Author's Note: I was halfway through writing chapter seven when I realized that I had Roy (whose right hand is in a cast after he broke it in the previous story) using his forearm crutches. I realized that wasn't really feasible, so I went back and rewrote parts of chapter six. Now Roy is using a wheelchair. I'm guessing he brought his chair from home just in case, since he can't really use the crutches.

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Choctaw - English Glossary

Ia - Go
Imahlekahe keyu - Safe
Ia bvnna li keyu - I don't want to go
Yvnnvsh Ushi micha Hushushi yvt chi-abvnna - Young Buffalo and Little Bird need you.
A, ia li - Yes, I'll go.

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Edna Richards was attending a hearing regarding Sarah Kate's adoption by Judy and Peter Benedict. Officer Eddie Bowen was also there. He had a soft spot for Sarah Kate, who was the same age as his own daughter. Bowen was on the stand now.

"Peter Benedict is currently in jail awaiting trial on soliciting the kidnapping of Sarah Kate DiAngelo."

"Objection!" Denny Anderson called out. "Her name is Sarah Kate Benedict."

"Sustained," the judge said.

Bowen frowned. "We have a sworn statement from Joey Allegro that Peter Benedict asked him to kidnap Sarah Kate from her foster parents. I found the child in the back room of Allegro's Pizza. She had a broken arm and had not received treatment for it. She was strapped to a cot, unable to move around, and in the dark. There are other charges against Benedict, including two murder charges."

"Thank you, Officer Bowen. Mrs. Richards, would you please take the stand?"

"Yes, your Honor." Edna stood up and walked to the stand. She waited a minute while Officer Bowen stepped down, then she went up to the seat.

"What is your interest in this case, Mrs. Richards?"

Edna took a deep breath. "I am Sarah Kate's social worker. I have had the opportunity to talk with her at length. She never wanted to live with her aunt and uncle. Before her grandmother died, she visited their home and her cousin touched her inappropriately. Her previous social worker ignored her report of this and placed her with them anyway."

"And how do you know that this really happened? Perhaps it was just a child making up a story."

"No, your Honor." Edna shook her head. "I watched Sarah Kate carefully in her foster placement. I saw her anxiety regarding the older brother in the house. This has been resolved, as the boy defended her when Allegro's men grabbed her. Seeing how scared she was when she first met him told me that what she reported was true. I also saw how negatively Peter Benedict spoke to her. He repeatedly belittled her."

"Has Mrs. Benedict visited Sarah Kate in the hospital?" The judge eyed Judy Benedict, who had come to court dressed in her Sunday best.

"Not once," Edna said. "I called to inform her that the child was hospitalized and had to have surgery on her broken arm. She hung up on me."

The judge knit his brow for a moment. Then he banged his gavel. "I hereby terminate the adoption of Sarah Kate DiAngelo by Peter and Judy Benedict. She will remain in foster care until suitable adoptive parents are found for her. Bakersfield Child Services will keep jurisdiction over her case. Mrs. Richards, Officer Bowen, thank you for your time."

Edna couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. She was glad to remain Sarah Kate's social worker, as it meant she could speak up for Matt and Melissa Carter. Today she would take care of those background checks. "Thank you, your Honor."

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Matt, Roy, and Gio were sitting in the cafeteria. They had sat with Johnny while he ate his breakfast. Thankfully, he hadn't aspirated. Now they were getting their breakfast while Nita sat with Johnny.

"It's crazy that this happened to Johnny," Matt said. "His treatment must be expensive."

"Yeah." Roy frowned. "I thought their insurance would help, but Nita told me this hospital won't accept their insurance. That means they're on the hook for the full cost of his treatment. They don't have that kind of money. They blew through their savings paying Nita's hospital bills after the twins were born. They ran out of insurance coverage that year."

"Damn." Matt took a bite of his burger. "That's hard. You'd think since he was injured here, they wouldn't charge anything."

Roy shrugged. "It wasn't their fault. At least, that's what they say. The security guard was helping a mom with her sick kid and didn't notice the guy with the gun until it was too late."

Gio didn't say anything. He just looked thoughtful and ate his salad.

When the men were done eating, Roy wanted to go back to Johnny. Matt agreed to take him upstairs before going back to Sarah Kate. Gio said he would join Matt later. "I'm going to go buy that car. Take good care of our girl."

