Deerborne shrugged. "Not the way I wanted to kill him but it will do," he said. "You'll do well enough for a hostage."
Dr. Lane was kneeling by Joe and holding his wrist, trying not to show any emotion as he took the lad's pulse. "Get up," Deerborne ordered the doctor, raising his voice to drown out the commotion the two drunks were making outside. "I'm not leaving him to die," snapped Dr. Lane, glaring up at Deerborne.
There was a loud crash and the front door of the cabin banged open. Deerborne spun around but fell flat on his face as Joe's left foot snaked out and hooked around Deerborne's left ankle. Officer James ran in and quickly hauled a stunned Deerborne to his feet as Officer Grifford entered the cabin followed by Fenton and Collig.
"Joseph!" rasped Fenton, rushing through the open bedroom door to his son who was sitting up slowly with the aid of the doctor. "I thought..." he broke off, too choked up to complete his sentence. He pulled Joe close and kissed the top of his head as he held him tight.
"Is Frank okay?" demanded Joe, pulling back and looking into his father's eyes.
"He's going to be fine," Fenton informed him. "Deerborne stabbed him but he was rushed straight into surgery. When I left, he was awake and chomping at the bit because he couldn't come and help."
Joe visibly relaxed and smiled. "That's the best news I've heard today," he declared.
Fenton's fearful gaze sought out Dr. Lane. "I don't know the results, yet," the doctor quickly informed the overwrought father. "Once we get back to the hospital and get Joe settled in then I will go over them," he promised.
"Why did you grab your chest?" a perplexed Chief Collig asked Joe.
"When Deerborne opened the bedroom door I thought I heard a familiar voice," Joe explained, nodding in Grifford's direction. "His voice got closer and then I heard Officer James's voice and thought this would be a good diversion."
"It was," Fenton acknowledged. "But you scared the daylights out of me."
"Me too," concurred Dr. Lane. "When I started to take your pulse I almost dropped your wrist it was so much stronger than I expected."
"Sir," a voice crackled over the radio. "Loewan just entered a warehouse at Pier four."
"Surround the place," Collig ordered. "I want Loewan and everyone else involved in the smuggling brought in before morning."
"Affirmative," acknowledged the officer.
Collig asked dispatch to send an ambulance for Joe. "Why can't we just take him back in the one that he was brought here in?" queried Dr. Lane.
"The ambulance has to be searched by Forensics first," Collig said. "Besides, I, nor any of my men, are qualified to drive an ambulance."
Two hours later Joe sat in a wheelchair in Frank's hospital room. "Are you sure you should be out of bed?" Frank asked his brother for the tenth time since Joe had been wheeled in.
Joe rolled his eyes but kept quiet. Laura laughed softly and ruffled Joe's blond locks. "Seriously," Frank persisted. "Vanessa, Callie and the guys will be back tomorrow and they are all going to want to see you."
"I'll go back to my room after Dr. Lane tells us the results," promised Joe when he saw how worried Frank really was. "He knows I'm going to be here with you and said he would be in just as soon as he double-checked all of my tests."
"Why?" Laura asked, confused. "I thought the catheterization would tell what was wrong with you."
"Dr. Lane said the cath was used in conjunction with the other tests to tell exactly what is wrong with me. Each test I underwent narrowed my problem down further," explained Joe.
"I wish he would hurry," Fenton said anxiously.
"I had to make sure my findings were correct," Dr. Lane excused his lengthy absence as he entered the room and heard Fenton's remark.
"They got Loewan," Joe informed the doctor before he could begin.
"Excellent," Dr. Lane said, giving Joe a tired smile. "I'm glad to know neither of those men have gotten away with their heinous crimes."
"About Joe..." Fenton nudged the doctor. At the present, he could care less about Loewan or Deerborne.
"About Joe," Dr. Lane picked up. "He is suffering from mitral valve prolapse."
"What's that?" asked Joe.
"Under normal circumstances blood from the small left atrium passes through the mitral valve into the left ventricle. When the heart contracts, the valve closes forcefully," Dr. Lane explained. "But in your case, the two halves of the valve are bigger than necessary and don't close properly. This allows blood to flow back through the cracks as the heart contracts."
"Was this caused by his having rheumatic fever earlier this year?" inquired Frank.
"No," Dr. Lane answered, surprising the family. "It may have aggravated his condition, but even had Joe not contracted rheumatic fever it would have shown up at a later time."
"How serious is it?" asked Laura.
"Actually, the condition is quite common," Dr. Lane replied. "It's estimated that one out of every ten people have this condition."
"But he's suffering," Frank objected. "If it's so common, how come there aren't more people with the same symptoms?"
"Because in Joe's case a large amount of stress has been put on his atrium," explained the doctor. "Possibly because of the rheumatic fever," he acknowledged. "There has been a serious amount of leakage causing damage to the mitral valve."
"Can I be fixed?" asked Joe.
"Yes," answered Dr. Lane. "But it does require surgery."
"How soon?" Joe wanted to know.
"I can schedule you for a mechanical valve replacement in one week," Dr. Lane answered.
"Mechanical?" Laura asked.
"Currently there are only two replacements available," Dr. Lane explained. "The first is a pig valve replacement. But these tend to wear out in ten years so they are used on older patients. The mechanical valves rarely wear out before the patient. Joe will need to be on blood thinner and must have a cardio vascular check up twice a year to ensure everything is functioning properly, but he should live a long and healthy life."
"You said blood thinner," Fenton put in. "Doesn't that mean he will be more likely to bleed to death?"
"Not if he keeps the medication regulated by regular check-ups with his family physician," Dr. Lane answered. "Every two weeks to start and then a blood test every three months should keep it in check," he continued. "He will bruise easier but I sincerely doubt there will be any problems from normal activities."
"Sports?" asked Frank.
"Should be fine," assured Dr. Lane.
"That's wonderful," Laura said, her eyes suspiciously bright.
"And now, I think Joe should return to his room and both boys need some rest," Dr. Lane ended.
"You too," Joe put in.
"True," concurred the doctor, smothering a yawn. "This day has been somewhat longer than I had planned"
"Up and at'em, Baby Brother," Frank said, entering Joe's bedroom three and a half months later.
Joe stretched and sat up. He took a deep breath and grinned. It felt so good not to hurt anymore. The days following his valve replacement had been painful and his recovery slower than he liked, but at long last he felt normal.
"Something smells great!" Joe said, sniffing the air.
"That would be the turkey," Frank said. "It's Christmas Eve, remember?"
"How could I forget?" Joe demanded. "Mom and Aunt Gertrude have been preparing tonight's feast for days."
"Well, this is a very special Christmas," Frank said, smiling at his younger brother. "Your medication is finally regulated and you have been given the go ahead to return to playing sports and solving mysteries."
"Yeah, but I can't see mom being grateful for that," retorted Joe.
"We're just grateful that you, and your brother, are both alive and well," Laura said, entering the bedroom with Fenton on her heels. Gertrude was in the kitchen baking pumpkin pies.
"Now get out of bed and get ready," Fenton said, smiling. "We men have some last minute things to do before the stores close."
"Shopping," Laura said with a wry smile and a shake of her head. "Why do men always wait until the last minute to get ready for Christmas?"
"It gives us a legitimate excuse not to be around to help with the cleaning and cooking," Fenton confessed.
"I'll remember that next year," Laura retorted, popping her husband playfully on the backside as she left the room.
"Plus," Fenton added softly, giving his sons a conspiratorial wink. "It gives us a chance to get your mother something that she won't find before Christmas."
End