Chapter 40
Revelations
"Hey," Winona said with a smile as she tentatively peeked around the open curtain. "I just happened to be in the neighborhood," she added with a lilt, trying to keep things light.
"Did you see Raylan?" Anna asked with great urgency in her voice.
"We saw you walk by," Adam explained, waving his hand in the direction she had earlier walked right passed them.
"Yeah," she answered, crossing her arms protectively in front of her. She took a few steps further inside Anna's cubicle. "They're getting ready to release him. And I've got to go to the gift shop and buy him something to wear home. His clothes are . . ." Her voice trailed off. "I still don't know what happened. No one will tell me anything."
"Rachel was here but left to go check on Tim. And then, Art stopped by a few minutes ago," Anna offered. "What happened was, there was shooting at the compound which left some of the suspects dead. And then, there was an explosion. The leader of this hate group booby-trapped the main building. Fortunately for our side, Raylan and Tim and an FBI Agent all came out of it relatively okay."
"Of course, there was gunfire," Winona uttered sarcastically, under her breath. "There's always gunfire when Raylan's in the picture." She hugged herself, tighter. "But an explosion?" Winona asked herself in disbelief, her eyes drifting down. She suddenly became very quiet as her mind went into overdrive. This scenario was worse than anything she could have ever imagined.
"Winona," Anna spoke, intentionally breaking Winona's self-imposed silence. "Raylan was released from the compound by my captors at one point during the siege. And then, he voluntarily went back in. He went back in there . . . for me." Anna's eyes glistened upon recanting her ordeal and her own fears. After a beat of silence, she added, "Please don't be too hard on him. Not this time."
Winona looked up and searched their faces, first Anna's and then, Adam's. She could tell they were both telling the truth and that each held much gratitude to Raylan for saving Anna's life.
Adam walked closer to Winona and placed a firm hand on her arm. "How's your dad?"
Winona looked at him with suddenly formed tears in her eyes.
Adam felt a big lump form his throat, preparing himself for bad news.
"He came through the surgery just fine. I mean, he's still in Critical Care, but so far, so good." She reached up and wiped a tear away with her sleeve. "All in all, it's been a good day. Hasn't it?"
Adam opened up his arms and wrapped Winona up in them, and not a moment too soon. She couldn't hold it in, any longer. It all came crashing in . . . worry about her father, Raylan, and Anna. She began to sob.
"That's it," Adam held her firmly. "You just go ahead and have yourself one big old cry."
Anna bit her lip, watching the two of them. She didn't feel any jealousy or animosity towards Winona. In fact, she was glad that she and Adam had one another to lean on during her and Raylan's captivity. And for once, she had a front row seat in seeing what the law enforcement jobs, hers and her brother's, could sometimes do to their families.
-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-
Art pushed Raylan's wheelchair as close to the bed as the wires and monitors allowed. Ellstin's eyes were closed, his breathing aided by the oxygen tube in his nose. Two I.V. bottles hung suspended above the bed, threading down into his uninjured arm. The nearby heart monitor beeped steadily.
"Ellstin?" Raylan spoke into the man's ear, leaning in as much as he could.
The older man's eyelids flickered open, brown orbs sliding first to Raylan, then to the Chief Marshal.
"I'll leave you two alone," Art said. "You want some coffee, Raylan?"
"That'd be great," he answered, figuring it would also help him stay awake to spend some time with Winona and Willa later. His boss gone, Raylan refocused his attention on the man in the bed. "Art said you wanted to talk ta' me?"
"You 'member Nelson at all?"
"Your brother?" He shook his head indicating the negative. "Don't think I ever met him."
Ellstin chuckled. "You met him. He used ta' take ya' fishin' when you was just a bitty thing. Give yo' mama some peace o' mind whilest she was workin'. Ya' used ta' tail after him around da' holler like a little puppy dog."
Raylan had no memory of that time, but a picture clicked into place. "Nelson's Anna's father, isn't he?"
Limehouse nodded. "He is."
Raylan stared at the man. "I think that's the straightest answer you've ever given me."
"It may be at 'dat," Ellstin coughed and winced, holding his side. The bandage was bright with blood.
"Were ya' tellin' the truth to Arndt about not knowin' where he is?"
