Page 3 of Home for Justice
Tyler nodded and sat back down. “Still good. I have some time. Not much, but some.” His hand went to Gomer’s back, and he started petting the dog again. Gomer moved a bit closer and looked up at him as though he could sense the worry filling Tyler’s veins. Slowly, his heartbeat returned to normal.
Blessing walked in with her arm linked through that of another man. “Seth and Tyler, this is Codwell Drakos. He goes by Code and is a retired Army Colonel.”
Code made a face. “Lieutenant Colonel, and that is just a rank, not who I am.” He reached out a hand to both Seth and Tyler.
Code sat down and asked, “Where are you two heading?”
Tyler and Seth replied, but he was glad Seth conversed with Code, considering most thoughts other than Gramps had left Tyler’s mind.
Blessing came back into the room with the last two men. “Gentlemen, may I introduce Dean Sinclair and Noah Ziegler?” She turned to the two men and continued, “This is Tyler Marconi, retired Army, heading to Montana. Seth Hanson, who is heading to South Dakota with his newly adopted and retired MWD Gomer. This is Code Drakos, who is heading to Tennessee. Now that you’re all acquainted, can I get you anything?”
“No, thank you,” Tyler said, his voice tight. The others replied the same before she walked out.
Seth stood to take a break with Gomer, and Tyler knelt to rub his fur. “Thanks for the therapy, Gomer.” Looking up, he stood and reached out toward Seth. “If I’m gone when you get back, it was nice to meet you, Seth.”
“Same, man. And I hope you get there in time.”
Dean looked over. “That lady was dead-on when she guessed my call was from my mom. It was like she knew before I even checked my phone.”
Noah’s brows rose. “You know what’s really funny? She just dumped a whole bunch of personal shit on me that was dead-on too.”
“You talking about Blessing?” Tyler asked.
Dean nodded.
Tyler sighed. “Oh yeah, we’ve all had experiences with her.”
Popping her head back into the room, Blessing smiled. “Tyler, you might want to get your things ready. I was ableto make a few changes to your itinerary. You should head to security in about thirty minutes.”
The air rushed from his lungs as he took to his feet. “You… you could make a change?”
“It takes you a different way, but you should still get there about the same time as you had intended.”
Tyler wasn’t sure, but was now more hopeful.
Whateverwoo-wooBlessing had, she’d said he would get there in time.
2
Tyler stepped out of the airport into the muted sunlight of a familiar landscape. The sky was heavy with clouds hinting at distant rain. His chest tightened, emotion swelling within him, a mixture of urgency and dread. He tightened his jaw as he moved swiftly toward the car rental facility, feeling only a modicum of relief from the tension in his shoulders when he saw the large SUV waiting.
Sliding his bags carefully into the spacious back seat, Tyler folded his tall, muscular frame behind the wheel, grateful for the solitude of the vehicle. His mind raced faster than the SUV, thoughts tangled with memories of quiet mornings fishing at the lake with his dad and gramps when he was a kid, and warm summer evenings on the porch with his grandparents. In recent years, when he managed to get a few days of leave, he’d spend them here with Gramps, having no other place he wanted to be. Now, every memory sharpened the ache of impending loss.
The connection to the small regional airport had been chosen deliberately for its proximity to the hospital, his urgency growing with every mile. He reached for his phone instinctively, punching in the number to the hospital’s cardiac unit that he’d memorized in a haze of worry.
“Cardiac wing, may I help you?”
“This is Tyler Marconi, and I’m calling?—”
“Oh, Mr. Marconi! This is Tina.”
The warmth in her voice eased the ache in his gut slightly. She had been his point of contact over the past three days, and he was grateful for her kindness. “Tina, thank God it’s you. Saves me having to explain who I am again,” he murmured, exhaustion threading his voice. “I’m close to the hospital. I’ll head straight to the fourth floor, right?”
“Yes, come in through the main entrance, show your ID at reception, and they’ll give you a visitor badge. The elevators to your left will take you straight to the cardiac wing. When you reach the nurses’ station, ask for me. I’ll take care of you.”
He swallowed hard, the next words sticking painfully in his throat. “How is he?”
A heavy pause stretched through the phone, telling him more than any words could.
