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Chapter 23
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Lewis watched the monitor in horror as the old building collapsed, burying his friend more. He looked out the window disbelieving what he saw. His mouth hung open but no words could describe what he was feeling.
Everyone in the mobile command post fell silent, no one moved. Then in a blink of the eye, everyone jumped into action.
The senior ERT officer, Chief Powell, was the only one giving orders. "Everyone return to your assigned duty station for head count," he shouted into his headset. "I want damage reports. Any word from Small?"
Someone responded, "Nothing Sir."
"Keep trying. Let me know the minute you hear anything anything," Powell left the command post to assess the remains of the Quonset hut.
Lewis, Innocent, Hobson, MacGim, the dog and the Bell brothers followed. Randell stayed at their side telling explaining to them what was happening and what the next steps would be. He's seen this happen before, sometimes it ends well and other times it is just the end.
"All accounted for, Sir," an ERT member reported the news to Powell. He started to reply when everyone herd a whistle blow.
"Twitttt...Twitttt...Twitttt..," the whistle sound originated from the rubble. "Twitttt...Twitttt...Twitttt..," it repeated. A loud cheer erupted from everyone. James' friends looked around wondering what the celebration was about.
"Their alive," Randell beamed shaking Lewis joyfully. "You see each blow of the whistle.."
"HOONNKKK... HOONNKKK... HOONNKKK," a loud horn blew three times responding to the buried whistle.
"Like I was saying each blow of the whistle tells us how many are alive," Randell held his whistle to prove to Lewis. "Three blows. James, Kevin and Michael are alive."
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"Drake? Drake?" Dr. Small called. "Damn it answer me."
"I will, just as soon as you get your foot off my chest," Michael Drake moaned. He shoved Small's foot off him. "You know, for a short man you've got big ass feet."
"You hurt?" The doctor questioned.
"No. How's he doing," Drake nodded toward James. He could see the doctor checking the trapped man.
"Alive," the doctor felt a week pulse from James. "Can you get through to them? My headset's broken," Small asked.
Drake shook his head. He fished his emergency whistle out and blew long and hard. The shrill noise almost burst their eardrums, but it was necessary. They waited for a response and finally Small and Drake heard the loud honk from the command post motorhome. "They know we're alive," Drake tucked his trusty whistle away in his shirt.
Small's eyes grew wide when he saw the growing pool of blood on James' abdomen. "Hand me," Dr. Small took the pressure bandage Drake had ready. In the collapse the reinforcement steel shifted and sliced James. "We got to get out him out now, Michael." Small applied the bandage, but it was doing little good.
"Small? Drake? Do you hear us?" Drake's headset finally crackled to life.
"We need out now. Patient going down," Drake replied. "How much longer?"
"Bang on something. We need to relocate you," the command post requested. Drake fumbled around and found a short steel rod. He hit the rod against the metal box covering them. The sound reverberated up to the top of the pile. "Okay, we have a starting point, Michael. Just hang on."
"We're protected by a large metal box," Drake inspected the fallen wall locker covering them.
"I'll tell them, Mike. Good luck," the command post waited quietly for any news that would need to be relayed.
"This thing probably saved us, Doc," Drake looked around hoping to see a way out, but they were buried. "How's he doing?"
"Not good. He's almost cut into," Small sounded doubtful. "What do we have left?" He asked about the medical supplies.
Drake searched through the medic bag. "Not much. Do you want to try sewing him up?" Drake held a wound kit that included sutures and liquid stitches.
Dr. Small sighed and held out his hand. He closed the gaping chest wound hoping increase the chances of James' survival. Now all they could do is wait and pray.
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The removal of the debris was painstakingly slow. Lewis paced outside the command post listening to the crew's conversations, which did not sound encouraging. Laura tried to get him to sit down, even the dog tried to stop Lewis' pacing.
They finally gave up and sat on the ground together. The dog laid her head on Laura's lap. She absentmindedly played with the dog's soft ears and talked aimlessly to the dog who listened sympathetically.