"I was." He nodded. "But dere's mo' to da' story that you oughta know."
Raylan leaned back into the wheelchair and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm listenin'."
"Nelson did a lot of travelin,' and he was gone when yo' mama found out she was wit' child. She was scaret' ta' death Arlo was gonna find out. And since she knew who da' daddy was, she knew when dat baby be born, well, then he'd know fo' sure." He took a deep breath and his eyes clouded with pain again. "Nelson tried to talk yo' mama into runnin' away wit' him, but she wouldn't leave you, and she knew Arlo would follow her to da' ends o' da' earth if she took his boy." Another breath, another wince of pain.
"You can tell me all this later, after they take care of you," Raylan said.
"I's tellin' ya' now. Might not be a later." He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he spoke again the slow drawl was gone. He spoke quickly, his voice low enough that Raylan had to lean in to hear.
"I had a contact down in N'awlins, so I made da' arrangements to get da' baby a good home. When it was close ta' time for it ta' come, I sends Nelson on an errand, and me and yo' Aunt Helen convinced Francis it was for da' best. After dat baby girl was born, Helen left wit' her and met up wit' da' folks at the parish what took her ta' her new family. But when Nelson came back and found 'em gone, he never forgave me. Tried ta' go down ta' Harlan and talk ta' Francis, but Helen chased him off wit' a shotgun."
"I can see her doin' that," Raylan said.
"She told me later it broke yo' mama's spirit givin' up dat little girl. Said she wished she'd helped you all run away."
"I could see her sayin' that, too." No wonder Helen had stepped in, taken over, and protected him and his mother as much as she could. She felt responsible. That didn't explain marryin' Arlo, but some things just defied explanation.
"So, what happened then?" Raylan asked. "Did Nelson just take off?"
"Yessa. Tol' me he was goin' down ta' N'awlins ta' find his baby girl. Dat was a can o' worms I didn't wanna open. So, I called yo' Anna's Daddy – he was a cop - and let him know Nelson was on his way. He tol' me he'd take care of it."
Raylan swallowed. He'd known that Limehouse was single-minded in protecting his people, but he'd sacrificed his own brother – given away his own niece – all to keep Noble's Holler from becoming a battle ground.
"What happened next?"
"Nelson ended up in Angola on a robbery charge." Ellstin stared past Raylan out the window. "Got out on good behavior in ten. Last I heard from a cousin o' ours was 'bout three years ago. He'd seen Nelson in Chicago. S'all I knows."
"Nothin' for three years?" Raylan's mind immediately flashed back to his last trip to Chicago around that time, tailing Tommy Bucks.
Ellstin winced. "No."
Raylan took a long look at the man who definitely needed to go to surgery, something Limehouse and his people didn't believe in.
"Are ya' gonna let 'em operate on ya'?" Raylan asked.
"They promised me they wouldn't put me out," Ellstin insisted. "I signed some paper expressin' my wishes. There ain't no guarantee I'll make it."
"Is it your wishes ya' want Anna to know?" Raylan asked, setting his jaw taunt.
"I's gonna leave that all up ta' yous, Marshal."
It was at that time an orderly arrived. "We're going to have to move you, sir." He was referring to Raylan's wheel chair. "It's time to take you up to surgery, Mr. Limehouse."
"You take care, Ellstin," Raylan said. "I'll take care of Anna."
"I knows you will," Ellstin said as the orderly pulled the rails up on his bed.
Just as Raylan began to place his hands on the top of the wheels to push them backwards, Art arrived. He handed Raylan a Styrofoam cup of lukewarm coffee. "Time to take you back?" he asked.
"Yeah. We're done here," Raylan said, giving a pensive wave to Ellstin as he was wheeled away.
"Anything I need to know about?" Art asked, wheeling his marshal back to his cubicle.
Raylan took in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his forefinger. Though he wasn't surprised at Anna's paternity thoughts of having to deliver unsavory news to Anna, and having to tell Art and Winona there could be reason for him to go to Chicago, gave him a sudden headache. "Not today," he mumbled.
-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-
After taking a long, hot shower, Raylan was happy to finally climb into bed and get off his injured foot. He swallowed some Tylenol and chased it with a swig of bourbon.
