Read Online Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 16 by Chautona Havig - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chautona Havig
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.”
Detective Haunsel nodded thoughtfully. “ What does the doctor say? ”
“ Gonna have to learn to shoot with my other hand. Even if they get this thing fully functional, ” Chad waved his bandaged hand impatiently, “ they say the muscles won ’ t be completely reliable. It ’ ll always be a little stiff .”
“ Ouch. Tough luck… at least you live in Fairbury. You probably haven ’ t drawn your gun since you ’ ve worked there .”
Chad hated the implication that work in Fairbury wasn ’ t real. “ I want to know that the next time a stalker breaks into my house to terrorize my wife, I ’ ll be able to pull the trigger before he does. ” The man’s face showed surprise and he started to speak, but Chad continued. “ Sorry if that ruins your Mayberry ideal of Fairbury , but between the Plagiarist Killer and the Solari influence, we ’ ve had more crime in Fairbury in the past few years than the town has had in the past fifty. Rockland is encroaching , and I want to be able to do my part to push it back. We don ’ t want your crime .”
Marianne watched as they wheeled her son into surgery and wondered just how successful it would be. Christopher jogged up to her side. “ Sorry I ’ m late. What ’ s going on? ”
“ They just wheeled him in. The surgeon talked to me while they were taking him in. He ’ s confident it ’ ll be successful , but the degree of success is what is in question .”
Christopher sank into a nearby chair. “ My son — all he ever wanted to do was be a cop and now —”
Chad ’ s mother wrapped her arms around her husband and hushed him. “ He ’ ll shoot with his other hand. He ’ ll be fine .”
“ I think it just hit me. My son was shot. A man took careful aim and shot him , and if Chad hadn ’ t moved at just the right moment, he probably would be dead .”
“ So how long until everything is out of my system? How soon before I am chemically safe to drive? ”
Saturday morning, Chad bombarded the doctor with questions as he inspected Chad ’ s sutures, chart, and checked the wound in Chad ’ s chest. He ’ d fought the use of the PCA as much as possible , but the throbbing had kept him awake most of the night until he ’ d given in and allowed himself a few hours of pain relief. His goal was to leave that night.
“ You ’ re determined to leave tonight then? ”
Chad nodded. “ I have to get home. I know I ’ ll have to sign , but I need to get home .”
The doctor called the nurse to rewrap Chad ’ s hand and said goodbye. “ I ’ ll leave care instructions with the nurses. Try to stay as long as possible. The longer you ’ re here, the more likely a problem happens here than at home .” He hesitated. “ Will you promise me one thing? ”
“ What? ”
“ If you relapse at all before you leave , will you please reconsider and stay another night? ”
Chad nodded. “ I ’ m not trying to get myself killed —” he winked at his mother. “ Contrary to popular belief .”
With the doctor gone, Chad tried to apologize for worrying his mother , but he didn ’ t get far. “ I understand , Chaddie. I do. I want to help , but I couldn ’ t live with myself if —”
“ It ’ s ok , M om. Really. Can you do something for me though? ” He knew the only way his mother would quit worrying was if she had a way to help him.
“ I ’ d need clothes whether I left right now or next week. Can you bring me sweats and a buttoned down shirt? ”
“ That ’ s kind of a strange combination, son .”
Chad grinned. “ I ’ m a fashion mystery. ” At her disgusted look, he sighed. “ Ok, so maybe I just want something easy to get on and off again .”
At five o ’ clock, Todd arrived with a bag of clothes from Chad ’ s mother. “ Hey , man, how are you feeling? ”
“ Miserable but I ’ ll do .”
“ You sure you want to leave? ”
Groaning, Chad made a slicing motion across his neck.
Detective Haunsel nodded thoughtfully. “ What does the doctor say? ”
“ Gonna have to learn to shoot with my other hand. Even if they get this thing fully functional, ” Chad waved his bandaged hand impatiently, “ they say the muscles won ’ t be completely reliable. It ’ ll always be a little stiff .”
“ Ouch. Tough luck… at least you live in Fairbury. You probably haven ’ t drawn your gun since you ’ ve worked there .”
Chad hated the implication that work in Fairbury wasn ’ t real. “ I want to know that the next time a stalker breaks into my house to terrorize my wife, I ’ ll be able to pull the trigger before he does. ” The man’s face showed surprise and he started to speak, but Chad continued. “ Sorry if that ruins your Mayberry ideal of Fairbury , but between the Plagiarist Killer and the Solari influence, we ’ ve had more crime in Fairbury in the past few years than the town has had in the past fifty. Rockland is encroaching , and I want to be able to do my part to push it back. We don ’ t want your crime .”
Marianne watched as they wheeled her son into surgery and wondered just how successful it would be. Christopher jogged up to her side. “ Sorry I ’ m late. What ’ s going on? ”
“ They just wheeled him in. The surgeon talked to me while they were taking him in. He ’ s confident it ’ ll be successful , but the degree of success is what is in question .”
Christopher sank into a nearby chair. “ My son — all he ever wanted to do was be a cop and now —”
Chad ’ s mother wrapped her arms around her husband and hushed him. “ He ’ ll shoot with his other hand. He ’ ll be fine .”
“ I think it just hit me. My son was shot. A man took careful aim and shot him , and if Chad hadn ’ t moved at just the right moment, he probably would be dead .”
“ So how long until everything is out of my system? How soon before I am chemically safe to drive? ”
Saturday morning, Chad bombarded the doctor with questions as he inspected Chad ’ s sutures, chart, and checked the wound in Chad ’ s chest. He ’ d fought the use of the PCA as much as possible , but the throbbing had kept him awake most of the night until he ’ d given in and allowed himself a few hours of pain relief. His goal was to leave that night.
“ You ’ re determined to leave tonight then? ”
Chad nodded. “ I have to get home. I know I ’ ll have to sign , but I need to get home .”
The doctor called the nurse to rewrap Chad ’ s hand and said goodbye. “ I ’ ll leave care instructions with the nurses. Try to stay as long as possible. The longer you ’ re here, the more likely a problem happens here than at home .” He hesitated. “ Will you promise me one thing? ”
“ What? ”
“ If you relapse at all before you leave , will you please reconsider and stay another night? ”
Chad nodded. “ I ’ m not trying to get myself killed —” he winked at his mother. “ Contrary to popular belief .”
With the doctor gone, Chad tried to apologize for worrying his mother , but he didn ’ t get far. “ I understand , Chaddie. I do. I want to help , but I couldn ’ t live with myself if —”
“ It ’ s ok , M om. Really. Can you do something for me though? ” He knew the only way his mother would quit worrying was if she had a way to help him.
“ I ’ d need clothes whether I left right now or next week. Can you bring me sweats and a buttoned down shirt? ”
“ That ’ s kind of a strange combination, son .”
Chad grinned. “ I ’ m a fashion mystery. ” At her disgusted look, he sighed. “ Ok, so maybe I just want something easy to get on and off again .”
At five o ’ clock, Todd arrived with a bag of clothes from Chad ’ s mother. “ Hey , man, how are you feeling? ”
“ Miserable but I ’ ll do .”
“ You sure you want to leave? ”
Groaning, Chad made a slicing motion across his neck.
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