Matt grinned. "Will do."

Gio waited until both Matt and Roy were in the elevator. He didn't want them to know what he was about to do. He asked at the registration desk where he could find the finance office. Matt and Melissa had inspired him. It was time to use his money to do some good in the world.

He followed the young woman's directions and walked into the finance office. Another young woman sat at a desk just inside the door. "Hello. I need to talk with someone about a patient's bill."

"Of course," she said with a smile. "Mrs. Robbins is in office two." She nodded to a door behind her. "She'll be happy to talk with you."

"Grazie — I mean, thank you." Gio knocked on the office door. Mrs. Robbins looked up and invited him in.

"Hello," Gio said as he sat down. "My name is Gio Molini. My son-in-law is friends with patient John Gage. I have heard that he cannot use his insurance here. Is it possible that I could pay his bill anonymously?"

Mrs. Robbins looked surprised. "Well, yes, it's possible." She looked through the file cabinet and found the paperwork. "We don't yet know the full cost of his care, but I can see that his bills are sent to you."

"Thank you." Gio fished in his pocket and pulled out a folded paper. "Here is my daughter's address." He pulled a pen out of the holder on her desk and wrote his name for her. "And remember, I wish to remain anonymous."

"Of course." She took down the information, then handed him the folded paper back. "I've never seen anyone do anything like this before. I will make sure they don't know who is paying the bills. May I ask why you want to help them?"

Gio shrugged. "I have the means. They are good people, and Mr. Gage has been very kind to my granddaughter." He already thought of Sarah Kate that way, even though it wasn't official yet. "Grazie mille. That is, a thousand thanks." He bowed with a flourish. "Arrivederci, Signora Robbins."

She smiled at him. "Good bye, Mr. Molini."

He walked out of the office, left the hospital, and hailed a taxi. He was ready to buy himself a car.

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Chet stood outside Johnny's door. He needed to visit his favorite Pigeon before leaving with Hank, Mike, and Marco. They were waiting for him downstairs. They had all been in to visit multiple times, but Chet had resisted seeing him till now. He hated seeing Johnny in a hospital bed.

He knocked on the door, and Johnny raised a hand telling him to come in. "Hey, Chet."

Chet sat down by the bed. "Hey, Johnny. I'm sorry I haven't come to see you before."

"'S OK." Johnny looked really uncomfortable. Every time he breathed in, he winced a little.

Chet wished he could do something to help. He felt woefully inadequate right now. "The guys are waiting for me. We gotta go home today and get back to work. But I wanted you to know, I'm thinkin' about you."

Johnny grinned, but it didn't light up his eyes. His heart wasn't in it. "Phantom's makin' plans, huh?" His voice was hoarse. He sounded congested, too.

Chet threw up his hands. "How should I know? Just, keep gettin' better, OK?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Chet."

"I'll come see you when you're back at Rampart." He squeezed Johnny's arm. "Bye for now."

Johnny waved. "Bye."

Chet walked to the door, then turned around before leaving. "I mean it. You have to get better." And then he walked out and headed for the elevator.

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Johnny stared at the lunch on his tray. His stomach was growling and he wanted to eat, even though it was bland hospital food. But he couldn't manage to swallow. He pushed the tray away and spit the food he had just chewed into his napkin. "Can't eat."

Roy's forehead wrinkled up and he pressed his lips together. "What's wrong, Junior?"

"Can't swallow."

Roy sighed. "It's the diltiazem. Brackett said this was a common side effect."

"I didn't think things could get any worse." Johnny grabbed a tissue and wiped his nose. It had been runny all day.
Roy checked his watch. "Brackett will be here in a few minutes. We'll let him know and he can decide what to do. You need the medication. It's keeping you out of AFib."

Johnny nodded. "Yeah, I know. Won't help much if I starve to death."

"Brackett won't let that happen."

Johnny nodded again. His hand tightened around the hawthorn petal. Words floated through his mind. Hawthorn for hope. He wasn't sure where the words came from. His hope was running awfully low at the moment.

As Roy predicted, Brackett and Dixie soon arrived. Dixie looked at Johnny's full lunch tray and frowned. "Hey, Tiger," she said as she picked up his fork and speared a potato. "You have to keep up your strength."

