CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Penny blinked, focusing on her surroundings. A blue curtain shut out everything. Thinking was like pushing through cotton batting. She recalled the shooter and being hit but events after that were fuzzy.
“Glad to see you awake.” Jake’s voice was unmistakable.
She turned her head. Her first attempt to speak failed.
He held out a plastic cup with a straw. “Have some water.”
After several sips, her voice returned, but as a rasp. “How long have I been here?”
“About six hours. You had surgery on your shoulder. Thank God, the bullet missed your lungs and heart.”
Her head ached but when she tried to raise her hand, she realized a tube was attached.
He cleared his throat. “Y-You lost a lot of blood, though, and had a transfusion. Now they’re giving you fluid so you won’t be dehydrated. How do you feel?”
“Herd of horses trampled me.” She tried to smile. “Suppose I’ll be good as new soon. Have you been here long?”
He leaned forward and captured her free hand. “I couldn’t leave when you’re wounded because you saved my life. Bart and his deputies are looking for the shooter. Sally wanted to stay, but I sent her home to rest. Caleb was here for a while but went to help Bart.”
The curtain swished aside and a woman with a badge that identified her as a nurse named Lori Masters checked Penny’s pulse and read a machine to which she was connected. The nurse wore what looked like pajamas with purple pants and a white top covered in butterflies. “We’ll be moving you from Recovery to a room in a few minutes.”
When the nurse had stepped out, Jake adjusted the curtain so no one could see inside the little space where she was.
Penny stared at the curtain where the nurse had been. She whispered, “Did you see what she was wearing?”
He grinned. “They’re called scrubs and hospital personnel wear them. I guess they’re comfortable and allow freedom of movement.”
“I suppose you’re right but that was a surprise.”
He cradled her hand with both of his. His touch was gentle and warm. “You were asleep when the doctor came by but he said your surgery was lengthy but went well.”
She wished he was cradling her instead of only her hand. “I’ve never been inside a hospital before. When can I leave?”
Jake chuckled. “Not a fan, huh? You can’t leave until tomorrow. You lost a lot of blood and they have to make sure there’s no infection or reaction.”
“Guess I don’t feel like doing much right now anyway.” She exhaled a weary sigh but regarded his appearance. This was the first time she’d seen him when he was rumpled. “Have you eaten?”
He cleared his throat. “I had coffee and a soft drink. Haven’t thought of food so guess I’m not hungry. You’ve probably missed supper, but they’ll get you something when you’re in a room.”
“Wish I were in my room at home. I’d be better off there.”
“Listen, Penny, you had surgery, a blood transfusion, and an anesthetic. You need medical supervision right now to be certain nothing goes wrong.”
She couldn’t keep her eyes from widening. “You think something might happen to me? What?”
“No, I think you’ll be fine, but we can’t take chances on the incision bleeding or you having a reaction to… I don’t know… the blood or antibiotics. I’d like to take you home now, but that wouldn’t be in your best interest.”
The curtain was pulled aside but this time there were two men dressed in identical green scrubs accompanying the nurse.
She said, “They’re taking you to Room 416. Mr. Knight, you may accompany her if you wish, but you might want to go to the cafeteria while we get Miss Hardeman settled.”
“I’ll follow you.”
To Penny’s surprise, the men moved the bed with her still in it down the hall and into an elevator. Not like the one she and Sally had used when shopping, this one was very large and plain. She was grateful Jake squeezed in with them.
By late evening, Penny was more than ready to leave.
Caleb stopped by. “There’s still no sign of who shot you.”
Jake rose from his chair. “I’d like to get my hands on the sonofagun.”
His cousin clapped him on the shoulder. “You have just enough time to go down to the cafeteria and get some food in you before they close for the night. You look like hell but a meal might help.”
“Thanks, Caleb. That makes me feel so much better.”
Poor man had run his fingers through his hair so many times he looked as if he had never been well groomed. His skin was gray and whisker stubble covered his jaw and chin. His clothes were wrinkled and empty coffee cups filled the wastebasket nearby.
“Please go get some food, Jake.”
Caleb motioned him away. “Promise I’ll stay here until you come back.”
Muttering under his breath, Jake left.
Caleb took the chair his cousin had vacated. “Whew, glad he’s going to eat. How are you doing?”
She shook her head then wished she hadn’t. “I keep seeing the glint of that scope and hearing the thud of the bullet, even when I’m asleep.”
“Seeing you fall and all the blood was pretty horrific for the rest of us. Glad you’re going to be all right.”
“Thank you. I-I remember you covered me with your jacket. I hope it isn’t ruined.”
Caleb shrugged. “Naw, the cleaners will do wonders with it.”
Worry clawed at her insides. “What concerns me most is that whoever intended to kill Jake is still out there. He’s bound to try again. What if there’s no warning next time?”
“Penny, stop dwelling on this and let Bart take care of catching whoever’s responsible. He’s good at his job and is determined no one is going to kill Jake.”
