Dorothy Garlock (31 page)

“You’re lucky. It doesn’t look like it hit any vital organs. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it’s still in there and has to come out. Know what it was?” Doc asked without looking up.

“A .22 rifle bullet,” Corbin said.

“It’s lodged in his back. How ya doin’, boy?” Doc patted Jack’s shoulder and moved out of his sight. “Got to put you out for a while. I can sock you in the jaw, use ether, chloroform, or give you a shot of Novocain. Which shall it be?”

“Had ether once. Made me sick as a dog.”

Doc mouthed something to April, and she began to prepare an injection of Novocain. The room was quiet while they worked. Doc would murmur a request, and an instrument would be in his hand instantly. At one time the clinic door opened and Corbin slipped out. After a low murmur of voices, he came back into the surgery and stood quietly beside Joe and Evan.

Although April was conscious of Joe’s watching, she worked with Doc as if her hands were an extension of his. When the area in Jack’s back was deadened, Doc made an incision and removed the bullet. He dropped it into a pan with a clunk. April handed him the tools he needed as he cleaned and stitched the wound.

With some of his anxiety eased now that Jack was in Doc’s capable hands, Joe watched April and marveled at how calm and efficient she was. She was pretty, smart, educated—and no doubt had been on dates with well-fixed men who had cars of their own and didn’t have to use hers.

A woman like April was used to men like Harold Dozier, who had clean fingernails and no manure on their shoes. She would never be serious about a hayseed who had only a few acres of land, a mortgage and a bull.

His pride surfaced. He didn’t want a woman who couldn’t love him for himself and not for what he had. He’d get over her. But it had better be soon because the ache was eating a hole in his heart.

Julie came breathlessly into the clinic. One word was all she could manage. “Jack!”

Evan met her and pulled her close. “He’s going to be all right.”

“They said he was shot.”

“He was. Doc said it didn’t hit any vital organs. He’s almost finished with him.”

“Where was he hit?”

“In his side. The bullet didn’t go all the way through. Doc had to take it out of his back.”

“I want to see him.”

“In a little while.” Holding his wife, Evan noticed Joy standing beside the door. Tears were running down her cheeks. He held out one arm. “Come here, honey.”

Joy rushed to him. He held both sisters until Joe came out to tell him they were finished and Julie could come in. Jack was still under from the whiff of chloroform April had given him before Doc cleaned out the bullet hole and probed to be certain it was safe to close the wound.

He was covered now with a blanket. April was standing at his head smoothing his hair off his face. They would watch now, she explained, to see that he didn’t go into shock from loss of blood.

“Are you sure he’ll be all right?” Julie asked and grasped Jack’s hand, pressing it between both of hers.

“You can never be one hundred percent sure about these things. There’s always the danger of infection, but they got him here in good time. He’s healthy and should recover without any problems.” Doc spoke as he put the used instruments into the sterilizer.

“When is he going to wake up?” Joy moved to the other side of the table and took Jack’s other hand.

“It won’t be long now.” April brought a chair for Julie and a stool for Joy, then stood back while the family gathered around.

Julie looked up at her husband. “Who shot him?”

“Tator Williams. The way I understand it, he was aiming at Joe. Sammy Davidson ran at him, spoiled his aim, and he hit Jack.”

“Sammy did that?” Joy shot a quick glance at Joe.

“The kid wrestled with Tator and kept him from getting off another shot until some of the men got there and took the gun away from him. Marshal Sanford took Tator to the district jail.”

“Why was he shooting at you, Joe?” Julie’s worried frown went from her husband to her brother.

“He’d been acting smart with some of the women down there along the river. I told him to stop it. He lipped off, and I gave him a few aches and pains.”

“How did you know he was doing that?” Julie asked. “Doc told me. He knows what goes on down there. Any more questions?”

Joe’s mood was not the best. It didn’t sit well with him that his brother had almost been killed because of him. If the marshal hadn’t been there, there wouldn’t have been enough left of Tator to send to jail. He reasoned now that it was probably better this way. They’d put old Tator on the chain gang, and he’d have to work for a change. Joe had said a mere thanks to Sammy and would say more later. It took guts to run at a man with a loaded rifle.

Doc took Corbin off to talk about his fear of a typhoid epidemic if people drank from their water wells after they had flooded.

