Chapter 11

Rhonda sat down on Abbey's bunk, looking at the blood spreading from her cellmate's body. But she made no effort to call for help.

The guard making routine rounds noted Abbey's crumpled, bloody form on the floor of her cell.

"What's wrong with her?"

"How the hell do I know? Why don't you come in and find out?"

Picking up his walkie-talkie, he called for assistance.

"Stand back, Rhonda. I don't want you to come near us. Do you understand?"

Rhonda grunted and moved to the back wall.

The guards, who had arrived in response for the call for help, picked up Abbey's limp body and placed it on a stretcher, which was then carried to the infirmary.

But the prison infirmary was not a trauma unit. All they could was to start an IV and supply oxygen. An ambulance was called for the short ride to the trauma center in Manchester. The local Goffstown hospital was not equipped to deal with the seriousness of her injury.

Upon arrival, a quick assessment was made and Abbey was taken directly into surgery. The knife had punctured her pancreas and stomach and she had lost a great deal of blood.

"Liz, telephone. It's the hospital calling." Doug offered the phone to his wife.

"Hospital? Why would they be calling? It's really late."

"I don't know. They asked to speak to you. Here, talk to them."

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Westin?"

"Yes?"

"This is Dr. Marks at Manchester General. Your mother was just brought in from the prison in Goffstown with serious injuries and extensive blood loss. She's been taken to emergency surgery. We're notifying you as her next of kin."

Looking at Doug, Liz continued the conversation. "Mom? How bad is she? What happened? Where is she right now?"

"She's extremely critical and has been taken to emergency surgery. That's all the information I have. Sorry."

"Okay. I'll be right there. Thank you for calling."

"You're welcome. By the way, Mrs. Westin, I'm a supporter of your mother and what she did. Too many people wouldn't have had the courage to help in the way she did. I just wanted you to know that."

"Thanks, Dr. Marks. I appreciate that. I'll be right there."

"Yes, ma'am. I would hurry."

Liz gasped but managed to answer him anyway. "I'll be right there."

Hanging up the phone, Liz grabbed her coat, purse and with shaking hands, the door knob. "Doug, I'll call you when I know something."

"Give her my love, Liz."

"I will. Gotta go." A brief kiss and she was on her way out to the car. Hurriedly, she pulled out of the driveway and made her way to the hospital not knowing what she would face. But she had to be there. She had to be as strong as her mother.