Chapter 21:
The sound of monitors beeping woke Sam the following morning. Jake had his chair pulled all the way next to her hospital bed and sat straight when he realized she was awake. She looked around groggy at the IV and monitors.
The last thing she remembered last night was arriving at the hospital and the doctors immediately scanned her brain for damage. After that the Sheriff came by with local detectives who asked her multiple questions, some so in depth Jake wanted to excuse himself from the room because he couldn't tolerate to hear the torture she was put through. Sam squirmed under the questions but answered each one honestly. After hearing the full story Jake was amazed at how Sam managed to stay alive. She passed out right before the dectives left and couldn't remember much except how they spoke to Joke quietly so she couldn't over hear.
"Morning," he gave her a small half smile.
She rubbed her eyes and looked around again. "How long have I been here?" she asked.
"Just overnight. The doc wanted to keep you for observation on your brain," he said.
"I'm fine," she said shortly. "Let's get out of here."
Jake sat forward and frowned, gently pushed her back down.
"You're not fine Sam. You had to get fifteen stitches in your head last night", he replied.
Sam was aching to itch her head, now she understood why. She hesitated before speaking again.
"… But everything else is okay?" she asked.
He nodded and Sam couldn't make out the tone of his eyes from under the shade of his cowboy hat.
"So far all tests have come back good. No broken bones only a gash to the head," he said. "And some bruised ribs from last week's round up…" He mumbled off.
She sat up as if a switch had flicked on and urgently asked, "What about Preston? Is he going to be okay?"
Jake slowly held up his hands as if calming a spooked horse. "Easy," he said quietly. "He's fine too. Like you he took a blow to the head but he also has two broken ribs from fighting with Flick."
Sam let out a heavy sign of relief. They both were still alive and the nightmare was over.
Then she panicked again, "Jake!" she said, grabbing his arm and shaking it. "What about the Phantom and his herd?"
The EKG monitor increased the beeps and the charts went high showing her quickened heart rate. Jake looked up at them then back down to her.
"Calm down, Brat," he soothed, taking her hand in his. "The herd was found twenty miles out in another trap. Flick moved them there while you two were unconscious for a few hours."
"He moved them?" she squealed. Her heart broke for the beautiful wild horses. They were rustled far away from their homes and put in pens that caged them in.
"Yeah," replied Jake. "Quinn, Nate, and I spent all of last night in the dark herding them back towards your valley."
She squeezed Jake's hand. He looked rugged and tired, as if the last fifteen hours had tried to kill him. She knew he was scared to death yesterday with everything that went on. But in the end he knew how to win her heart over. He took care of her and made sure the horses ended up back in their home, safe and sound in the valley.
"Sorry I wasn't with you all night," he mumbled. Sam could tell he was upset and felt bad for not being here with her.
"Don't be," she said squeezing his hand back weakly. "Thank you for taking care of them." She had a haunch Jake and the Sheriff worked out an unspoken deal if he was aloud to move the wild herd back to their home. With this situation being an investigation she knew the BLM should have been called and notified. They would have been there within minutes ready to truck them back to Willow Springs and separate them in holding pens.
A knock came at the door that broke their trance. Sheriff Ballard strolled in and took off his hat. He nodded at Jake who nodded in return and gave Sam an old cowboy smile.
"How you feeling today?" he asked her. The radio on his pocket went off and he reached down with one hand to turn down the volume, dismissing it.
Sam gave him a thumbs up. "Good to go," she said even though her head was throbbing. She ignored the pain, wanting to go home and cozy up in her bed instead.
Heck chuckled at her response and sat at a chair on the foot of the bed. "I'm glad to hear that. You put up quite a fight yesterday. I think I saw Annie Oakley morphed into your body for a minute there."
She smiled at his joke but knew things were getting serious. She looked at Jake for help but he stood back in the corner of the room leaning against a wall.
Shrugging at the comment she replied, "I didn't know what else to do." She gulped and stared back at the sheriff.
"I knew he was crazy but not this bad," she admitted. Being held hostage and threatened made her scared for her life, she thought. But she didn't want to admit her fear to the Sheriff, especially with Jake in the room. It would make her look weak.
He nodded back, "You did the right thing Sam. I'm glad we got to you in time. You have that gentleman over there to thank for that."
Sam followed Heck's finger pointed at Jake who stood off sheepishly.