Johnny shook his head. "Hungry. Can't swallow."

Brackett frowned. "I'm sorry, John. We're going to have to insert a nasogastric tube. I had hoped we could avoid it. I don't want to change your medication. The diltiazem has been effective at keeping you out of AFib so far, and amiodarone could damage your lungs or your liver. You don't need any additional lung damage."

"Doc —" Johnny put a hand on Brackett's arm. "I know I got shot. I know I had surgery. No one has explained exactly what the surgery was, though."

"That's because you were very confused when you woke up," Brackett said. "You're doing much better now. You were shot in the chest. Both your lungs collapsed, and your right lung was badly damaged. By some miracle, the bullet didn't touch your heart. The surgeon had to patch your left lung and remove a lobe of your right lung. Atrial fibrillation is a common after-effect of a lobectomy."

Brackett turned to Dixie. "Can you get the feeding tube ready to go?"

"Sure." As usual, Dixie did her work quickly and efficiently. While she worked, Brackett prepared to insert the tube.

Johnny was already in a high Fowler's position. It made the chest tube more effective; it was also the appropriate position for NG tube placement. Brackett pressed the left side of Johnny's nose closed. "Breathe in." Then he pressed the right side closed. "Which side provides better airflow?"

"The left," Johnny said.

"OK. I'm going to look for any obstructions." Brackett used his penlight to peer up the nostril. Then he sprayed lidocaine into the nostril and into Johnny's throat. "Just give that five minutes to take effect. Then I'll insert the tube."

Johnny nodded. "This is just temporary, right, Doc?"

Brackett smiled. "Yes. Most likely, your body will adjust to the medication and you'll regain your ability to swallow. Though it is possible you'll need the tube feedings until we stop the diltiazem."

Dixie stood on the other side of the bed and brushed a hand through his hair. "It's going to be all right, Tiger."

"I know." Johnny reached for her hand. He had watched NG tube insertions before and he knew they could be painful. If Nita were here, he would hold her hand, but she had gone to the finance office to work out a payment plan.

Brackett checked his watch. "OK, it's time." He measured the tube, then coated the end with a lubricant. Finally, he began the insertion. It was a highly uncomfortable procedure, even with the anesthetic. Parts of it caused Johnny to gag and cough. He squeezed Dixie's hand as tight as he could. At last, the tube was in. "Say something, Johnny."

"That was nasty."

"I can't disagree with you there." Brackett warmed the bell of his stethoscope in his gloved hand, then placed it against Johnny's abdomen. "Dix, inject 30 milliliters of air." He listened through the stethoscope as Dixie did as he'd asked. "I believe we have it placed properly. But I want an x-ray to confirm it. Dix, can you get the x-ray technician in here? Tell him I want a rush on the images."

"Of course." Dixie made the call. Soon the technician arrived with his portable x-ray. Everybody left the room while the procedure was underway. The technician got the images Brackett wanted, then left.

While they waited for the x-rays, Nita returned. She looked much happier than she had when she went downstairs. She grabbed Johnny's hand. "You are never going to believe this, Nashoba!"

"It has to be something good to make you smile like that." Johnny reached up to stroke her face.

Nita kissed him. "An anonymous donor offered to pay your bill."

Johnny frowned. He didn't like the idea of someone else covering his debt. That went against everything his parents had taught him. Gages paid their own way and didn't take charity. And yet, they didn't have the money. He didn't even know how long he would be laid up. His eyes went to Roy. "Did you do this?"

Roy shook his head. "No way. You know we couldn't afford it."

"Nashoba," Nita said. "It is a kindness. Something you would do for others if we had the means. I know it's hard on your pride, but I think you need to accept this gift and be grateful for it."

Johnny shrugged. "Maybe you're right. I just know what my father would say. Gages don't take charity."

"Hey," Roy chimed in. "How many times have you done things for others, Junior? Now it's your turn. That's all."

Johnny got quiet. He didn't like it, but he didn't have much choice. They didn't have the money. He sighed. "I guess you're both right."

A few minutes later, the x-rays came back. Brackett looked them over. "The tube is right where it needs to be." He taped it to Johnny's nose. Johnny's stomach growled. "All right, Dixie, get some food into our hungry friend here. I want him on a continuous feed during waking hours. Keep him upright to avoid aspiration. Flush the feeding tube with warm water every four hours."

