The Crusader Ch. 07

Julie quickly continued, "That's normal procedure with head injuries Rollie. Don't worry; Jessica's doctor is the best in the state with head traumas. I told the charge nurse to call me every couple of hours." She grinned and added, "There is a big, mean, looking man in her room. The nurse told me they tried to get him to leave but he refuses; they told him they would call security to remove him. The big man said they'd better call a lot of them because he was going to stay right there until the young lady regains consciousness. He was quite adamant."

Julie chuckled. "He asked about you and when I told him you'd be okay he said to tell you to get off your butt and let's go get the bastards that did this."

"Tully," Rollie said in a low voice, almost to himself. He smiled and nodded at Julie. "That's Tully. Next to Jessica, he's my closest friend."

"He's very intimidating isn't he?" Julie stated.

"Tully can be a force of nature all on his own. But Jessica sometimes calls him 'Bear', because where she's concerned, he just a big teddy bear." Rollie rubbed his face and asked, "How long have I, we, been here?"

"This is the third day," Julie answered. A young candy stripper stood in the doorway. "Nurse Colwell, there's a call for you at the nurse's station."

"Be right back Rollie," Julie said. She returned in just three minutes. "Jessica's doctor said they are taking her off the drugs and she should wake up within 24 hours. He said the prognosis was excellent for her complete recovery." Julie read the concern in Rollie's face. "It's normal for her to sleep a while after the drugs; that's a lot different than being unconscious. From what the charge nurse said, she'll be okay a lot sooner than you will be."

Rollie had tensed up when Julie started to talk about Jessica. Now he relaxed and let himself go to sleep too.

********************

"Rollie, Rollie Chambers," Rollie heard a loud voice calling from the hallway. It had been 24 hours since Rollie first woke in the hospital. "Where the hell are you?"

"Tully," Rollie said to himself with a smile and then called out, "I'm in here you big ape."

The figure that appeared in the doorway was a poster boy for a former Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant. He was only 6' 3, but his barrel chest and erect posture made him look taller. His hair was salt and pepper and cut so short his scalp showed through. He walked with a very slight limp, due to having a prosthetic right leg from the knee down. Tully had lost the leg during a tour of duty with the National Guard in Afghanistan.

Tully walked over to the bed and shook Rollie's hand. "Glad to see you boy. How're you doing?"

"I'm okay, considering the hole in my side. Damn good thing the perp used a small caliber gun. If it had been a .45, I don't know that I would be here. How's Jess?"

"Dr. Talbert is sleeping peacefully and is in better condition than you," Tully replied.

"When are you getting out of here?" Tully asked. "We've got work to do."

"The doc won't give me a straight answer, but the head nurse, Julie Colwell told me it would be at least another three or four days."

"Who's raising all this fuss in my ward?" Nurse Colwell asked in a hard voice as she entered Rollie's room. Seeing Tully she said, "You're the man from Jessica's room." Tully nodded. "Well don't think you're going to run rough shod over this ward. I won't allow it." She stared at Tully with a challenge.

"No ma'am, I mean yes ma'am," Tully responded. He wasn't used to anyone talking to him in that way; especially an attractive woman.

Julie's face relaxed. "The fact that you want to protect your friends is admirable, but you have to let us do our jobs."

Rollie had a hard time hiding the grin and laughter at Tully's reaction to Julie. He'd never seen the big man cowed before.

"Nurse Colwell, Julie, this is my friend and partner, Jacob Tully. Tully, this is Julie Colwell; my nurse and the Gunnery Sergeant in charge of this ward."

Julie extended her hand to Tully. He took it and sort of bowed over it. "Pleased to meet you Nurse Colwell."

"It's good to meet the man who caused such a fuss in Ward 6," Julie said. "Just call me Julie. Nurse Colwell is a bit of a mouth full. I'll call you Jacob."

"Tully's what I go by, Julie. And I promise I'll behave," Tully added with a grin.

He continued to hold onto Julie's hand. They stared at each other for what seemed a long time.

"Ahem." Rollie said. "Remember me? I'm the patient here."

