After a brief time in the emergency room, a man who said he was from radiology told Heather she was going down the hall for an MRI. He wheeled her gurney into a room with a machine that looked as if it belonged in a science fiction television show. The technician shifted her onto a long, narrow slab and told her she'd need to stay perfectly still during the procedure. The headfirst advancement into the tube made her think of a pizza being shoved into an oven. Despite noise-deadening headphones, the whirling lights and high decibels sounded like a bizarre techno-disco, without the gyrations of her body. Another of life's experiences she didn't want to relive.
Then, it was off to X-ray for scientific snap shots of her brain, spine, and ribs. To complete the circuit, the same cheery attendant wheeled her back to the cold emergency room. The warm blanket the nurse draped over her drafty hospital gown was an unexpected pleasure and stopped her teeth from chattering.
It didn't take long before the emergency room doctor gave her the good news there were no signs of spinal damage or lesions in her brain. One cracked rib and severe bruising proved to be the extent of injuries to that portion of her body. He prescribed a corset-like wrap and rest. Time would heal the crack and take care of the swelling and discoloration.
Easy for him to say.
A plastic surgeon breezed in through the curtain and introduced herself. She touched Heather's face with cold, slender fingers and assessed her with keen eyes. "Not too bad," she said. "The split is on your bottom lip only, but it went almost all the way through. I'll use tiny dissolvable stitches on the inside and a special glue on the outside to minimize scarring. I recommend no lipstick until after it's completely healed. In six months, you won't know it was ever there."
Heather mumbled, "What am I supposed to do about kissing until then?"
The doctor smiled. "Sorry. Can't help you with that. As pretty as you are, he'll wait."
She said thanks, but it came out hollow.
The drug to deaden the area stung, but not for long. Her lip being tugged with no actual pain seemed like an out-of-body experience.
"It will be difficult to eat for a while," said the surgeon. "I hope you like milk shakes and Jello. You won't be on any diet restrictions, but I don't recommend nachos with jalapenos."
It amazed Heather how little time it took for the doctor to stitch her lip back together and breeze off for her next assignment.
A nurse showed up with two familiar faces. "Mother, Father. You didn't have to come. I'm fine."
Her father circled her bed and took a hand as her mother did the same on the other side.
"Don't be silly," said her father. "We had to come. Steve needed a ride."
Heather wanted to sit up, but the doctor had given instructions for her to lay flat. "Steve's here?"
"Of course," said her mother. "So is a very handsome man who's pacing a hole in the lobby's carpet."
"Jack's here, too?"
"He's first rate," said her father. "Steve recognized his voice as Jack was checking in. He left his suitcases at the front desk and insisted he come with us. I like a man who knows his mind."
Her mother winked. "I think he's dashing. Reminds me of your father when he played polo."
The nurse came in. "Your room is ready." She spoke to Heather's mother. "She'll be in room three-seventeen. Give us about twenty minutes to get her settled in."
After what seemed to be an hour, a knock on her door preceded Jack taking quick steps to her bed and taking her hand in his. "Hello, beautiful."
The shot for pain combined with the swollen lip to make her speech sound like she'd downed another bottle of champagne. "It's not so beautiful under this ice pack. Sorry about the scare. I'm all right as long as I don't take a deep breath."
"Cracked and bruised ribs are no fun." He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"That's not the kiss I was planning on," she said.
"I take rain checks."
She knew her eyelids were drooping, but she fought to keep them open and pay attention. "Keep a running count on the missed kisses. I plan on paying them with interest."
Jack looked toward the door. "I want to keep you to myself, but Steve and your parents have other ideas."
Another kiss on her forehead and Jack's fingers slipped away.
Steve tapped his way to her bed. Heather reached over the rail and grabbed his arm. "Hey, partner."
"Hey, yourself. You sound different with a fat lip. It reminds me of a flat tire."
She chuckled, which was a serious error. "Rule number one," said Heather with a labored breath. "Don't make me laugh." She looked at the other three people in the room. "That goes for everyone. I'm not sure there's enough pain killer in this hospital if you make jokes."
Heather squeezed Steve's hand. "I made a rookie mistake. I didn't put my back to a wall when I sat at the table. A noisy fan was on in Sue Ann's living room that deadened the sound of the screen door opening. By the time I heard a floorboard squeak, he was on me. I tried to get up but..."
"It doesn't matter," said Steve. "You're all right, or at least you will be. I'm going to get out of the way now and let your parents and Jack spoil you."