"Thanks, Doc." Johnny wasn't thrilled about having an NG tube. But he needed the medication that caused the problem, so there was nothing else to be done about it.

Dixie washed her hands, mixed the formula, poured it in the feeding bag, and hung the bag above the feeding pump. She opened the clamp and ran a little bit of the food into a bowl. Finally, she plugged the syringe into the port. "We'll get you up for a walk after Kel and I have our lunch. We're just going to the cafeteria. Roy, can we bring something back for you?"

"Um, maybe just a sandwich and an apple. Thanks, Dix."

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Nita moved Roy's wheelchair next to Johnny's bed. Roy patted his friend on the arm. "I'm sorry, Junior."

"Isn't your fault." Johnny leaned back against his pillows. "And like Brackett said, it's temporary."

"Yeah, but it stinks."

Johnny shrugged. "It is what it is." He set his hawthorn petal on his table. "Hawthorn for hope. I'm gonna get better. Listen, after my walk, will you get me in a wheelchair and take me to see Sarah Kate?"

"I'll ask Dixie about that," Roy said. "I can't exactly push you while I'm using this chair." He wished he hadn't ignored the blister. Hopefully it would clear up quickly.

Johnny eyed the police officers who were standing at his door. "Why are they there, anyway?"

"Well, you happened to get shot by a guy who worked for Joey Allegro, head of a crime syndicate. The police think you might be a target now."

"Worked?"

"He's dead. The security guard shot him. He wanted to be taken to Sarah Kate. You may have saved her life, John."
Johnny rolled his eyes. "All I did was get shot."

"Not true." Roy patted Johnny's shoulder. "You took his attention off what he was sent there to do. He didn't notice the guard pulling his gun because he was gloating over you. Edna Richards told me all about it."

"The social worker." Johnny's eyes got big. "I was talking with her right before it happened. I remember now, Roy. I thought this guy who walked in looked like the man Megan described. I went over and heard him asking for Sarah Kate and I saw the gun. I told him it wouldn't do any good. And he said it would shut me up. Then he fired." He closed his eyes. "Damn. I kinda wish I hadn't remembered that."

Roy wished he could tell Johnny that the memories would fade, but he knew better. Johnny went quiet. Roy didn't push him to speak. He just sat with him for a while.

Johnny stayed quiet. He had closed his eyes and Roy thought maybe he was dozing off. But his hands weren't still. They clutched into fists and rubbed at his arms. Sometimes he coughed.

Dixie and Kel were only gone for about half an hour. When they came back, Dixie handed Roy his lunch. Brackett washed his hands, pulled on gloves, then sat next to Roy. "Before we get Johnny up for a walk, I want to check that blister." He removed the liner covering Roy's stump and checked the wound. "Well, it's still infected. In addition to the antibacterial salve, I'm going to give you a shot of antibiotics. We don't want the infection to get to the bone. You could lose more of your leg if that happens."

"Damn." That thought made Roy's stomach turn. He would never ignore a blister again. Now he was the one to go quiet. After Brackett gave him the injection, he sat and watched while Dixie got Johnny up for a walk.

"Still dizzy." Johnny grasped Dixie's arm once he was standing.

"Yeah, diltiazem can cause that." Dixie held onto him. "I'll support you. Come on, let's go."

Roy wished he could help. If he hadn't been an idiot, he could. Now all he could do was watch. Johnny wasn't able to lift his feet off the floor, but he slid them forward. They got to the door and stepped through it. A minute later, Dixie brought him back into the room and helped him into bed.

"Dix, Johnny was hoping we could get him in a wheelchair and take him to visit Sarah Kate," Roy said. He wasn't sure Johnny was up for it, but he had promised to ask.

"If he's got the energy, I think it would be good for him." She put a hand on Johnny's shoulder. "What do you want to do, John?"

He was quiet for a minute. "Need sleep. I'll visit her later. How long is she here? Seems weird, they're keeping her so long for a broken arm."

Roy didn't answer right away, but Johnny ought to know. "Police think she could still be a target. Just like you."
Johnny nodded wordlessly. Dixie helped him get settled in bed. She reclined him slightly. "Can you sleep like that?"

