Randall On The Run. Judy Christenberry

Jessica said, “We can’t tell Mom and Dad that!”

      “No, they can be trusted,” Tori reassured her. “You know that, Jess.”

      She did. “Then let’s use the apartment. I can take care of him, can’t I, Jon?”

      “Sure. And if your sister and her husband come see you every once in a while, no one will think anything of it,” Jon said as he left the room.

      “Where’s he going?”

      “Probably to get a coat. It’s cold outside. Do you have one?”

      “Not unpacked. When I left California, it didn’t occur to me it would be snowing here,” Jessica said with a rueful smile. “Hard to believe I could’ve forgotten, isn’t it?”

      “You were gone a long time, sis,” Tori said with a smile. “Borrow my coat. I have to stay here with the kids, so I won’t need it until morning.”

      “Thanks, Tori. And do you mind if Murphy stays with you, too?”

      Before Tori could answer, Jon came back wearing his coat. He moved to the sofa and shook Steve, who had fallen asleep. “Come on, man. We’re going to take that bullet out of you.”

      “No! No doctors,” Steve protested, his voice groggy.

      Jon ignored the remark. “Right. Just come with me. It’s going to be all right.”

      “Where is she?” Steve asked.

      “Who?”

      “The redhead. Where is she?”

      Jessica stepped to his side. “I’m here, Steve. It’s all right. Jon is going to help you.”

      “You’ll come with me?”

      “Yes, I’ll be there with you. I promise.”

      Jon sent a look toward his wife as he helped Steve to his feet.

      “Wait!” Jessica called, turning back to get the manila envelope.

      “What is that?” Jon asked.

      “It’s the proof Steve has about his partners’ activities. I promised him I’d keep it safe.”

      “Maybe you should leave that here. I’ll put it away.”

      “I’m afraid someone might’ve followed us, or will come looking for us tomorrow.”

      “All the more reason not to take it with you. They won’t come here looking for it.”

      “I don’t want to put you in any danger, Tori,” Jessica protested.

      “I won’t be. They won’t even know we’re kin.”

      “All they have to do is ask anyone in town.”

      “Who will send them out to the ranch, not to my house. This way will be safer.”

      “Okay. Thanks, sis.” She hugged Tori and followed Jon and Steve out to her SUV.

      Jon helped Steve into the front seat. Jessica could hear Murphy protesting her disappearance. She slipped behind the wheel, hoping to get out of there quickly, so Murphy would settle down.

      “I’ll follow you to the clinic,” Jon said.

      Chapter Three

      When Jessica parked in back of the clinic, she roused Steve again. “Can you walk if I help you?”

      “Where are we?”

      “At the hospital in Rawhide. My brother-in-law is going to help you.”

      “No! I need to get to Washington.”

      “I’m not even sure I can get you inside, Steve. You can’t make it to Washington in your condition.”

      “My evidence?”

      “It’s hidden. I’ll keep it safe, I promise. Now, I’m going to come to your side and help you out. Pull the blanket around you. It’s still snowing.”

      With that, she slipped out of the SUV, wearing her sister’s coat, and opened the door on the passenger side. Steve almost fell into her arms. She braced herself, but fortunately Jon appeared at that moment. “Here, let me help him.”

      Jessica stepped aside, but she felt a strange sense of loss. Steve had depended on her for more than twenty-four hours.

      She opened the door for the pair and followed them in. Jon turned into the first room and put Steve on a gurney. Then he turned to Jessica. “Stay here with him until I make sure the nurse on duty won’t be in the operating room with us. It will just be me, Caroline and Anna.”

      “You called Caroline? And my mother?” Jessica demanded. “She didn’t even know I was coming home.”

      “I know, but I want her to assist with the surgery. I told your dad to come, too. And Mike. You’ll need to explain everything to him. You can trust him to do what’s right, Jess. You know that.”

      “Yes, I know,” Jessica admitted with a sigh. “I don’t know how I’ll explain it to Steve, though.”

      “Don’t try right now. Wait until we get the bullet out and move the two of you into that apartment over the sheriff’s office. He’ll grasp the obvious then.”

      “I hope you’re right. And I’m glad my parents are coming. I’ve missed them a lot.” And she was glad her mother, who was a nurse-midwife, would be assisting with the surgery.

      Jon smiled and patted her on the shoulder. “Welcome home, Jess.”

      Jessica settled in a chair beside Steve, who appeared to be asleep. She had to have drifted off, too, because in what seemed like a couple of minutes, her mother and father came in and woke her up. After she hugged them, she explained everything.

      “You did a dangerous thing, honey,” her father, Brett Randall, said. “You could’ve been killed.”

      “I know, Dad, but I couldn’t just drive away and leave him there to die. You wouldn’t have done that.”

      “Well, no, but—but I’m a man.”

      “Oh, Dad, you’re so hopelessly out of date. Women can be brave, too.”

      “We’re so glad you’ve come home,” Anna said, hugging her again. “Now, I have to go get ready for the surgery. Maybe you should go tell Mike what’s going on.”

      “Yes, as soon as they take Steve into surgery, I’ll go to the waiting room. I’m assuming that’s where Mike is?”

      “He and Caroline had to bring their son, so I think Mike’s in there, getting him back to sleep.” Anna stretched up and kissed her husband. “I’ll see you soon.”

      Only a few minutes later, Anna came back to take Steve into surgery. Jessica went out to talk to Mike.

      She found him and her Dad sitting in the waiting room with cups of coffee. She told him about finding Steve and what he had told her.

      “The information he had is in a manila envelope that Tori promised to hold for me. He said it was proof that some of his partners were dirty. And he keeps saying he needs to get to Washington.”

      “Can we look at what he has?” Mike asked.

      “Would it make a difference in reporting his wound?”

      “I might be able to hold off for a couple of days,” Mike said. “You know, things get mislaid sometimes.”

      Brett nodded. “That works for me.”

      “Okay. But we should wait until morning before we call Tori. She should get a little more sleep,” Jessica said.

      “How about you?” her father asked. “Don’t you need some sleep?”