Chapter 7: Hit-and-Run

February 22, 1986, McKinley, Ohio

"There's a letter for you, Mike," Viktor said when Elizaveta and I went to the house for the Saturday family meal.

I followed Viktor to his study, where he handed me an envelope which had the Archdiocesan seal in the upper left corner with the address of the chancery in New York. He handed me a letter opener, and I slit open the envelope and extracted the single page, which, as I expected, was from the Metropolitan, directing me to attend a meeting with him at The Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, at 10:00am on the Saturday before the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

"Care to share why the Metropolitan is writing you, Mike?"

"I believe it would be better you not know," I replied.

"Answer one question for me, please, if you would."

"If I can."

"Could you be deposed for whatever is in that letter?"

I nodded, "It's possible."

"Is Father Nicholas aware?"

"No."

"My daughter?"

"Yes."

"Who should I speak to?"

"Either my grandfather or Sergei Federov's father, if you feel it necessary."

There was a knock at the door, and Viktor called out for whoever it was to come in. It turned out to be Geno, so I folded the letter and put it back in the envelope, then put the envelope on the corner of the desk, making a mental note to take it with me when I left.

"How is school, Mike?"

"Good..."

"Mike?" Elizaveta called from the doorway, interrupting me. "There's a call for you."

"Here?"

"Yes. It's José."

"José? What did he want?"

"He didn't say; he just asked for you."

I excused myself and followed her to the kitchen. There was a phone in Viktor's study, but it was a business line.

"José? It's Mike. What's up?"

"Mike..." he said, his voice shaking, "Robby and Lee were hit by a hit-and-run driver while they were crossing the street."

"Lord have mercy!" I exclaimed, causing Elizaveta to come quickly to my side. "How are they?"

"Bad. I'm at the hospital with Sophia and Dona. You should come."

The tone of his voice made it clear that 'bad' was a serious understatement.

"I'll leave right now. I'll see you in ten minutes."

We said 'goodbye', and I hung up.

"Robby and Lee are in the hospital," I said. "They were hit by a hit-and-run driver. José says it's bad."

"Oh, no!" Elizaveta gasped.

"Yulia, I'm sorry, but I need to leave immediately."

"Go, Mike!" she exclaimed. "I'll tell Viktor."

Elizaveta and I hurriedly left the kitchen, went out the back door, and to the cottage so I could put on my cassock and ryassa, grabbed my medical school ID, then quickly walked to the car. Just under ten minutes later, I pulled into a parking spot outside the ER. We jumped from the car and quickly went into the ER waiting room, where I saw Sophia, José, and Dona sitting in chairs and speaking with two police officers. I wasn't sure if I should interrupt, so I went to the admitting desk.

"Michael Loucks," I said, showing my medical school ID to the clerk. "Two of my friends were brought in — Robby Jackson and Lee Fields."

"I can't give you any information," Teri, a clerk who I didn't know, said. "The doctors are working on them."

"Who?" I asked.

"Doctors Grady, Simons, and Carlton. Someone will come talk to you when they have more information."

I nodded and moved away.

"Why wouldn't they tell you anything?" Elizaveta asked.

"That clerk doesn't know me, and being a medical student is like being an acolyte — you get to wear the vestments, but have no real clerical duties."

"Now what?"

"I hate to interrupt the police, but I don't want to just stand here."

I walked over to where my friends were standing and saw Sophia's distraught visage, with Dona and José sitting on either side of her, each with an arm around her. José got up, moved away from Sophia, and motioned me to follow him.

"What happened?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

"They came out of the Quick Mart and walked the half-block to the crosswalk. Almost as soon as they stepped into the street, a car blew the traffic light and hit Robby and Lee, barely missing Sophia. Someone called the paramedics, and someone else got the make and model of the car, along with most of the plate. The cops are looking for the car."

"How bad?"

José grimaced, "Lee has severe head injuries, Sophia ... well, Sophia thinks he was dead at the scene."