"Yeah." Johnny's eyes drifted shut.

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Peter Benedict glared at his lawyer. "If I can't have the kid, no one can. Contact Artie Howard and tell him he needs to take out Sarah Kate, John Gage, and Roy DeSoto. I could see it when I visited her in Washington — Gage wants to adopt her. Oh, and Edna Richards, too. You said she spoke against me in court. I'll pay him two hundred thousand." Denny Anderson had arranged hits for him before, and because their meeting time was confidential, there were no guards around to hear him give the order.

"Yessir, Mr. Benedict." Anderson put his paperwork in his briefcase. "From what I understand, they're all at the hospital in Bakersfield. I'll take care of it right away."

He slapped Benedict on the back as he was walking to the door. "Take care of yourself. I'm doing everything I can to get you out of here." He knocked on the door and a guard let him leave.

Another guard came into the room, unlocked the cuffs that secured Benedict to his chair, and dragged him back to his cell.

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Anderson did a little research, then returned to his office and made a call. "Artie, Denny Anderson here. Get to my office. Now. Yes, it's the one next to Benedict's. Good, I'll see you soon."

It took Artie twenty minutes to get there. Anderson closed the door and took a seat behind his desk. "I've got a job for you, Artie. Do you have any objection to taking out a kid, nine years old?"

"Depends how much you're gonna pay me," Artie said.

"Two hundred thousand dollars." Artie's eyes gleamed. Anderson stood up and started pacing the floor. Part of him felt guilty about this job. Putting a hit on a kid bothered him. He didn't care about the adults all that much. "It's more than just the kid. Her name is Sarah Kate DiAngelo. There are two men and a woman. John Gage, Roy DeSoto, and Edna Richards. You can find Gage and the kid at the Bakersfield hospital. DeSoto's there most of the time, too. Gage is practically dead already; DeSoto's stuck in a wheelchair. They should be easy pickings. There's a police guard on Gage's door and the kid's, so you have to figure a way around them. DeSoto is staying at the Sunrise Hotel, just around the corner from the hospital. The woman works for Child Services. She's spending a lot of time with Sarah Kate, though."

Artie nodded. "OK. I need fifty thousand now, the rest when the job is done."

Anderson wrote him a check. He was a certified signer on one of Benedict's accounts. "There you go." He handed the check to Artie. Artie folded it up and put it in his wallet.

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Eddie Bowen received a phone call from Peter Benedict's bank that afternoon. He had suspected Benedict might put out a hit and so he'd gotten a warrant to watch out for any large payments from the man's account. "We just paid fifty thousand dollars from Benedict's account to Arthur Howard. The check was signed by Dennis Anderson," the bank manager said.

"Thanks for the information." Eddie hung up and turned to Nolan. "Dennis Anderson is Benedict's lawyer and works at his firm. I want him in here for questioning. We're going to have to be careful about it — he'll claim attorney-client confidentiality. Also find Arthur Howard. I want him in here for questioning." He stood up and stuffed his wallet in his pants pocket. "Now, I'm going to the hospital."

He intended to speak with Sarah Kate's doctor and find out if she could leave the hospital. If she could, he and his wife were licensed for foster care. He would take Sarah Kate home with him until it was safe to send her back to her current foster family. He would need Edna Richards' approval, but he didn't think she would argue the matter.

At the hospital, he arranged to talk with the doctor and with Richards. "I believe that Sarah Kate DiAngelo may be in danger," he told them. "If she can leave the hospital, I want to take her home with me. My wife and I are licensed to provide foster care. We can keep her safe."

"There's no medical reason to keep her here," the doctor said. "I would be happy to discharge her."

Edna Richards agreed. "The Carters will want to be involved. They love Sarah Kate and hope to adopt her."

"If they want to adopt her, that makes them potential targets, too. You could be a target as well, Mrs. Richards. You spoke out against Benedict in court this morning, and I'm sure he's heard about it by now. He met with his lawyer, who attended the hearing." He took in a deep breath. "All right, I'm changing the plan. I'm moving all of you — Sarah Kate included — to a safe house. We usually use it for witnesses. Benedict probably knows about it, but the address is closely guarded. He won't have that information."

"But I have work!" The social worker's protest fell on deaf ears.

