“It doesn’t matter. The point is, you gotta get in there and help. However you can. Right now!” He threw Raymond in the general direction of where Angela was. He stumbled and fell to one knee. He looked back at Cooper, incredulous. But, he rose to his feet and began ambling off in the right direction. Cooper’s hope grew when he saw him straighten up and begin to tug at this white coat as he walked. His gait became more firm with each passing step. Damn, fear is an evil thing. He collapsed into the car seat that Raymond had just vacated, he folded his hands around his head and breathed heavily. He counted to ten and then rose up to rejoin Angela.
Upon returning, Cooper was surprised at how quickly Angela had brought order from chaos. The EMTs were triaging the wounded in an area to the left of the house. Angela and Raymond were, apparently, inside the house tending to the most critically wounded. Doctor Jones, a man in his sixties with a mane of white hair draped to his shoulders, showed up just as Cooper arrived. He was quickly directed inside by one of the EMTs.
Cooper approached the other one, “I have some training in Wilderness first aid. It ain’t much, but do you guys need help?”
The EMT, a woman in her thirties with chestnut brown hair that fell to her shoulders, shook her head, “Thanks, but we got it under control.”
Cooper nodded, “Alright, but give a shout if things change.” She answered him with a quick nod and went back to work.
Cooper drifted a few paces away and leaned up against a Chevy Bronco. Jake soon joined him, as did Dranko and Miles. They milled about, breathing in a collective sigh of relief, as they watched the medical personnel work.
“Thank God for Angela, eh,” Miles asked.
“You can say that again,” Cooper answered.
“I wasn’t up to this,” Miles commented, shame clouding his voice.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s a long way from farmer to running a MASH unit!” Cooper offered in support.
“But, still…”
“Ah, shut it, will you? You done what you could. What man can do more than that?” Dranko lashed out at him.
Miles recoiled, taking a step back, “Well…thanks…I guess?”
“Sorry. It’s been a long day. But, you know what I mean, right?”
Miles nodded, “Yeah. I do. Thanks.”
“You ready to talk about our 3pm appointment with Hodges?”
Miles exhaled loudly, “If I have to.”
“’Fraid so.”
“I’m hoping you can join me. I was thinking you and Frank.”
Cooper shook his head, “I think it’s best if I keep my distance. I don’t think Hodges knows yet that I’m linked to you. That element of surprise is something we should keep in our back pocket.”
Miles thought for a moment, “Yeah, that makes sense. What do you think is the play?”
Cooper shrugged his shoulders, “I think your leverage is stronger than it was this morning. He knows this town will stand up to him now. His nose is bloodied. So, I think it is to stick with the demands.”
Miles folded his arms across his chest, “Sure. I was thinking the same. I’m damn proud of these guys. We paid a price. I need to make it worth something.”
“I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade…” Dranko began.
“But, you will,” Cooper interrupted.
Dranko raised his eyebrows, “Yeah, well. Someone has to. The wild card in all this is whether Junior was wounded or killed. If he’s dead, you might be dealing with one pissed of Hodges. He may not be rational. We best hope that he’s only wounded.”
“Good point,” Miles said.
“You could find out before the meeting,” Cooper offered, a sober look in his eyes.
“What do you mean?” Miles asked, with furrowed eyebrows.
“Bethany,” Cooper’s one word answer was ripe with risk. He knew he was almost saying what Miles most likely knew already. But, there was a big difference between a man suspecting, or knowing of, his wife’s infidelity and him admitting it out loud. A long, tense pregnant pause hung in the air.
Miles shuffled his feet and dropped his eyes to the ground, “Yup. She could find out.” Miles drew a deep breathe, pausing for another long moment. “Can one of you guys ask her to?”
“I will,” Cooper offered, softening his voice to a whisper.
“You all set, then?” Dranko asked, adroitly changing the subject.
Miles looked up at them again, “Yeah, I think so.”
“Let’s get everything ready and meet back up at one?”
Miles and Cooper nodded in response. Miles drifted off and the other men watched him with sympathetic eyes.
“That’s gotta be rough,” Cooper mused.
“At least he’s being smart about it and not being an emotional moron.”
“Yeah. I just wouldn’t want to be facing something like that during the apocalypse.”
“Would there ever be a good time for something like that?”
“Nope, I guess you’re right,” Cooper responded, chuckling morosely.
“What are you guys talking about,” Jake asked.
“Nothing, son. Nothing.”
“Oh, I hate it when you do that!” Jake groaned.
“What?” Dranko asked, knowing already.
His eyes grew sullen, “Nothing. Forget it.”
Before all of this, Jake would whine about not being included in adult conversations and he never gave up this easily. His resignation today disturbed Cooper.
He began with an apologetic tone, “It’s just that Miles and…”
“I said forget it,” barked Jake before he turned and walked away. His tone lacked any whine and was instead as flat as the Nebraska plains.
“Just one more symptom,” Cooper mumbled just barely loud enough for Dranko to hear.
“Of what?”
“That he’s using anger to keep away the pain,” Cooper’s voice drifted.
“He’ll be alright,” Dranko lamely offered, not a shred of confidence in his voice.
“Yeah, thanks. Let’s go do what we gotta do,” Cooper said unenthusiastically.
Cooper found Bethany boiling some sheets in the kitchen, making bandages no doubt. A man Cooper didn’t recognize was helping her. She looked up as he came into the room. He inclined his head, indicating he wanted to talk to her alone. She paused for a moment, and then nodded. She untied her apron strings and addressed her assistant.
“I’ll be back in five.”
The man nodded and moved into position to tend the boiling cauldron of sheets. Cooper moved aside as Bethany whisked past him. She was digging furiously in her front jacket pocket as she passed. He followed in her wake as she exited the front door.
They moved to the side of the house. The cigarette was already lit and the first burst of smoke was blowing out as she turned, combative.
“Whatcha want? I’m pretty busy.” Her feet were splayed wide, her posture matching her aggressive tone.
“We need your help,” Cooper said, attempting to soften the mood.
Curiosity gripped her face, “Really?”
“Yeah. In the firefight today, we’re pretty sure that Junior Hodges was hit.”
Her hand made it halfway to her mouth before she stayed it. She awkwardly tried to conceal the reflex by switching the cigarette to a new hand. Her face went slack in surprise for an instant, as well. Then, she forced it back to a devil-may-care look. She didn’t say a word, but kept staring at him.
“We don’t know if he was wounded or killed. And, we need to know.” He looked at her intently, awaiting her response.
“Why m…” She started to ask the question, but stopped herself. She doesn’t really want me to answer that. She stared at the ground, took two long drags on her cigarette before answering.