Chapter 35
"Can't you drive any faster?" Raylan asks.
"Without breaking the sound barrier, no." Gutterson answers. He flashes his lights against the darkness and pulls into the passing lane past another semi.
"I coulda driven myself."
Tim snorts. "Yeah, you wrapped around a guard rail on I-75 is gonna do Winona and Cooper a world of good."
Tim watches Raylan out of the corner of his eye. He's clenching and unclenching his fist and his other hand is tapping nervously on the window with that damn ring. "She's fine. You talked to her, right?"
"Yeah." Raylan says. "She says she's okay."
"And Cooper's gonna be okay, too?"
"He's in surgery." Raylan smacks his hand on the dashboard. "Dammit. How the hell did this happen? How'd the guy even get in?"
"Security systems only work if you turn them on." He states the obvious. "But it sounds like Winona handled things."
"She shouldn't have had to."
It's all he can do not to roll his eyes. "God, Raylan, give the woman some credit. She's obviously not helpless."
"Gimmee your phone." Raylan says. He reaches across the console to grab it, but Tim snags it first.
"Why do ya need my phone?"
"Callin' Karen Esposito to see if they have a name on the guy yet."
"Use your own phone."
"Winona might call."
Guterson starts to make a smart remark but then looks at Raylan's face and hands the phone over.
After a brief conversation with Detective Esposito, Raylan shakes his head. "No i.d. on him and he's still unconscious. Probably will be for a while, if he's lucky. Second and third degree burns on his face. He might lose an eye."
"Shit. That'd be too bad." He says. His sarcasm is not wasted on Raylan who manages a smirk.
The other marshal sighs. "She did all right, didn't she?"
"Yep. She's a resourceful woman. Who would've thought to use a pan full of onions as a weapon?"
Raylan gives a low chuckle. "My Aunt Helen." He says. "I coulda seen her doin' somethin' like that." He turns quiet.
"Saw a woman in Afghanistan use a bucket of goat shit as a weapon once." Gutterson says to bring Raylan back around. It takes a moment, but finally he responds.
"Goat shit? No kiddin'?"
Tim nods. "Very effective."
"I imagine it would be."
Tim takes the exit and the lights of Lexington Mercy glow just ahead.
Raylan is out of the car before it stops moving, half-walking, half-jogging to the Emergency entrance. By the time Tim parks the car and makes his way in, the other marshal has already disappeared into the bowels of the hospital. Tim finds him eventually in the surgical waiting room. He pauses in the doorway.
Raylan's back is to him and he's holding onto Winona like she's a life preserver and he's a drowning man. He wonders if that's not far from the truth. Tim's never had anyone he wanted or needed to hold like that. It's been a source of pride, but at the moment, it just makes him feel lonely. He watches as Raylan kisses the top of her head and leads her the couch. They sit, talking in quiet voices, and she leans against him.
Tim walks over but it's odd standing, looking down at them, so he pulls one of the square-backed chairs over and sits down across from them. "How's Cooper?" He asks.
Winona's response is to bite her lip and look away.
"Still in surgery." Raylan murmurs. "He's gonna be fine." He says more to Winona than to Gutterson.
"I didn't realize onions could be a deadly weapon." Tim says. "Good for you."
Winona turns back and gives him a weak smile. "Neither did I." She says.
"It was quick thinking and it kept him from hurting you, too." Raylan says.
She cocks her head at him. "Is that an admission that I can take care of myself?"
Tim gives her a wink.
"You did alright." Raylan admits.
Shoes squeak on the floor and they all look up. "Your friend is out of surgery and doing well. We're moving him to a room in a few minutes." The nurse says. "You'll be able to see him there. The doctor will be right in."
Winona lets out her breath in a sigh of relief.
Raylan strokes her back. "I told you he'd be okay."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Tim's left and they've only been in Cooper's room for a few minutes when the surgeon walks in. "I'm Dr. Bradford." She says. "I repaired the bowel where the knife nicked it and put in some internal stitches in the abdominal wall which will dissolve as he heals." She glances at the chart and makes a note. "We'll be watching for internal bleeding and infection. He's on high-dose antibiotics and he'll need to stay on them for at least a week, maybe two."
"Thank you." Winona says.
Raylan's cell phone vibrates in his pocket and he glances at the screen. "Be right back." He tells Winona, slipping out the door into the hall.
"Hey, Karen, anything new?" He says as he answers.
"We're at the house. Had a couple of guys scour the block for any vehicles that looked out of place. I think we've found his truck. It's registered to a construction company out of Frankfort."
"Baxter-Hawley Construction."
"How'd you know that?"
"Previous experience." Raylan says. "No need to run it. The construction company is owned by Wynn Duffy's sister."
"Well, that's interesting."
"But not all that surprising. We knew Duffy was going to make a move. What's up with Carroll?"
"That's just it. I don't know. He never showed up at the drill and hasn't answered any of my calls. I'm going to head over to his house, see if he's there." She says. "I'll get back to you."
"Alright." He's about to hang up when she speaks again.
"Almost forgot, how's your lawyer friend?"
"Cooper? Out of surgery. He'll be fine."
"Good. I'll let you know if I find anything out about Jimbo."
"Thanks."