The sun was beginning to peak over the horizon and Lewis continued to paced. A path formed below his feet. He refused to stop, just kept walking and watching the rescue crew continuously remove steel and tin.
Lewis wondered "How much metal can one building have?"
"They stored scrap metal in the old hut for years, Sir," PC Bell handed Lewis a cup of hot coffee. "Apparently they piled everything to one end next to an inner wall."
Lewis sipped the bitter liquid and continued to pace. He stopped suddenly when someone started shouting. He let the cup fall from his hand and ran toward the fallen building.
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Dr. Small continued to check James' vital. He shook his head, "I hope they hurry."
"There can't be much left to remove. It wasn't a damn skyscraper," Drake mumbled.
They could hear scratching on the box above their heads, but no one shouted their names. Drake slept while Small kept a vigil eye on his patient. At least he tried to stay awake.
Dr. Small and Micheal Drake were jolted awake when they heard a loud banging on the metal box above them and someone shouting. "Small? Drake? You down there?"
Drake grabbed the small metal bar and replied. "What took you so long?" He yelled. They could hear more shouting and cheering.
"He's still alive. I don't know how," Small checked James.
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They waited as the crew finally removed the large metal locker that had been protecting them. The bright morning sun blinded Small and Drake as the crew pulled them out. Two team members jumped into the hole with a spineboard to remove James.
Small watched as they gently rolled his patient on his side and lay the injured man onto the yellow board. They secured James to the sturdy board and hoisted him up to safety.
Lewis held his breath as he watch his partner being carried down from the rubble. He almost cried out loud when he saw the blood. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Dr. Small said James is holding his own," Laura calmed Lewis. "James' strong he'll be all right in a few days."
"They're flying him to Radcliffe," Randell informed. "I need to stay here to help clean up."
"You're not going with us?" Laura grown fond of the older Bell brother.
"I need to help them," Randell pointed toward the crew packing the team's gear. He then saw Rowan approaching. "I'll see you later li'l brother. Gotta work." He smacked his younger brother hard on the backside. Rowan tried to dodge but he felt the stinging pain from his brother's large hand.
"Robbie, I'll meet you at the Radcliffe," Innocent wiped the joyful tears from her eyes as they walked to their cars. "I need to stop at the station first." She drove away in her loaner car.
MacGim, Lewis and Hobson looked around for another vehicle they could drive. Innocent arrived in a borrowed High Wycombe police car which PC Russell picked up during the night.
"Hey, we can use my brother's car," PC Bell suggested. They all followed him to a small subcompact hatchback.
"Ladies first," MacGim held the front seat forward for Laura to crawl into the back seat. "Robbie." Lewis squeezed in next to her. MacGim took the driver's seat. "Where's the keys, Lad?"
"Here," Bell handed him a straight screwdriver. "Just shove it into the ignition, we never had keys to this car." He smiled at the large Scottman.
"Haven't done this since I was in middle school," MacGim joked as he started the small car.
"Wait!" Laura shouted. "Where's the dog?" They all briefly looked around but no one could see the dog that led them to James.
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Four members of the local volunteer fire brigade carried the unconscious Sargent to the waiting helicopter. Dr. Small ran ahead of them to board, to his surprise waiting in the medevac was the dog that saved his patient's life.
"I tried Doc, but she won't budge," the pilot replied to the look on the doctor's face.
"Don't worry, she's the one that found him," Small explained.
The firefighters hesitated at the door looking at the scruffy dog. "Just get him in," Dr. Small ordered them to load James. "She's one of us. Just out of uniform." He joked.
Two of the men climbed in concentrating on locking the spineboard in place for the flight. The waiting dog watched the men closely. When Small was sure James was secured he signaled the pilot.
The flight to the Radcliffe Hospital was short but still too long for Small's patient. James' condition deteriorated quickly.
"Keep up chest compressions," Small ordered. He elevated James' feet to keep the blood he had left up toward the chest and head. They worked hard but James had been buried too long and he lost too much blood. "How much longer?" He questioned the pilot.