Eddie shook his head. "I'm sure your office would rather you stay alive. They can live without you for a few days."

Mrs. Richards looked deflated. "All right," she said. "I'll do as you advise."

"Good. Go tell them about the problem while Dr. Thompson prepares the discharge. I need to talk with John Gage's doctor now. Be ready to leave in twenty minutes." Eddie left the conference room and walked down the hall.

Roy was sitting in Johnny's room while Dr. Brackett checked him over. Nita was sitting next to her husband. Johnny's mood had improved this afternoon. Roy was still feeling pretty quiet. In fact, Johnny had teased him about being quieter than Mike Stoker today.

Officer Bowen stepped into the room. "Doctor, Mr. Gage. I'm concerned that there could be a further threat to Mr. Gage's life. I believe that Peter Benedict has put out a hit through his lawyer. We're tracking down the people involved, but we want to take some precautions. Sarah Kate is being moved to a safe location. I know Mr. Gage needs to remain hospitalized, but I want him moved to a new room and I want to use a fake name for his registration. Officially, it will look like he's been discharged and is no longer here."

He turned his gaze to Roy. "You should go back to your hotel. I don't believe you're a target, but if you're here, you could become one. Mr. Gage is to have no visitors until we've solved this problem."

Roy's gaze narrowed. "But, Officer —"

Brackett's hand came down on Roy's shoulder. "You should listen to him, Roy. Dixie will take you back. I'll ask her to stay there, in case you need anything. There are nurses here who can help me with John."

"Call me Chester B. Kelly," Johnny teased. He didn't seem too concerned. "Go on, Roy. I'll be OK. I've got police guards and everything. I don't want you to get hurt."

Roy huffed out a sigh. "Fine. What about Nita?"

Officer Bowen frowned. Nita was sitting next to her husband. "Mrs. Gage, I'm moving the Carters and Sarah Kate to a safe house. I would like you to join them."

Johnny squeezed her hand. "Ia, Nita. Imahlekahe keyu."

Nita blinked back tears. "Nashoba, ia bvnna li keyu."

Roy didn't understand the words, but he knew Johnny was trying to convince Nita to go. He never spoke roughly with Nita. His voice around her was always gentle. For the first time Roy had ever heard, he hardened his tone and spoke firmly. "Ia. Yvnnvsh Ushi micha Hushushi yvt chi-abvnna."

Tears dripped down Nita's cheeks. "A, ia li." She kissed Johnny on the cheek and then stood up. "He says I must go. I would rather stay, but I will do as he says."

Roy touched Nita's arm. "He just wants to know you're safe, Nita."

"You too, Pally," Johnny said. "One of us gettin' shot is enough."

Dixie arrived about that time. "What's wrong?" she said.

Brackett wrapped his arms around his wife. "The police think Benedict put out a hit. They're moving Sarah Kate, the Carters, and Nita to a safe house and we're going to put Johnny in a different room. I need you to take Roy back to the hotel and stay there in case he needs anything."

Dixie looked up at Brackett. "I'm an old Army nurse, Kel. I'd rather stay here."

Brackett shook his head, then kissed her. "No. Roy might need help. I don't want him there alone. It would be different if he could use the prosthetic or his crutches. But he's stuck in the chair. He can't do much of anything by himself."

Dixie sighed. "All right." She ran her fingers down his cheek. "Take care of yourself, you hear?"

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As soon as he heard the news, Gio went out to his car. He wanted to retrieve something and give it to Roy DeSoto. With police guarding them, he figured he wouldn't need it But Roy might. He wished that Roy could come with them to the safe house. Apparently, the police didn't consider him a target. He hid the item in the waistband of his pants and waited outside for Roy.

He came out soon, pushed by the nurse Dixie McCall. Gio had met her briefly when Sarah Kate visited John Gage. "Nurse McCall," Gio said, "Could I speak with Roy privately, just for a moment please?"

"Sure." Dixie stepped away, giving the two men their privacy.

"Roy, I want you to take something. I purchased it yesterday when I bought my car. I just felt that it would be needed somehow. Now I feel that you might need it." He pressed a pistol and ammunition into Roy's hands. "You could be a target too, even if the police don't think you are. I want you to be ready."

Roy tried to push the pistol back to him. "I couldn't shoot another person," he said.