"There," Winona said, sliding another pillow behind his back. "That better?"
"Yeah," he tugged at her hand, pulling her down onto the bed beside him.
She lay her head on his shoulder and immediately breathed in a familiar combination of scents: Dial Soap and Ancient Age Bourbon. It gave her a great sense of comfort.
"I'm so glad I was able to spend a little time with Willa before she went down for the count," Raylan smiled, his eyes closed.
"I told you she missed you," Winona looked up at him. "She was so good at the hospital but missed her nap. It's no wonder she was so tired."
"I missed my nap, too," he said with his eyes still closed. He gave her a squeeze, his arm around her.
"Can you talk about what Ellstin told you?"
He hesitated, feeling a bit guilty telling Winona before Anna, but they had moved her upstairs for observation overnight, and she'd been enjoying a much-needed hot shower under a nurse's supervision. He'd been too exhausted to wait. It might be better to approach it all after a good night's sleep anyway.
"Ellstin's brother, Nelson Limehouse is Anna's biological father," Raylan answered. Ellstin wanted to tell me this, before he went into surgery. Just in case he didn't make it. I called the hospital about an hour ago. He's outta surgery . . . in stable condition."
"Wow. So, he's her uncle."
"Yeah." He sighed, absent-mindedly running his fingers through her hair. "But he has no idea where Nelson might be, aside from some cousin running into him in Chicago three years ago or so."
"Well," Winona said. "That's what you do, right?"
"What?"
"Find people."
"That's what the FBI does, too," he casually countered, not wanting to open up that can of worms with Winona. "Isn't it nice to have another law enforcement officer in the family? Now, I'm not the only one who can take care of . . . stuff."
"But you would do it for her if she needed you to, wouldn't you?"
"Why don't we cross that bridge . . . only if we have to," he suggested, letting out a yawn.
"Raylan?" Winona tried to keep him awake just a little while longer. "There's something I've been waiting to tell you."
"What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes flew open and locked with hers.
She pulled herself closer to him. "I'm not pregnant after all. I started my period the other day."
He began to stroke her hair again. "Are ya' alright?"
"Yeah." She let out a sigh. "I was relieved . . . disappointed. Not looking forward to telling you. I thought you'd be disappointed, too."
"'course I am." He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Ya' know, I thought about what ya' said. About ideally wantin' Willa to have more 'baby time' of her own. That might be nice for her. Before we plan on havin' another baby."
"I think so, too." She snuggled closer.
"Doesn't mean we can't do some practicin'." He raised an eyebrow and grinned, but a yawn snuck in and surprised him. Winona giggled.
"Maybe tomorrow, Cowboy. Right now? I think you need to get some sleep."
Not of a mind to argue, he closed his heavy eyes. "Are ya' gonna be able to sleep tonight?" His arm was wrapped around her.
She stiffened a little. "I think I'll go downstairs for a while. See if I can get an update on Daddy or Anna."
Carefully rolling over onto his side, on top of the covers, he mumbled, "Promise to wake me if ya' need me."
Winona sat up in the bed, noting all the little nicks and scratches on his arms, hands, and his face. "I promise." She leaned over and lightly kissed the side of his face, whispering in his ear, "I'm so glad you're home."
-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-
Winona padded into the kitchen in her bare feet to find her sister packing her boys' lunches for the next morning. It seemed Wade and her nephews had turned in for the night.
"Raylan asleep?" Gayle asked, glancing up from her task at hand.
"Oh, yeah," Winona answered as she took a seat on a barstool, over the counter from Gayle. "He's absolutely exhausted. I don't think he slept much the entire time he was gone."
"You must be tired, too," her sister suggested.
"I am," Winona admitted. "But I can't sleep. I guess the last few days have me still revved up."
"I know what you mean." Gayle could relate. "I have an idea. When the boys have trouble sleeping, I warm up some milk. Add a little vanilla. Some sugar." After a beat, she asked, "Sound good?"
Propping her heavy head upon her hand, supported by her elbow on the counter, she answered. "You put a shot of whiskey in the warm milk? And you've got yourself a deal."