She’d tried to stop her fears but couldn’t. “I hope he’s right. Weren’t you helping the search?”
“Yeah, but only for a while. Bart sent me back to the bank.” Caleb chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling. “He knew I had a meeting and said I wasn’t that much help anyway.”
She couldn’t suppress a smile. “Insulting and I’m sure it’s untrue, but you do have an important business to run.”
“You have a point. Although, I suspect the bank can manage without me occasionally. If it can’t, I’m doing something wrong.”
Jake entered. “What are you doing wrong?”
“Nothing.” Caleb stood with his eyes narrowed and faced his cousin. “You weren’t gone long. Tell me what you ate.”
“What are you, my mother?”
Caleb crossed his arms but otherwise didn’t budge.
Jake rolled his eyes. “I had meatloaf and mashed potatoes and broccoli and a piece of pecan pie. Satisfied?”
“Yep, so I’ll go and leave you in charge of the chair. Good night, Penny.”
Penny called, “Goodnight, Caleb. Thank you for staying with me.”
Jake took the seat Caleb had vacated. “Thought he was supposed to be helping Bart.”
“He said Bart sent him to the bank. He had an important meeting and Bart teased him that he wasn’t helping much anyway.”
Jake grimaced. “Oh, yeah, he was meeting with the lawyers about who’s going to verify the land grant.”
She couldn’t help her concern. “You and Bart should have been there but you were here and Bart was searching for whoever shot at you.”
“I hope Bart’s making progress. Thought we would have heard from him by now.”
“If he arrests someone, I’m sure he’ll call you.” She looked straight into his eyes. “You didn’t really eat anything, did you?”
He looked away. “Um… what makes you say that?”
“You weren’t gone long enough to eat all that you said you did. I’ll bet you called Sally and Rowdy and tried to call Bart and that’s all.”
“You’re too smart for your own good. I wasn’t hungry, all right? All I could think about was some nut job running around our area.”
She fought tears. “Me, too, and the fact that he’s trying to kill you.”
“Naw, Penny, don’t worry. Bart’s a damn fine lawman. If we weren’t all tied to Terry Springs, he’d be police chief of some big city or with the FBI or something.”
Before she could answer, Rowdy came into her room. “Good to see you awake, Miss Penny.”
He handed a paper bag to Jake. “Sally said she knew you weren’t eatin’ right and sent this. You’re to eat ever’ bite or she’ll come box your ears. Her words, not mine.”
Jake shook his head and opened the bag. “Guess I’d better eat some of what she sent then, hadn’t I? Looks like she sent enough for two. Am I supposed to share with you or with Penny?”
Rowdy held out a hand as if pushing away any food. “You’re supposed to share with Miss Penny. Sally was afraid she wouldn’t have had a good meal yet.”
Penny pushed the button to raise the bed’s head higher. “Sally is right. I missed mealtime, but I had juice and crackers.”
Rowdy looked toward the door and back at his boss. “Reckon I’ll be goin’ now unless you need me to do somethin’ else.”
Jake’s eyes gleamed with mirth. “No, you go on. Wait, I don’t suppose you’d mind stopping by the nurse’s station and requesting they bring Penny a soft drink would you?”
A beaming smile split Rowdy’s face. “I’ll do it right now.”
He’d bolted from the room before Penny could request a brand. She sure liked the Dr Pepper and the ginger ale Sally kept in the refrigerator at the ranch.
Jake set out the packages from the sack then handed her a sandwich. “Looks like ham. Yum, these containers appear to hold cherry cobbler. Great, she sent plastic spoons and forks.”
Perplexed, Penny glanced toward the door. “Rowdy acted kind of odd, didn’t he?”
Jake chuckled as he placed a serving of cobbler on her tray. “He’s sweet on one of the nurses here. Her name is Naomi Reynolds.”
“I hope she returns his affection. He seems nice.”
“He’s one of the nicest guys I know and my right hand. Naomi is reluctant for some reason. She has two children, so I suppose a single mother can’t be too careful. Still, I suspect her mother is the cause.”
By the time they’d finished eating, an aide came in to change the IV and insert a shot of something into the tubing connector.
Penny watched warily. “What’s that you’re giving me?”
The young woman barely glanced at her. “Doctor ordered this to help you sleep. Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad.”
“I hope there’s nothing to keep me from going home tomorrow. Even though everyone has been real nice, I don’t like being stuck in here.”
“You’re scheduled to go home tomorrow after the doctor sees you. That’s if you don’t develop a fever or any other problem.” She disposed of the syringe. “Have a nice night.”
Jake leaned forward and took Penny’s hand. “Don’t fight sleep. You need rest to heal.”
Penny fought to resist the drowsiness shrouding her. “I don’t like losing control. What if I disappear to somewhere else?”
“You won’t. I’ll be here when you wake. The sooner you sleep, the sooner it will seem you can go home.”
She intended to say something else, but couldn’t remember what