Julie smiled and pulled her hand away from Tully. "Can I have my hand back Tully?"

Tully returned her smile, not embarrassed at all. "Only until tonight at dinner."

"Very sure of yourself aren't you?"

"Maybe so but I'm a Marine. We're taught to adjust, adapt, and over come." Tully smiled again and said, "I'll pick you up at 7. Is that okay?"

Julie took a note pad from the drawer in the table next to Rollie's bed. "7 sharp and don't be late," she said and wrote her address and phone number down and handed it to Tully. "Now I've got patients to tend to. Don't stay and tire Rollie out too much; he needs his rest."

"Yes Ma'am.

Tully admired Julie as she walked out of the room. He shook his head and turned to Rollie. "She'd almost be worth getting shot for." Rollie smiled and Tully continued, "I've got info on the big guy you shot. The cops are detaining a man who came into the ER over at Lutheran Hospital early this morning. Seems he couldn't explain the gunshot wound he was being treated for."

"So I did hit him. The way he ran off I thought I missed my shot."

"Do you remember what he looks like? That guy is huge; he's about 6'6 and weighs close to 300 pounds. Your .45 would have knocked down a normal man. He was dropped off at the ER by a person or persons unknown; according to the police report."

"Probably the two others that were with him," Rollie said. "Got a name?"

"Not yet; he wasn't carrying any I D and he refuses to give his name. For right now the cops are holding him on suspicion and for refusing to identify himself. They've got a man on him in the hospital until he can be released and then they'll take him to the precinct house."

"I want to go see Jess first, but maybe it'd be a good idea for you and I to talk to this guy before he gets into the system," Rollie suggested.

"Be right back," Tully said and disappeared out the door. He reappeared shortly pushing a wheel chair. "Your ride is here sir," he said with a grin.

"Where to?" Rollie asked as he slowly made his way into the chair.

"Just hang on. We'll have to go around a bit so we don't run into Julie." Tully chuckled and said, "She reminds me of my DI when I was a boot."

Tully pushed Rollie onto a freight elevator at the end of the corridor and rode down to the second floor. As they got near a nurse's station, Tully slowed and when the nurses at the desk were busy, he quickly pushed Rollie down to room 234 and entered.

The back of Jessica's bed was raised and she looked like she was taking a nap. There was a bandage around her head, an IV in her left arm and the wires of a monitor snaked under her hospital gown. Rollie could hear her whimpering in her sleep. Rollie rolled the wheelchair over to her bed, climbed out, and sat next to Jessica. He grimaced at the pull in his side but shook his head when Tully stepped over to help.

"I can hug my woman without your help big guy," Rollie said and put his arm gently around Jessica. "Hey Jess, it's me. It's okay, we're okay, don't cry." Rollie's eyes got misty as he held her.

Jessica stopped whimpering and the monitor readings seemed to settle down with Rollie's words. Tully stepped out of the room to give them some privacy. A few minutes later he came back in.

"Red alert! Battle stations," he said with a grin. "Julie's coming this way and she looks pissed. We better get out of here."

"Nope, I won't leave until I'm ready," Rollie said in a hard voice.

"Are you sure you want to deal with Julie?"

"Is she sure she wants to deal with trying to come between Jess and me?"

"Too late, here she comes," Tully said and went to a corner of the room. "I'm staying out of the way."

"Mr. Chambers, what are you doing out of your room?" Julie asked as she stormed into Jessica's room.

"I'm visiting my woman," Rollie answered with a challenge in his tone.

Julie saw the peaceful look on Jessica's face and on Rollie's. She looks less stressed and her vital signs have steadied, his color is better too, Julie thought. Maybe this is what they both need.

"Well don't stay too long and tire Jessica and yourself," Julie replied. "Let me know when you get back to your room." She turned and left, smiling to herself.

Forty five minutes later, Rollie let Tully wheel him back to his room. He carefully climbed out of the wheel chair onto his bed. Rollie nodded at Tully, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

It's one thing to hear that the person you love will probably be okay after an accident, but it's hard not to worry, Tully thought. Looking at Rollie sleeping, Tully knew that the excitement and adrenaline rush tired Rollie out. Tully quietly left the room to let his friend sleep.