"Ten minutes," replied the co-pilot.
"He doesn't have a minute," shouted Drake.
The scruffy dog started to howl and bark madly. Small, Drake and the pilots looked at the distressed dog. She leaped over Drake and landed next to James' head. She bark loud and started to lick his face pleading to him not to give up.
Small saw James' foot twitch, he was responding to the dogs pleas. His vitals started to climb. "Once again you save his life. Thank you, Girl," Small patted the dog and kissed her in between the ears.
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The twenty mile drive to Radcliffe took less time than Lewis thought was possible. MacGim raced the tiny car zipping in and out of traffic. Passing cars on both sides of the road. Breaking every driving law ever written.
Laura kept her eyes closed tight. Lewis wasn't sure if she was praying to arrive safely or pray for James. He was praying for both.
The young Bell was smiling and laughing enjoying the fast scary ride. MacGim gripped the steering wheel with his right hand and kept the left on the gear shift. Lewis wondered if Randell would have a car by the time they arrived at the hospital.
"How much farther?" Laura leaned toward Lewis. She grabbed his knee tightly when she heard breaks squeal and someone yelling.
"We're pulling up right now," he cringed as they narrowly missed a parked car.
MacGim stomped on the brakes hard and parked the small car perfectly in an empty space. The engine sputtered and diesels to a stop. "Beat that Top Gear," MacGim cheered. "Don't worry Li'l Bell, I'll get my brother, Marcas. He'll have that car better than new before Big Bell notices it missing."
"There they are," someone shouted.
Lewis looked toward the entrance way. "Oh no! Not them again," he moaned.
A large group of reporters had been hovering near the emergency room entrance camping all night long. They waited for a story to arrive and it arrived in the shapes of Lewis, Hobson, MacGim and Bell.
Recognizing Inspector Lewis and Dr. Hobson, the reporters charged toward them blocking their way and shouting questions. MacGim bellow and pushed past the media pulling Laura behind him. Lewis and Bell followed closely. Finally the hospital guards came outside to escort the harassed Oxfordshire police and doctor inside.
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Inside, the ER was not much quieter than the outside with the shouts from the media. Medical staff were busy with their daily duties and with the new arrival from the medevac. Lewis caught a glimpse of James being wheeled into a room. He tried to follow, but was stopped by a kind and sympathetic nurse.
"Mr. Lewis, you can wait in here comfortably," she directed them toward a private waiting room. "No one will bother you. I'll keep you up to date on James' conditions. There's some coffee and snacks. And here's some blankets and pillows. A nurse will be in to ask you a few questions."
Lewis reluctantly allowed himself to be led to the waiting room. He felt helpless and useless. He wanted to do something to help James.
"Mr. Lewis," the nurse continued. "I know waiting is hard, but the doctors are doing everything they can for James. We've been preparing for his arrival since last night. Several specialist arrived just to help. I'll be back as soon as I know anything."
She left the room and the only noise that could be heard was the panting of a dog. "Hey Girl," PC Bell knelt down to pet the dog. "How'd you get here?"
"She flew with us," ERT medic Drake answered for the dog. "She was waiting in the chopper when we put James in. We couldn't get her out so, Small said she could fly with us."
"Good thing too," Dr. Small entered the private waiting room.
"How's James?" Lewis anxiously asked.
"Stable. They're taking him up to surgery," Small dropped down onto the sofa.
"Kevin, can you expand on 'stable', please," Laura pleaded. She knew stable could be good or bad.
The exhausted doctor took a much needed sip of hot coffee, laid his head back and closed his tired soar eyes. He took a deep breath, "We almost lost him on the flight." The memory of the dog leaping to James' head replayed in his mind.
"I couldn't believe this, but that dog," Small pointed to the dog now sitting in Laura's lap. "She barked in James' ear and started to lick his ears and face. A miracle worker she is. James' vitals started to stabilize and stayed strong the rest of the flight."
