Buck kept saying no and trying to move.
“You hear me, Marine. Stay still—that’s an order.”
Buck relaxed and quit moving, but he continued to stare ather with the most soulful eyes, as if he was trying to tell her something important.
The jacket was almost completely saturated and Katie wasn’t sure if the blood was ceasing to flow or not. Her heart was pounding and her mind reflected on wounded soldiers she had tried to save when she was in the Army. Her entire body shook with adrenalin. It made her vision dim and she seemed to have tunnel vision. She tried to control her breathing and keep pressure on Buck’s wounds at the same time.
When she looked down, Buck was staring at her, still with wide eyes. For an instant, she thought he might be dead, but she realized he was studying her.
“You’re going to be okay,” she said softly. Her energy was dwindling and she didn’t know how much longer she could keep pressure on the wounds.
Finally, there was the sound of several people running through the forest heading toward her, the pounding footsteps seeming to come from all around. It was the most wonderful sound.
“Help is here. You’re going to be okay,” she said.
“You don’t…” Buck didn’t finish his sentence as his eyes closed.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Thursday 1445 hours
Katie and McGaven waited in the hospital, pacing. For some reason, the area was crowded with hospital workers, police, and emergency medical technicians. It wasn’t for Buck, but it seemed that for a Thursday afternoon, it was jam-packed.
“I think you should get checked out,” said McGaven.
“I’m fine. Just a few bruises and the pride knocked out of me,” she said.
“You can’t remember anything about the man who attacked you?”
“I’m not a rookie, Gav. I never saw his face. I saw a dark jacket from his arm and I think he was wearing cowboy boots. His voice was…” She remembered the breathy tone. “Was just a whisper.”
McGaven looked at his partner. Katie felt as if a ghost had walked across her grave.
“Are you all right?” said John, breathless as he came up to them.
“Yes,I’m fine.”
“Sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.”
It was clear John wasn’t sure if he could hug Katie due to the fact that they were working. The three of them stood awkwardly, not quite knowing what to say.
A nurse approached them. “Were you the officers waiting for an update for Raymond Young?”
“Yes,” said Katie, relieved for the interruption.
“How is he?” said McGaven.
“He’s stable. The knife wounds weren’t as deep as we first thought. He is severely dehydrated and underweight, so we’re keeping him for observation. His…” The nurse hesitated. “What do you know about his condition?”
“What do you mean?” said Katie.
“He has severe scarring from what looks like a fire.”
Chills ran up Katie’s spine. The explosion.
“He was a Marine,” said McGaven.
The nurse nodded. “That makes more sense now. He doesn’t want to talk to anyone,” she said. “He says he doesn’t have any family.”
