Chapter 255

We stopped on our way to the hospital at a fast food joint. A salad with chicken to go along with several large black coffees would be all I needed.

Courtney and I met Dean Skaggs in the emergency room surgery area. While Courtney and I waited we finished our lunches. Then I filled Dean Skaggs in on all the morning's events, answering his questions as best as I could.

I called Marcy, Lorrie and Jenny on a conference call to fill them in. It was a tough conversation over the phone, one that I would rather have done in person.

After the call, I sent both Marcy and Jenny texts, wanting a private conference with them. Because of today's events I was worried the conversation we had might rekindle fears and anxiety in Lorrie from her own attack four years ago. I wanted to stress to the girls to stay close to Lorrie.

I called Dr. Rich, one of JBG's on call shrink's that we used to evaluate all potential new security employees and who had helped me heal from Betty's death. She has also helped Misty Black last year. I had hardly finished the conversation when she agreed to be here in the morning to help the family and Caroline as soon as she was able to be seen.

The doctors finally came out to update Dean Skaggs, Courtney and I on Caroline's condition. It just happened that Major Welch and the sheriff appeared in time to be in on the briefing. She was slowly improving. She had broken ribs, broken bones in her hands and a broken nose with multiple cuts and bruises.

A specialist in cosmetic surgery was flying in from Baltimore's John Hopkins Hospital to minimize permanent scars. A gynecologist surgical team was finishing up repairs to her female parts.

I was mad all over again. I asked the Major if Murphy had confessed to being involved with the rape and murder of the Frost Borough student last year.

"No, nothing has been said about that yet," he replied.

"Let's go discuss it with him while I am still fresh on his mind," I said.

"That's not going to be necessary. There was enough DNA left on the body; there won't be any problem tying them to the crime," Major Welch replied. "Besides, I hear he may go into cardiac arrest at the sight of you coming to see him again."

With lunch and the briefings at the hospital it was now after one. My cell phone rang. It was the pilot of the G5 returning from Fort Wayne with the Breeze family.

"Boss the family was early and we have a good tailwind; we should be there between 13:45 to 14:00 hours," he replied.

"How is the family holding up?" I asked.

"Very worried," he replied.

"I can understand that. We are all very worried too," I replied.

The cosmetic surgeon from John Hopkins arrived and went directly into the surgery unit. I drove Courtney to the airport where I signed for the two Tahoe SUVs that the family was going to use during their stay. We just needed to log in their drivers licenses when they arrived.

The manager brought us the special deliver from Jamie. I picked out one, verified the SN on the form and signed that I had received it, then slid in a clip, chambered a round and slid it into my holster. Courtney did the same thing, and then she called for one of her day people to pick up the locked courier case.

While we were waiting I started getting pictures on my phone. I went to one of the computers in the MAAR rental site to look at them.

Aerial cover crop seeding started today. In order for the farmers to get paid from the state we had to complete the process by November 15th and showing green in the field if an auditor showed up. With corn it was no problem; the crop was out in time to plant it in a conventional fashion.

Late beans were the problem; they were still green and growing because of the late fall. A plane or chopper was the only way to plant.

The dusters were using the 15 runway. Crash's old runway was long gone and the concrete needed several more weeks to set up since it was put down.