I sagged, and José caught me, but I quickly recovered.

"Sit, Mike," Elizaveta ordered lovingly.

I did as she'd asked and looked up, "Robby?"

"Pretty badly injured, but no head injuries. From what I can tell from what Sophia said, and what the cops said, Lee took the full force and bounced off the windshield; Robby was clipped and thrown, and as I said, Sophia was barely missed."

"How did you find out?"

"Dona and I were going to get some things at the Quick Mart and saw the emergency vehicles. When we walked up, we saw Sophia sitting on the curb crying, with your friends Nancy and Grace sitting next to her. They were loading the guys into the ambulance, so we got Sophia's keys, I got her car, and then we brought her here."

The two police officers moved away from Sophia, so José, Elizaveta, and I went over to where she and Dona were sitting. I sat down next to Sophia, with Elizaveta sitting to my right and José sitting to Dona's left.

"How are you?" I asked.

"Numb," she replied.

"Do you want me to call Father Nicholas?"

She shook her head, "He can't do anything now."

I didn't feel that was the case. While Robby and Lee couldn't receive unction, I felt Sophia could use the spiritual support, and I certainly knew I could. I turned to Elizaveta.

"Call Father Nicholas, please," I said quietly. "Let him know what happened. I'm sure he'll come, no matter what you say, and I'd like him to be here. Then call your dad and let him know."

Elizaveta nodded, got up, and went to the pay phone to make the call.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Sophia?" I asked.

She shook her head, "No."

Just then, Jocelyn and Gene arrived, followed almost immediately by Clarissa and Abby. I got up to greet them.

"We don't know much," I said, deciding not to repeat Sophia's fear. "The doctors are working on them, but that's all we know."

"What the hell happened?" Gene asked.

"All we know so far is it was a hit-and-run, but somebody got the make, model, and partial plates."

"Hit-and-run?" Clarissa gasped.

"Sophia barely escaped without injury. Robby is hurt badly, and Lee is worse. But I really don't know any details."

"Let me see what I can find out," Abby said.

She walked over to the admitting desk, showed her hospital ID, and was buzzed through the door.

"Do you think it was on purpose?" Clarissa asked.

"I have no idea," I replied. "And Sophia isn't in any shape to really answer questions. The police talked to her, but they pretty much had to, because she was almost hit. Elizaveta is calling Father Nicholas to come here, mainly for Sophia, but also for me."

"That bad?"

I nodded.

"Shit."

We moved over to where Sophia was sitting with José and Dona, and Clarissa sat down next to Sophia, putting her arm around her. Elizaveta walked over just then to stand beside me.

"Father Nicholas is on his way, and Dad said to call if there's anything we need or think he can do. Did anyone call their parents?"

"The police asked for their numbers," José responded.

We stood quietly for several minutes before Abby came back through the door. She made eye contact, and we both moved to a quiet corner of the room. I wasn't surprised when Clarissa appeared at my side.

"Robby is in surgery. He had pretty severe internal injuries, but the word is they have the bleeding under control, and he should make it. He'll need surgery on his leg, and most likely his shoulder and arm. The leg is shattered, and the shoulder and arm are broken."

"Lord have mercy!" I exclaimed. "Lee?"

Abby frowned, "Severe head injuries. Neuro is evaluating him, but ... well, I'm an OB nurse, not a doctor."

"Just tell us," Clarissa said.

"On a ventilator with a fractured skull and severe brain trauma. He wasn't breathing and was in full arrest when the paramedics got to him. They got his heart started, but..."

"No brain activity, right?" I asked apprehensively.

"It doesn't appear so," Abby fretted. "I'd say they'll do their best to keep him alive, if you can call it that, until his parents get here. Where do they live?"

"Lima," I replied. "It'll take them a couple of hours for sure. Any chance I can see him?"

"Let me ask Doctor Simons."