It was 6 AM when the phone rang. Tully was having his first cup of coffee and thinking about breakfast. Who's calling me at this time of the morning? He thought and picked up the phone.

"Is the shooter still at Lutheran?" Rollie asked without saying hello.

"Yeah, he's still there. Probably will be for another few days; your .45 did a job on him. Why?"

"I want to go talk to him."

"Think that's a good idea?"

"Probably not, but I'm going anyway. Will you help me?"

"What'da ya need?"

"I need you to come sneak me out of the hospital. Julie's off today and it may be my only chance. You know she keeps an eye on me ever since I went down to Jess's room."

"See you in an hour."

Tully breezed into Rollie's room an hour later, pushing a wheelchair. He was wearing pale green scrubs and a white lab coat; a stethoscope hung around his neck. Tully shut the door behind him.

"You look like a doctor," Rollie said grinning.

"That's the idea. And you will too once I get you out of here." Tully tossed another set of scrubs to Rollie. "Put these on; you can't walk around in that hospital gown at Lutheran."

Rollie slowly dressed in the scrubs. He had to let Tully put on his sneakers because he had trouble bending over to tie them. Tully handed him a doctor's smock, a large terry cloth robe, and sat him in the wheel chair.

"The robe will hide the scrubs and coat. People will think we're a doctor and his patient; when we get to Lutheran we'll lose the robe. They'll think we're just a couple of doctors visiting the injured man."

"You think of everything Tully. I was just going to try and sneak out."

"Adjust, adapt, and over come," Tully replied.

Tully's truck was parked in front of the hospital and as he wheeled Rollie over to it. A security guard was leaning against the front fender. He waved and walked away.

"He's a retired police officer," Tully explained.

"What happened to my car?" Rollie asked. "Getting shot and worrying about Jess, this is the first time I've thought about it."

"One of the uniforms on scene knows you, so he had his partner follow him and drove your Corvette back to your house. It's in the garage waiting for you." Tully grinned, "The patrolman said to tell you that he'll drive it for you until you got back on your feet if you like."

"Thank him for me, will you Tully but tell him there are only two people allowed to drive it."

As they walked through the employee's entrance at Lutheran Hospital, Tully said, "I'm Dr. Cambridge and you're Dr. Sterling." For the first time Rollie noticed the names stitched above the left breast pocket of the white coats.

"Sounds like a law firm," Rollie teased. "We'll have to walk like we're going somewhere important. Hope I can keep up."

"Why? Are you hurting?"

"Not really, but I don't think my side likes me moving around this much," Rollie said. He opened his coat and showed Tully the blood on the scrubs over his wound.

"Damn," Tully said. He saw a storage closet, ducked into it, and returned with a small towel. Tully folded it and put it over the wound; taping it down with surgical tape. "That'll have to do for now. Here carry this," he said handing Rollie one of the metal binders that hospitals use for the details of a patient's case. "We can walk slowly; like we're discussing a patient's chart.

"What room is the guy in?" Rollie asked.

"Sort of ironic," Tully said. "He's in room 234; same number as Jessica. The nurse said he was resting comfortably."

"I don't think he's going to be as comfortable during our visit," Rollie said with an evil smile.

As they got off the elevator on the second floor and walked toward room 234, Rollie stopped. "I know the patrolman standing guard," he said as he turned his back to the guard.

"Don't worry about it; so do I," Tully replied. He walked ahead and talked to the patrolman.

The police officer looked over Tully's shoulder, smiled at Rollie, and said, "Think I'll go get some coffee. Should be back in about fifteen minutes." He turned, walked past Rollie grinning, and got on the elevator.

Rollie joined Tully at the door. "I gave him some personal instruction on weapons right after he graduated from the Academy," Tully said. "He'd qualified, but just barely and he wanted to do better; the next qualification, he shot 92 out of 100."

Pushing to door open, Tully and Rollie entered and walked over to the man lying on the bed. He was attached to a monitor and had an IV inserted in one arm; he was napping. Tully pushed him, none too gently and he woke up.