Gayle smiled. "I can do that." She finished placing the PBJs she made into plastic bags and into the lunch carrier, along with raisins and a juice box. Then, she made her way to the fridge and pulled out the milk.
"Did Mama come home tonight?" Winona asked.
Gayle answered her sister's question with a question. "What do you think?" Pouring some milk into a sauce pan on top of the stove, she continued, "She's not about to leave Daddy's side. I kind of glad she's staying with him. If it wasn't her, it might be me . . . or you staying up there with him."
"I hadn't thought of that. But you're right."
"Plus, she keeps me updated on every little thing. Mama's learned to text a little."
"Really?"
Gayle nodded.
"Any new news on Daddy?" Winona asked.
"He's still listed as serious, but stable. The nurses are telling Mama that so far, he's doing really well."
"Well, thank God," Winona took comfort.
"How is Anna doing?" Gayle reached into the cabinet and pulled out the vanilla extract and the sugar. "It's weird not having Adam around."
"I know," Winona agreed. "I saw Anna for a few minutes while we were waiting for the doctors to release Raylan. She looked like she'd been through a lot."
It suddenly occurred to Gayle that Anna may have been tortured, assaulted . . . perhaps even sexually assaulted. "How badly was she treated?"
"I could see she was injured. Looked like she'd been roughed up." Winona continued, "She also seemed . . . hyper vigilant. Know what I mean?"
"Yeah." Gayle stirred in the sugar over the low heat. "It sounds like she was put through the ringer. Poor thing." She looked up. "Poor Adam."
"He's glad to have her back. I know exactly how he feels."
"You seem to be taking Raylan's injuries better than I've seen in the past." She poured the milk into two mugs, shut off the burner, and sat one of the cups on the counter in front of Winona. She then reached into an upper cabinet, pulled out a bottle of whisky, and handed it to her sister.
Unscrewing the cap, Winona eyeballed a shot, mostly going by the color it turned the milk. "Anna said that Raylan put himself in harm's way to save her. She asked me to go easy on him. Adam must have said something to her about the way I get when Raylan is in danger."
"Of course he's going to talk to her. She's his fiancée."
"Oh, I know. It's fine. It wasn't like she was telling or ordering me to go easy on him. It was more like she was begging me."
"So, you're saying you're going easy on Raylan for Anna's sake?" Gayle grabbed the bottle of whiskey and poured a shot into her own mug.
Winona raised an eyebrow at her usually tee totaling sister. Gayle shrugged and Winona took a sip of the warm concoction.
"Mmmmm. Not bad," Winona commented. Licking the sweetened milk off her upper lip, she continued. "What I'm saying is that I can understand why he felt he had to rescue his sister."
"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you're being understanding," Gayle said, just as her phone buzzed on the counter. She picked it up and smiled as she read the text. "Daddy is sitting up in bed!"
"Really?" Winona was surprised.
Gayle nodded and glanced down again. "Mama said he was a little nauseous from the meds, and the nurse said sitting up could help. He's feeling better. They're going to get him up in the morning."
"Wow," remarked, again amazed at his progress.
Gayle continued to read the texts. "This is good. The nausea is subsiding. He's feeling better."
Winona sighed in relief, suddenly exhausted. "It will be nice to see him tomorrow," she said, sliding off her stool. "I think I can sleep, now." She hugged her sister. "Thanks for the warm milk." She took a last sip and placed her empty cup in the sink.
Gayle texted a 'Good Night' to her mother, turned out the lights, and followed Winona up the stairs with each sister retiring to their respective bedrooms.
Winona slowly opened and closed the door to hers and quietly climbed into bed, so as not to wake Willa who was peacefully sleeping in the port-o-crib. She snuggled in close, under the covers, spooning Raylan's back.
"Hmmmph," he stirred out of a deep sleep at her touch. He reached behind him and shifted his weight, bringing their bodies closer.
"Shhhhhh. Go back to sleep." She softly kissed his shoulder and stroked his arm with her fingertips.
Soon, his breathing evened out. Once she was satisfied he'd drifted back into slumber, she threaded her arm around his waist and pulled her pillow closer toward his back. Snugging into his warmth, she closed her eyes . . . content to have him back with her, to hold him.
(To be continued . . .)