"To save your life, yes, you could." Gio refused to take the weapon back. "I understand that you have a wife and three children. They need you to come home to them."

"OK. I'll take it. I'm not promising I'll use it." Roy hid the gun and the ammunition behind him.

"You know how to load it?" Gio asked.

Roy nodded. "Yes. I learned when I served in Nam. I'm a pretty good shot, actually."

"Good. You can give it back to me another day, when all of this is over." Gio patted Roy on the shoulder. "I am looking forward to getting to know you and John and your families better."

"So am I. Thank you. Stay safe tonight."

"You stay safe as well. Have a good evening." Gio shook Roy's hand and then headed back into the hospital.

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Once everyone was settled at the safe house, Eddie returned to the police department. Mick had brought Anderson in for questioning. He couldn't find Howard. They weren't having any luck with Anderson. All he would say was, "Attorney-Client privilege. I can't talk about it."

After an hour of fruitless back and forth, Captain Graves informed Eddie that they had to let Anderson go. Eddie sighed. "Fine." Before doing so, though, he glared at Anderson. "If your Arthur Howard kills anyone, I know who wrote the check. You're the first person I'll lock up. Now, get out of here."

Anderson didn't say another word. He just got up and walked out of the interrogation room.

Eddie watched him go with a sick feeling in his stomach.

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When he got to the hotel room, Roy put the gun and the ammunition on his bedside table. He stared at it for a long moment. He had only shot another human being once in his life, during the escape from Camp 208.* The thought of doing it again made his stomach turn.

And yet, his kids needed him. JoAnne needed him. Reluctantly, he loaded the gun. It would be ready if and when he needed it. He hoped he wouldn't. He hid the gun in the top drawer of the bedside table before Dixie came to his room with dinner. She had ordered pizza. When they had finished eating, Roy told her she could go back to her room. "I'm just going to watch TV for a while and then go to bed. I'm pretty tired."

"First I'm going to take a look at that blister," Dixie said. "Kel sent the salve back with me." She washed her hands and pulled on gloves, then sat down to take a look. "Well, it's still infected, but it's less red than it was earlier today." She applied the salve. "Call me if you need anything. I'm just a few doors down."

"I will. Thanks, Dix."

When she had left, he pulled the pistol out of the drawer. He called JoAnne and talked with the kids. Chris was home and doing pretty well, though he still had a nasty headache. D.J. missed his daddy and his Uncle Johnny. Roy didn't mention the danger of another hit on Sarah Kate or possibly Johnny. That was news better left for later, once the problem was resolved. After the call, he managed to get his chair over to the restroom.

Finally, he went to bed, made the transfer from his chair, and used the remote to turn on the television. He wished JoAnne was there with a bowl of popcorn or a plate of cookies. He started dozing off while he watched a MacGyver rerun. When he woke up briefly, he turned off the TV, slipped down under the covers, and turned off his light.

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Artie Howard had been watching DeSoto's window. It was easy enough to find out which room the man was in. He had just gone into the lobby and asked the desk clerk.

After the light went out, he decided to wait a bit to give the man time to fall asleep. Tomorrow he would go to the hospital and take out John Gage and the little girl. He was hesitant to kill a kid, but the money he'd been promised was too good to pass up.

About twenty minutes later, he picked the lock The guy inside hadn't even used the chain. Moving carefully and quietly, Artie pushed the door open. He tiptoed in and turned on the desk lamp so he could see his mark.
To his surprise, the man was sitting up in bed, pointing a pistol at him. Artie pulled out his gun. If he failed to kill DeSoto, he wouldn't get his full pay. "Drop it," he growled.

Artiie fired off a shot, but DeSoto moved just in time. Instead of hitting him in the head, the bullet only grazed his right shoulder. Artie prepared to shoot again, but he wasn't fast enough. Holding the gun in his left hand, Roy fired twice. Both bullets hit Artie center mass. He was dead before he hit the ground.

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The sound of gunshots woke Dixie out of a sound sleep. She jumped out of bed and ran to Roy's room, only later realizing that she could be putting herself in danger. The door was hanging open.

Roy was alive, but caught in a flashback. His shoulder was bleeding. Dixie knew better than to touch him. An intruder lay dead on the floor.

