Judy Christenberry - Randall On The Run

“Yes, but that’s not why I called. Listen, Caroline, I have a—a person who’s been shot.”

“What? Jessica, what are you up to?”

“I’ll explain later. I bound the wound tightly to stop the bleeding, and I’ve given him aspirin. I don’t know if the bullet is out or not. Is there anything else I need to do?”

Since Caroline was one of two practicing doctors in Rawhide, Wyoming, her family’s hometown, she knew Caroline could advise her.

“No, nothing else, except to take him to a doctor.”

“He refuses.”

“Why?”

“It’s a long story. And I don’t know how long I’ll have him around. If he comes to, I’ll probably drop him somewhere.”

“This doesn’t sound smart, Jess. He could hurt you.”

“Not as long as he’s passed out. But don’t worry. I’ll be careful. If I have to bring him home, will Mike have to report him being shot?”

“That’s the law,” Caroline said, her voice sounding ominous. “I’m going to call Uncle Brett right now if you don’t explain yourself.”

She immediately begged her cousin not to worry her father, Brett Randall. “I’m being careful, I promise, Caro, but I have to get back on the road and there are reasons I can’t talk about him on the cell phone. Someone might pick up the call.”

“This is sounding worse, Jess, not better!”

“I know, but I promise I’ll explain when I get there. Just trust me for a couple of days.”

“All right, but no longer. And call back.”

“I will. I’m going to call Mom and Dad to let them know I’m coming.” Jessica breathed a sigh after she hung up. She’d been afraid of Caroline’s answer. She knew the man needed a doctor, but she wouldn’t take him to one against his will.

Unless he worsened, of course.

She hurried to her SUV as if her thinking such thoughts would make them come true. She opened the door on Murphy’s side and pushed her dog to the driver’s seat so she could lift the hat and clearly see the man’s face.

He was handsome, in a rough way. He needed a haircut and a shave, but nothing could hide his sculpted features. No wonder he was in Hollywood, home of the beautiful people.

Luckily it appeared the bleeding had stopped. She got out the first-aid kit again. If she rebandaged him, she could use the antibiotic cream, which might stave off an infection.

The ugly sight of his wound reminded Jessica why she hadn’t gone into medicine, like Caroline had. And her checkbook always taunted her for not going into accounting, like her sister, Tori, had.

In fact, in addition to her flair for the dramatic, it was because she had no other skills that she’d turned to acting. But at least she’d proved herself. She’d stayed in Hollywood until she got a role in a major film. That way her family wouldn’t think she was a failure when she came home.

Just as she was finishing binding the wound again, the man moaned.

“It’s all right,” she whispered soothingly. “You’re safe.”

She was sure he heard her because the tension in his body went away. She covered him up to his neck and lay the hat on his stomach so she could reach it quickly if she got pulled over again.

They were only a few miles from Cedar City, Utah, a town in the southern part of the state. When she reached the outskirts, the hat went back over the man’s face so she could pull through a fast-food restaurant drive-through and get breakfast for her and Murphy. She didn’t think her passenger would be up for any food just yet.

Once she’d done that, and Murphy was busy munching his sausage and biscuit, Jessica began talking to her dog, as she always did. He was her best listener.

“You know, Murph, I can’t keep referring to him as ‘the man.’ Maybe we should give him a name. What do you think of Angus? He’s got dark hair. He could be an Angus. Or maybe he’s a cowboy, like the men in my family. Shall we call him Clint, in honor of Clint Eastwood?”

Murphy woofed his disapproval.

Jessica suggested several other names until a deep voice said, “Steve.”

She almost drove off the road as she stared at her dog. Then she realized the sound had come from behind the seat. She did pull to the side of the road then. “You’re awake.”

“Yeah,” he said, just barely above a whisper.

“I should give you some more aspirin. Are you in pain?”

“Yeah.”

Well, he was a big conversationalist, wasn’t he?

She put the aspirins in his mouth and then lifted his head slightly so he could drink the water.

After a long drink, he sank back. “Where are we?”

She was afraid her answer would shock him. “Utah.”

“Why?” he asked, his brow wrinkling.

“I was on my way home. You didn’t tell me where you wanted to go, and I couldn’t just let you lie there and bleed to death, so I brought you along with me.”

“Too dangerous,” he muttered.

“I think we’re safe enough now. Though I did worry when the policeman pulled me over.”

“When?”

“Last night in L.A. on the freeway.”

“Why?”

Another one-word response. “He said my vehicle fit the description of one belonging to a perp who’d robbed a store. He wanted to search my car, but I told him no.”

“How did you know you could refuse? Most people—”

“I asked a policeman who was a consultant on a cop show I did once. He told me.”

“And the officer said okay?”

“Yes. He looked into the back and let me go. Then I gave him a phony destination.”

“Plates. They can track—”

“Doesn’t matter. I changed plates.”

“How?”

“I kept my Wyoming plates for sentimental reasons. So, after he stopped me, I changed back to my Wyoming plates. And they haven’t expired. Then I cut across to the highway that leads to Salt Lake City.”

“You said Wyoming.”

“Yes, that’s where I’m headed. Do you want me to drop you off somewhere?” She was surprised at the reluctance she felt at turning him out on his own. She’d saved his life, after all.

“No, they won’t look for me there.”

“Who, Steve?”

He swallowed hard. “My partners. They shot me… I think my boss is in on it too. That’s why I have to get to Washington.”

“You’re in no shape for that,” Jessica told him. “Right now we’re just trying to get you to a doctor in Wyoming—”

“No doctors!”

“If you’d let me finish, the doctor is my cousin.”

“But they have to report it to—”

“The law, who is her husband. I’ll explain everything, and he’ll do the right thing.” She hoped he didn’t ask what the right thing would be. Mike would try to help, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t report the wound.

“Okay.”

It was as if she could read his mind. She was sure he was thinking he’d have time to get lost again, because it would take his enemies time to get to Wyoming. She didn’t bother arguing with him.

“So, we’ll be on our way, Steve. That is your name, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you hungry? I can stop—”

“No. Just drive.”

So the man had a bit of an attitude. Jessica wanted to remind him that men usually went out of their way for her, not the other way around. Some men even found her attractive. Then she caught herself up. That was a Hollywood thought. She needed to remember how life was in Rawhide. She’d be home soon.

She got behind the wheel, gave Murphy a pat and started the engine, automatically locking the doors. Then she eased back onto a highway that didn’t have a lot of traffic. It was a relief after Los Angeles.

They picked up traffic again as they got close to Salt Lake City. Steve had gone back to sleep, so she had no conversation to relieve the boredom of the drive, but she felt a growing excitement about going home.