“I’ll get on down to the newspaper and make up some signs,” Corbin told him. “I’ll have a notice in the paper, too, but it’ll be three days before the paper comes out.”

“Lord, I pity all the people who have to clean that river mud out of their homes, find their animals and salvage what they can. It’ll be tough.”

“We’re fortunate that Marshal Sanford saw trouble coming and had a court order to remove the rocks, or it could have been much worse. Evan is going to talk to the governor and see if we can’t get help for the people down there.”

“I wish him luck,” Doc said dryly. “It’ll be like getting blood out of a turnip.”

“I’ve got to get home. Annabel was sleeping when I left early this morning. She’ll be awake by now and wanting to know what’s going on.”

“What name do I put on your daughter’s birth certificate?” “If I have my way, we’ll call her Lee Ann. I’ve got to get Annabel to agree.” Corbin grinned sheepishly. “She’s been threatening me that if we had a girl, she would name her Corbaleen.”

Doc chuckled. “That’s awful. Try and convince her to see it your way.”

After Corbin had left, Doc stood on the porch for a minute, then took the key out of his pocket and went to the door of his quarters. He couldn’t wait another minute to see Caroline.

April’s head was bent over the ledger on the desk when Joe walked past. She didn’t raise her head to look at him, so he didn’t say anything. He walked out the door and headed for Main Street. He was eager to go home, but he had something to do first. He was uncomfortable still wearing his Sunday suit without a shirt. It was the only thing he’d had to use as a bandage when Jack was shot.

Lord, would he ever get over the fear he felt when his brother fell at his feet hit by a bullet meant for him? Damn Tator Williams. He’d always known that Tator was the biggest turd in the shit pile, but he’d not thought of him as a murderer. Now he wished that he had put his ass up between his ears when he had the chance.

Joe was stopped as he made his way down the street to answer questions about Jack. People were concerned. Jack was well liked and most of them were pleased that he had the police job. None asked why Tator was out gunning for him. If they had, he would say what he’d told the marshal. They’d had a little set-to, nothing he thought was serious.

He crossed the street when he saw Sammy and a couple of small boys sitting on the iron steps at the side of the bank building.

“Speak to you a minute, Sammy.”

“Sure.”

“We gotta go, Sam. Pa’ll be needin’ help.” The boys skirted around Joe and took off down the street.

Joe sat down on the steps. “I didn’t mean to run off your friends.”

“They’re not my friends. They’re just little kids.”

“I want to thank you for what you did today.”

“Wasn’t nothin’. I’d not want Tator to shoot a cat.”

“It was something to me.”

“Yeah, well, we’re even. You got my ma out. I owed ya.” “You didn’t owe for that.”

“Yeah, I know. You’da done the same for a sick dog.” “Where is your mother? Did her sister take her in?” “Yeah. She didn’t want to but she did. I got to get out to the house and clean it out so she can go back.”

“Can’t she help you?”

“Are you kiddin’?” Sammy looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. He sat with the gunnysack he’d tied in a tree now resting between his knees.

“I need to go eat something. Want to go?” “No.”

“Why? Have you stopped eating?”

“I don’t want to go, all right? I need to get out to the house.” Sammy got to his feet and flung the sack over his shoulder.

“I asked you to go with me because I wanted your company and not because of what you did for me.”

“Listen, Jones.” Sammy turned on him like a spitting cat. “I don’t take charity, especially not from you, not from any of the Joneses. We’re even, understand?”

“If that’s the way you want it. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention that you and Tator had been to Miss Deval’s and that that was the reason I busted Tator’s nose.”

“You must think I’m a half-wit. Why would I tell? People would realize that I was with him. I’m not proud of doin’ that.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Joe stuck out his hand. “Thanks, Sammy. I’m obliged. Not many grown men would tackle a man with a loaded rifle.”

Sammy looked at Joe’s hand, then slowly put his in it. “Wasn’t anythin’. Bye.”

He hurried off down the street as if he had somewhere important to go. Joe watched him. He felt sorry for the kid, but he still didn’t want him hanging around his sister. Maybe without Tator he’d straighten up, but then again maybe not. His folks were not worth shooting. The kid had an uphill climb.