"Why's he going to surgery," Lewis paced the room.
"To set his leg and put his chest back together," Small's hand traced a long line on his chest emphasizing the injury to James . "The reinforcement steel rod cracked his femur and...," exhausted from the rescue he fell asleep with his hand resting on his chest.
"What does he mean, 'Put his chest back together'?" Lewis looked to Drake for the answer, but he too was asleep. "I need fresh coffee," exasperated Lewis tossed the half full cup of coffee in the trash and left the room.
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He really needed to search for a doctor or nurse that might know how Hathaway was doing. Lewis did not want to go too far from the waiting room so he paced the hallway waiting for someone with answers.
Laura needed to do something, to keep her self occupied she started a fresh pot of coffee. MacGim leaned on the door frame watching his friend pace. Bell sat in an oversize chair holding the dog, he too watched Lewis pace.
"How many pairs of shoes does he go though in a year?" he asked.
"At this rate he'll need a new pair before sunset," Laura guessed.
"Mr. Lewis?" an elderly nurse with a laptop stopped Lewis from pacing. "Come with me, I have a few questions to ask about Mr. Hathaway."
"Can you ask the questions in here?" Lewis offered the waiting room they were using.
"If you don't mind private questions being asked," the nurse walked into the waiting room. She looked around, "Are you all here for Mr. Hathaway?"
"Yes. How's he doing," fearing the worst he started to pace again.
"Please sit down, Mr. Lewis. This will be much easier if you're not pacing,"
The stern nurse insisted.
Lewis' heart leaped to a stop he grabbed Laura's hand for support. He knew the news was bad. He sank into the chair slowly and took a deep breath to prepare him for the worst.
"I don't know how Mr. Hathaway is doing. I'm just the admittance nurse," she explained as she typed into the computer. "Now, I understand you and Mr. Hathaway are partners?"
"Yes," he confirmed.
"How long have you been together?" she continued to type.
"About five years," Lewis was puzzled.
"Have either of you had any other partners in the past five years," she looked over her narrow glasses at Lewis, waiting for an answer.
"No. Why?" confused Lewis started to pace. He notice MacGim and Laura starting to giggle. "Why?"
"Just routine questions, Mr. Lewis," she continued. "When was your last test?"
Lewis' mouth fell open, he was dumbfounded at the questions. "What test?" Laura and MacGim busted out laughing.
"Ma'am, Robert Lewis and James Hathaway work together, " Laura explained to the admittance nurse.
"James Hathaway? I'm here for Adam Hathaway, not James," She stated. "I was told Hathaway's partner was waiting in here." She explained, "I must have the wrong Hathaway. Please forgive me. Sorry for any trouble. I hope your Hathaway will be all right.". She quickly gathered the laptop and left the room, her face was red with embarrassment. "So sorry."
Lewis shook his head and laughed, "I hope this hospital doesn't mix up the two Hathaways again." He resumed his pacing in the hall. MacGim continued to watch and Bell continued to pet the dog.
A young nurse glanced into the private waiting room as she past the open door. "I know you," she stopped and entered the room. She approached Bell and the dog.
Bell sat up straight blushing at the attention the beautiful nurse was paying to him. "Hello," he stuttered.
"Hi. I know her. Isn't this Corporal Christmas' dog, Mindy?" the nurse nuzzled and kissed the dog sitting next to Bell. "Hey girl where have you been?"
"I really don't know," Bell stammered. "We, uh, that is she uh," he stumbled over his words.
"Hey, she's the one that came in the medevac with Hathaway," the nurse stated.
"You know about James Hathaway, Nurse... Nurse...," Lewis searched for her name tag.
"Oh, I'm Yulissa Montgomery. I'm a student nurse," she introduced herself. "I heard the duty nurse talk about James. Do you want me to get her for you?"
"Yes! Please," Lewis stopped pacing and shakily poured a cup of fresh coffee.