She was buzzed back through the door and a minute later came out to say that I was allowed in, but only for a brief time. She led me back into the ER to Trauma 1, where three doctors and four nurses were working on Lee.

"Hi, Mike," Doctor Carlton said.

"I just wanted a minute with Lee, if that's possible."

"Sure."

I went over to the trauma table, avoiding the doctors, nurses, and equipment, and stood at Lee's shoulder. I reached down and put my hand on his, and leaned down, bringing my mouth close to his ear.

"I love you, brother," I whispered.

Not wanting to further interfere, I moved away and back to where Doctor Carlton was standing.

"Is there any hope?" I asked.

"Only if you have a direct line to God and he grants a miracle."

I wished it actually worked that way, but it didn't. Any 'miracle' would come through the hands of the doctors and nurses, the equipment, or from something inside Lee. It wasn't that I doubted God's power; it was instead that the common conception of 'miracle' was an event so rare that I was unlikely to ever see one in my entire life.

"And Robby?" I asked.

"He should pull through, barring any unexpected complications. He'll keep orthopedics busy for a couple of weeks once they repair the internal injuries. He'll lose his spleen, but the liver laceration is repairable with no loss of function. The most significant risk is peritonitis from the ruptured bowel."

"Abby said his leg was shattered."

"Yes, but orthopedics is confident they can put him back together. He'll have rods, screws, and plates, but he'll walk. His arm and shoulder aren't nearly so bad. Did the cops find the car?"

"I haven't spoken to them, so I don't know."

"They should throw the book at the bastard who did it," Doctor Carlton declared.

"Absolutely," I agreed.

"OK if I go over?" Clarissa asked.

Doctor Carlton nodded, then went to the same spot where I'd been, leaned down and kissed Lee's cheek, then came back to stand next to me. I violated protocol by taking her hand and squeezing it, and we held hands for about thirty seconds before leaving the trauma room.

"Thanks," Clarissa whispered.

We went back to the waiting room to be with our friends.

"Dead?" Sophia asked quietly.

I shook my head, "No, but his injuries are too severe..."

"That was pretty clear from when I saw..."

She broke down and started crying. I so very much wanted to take her in my arms, but I couldn't. The tiny concession I'd made to Clarissa, privately, was the furthest I could go. Elizaveta, on the other hand, had the freedom to act, and she sat down next to Sophia and put her arm around her to try to comfort her. I was glad I'd not followed my first inclination when, a few seconds later, Father Nicholas came into the waiting room. I hurried over to him, turned up my palms and asked for his blessing, which he gave.

"How are they?" he asked.

"Robby is in surgery and is expected to make it; Lee has no brain activity and is on a ventilator. I suspect they'll remove that once his parents get here."

"Lord have mercy! Elizaveta said they were hit by a car?"

"That's basically all we know at this point. Sophia didn't want me to call you because, according to her, there is nothing you can do. I'm sure she meant for Lee and Robby, but I think she's going to need a lot of support. The three of them are as close as Dale, Jocelyn, and I ever were."

"Let me speak with her and pray with her, if she'll allow it."

I nodded, and he walked over to where Sophia was sitting.

"Mike, we should get something to eat," Elizaveta suggested.

"I want to stay," I replied.

"Won't it be a few hours before Lee's parents arrive? We can just go to the cafeteria. Then we can sit with Sophia while José and Dona eat."

"I suppose. Let me just tell Clarissa."

I did, and she and Abby decided to join us, as did Jocelyn and Gene. I spoke to José, and he agreed they'd eat once the rest of us returned. We left the waiting room through the double doors that led to the main lobby of the hospital, walked across the lobby, past the gift shop, and into the cafeteria. I wasn't particularly hungry, but I knew I needed to eat, so I selected a small salad, mac and cheese, and a dinner roll. I also grabbed a bottle of Coke, and then when Elizaveta had made her selections, we moved to the cashier where I showed my student ID to get a discount, and then we found a place to sit. Clarissa, Abby, Jocelyn, and Gene joined us a moment later with their lunches. I prayed, and then we started eating.