Others were coming out of their rooms now. They hung in Roy's doorway. He was still holding the pistol. His whole body was trembling. Dixie didn't believe he would fire again. She moved past Roy to pick up the phone. She dialed 911 and asked for police to come. "Someone broke into my friend's hotel room and tried to kill him."

Police arrived quickly and moved all the spectators away. Eddie Bowen was one of the officers. Dixie recognized him. "He's having a flashback to Nam," she said quietly. "He was a POW there. I don't think he'll fire again. He was a medic, not a fighter. I think I can get the gun away from him. He knows my voice."

"Go ahead and try," Bowen told her.

Dixie sat down next to the bed. "Roy," she said, keeping her voice soft. "Listen to me. You're safe now. You're in California, not Vietnam. Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. Deep calming breaths." He closed his eyes and started breathing the way she told him. Gradually, he stopped trembling. He dropped the pistol. Dixie took it and handed it to Bowen.

She reached out to take Roy's hand. "OK, Roy. Open your eyes. Look at me."

He blinked open his eyes. "Dixie," he said. There was barely any volume to his voice. "He broke in. He shot at me." He started trembling again.

"I think he's going into shock," Dixie said. "I want to get him to the hospital so my husband can check him over."

"There's a paramedic squad just outside. They'll transport him," Bowen said. He frowned as he knelt over the killer. "This has to be Arthur Howard. I should have realized DeSoto would be in danger. This is a clear case of self defense." He pulled on gloves and looked through the dead man's pockets. "Yeah, look at this — the canceled check for 50k and a wad of cash. This goes in evidence." He stood up again. "Nolan, let's go arrest Dennis Anderson."

Roy was still feeling out of it when he was wheeled into the hospital. He was surprised when Brackett met him at the ER doors.

"Come on," Brackett said. "You don't have to be down here. I'll take care of you upstairs. You're staying here tonight where I can keep an eye on you."

Roy didn't say anything. He felt weak and dizzy. He was sweating, even though it was a cool night.

Upstairs in Johnny's new room, Brackett removed the bandage the paramedics had put over his graze wound.

"Hmm, that's deep enough that you need stitches." Brackett opened his medical bag. "I have everything I need in my kit. This way, the hospital can't charge you for them. They probably wouldn't take your insurance, anyway."

Roy nodded. He didn't respond as Brackett worked on him. He looked across the room at Johnny, who was lying there awake, staring at him. "Tell me what happened, Pally," Johnny said.

Roy didn't want to talk about it. He turned his head away and closed his eyes.

"Talk it out, Roy," Johnny said. "It will help."

Johnny never would leave things alone. The only way to shut him up was to talk. Roy sucked in a deep breath. "Gio gave me a pistol. He thought I might need it. Tonight, at the hotel, a guy broke in. He shot at me, aimed right at my head. I moved as he fired and just got a graze wound. Then I shot him before he could try again." He blinked his eyes. "I killed a man, John. I'm supposed to save people, not kill them."

Johnny cleared his throat. His voice was hoarse. "Listen to me, Roy. That man had orders to kill you. After you, he was probably going after Sarah Kate and me and maybe even Mrs. Rogers. You stopped him. You saved our lives. And you don't even know who else would have been hurt or killed if he'd gotten into the hospital. You know how I feel about guns, but in the right hands, they can save lives. Your hands were the right hands tonight."

Roy nodded slowly. He still felt sick to his stomach. "I just want to go home."

"Yeah, me too. Maybe we can soon."

Brackett smiled as he finished up Roy's stitches. "Well, John, when we can leave here, you're going to be at Rampart for a while."

"Rampart's home, sort of," Johnny said. "At least my kids can visit me there."

Roy drifted off to sleep listening to Brackett and Johnny talk. He had done what he had to do. Thankfully, he didn't dream about the shooting. Instead, he dreamt about his family welcoming him home. Grandma Winnie and D.J. offered him a platter of his favorite peanut butter cookies and Meggie ran out the door to greet him. Chris played it cool like the teenager he was, but he was glad to see his dad again. Callie Pup jumped and barked and kissed Roy's hands. And JoAnne wrapped her arms around Roy and kissed his lips. They left the older kids in charge of D.J. and went to their room to enjoy some private time together.

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NOTE:

*This refers to katbybee's story Three Ring Circus.