"He came running home and was on a horse before I could even get halfway up the mountain. Then he tracked the herd to the separate holding pens while we did our investigation," Heck continued.
She was dumbfounded. She could believe Heck's praises, Jake was a natural born tracker. What she couldn't believe was how quickly he cut his college visit short and ran right back home to her. Did Jake love her enough to turn right back around in a second for her? It was obvious he would do anything for her, such as rescue the Phantom and his herd but love? Love was a strong word.
Heck cleared his throat and stood up, "Anytime you want to join the force, we'd be happy to have you," he spoke to Jake directly. Jake nodded his thanks but didn't reply.
"Samantha, take care of yourself. I expect this to go to trial in the upcoming months and we may need you to testify along with Preston," he paused then contained, "You are one brave girl and should be proud of yourself for standing up to him. I know Wyatt would be proud."
When he tipped his hat and left Sam sunk back down in her bed and pulled the sheets up over her head. Why was everything going so wrong? She thought she was getting her life back together without her family but just when she seemed to grasp it she was knocked back down on her tail end. If going to trial meant putting Flick behind bars so he could never hurt her, Preston, the horses, or any other victim again it would be worth it.
She gave out a heavy sigh and was close to tears when a warm body laid down next to her in the bed. She slowly pulled down the covers as Jake's arm went behind her shoulders and pulled her close to him. Wordlessly, Sam cuddled him under his arm and rested her head on his chest.
"You don't have to talk about it now if you don't want to," he whispered in her ear.
She nodded and closed her eyes. "You won't understand," she said sadly.
Jake gently observed her wrist and rubbed the bruises from the cuffs. "When you're ready, I'll understand."
Looking up she met Jake in his soft brown mustang eyes. Once again she was in awe at how patient he could be. She wasn't ready to discuss the pain she went those few hours on the bus but one day she would, and Jake would be there to listen.
"Okay," was all she could agree to before she drifted off to sleep from the medicine.
Later on around four o'clock she was released from the hospital but before she left she went up two levels to check on Preston.
Jake and Sam quietly entered the room while Mrs. Allen stood tending some sympathy flowers sitting on the window sill. She t'sked her tongue at a few then turned around in surprise. Preston slept quietly undisturbed by their entrance in the bed nearby.
"Oh Samantha," Trudy gasped, rushing over to see her. She gave her a gentle hung and leaned back to take in her weak appearance. "I didn't know they gave you the okay to leave. I tried checking on you a few times but you were sleeping and your body guard would barely let anyone in." She smiled and nudged Jake. Sam lifted her eyebrows in surprise towards Jake and gave a small smile back to Trudy.
"That's okay, Mrs. Allen. Thank you for the flowers you sent," she replied.
Trudy waved her hand to dismiss it and spoke again. "It was nothing. I haven't gotten the chance yet to thank you for saving my dear Preston. He means the world to me and also I'm so sorry I made you go up there to investigate. I should have waiting for the police…" She paused feeling apologetic.
Sam reached out and held Trudy's old frail hand. She squeezed it and met her eyes, "Don't be sorry. I'm glad I went. We saved the horses and each other."
She was sure she saw tears run down Mrs. Allen's face before she hugged her and thanked her again. Not wanting it distrust Preston they said their goodbyes to Trudy and left the hospital. Jake made sure Sam was comfortable before slowly pulling out of the parking lot.
Jake normally wasn't the one for talking but he could tell Sam was wrapped up in her thoughts as they drove along the highway.
"There's someone who's been begging to see you," he said.
That got her attention and a small smile out of her. "Cody," she guessed. "I've missed him too."
He nodded. "After we stop to get him from my mom's maybe I'll treat you to an old fashioned traditional ShoShone dinner," he said.
Sam gave him a puzzled look, "And what might that consist of?"
"Grilled cheese and tomato soup, Grandfather's favorite," he joked back. That got a laugh from Sam and she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"I wouldn't miss it," she said. "Right now I want nothing more than to go home, cuddle up in a blanket, and watch TV for he rest of the night and possibly all week. Being treated like a queen by my husband wouldn't be too bad either."
Jake laughed back and a grin spread across his face. "Are you trying to take the title from Witch?" he teased.
"As if," said Sam. "You and I both know she's the boss around here. I think I'll keep the Brat title instead."
Jake threw an arm around the back of her seat and rested his big hand on her shoulder.
"You'll always be my Brat, don't worry."