"I'll be right back," Yulissa left the room and quickly returned with the surgical nurse. "This is Nurse Peters. Miss Peters, look who's here," she pointed to Mindy.
"Hey Mindy, we've been looking for you," she patted the dog. "Yulissa, take Mindy and clean her up."
Excited, Mindy the dog leaped off the chair and licked Yulissa's hand. "Can I help," finding his voice and the courage he offered the nurse his assistance.
"Uh. Yah, come on," Yulissa shyly smiled at the cute officer. They left the room with Mindy leading the way.
"We wondered where Mindy went to. Are you DI Lewis?" Nurse Faye Peters asked. Lewis nodded. "I've been looking for you, Sargent Hathaway is in recovery. His leg was set and the chest has been cleaned and repaired. All in all, Mr. Hathaway is a very lucky man he'll mend just fine."
Lewis felt the weight of the world lift from him, "When can I see him."
"Not for a couple of hours," she watched Dr. Small and Drake sleeping. "Sleeping will do you all some good. I'll have an orderly set up some beds for you."
Nurse Peters called for an orderly to makeup two rooms for them. "Someone will take you to rooms close to James. There you can clean up and get some rest."
"Nurse Peters," Laura stopped the nurse from leaving. "What happened to his chest?" Laura moved her hand up and down her chest.
"I'll let the doctors explain. They'll talk to you as soon as they can," Nurse Peters left the room leaving Lewis more frustrated than ever.
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Lewis paced the new room, waiting for the doctor to arrive with news about James. MacGim stood in the doorway watching and also waiting.
"There you are," Chief Innocent arrived. "I've been searching all over the hospital for you. How's James?"
"We don't know," Lewis growled. "How long have we been waiting?"
"Forty-two minutes," MacGim kept track of the time. He was going to give the doctor twenty more minutes to arrive. "If they don't show up in twenty minutes I'll find them."
"Where's Dr. Hobson?" Innocent looked for the pathologist.
"Hello Jean. I had to get him another pair of shoes," Laura handed Lewis a bag of clothes and a pair of shoes. "He's worn this pair out pacing." She teased.
"I can't just sit here," Lewis defended. "What's taking them so long? Have they forgotten about us, about James?"
Nurse Montgomery and PC Bell entered the room. "All clean," Bell announced. Mindy looked like a new dog.
"She's beautiful," Innocent whispered. "Can she be in the hospital?"
"Yeah. I mean yes Ma'am," Bell corrected himself "Yulissa, Nurse Montgomery told me that Mindy …."
"Her name is Mindy. She belonged to Corporal Malcolm Christmas," Yulissa interrupted. "According to the story, Corporal Christmas was injured during an attack while deployed to Afghanistan. Mindy bark and led the medics to him," Nurse Montgomery told what she heard about the dog. "She stayed at his side until he was transferred back to England. Some other soldiers adopted her, she continued to alert our soldiers of danger. Finally, with the help of some charities Corporal Christmas was able to bring Mindy here to Oxford."
They looked at the amazing dog. "Corporal Christmas had Mindy certified as a therapy dog," she continued. "They would visit wounded vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan."
"What happened to Corporal Christmas?" curious Innocent asked.
"He died last week in a car accident," Yulissa's eyes teared up. "We all thought Mindy was lost."
"What will happen to her now?" Bell was concerned about the dog. "I would take her but I still live at home and we all ready have four dogs."
"I don't know. Maybe Mr. Hathaway will keep her," Yulissa suggested. "She likes to stay with someone she helped."
Chief Innocent knelt down to pet Mindy. She was grateful for what the dog done for her friend. "You won't be alone," Innocent mumbled.
They all sat and waited for news about James. The clock in the room ticked loudly as each long minute passed. Lewis checked his watch, but the time on the wall clock was correct. He continued to pace. He continued to worry.
They all leaped to their feet when Nurse Peters entered the room. "We finally have some news," Nurse Peters said.
Lewis stopped pacing. He could not tell if the news was good or bad from her expressionless face. He held his breath waiting.
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