Joe was almost at the corner when he saw his sisters and Evan coming down the street toward Sparky’s. He stood on the corner and waited for them. Soon he was surrounded by men inquiring about Jack and what he thought should be done with Tator Williams for shooting him.

“The marshal will see to it that Tator gets what’s coming to him. As to why he was shooting at me or Jack, you’ll have to ask him.”

“It’s a dirty shame is what it is. Jack was doin’ his job . . . not pushin’ anybody around.”

“I’ll tell him you asked about him.”

Joe crossed the street. As he approached his sisters and Evan, he could see the worry on Julie’s face and tears in Joy’s eyes.

“What’s the matter? Did something happen?” he asked anxiously.

Evan answered, “No.” Then: “He’s not awake yet.”

“Doc is going to keep him there tonight in that small room back of the surgery. I’m going back to sit with him.” Julie was clinging to her husband’s hand. “Evan will pick up the children and take them home.”

“Isn’t it the nurse’s job to look after Doc’s patients?” Joe’s brows were raised and he spoke bluntly.

“April was there nearly all last night. She only got a couple hours of sleep on Doc’s couch.”

“Is the romance off already?” Joy still had not forgiven her brother for his treatment of Sammy.

“What romance, brat? You’ve been reading too many stories in the
True Confessions
magazine.”

“You had a crush on her. Don’t deny it.”

“It’s the way with crushes. They come and go.”

“Aren’t you ashamed now how you treated Sammy? He saved your life and Jack’s.”

“Let it go, brat. But stay away from him. He’s too rough and tough for you. He acts like a twenty-five-year-old and he’s only sixteen.”

“Look at the people uptown.” Julie changed the subject when she realized that Joy was preparing to argue. “If the stores weren’t closed, I’d think it was Saturday and not Sunday.”

“We’re going to get something to eat,” Evan said. “Want to come along, Joe?”

“No, thanks. I’ve got Pa’s car. I’ll take it back and get out of these clothes. He’ll want to come in and see Jack. I hope he hasn’t heard about him being shot.”

“Will you be coming back to town with Pa?”

“I’ll ride over and tell Jill. Then I’ll come back in and sit with Jack tonight,” Evan said.

“No. I’ll stay. You didn’t sleep at all last night.”

“I am kind of dead on my feet. I’ll get a few hours’ sleep, then we’ll see.”

Chapter 25

I
N THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON
Jack became aware that he was lying on a narrow bed with rails on each side and that his sister was sitting beside him.

“Sis—”

Julie jumped up. “Oh, honey. How do you feel?”

“Like someone shot me in the belly.”

“It was in the side. Doc said the bullet went through the fleshy part of your side. You’re going to be all right.”

“Was anyone else hurt?”

“No one but you. The marshal took Tator Williams to jail.”

“Why’d he shoot me?”

“It’s a long story. Joe will tell you. You scared me to death.” Julie put a kiss on his forehead as she had done when he was a small boy.

“I’m awful thirsty.”

April appeared beside Julie. “You’re back with us. I’ll get some cold water; drink only a sip at a time, or you might throw it up.”

Julie held the glass for her brother and told him as much as she knew about what was going on.

“Annabel had a baby girl last night. But I guess you knew that, or Corbin wouldn’t have been with you this morning. Folks are leaving town and trying to get back to their homes. I can’t even imagine how they must feel. Having to clean out all that river mud, find your livestock and make a meal for your family.

“April said that people have been calling here to find out how you are.” Jack didn’t open his eyes, and Julie realized he had fallen asleep.

The clinic was usually closed on Sunday except for emergencies, but this had been an extraordinary day. People had been in and out all day. April hadn’t had a chance to tell Doc about what had happened that morning at Mrs. Poole’s or that she was going to look for another room.

Just before suppertime Doc spoke to Julie. “Jack will be all right if you w-want to go get s-something to eat.”

“Evan will be back after he does the evening chores. He said he’d bring me something. Sparky usually closes at noon on Sunday.”

“He’ll stay open as long as his f-food lasts. Some of the folks won’t be able to go right back home and f-fix a meal.”

Later, Doc followed April out onto the porch, and she was able to tell him about her plans to move out of Mrs. Poole’s house. He was quiet for a minute, then spoke with his customary calm.