A sheriff's deputy stepped into the room. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm supposed to get a statement from Ms. McBlythe. If you're up to it, that is.” He looked at those gathered around the bed. “Could you folks wait outside for a few minutes?”
Jack looked the deputy in the eye. "I'm her attorney." He pointed to her parents and identified them. "And this is Steve Smiley. He's a private detective, and he needs to be here as part of an ongoing investigation."
"Fine with me," said the deputy. He took out his phone and told her he'd be recording her statement. Before he turned it on, he said, "I hear you're a former cop, an attorney and a private detective. Normally, I ask a lot of questions, but you know what I need, so I'll let you tell what happened. Start whenever you’re ready."
Heather began her tale by stating the reason she was at Sue Ann's house and the time she arrived. Every deep inhale brought a stab of pain, so she kept her sentences short and ended the tale when they loaded her into the ambulance.
Steve's question went to the deputy. "Any updates on Sue Ann and Grant?"
Before he could answer, Sheriff Blake entered the room. Instead of addressing her, he simply nodded and took off his hat. The Burnet County deputy said he had all he needed and excused himself.
Steve played host and took care of introductions. Handshakes and names were exchanged until everyone knew each other and their reason for being in the room.
Sheriff Blake focused on Heather's mother and father. "Would you mind stepping out for a few minutes? I have some things to discuss with your daughter and Steve that are sensitive. Because Mr. Blackstock is her attorney, he can stay."
Heather's father nodded in agreement and then looked at Jack. "We'll run along. I see Heather is in excellent hands and Rebecca has a spa appointment."
Her mother smiled down on Heather and took her hand. “After your father and I take a walk in the resort's water garden. He's officially on vacation."
Heather squeezed her mother’s fingers in reply.
Her father looked at Jack. "I'll arrange a rental to be delivered here for you."
"Thank you, sir," said Jack. “That would be a great help.”
After hand squeezes and a kiss to her forehead by her father and one to her cheek by her mother, Heather's parents left. Her mother's voice filtered back into the room before the door clicked shut. "Can you believe it, Al? Our daughter is working a murder case, and the sheriff needs her help."
Steve moved on to business. "What's the latest on Sue Ann?"
Sheriff Blake didn't hesitate. "Lago Vista police found the car abandoned with Sue Ann in it. She’s being transported to a hospital in Cedar Park. First reports on her condition are encouraging."
"Grant probably stole another car," said Steve.
Heather's mind latched on to a thought through the fog of pain medicine. "Sheriff, have you notified Rance? He needs to take care of the children."
Sheriff Blake pulled out his phone and placed a call. "Marvin, find Rance Voss and tell him to get to Sue Ann's house on the double... Yeah... tell him what happened, and that he needs to take care of the kids. She's being sent to—You already know? Good... Heather will be fine. One cracked rib, and stitches in her lip... Okay, I'll tell her."
Sheriff Blake looked down on her.
"Marvin says the word from Sue Ann's home is that the kids are worried about Miss Heather and their mom. He'll let them know that you're all right."
He raised his gaze, puffed out his cheeks and blew out a full breath of air. "The further east Grant goes, the harder it's going to be to capture him. By now he's two counties away from my jurisdiction. I'll be glad to get him back in jail, and this time he won't get out."
"Speaking of," said Steve.
The sheriff shook his head and began the explanation. "Two characters dressed as Tarrant County deputies came to the jail this morning with a bench warrant. The man said Grant was to appear before an Austin judge in the morning on another DWI charge. The woman stayed in an unmarked SUV. The deputy called the number on the paperwork and verified an Austin judge signed the warrant."
"Did your people check the deputy's identification?" asked Steve.
"He had a photo I.D." The sheriff straightened his posture. “Before anyone asks, it wasn't the first Tarrant County I.D. my officer had seen. It looked legitimate. Still, it's my department that’s responsible for Grant being released."
Steve’s brain must have been in overdrive. “Your deputy called the number on the bench warrant, but I’ll wager it went to a burner phone held by the pretend female deputy.”
The sheriff let out a huff of exasperation. "There's two murders, a jail escape, two assaults, and an abduction all tied together. The Austin press is in my parking lot, ready to ambush me if I go back to the office. A quick arrest would be welcome."
Sheriff Blake rolled the brim of his hat in his hand. "It’s time for me to face the music. I need to go disturb the district attorney on his day off. He'll be glad to know he can charge Grant Blankenship with murder, escape, abduction and assault. He won't be so glad to hear we could have avoided all but one of those charges."
No one said anything except to bid the sheriff farewell.