yet.But we’re still looking.You’re going to get a fast and smoother ride on board this shiny red helicopter landing in about two minutes.They’re going to take good care of you.I won’t be far behind.See you at the hospital.”
Her hand found him on top of the sheet.“Please?”
Please what?He wasn’t sure what she was asking for reassurance on, but he knew he was going to keep whatever promise she needed.“I promise all will be taken care of.And I will see you at the hospital.You’re in good hands.”He stepped back and there was a strange sense of reluctance as his hand left hers.It was odd.But things often were at the scene of such accidents.At least that’s what his brain was trying to get him to believe.
Three minutes later, the craft was lifting upwards and away from the site.Quiet settled.It was eerie and he didn’t care for that.He had an injured dog to get help for, a scared child to calm down and reassure, and a wayward kitten who had put it all into motion.Just another day for the sheriff of Brock County.
Chapter Four
Matt made aquick trip to the local veterinary’s office just a couple blocks from the hospital.A vet tech came out the door, obviously keeping an eye out for his arrival.A woman came behind him.Matt had the presence of mind on the way into town to call his eldest sister to meet him at the vet’s and take Jillie with her until he could get off work and pick her up.She was the closest person to the situation, having her office at the courthouse and close by the hospital.And being mayor of Destiny’s River, she could amend her schedule as needed.She was certainly needed in that moment.
Jillie eagerly went into the hug her aunt offered her.“And who is the furball you have in your arms?Was it in the accident also?”
“I think Jillie can explain that to you later, but no, the kitten was not exactly in the accident.The dog was.And I do appreciate you being able to lend a hand here.I’ll be along to pick up Jillie as soon as we can sort some things out with the person involved.I must get to the hospital and, hopefully, begin to do that.”
Tori nodded.“No problem.You know when we have dinner so try to make that if you can.Otherwise, don’t worry.We’ll be just fine.Do what you need to do.”
Matt returned her hug and watched the pair get into Tori’s car.He returned his daughter’s tentative wave as they pulled away.Jillie had a huge heart, and this would take some time and talking it out for her to let go of the guilt she had voiced more than once on the way into town.But she was in a good place with the one person who had a great deal of experience over the years not only with soothing the agonies of his growing-up years, but also those of his other brother and sister.Tori was the big sister who had stepped in to be the parent to all of them as they survived the foster system and then went out into the world where she still mothered them today.
When he entered the office, the vet tech motioned for him to follow him into the back where Doc Adams and a couple of his techs were examining the dog’s X-rays on the light box over the table.Matt moved up to watch but kept out of the way.
“This is one lucky little guy.A tough one for his many years.We have some bruising on his side and his left leg has a break that we will set.He’ll manage with some pain meds and he’s also a bit dehydrated so we’ll give him an IV to help build him up a bit.But we shall see how he progresses in the next few days.Is his owner around to sign some releases?”
