Confessing to the Cowboy - By Carla Cassidy Page 0,87

if it got her to the hospital and closer to Cameron as quickly as possible.

On the way, she tried to recount everything that had happened from the moment Brandon Williams had wheeled out of the men’s restroom and stood to face her until the time the deputies had shown up. Although she tried to speak clearly, coherently, her thoughts were all for Cameron. Had his chest wound been lethal? How bad was the cut on his thigh, a slash that had bled badly enough for her to see his blood soaking his jeans?

When she reached the emergency room no answers about Cameron’s condition awaited her. He’d been rushed directly into surgery.

She slumped down on one of the plastic chairs to wait, knowing that she might be there for the rest of the night. Jason would never hurt another person again, but she had to know if he’d claimed one final victim before he’d gone down.

Chapter 18

Pain.

Cameron came to with a pain the likes of which he’d never known before. His chest felt as if it had been bisected and his upper left thigh was on fire. With his eyes closed he remained still, afraid to move. The constant beep of nearby machinery let him know he was in the hospital.

Mary! Her name flew through his head and he jerked up, instantly regretting his sudden move as darkness once again claimed him.

When he came to again the pain was tolerable and midafternoon sunshine flowed through the nearby window. How long had he been here? Somehow he knew it had been longer than just overnight.

Mary? He had to find out if she was okay. He fumbled to find the nurse call button and pushed it. He heard the responding ding from the nurses’ station outside of his room and it took only a minute for RN Kerry Killian to scurry inside, a bright smile on her face.

“Ah, you’re finally awake.” She moved to his side, bringing with her the scents of antiseptic hand sanitizer and vanilla perfume.

“How long have I been here?” he asked, his throat scratchy and raw.

“Three days.”

“Mary? Mary Mathis?” A frantic fear rushed through him as he stared at Kerry with the painful need to know.

“Mary is just fine. She’s been here to visit you during the afternoons and evenings.”

“And Jason McKnight...Brandon Williams?”

Kerry frowned. “He’ll probably never walk again so he’d better hope they let him take that scooter of his to prison with him.” She patted his shoulder. “And now I’m going to get the doctor and tell him you’re back among the living.”

Cameron relaxed back against the pillows. Mary was safe and apparently his backup team had arrived in time to take care of McKnight. Whatever physical injuries Cameron had suffered didn’t matter. The bad guy was behind bars, his town was safe and most important of all Mary was okay. That’s all that truly mattered.

A quick chat with the doctor let Cameron know that he’d received eighteen stitches in his thigh, and ten in his chest. He’d received a blood transfusion to replace what he’d lost and he’d also suffered a punctured lung, which was healing nicely. The doctor thought he could go home in another day or two.

It wasn’t long after the doctor left that Mary stepped through the door. The sun shone bright on her blond hair and her beautiful blue eyes radiated warmth.

To Cameron’s embarrassment, tears filled his eyes. Before he could swipe them away she sat in the chair next to his bed and grabbed his hand, her own eyes also misty.

“Oh, Cameron, you had me so scared,” she said, laughing as they each wiped their eyes.

“I felt the same way about you. My last thought was that I was dying and there was nobody to save you.” Anguish welled up inside him.

“But you did save me. You braved Jason’s knife without any weapon of your own. You almost died because of me.” Once again her blue eyes welled up with tears.

“I would have died for you and Matt.” He hadn’t meant to say the words. He hadn’t meant for her to know how he ached for her love, how there were moments he wasn’t sure he could breathe without seeing her face.

He cleared his voice. “Thank God, my men got there to take care of Jason.”

“Actually, they didn’t.” She pulled her hands from his as her face paled. “You were on the floor and I thought you were dead. Junior was so traumatized he couldn’t stop sobbing and there was nothing