A Time to Heal(69)

So much blood. She'd lost so much blood.

Tires screeched on the road and a car came to a stop. A man and a woman got out and rushed over. "What happened?"

"He shot her," Chris told them quickly, waving his hand at Malcolm who hadn't stirred. "Have you got a blanket or something in your car? She's going into shock."

The woman ran back to the car.

"Did you call 911?" the man asked even as he pulled his cell phone out.

"Yeah."

Other cars stopped by the road and people gathered. "Can you get them to move?" Chris asked. "The ambulance'll never get in here if they're in the way."

"Sure thing, mister."

The woman returned and helped Chris tuck the blanket around Hannah.

"Poor thing," she said. "Why would someone shoot an Amish woman?"

Chris heard a siren, then another. Emergency vehicles parked and paramedics ran over.

"He got off one shot," he told them. "It went through her arm, nicking her artery and passing through her side." He pulled the jacket away to reveal the wound. "She's lost so much blood."

They went into action, one paramedic doing his own compression on the side wound, another taking vitals and setting up an IV.

"Sir? Sir?"

Chris looked up to see a police officer.

"I need to ask you some questions."

"We'll take good care of her," one of the paramedics told him.

Another officer escorted a now-conscious Malcolm to a patrol car. Malcolm looked scared now, not filled with rage.

"What happened here?"

As briefly as he could, Chris filled the officer in with what Malcolm had done. Over the policewoman's shoulder, he watched as the paramedics placed Hannah on a gurney and pushed it toward the ambulance.

Chris glanced over at the road as he heard the pounding of hooves. A buggy came into view. The horse's mouth dripped foam from the exertion.

Chris felt a mixture of relief and trepidation as he saw Matthew and Jenny in the buggy. Matthew pulled the buggy beside the road and he and Jenny got out and ran over.

"What happened?" Matthew cried as a police officer held him back. "Let me through, I'm her bruder."

Chris nodded and the officer let him and Jenny rush toward Hannah.

Matthew spoke with the paramedics and then he climbed into the ambulance and sat beside Hannah. The ambulance doors were shut and the vehicle pulled out onto the road and sped off, siren blaring.

Jenny stood by, watching and waiting. When the officer left Chris, she rushed to his side. "What happened? Phoebe came over to tell us about you leaving and why she thought we should call the police. Then Matthew's horse came back with the buggy but no Hannah, and we knew something was wrong."

Chris ran his hands through his hair. "It's all my fault." He told her what had happened and Jenny's eyes widened.

"I remember reading about that when I was in the hospital.I never connected your name to the case."

"Well, Kraft's never forgotten. He blames me. Hannah got into the middle, trying to keep him from shooting me."

When Jenny pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and reached up to wipe his cheeks, he realized that he was crying.

"You love her, don't you?" she whispered, her eyes wide.

"Look what good my love was for her."

She hugged him. "Stop that. Let's get a ride to the hospital and find out how she's doing."

Jenny walked over to the officer who'd questioned Chris and spoke with her. The policewoman glanced at Chris and nodded. Jenny waved to Chris and they got into the police car.

The ride to the hospital wasn't the most comfortable for Chris. It was his first-ever ride in the backseat of a police car.Through the metal screen that separated the front and back seats he watched as Jenny chatted with the officer driving them to the hospital.

And he noticed how often the officer met his eyes in the rearview mirror.

He felt trapped and anxious, wondering if Kraft was weaving some story to extricate himself from his troubles on his way to the police station.

But he wanted to see Hannah, and he didn't know how to get there quickly except to go with the officer. And then maybe it would be best if he kept on going. He'd been responsible for her getting seriously hurt—almost killed. She didn't need a man like him in her life. Trouble had just followed him and caused her pain.





16





I'm sure she'll be okay."

Jenny glanced at Chris as they entered the hospital. "She's got to be okay."

Chris looked at her, then away, unable to stand the hope he saw in her eyes. "You didn't see how much blood she lost," he blurted out.

And wished he could yank the words back when she paled.

"Look, there's Matthew!"

Amish or not, the other man would probably kill him.When Chris slowed his steps, Jenny slipped her arm through his and propelled him forward.