"Mike, do you think it could have been intentional?" Clarissa asked.

"I think I want to wait for the police report," I replied.

"What makes you ask that, Clarissa?" Elizaveta asked.

"Running down two people in broad daylight? With witnesses? And not stopping?"

"Maybe they panicked," Abby offered.

"The police will find the car pretty quickly," I said. "With make, model, and a partial license plate, they'll get the owner's name from the BMV and simply go to his or her house. The car will have significant damage, too. And if whoever it was that hit them tries to take it to a mechanic, the mechanic will have to report it."

"What would the penalty be?" Elizaveta asked.

"I'd say vehicular manslaughter, at a minimum," Abby suggested. "Well, assuming it was an accident. If it was intentional, some kind of murder charge."

"I just can't imagine someone would do it on purpose!" Elizaveta protested.

"Oh, I can," I replied. "They got beat up for dancing together."

"Mike," Clarissa said, "you don't think..."

"I think we wait for the police report," I counseled.

"And then?" Clarissa asked.

"We let the courts handle it. But don't get ahead of yourself."

We ate quickly and then went back to the waiting room to be with Sophia so José and Dona could go to the cafeteria. Father Nicholas asked me to speak privately, so we moved to the same quiet corner I'd used before.

"She's in shock," Father Nicholas said. "I'm going to call her parents. I have their numbers from the registration card she filled out for church."

"I wonder if Robby's or Lee's parents called them."

"Well, no matter what, I'm going to go back to the church and place the call. Will you be at Vespers this evening?"

"With your blessing, I'd like to stay here until..."

"I understand. If you won't be at Matins, please call me."

"I will. Thanks, Father."

I asked for and received his blessing, then went back to sit with the others. About thirty minutes later, two plainclothes detectives came to talk to Sophia. They introduced themselves as Detectives Norris and Sanderson.

"Miss Vasilakis, do you know a Frank Bush?" the female detective, Sanderson, asked.

"A doctor?" I interrupted.

"Yes. The car is registered to him."

"Holy shit!" Clarissa gasped.

That was my reaction as well, but I couldn't say it in public. To me, that was damning evidence that it was intentional.

"His son James spent six months in jail for beating up Robby and Lee," I said.

"We haven't found the car, nor Frank and James Bush."

"Doctor Bush's daughter Melissa is a medical student," I said. "It's possible she's here."

"We checked," Detective Norris said. "She's not. We haven't found Nadine Bush, either."

I assumed that was Doctor Bush's wife. Now, the only question in my mind was who was behind the wheel — Doctor Bush or James.

"This had to be intentional," I said.

"We're investigating it as a hit-an-run for now."

I was pretty sure that the 'for now' wouldn't last too long. I couldn't imagine any possible 'accident' scenario. A coïncidence like that would have odds longer than me winning an Olympic ice skating medal, and I could barely skate.

"You might look for Matthew Andrews or Mark Carlton," I suggested. "They were part of the trio that beat up Robby and Lee."

"You think they might be involved?" Detective Sanderson asked.

"I have no idea, but they might know where James Bush is. You might also try talking to Pastor Neil Rademaker at Faith Bible Church. The Bush family attends there, and one of their former pastors harassed Robby and Lee on campus."

"When was that?" Detective Sanderson asked.

"About a year ago, roughly," I replied.

"Can you tell me more about what happened?" she asked.

I spent ten minutes detailing the harassment and let them know that Reverend Saddler had moved to Rutherford to pastor a church there. When I finished, they left to follow up on what I'd told them.

"Damn, Petrovich! That was harsh!"

"Karma," I replied.

"You're a Christian, not a Buddhist!"

I grinned, "Seriously, Lissa? 'As you sow, so shall you reap'? If those ... people hadn't treated Robby and Lee that way, they wouldn't have anything to worry about."

"«Мудаки» (mudaki)?" Clarissa asked. ("assholes")