"Who're you guys?"

"I'm Dr. Feel Good and this is Dr. Kick Ass," Rollie answered. "And you are?"

"I'm not talking."

"Let me tell you how it's going to be," Rollie said leaning closer. "I'm going to ask you some questions and you're going to tell me what I want to know...or."

"Or what?"

"Dr. Kick Ass will poke, prod, and push on certain parts of your body until you decide to answer. You can do this the easy way or the hard way, but you will answer my questions. It's up to you."

"Hey, you guys ain't doctors." The man stared at Rollie for a few seconds. "I know you; you're the guy that shot me," he exclaimed in a worried voice.

"You shot me first," Rollie said with another evil grin. "Now, what's your name? And before you refuse to answer you should know that this large gentleman is my best friend. He's also my lady's best friend and he's more than a little put out about you shooting me and putting her in the hospital."

"I didn't do nothing to the woman. That was one of the others."

"We'll get to them. Now what is your name?"

The man looked back and forth between Rollie and Tully. As Tully reached toward the guy's stomach area he said. "Wait, I'm Johnny Rogers."

"And who are the other two?"

"Bert and Sammy. Don't know their last names."

"That's hard to believe. You three decide to car jack someone and you don't know their names?"

"It's true. The boss introduced them and said they were gonna help me." That's all I know."

"The boss? What boss?"

Rogers hesitated, but quickly answered as Tully grabbed the IV in his arm. "Tommy Jackson; I work for him."

"The drug dealer?" Tully asked.

"Yeah. It was supposed to look like a carjacking but he said it was payback for something you did to him," Rogers said and pointed at Rollie.

"He told you to shoot me?"

"Naw, we was supposed to work you over and your woman too, but things went sideways."

Rollie and Tully exchanged looks. "When the officer comes back, I suggest you talk to him; for your own protection," Rollie told Rogers. "Jackson's not going to like you talking to us. He might decide that you're more trouble than you worth."

"And you can be sure we'll let him know who told us about his plan," Tully added. Turning to Rollie he said, "Let's go; we need to get you back." Rollie nodded and followed Tully out of the room and down to the car.

"How's the side?" Tully asked as they drove back.

Rollie pulled open the smock; the towel was bloody. "I think I better have someone look at this when I get back in my room."

After a few minutes, Rollie asked, "Your friend John Williams still running Security Specialist?" Tully nodded. "Call him and put a security detail on Jess's room. Jackson might try again."

Tully used his cell phone and made the call. After a few minutes Tully said, "There will be three men, running eight hour shifts, outside Jessica's door shortly after we get back."

"Tell them to keep a low profile until I can talk to Julie," Rollie suggested. Tully turned back to his phone and gave instructions.

"When we get back, I'll check on Jess and then go to my room." Rollie shook his head and gave Tully a rueful smile. "I'll need your help in putting on a new bandage. Maybe I can keep Julie from finding out about my little trip. If not, she's going to be very upset with me. By the way, how did your date with Julie go last night?"

"She had to work overtime, so we were supposed to go out tonight instead." Tully grinned. "Course after our little trip today, I don't think I'm gonna be one of her favorite people either."

"I'm sorry Tully if helping me screwed up your chances with Julie."

"If she's the kind of woman I think she is it won't matter; if she's not then I'm not sure I'd want to be with her anyway." Tully grabbed a wheelchair as they entered the hospital. "We'll go to Jessica's room first and then I'll take you back to yours and get you cleaned up."

Tully pushed Rollie into Jessica's room and came to a skidding halt. Julie was sitting in the chair next to Jessica's bed. She looked up and at first she had an inquisitive look on her face that quickly turned to an angry one.

"And just where have you two been dressed like that?" Julie asked pointing to the scrubs that both men wore. She got up, walked over to Rollie, and took the stethoscope from around his neck then glared at Tully.

Tully snapped to attention, stared at a spot on the wall six inches above her head and answered, "Tully, Jacob, Master Gunnery Sergeant, 4864211105 Ma'am."

"What?"

"Name, rank, and serial number Ma'am. That's all I'm required to give according to the Geneva Convention," Tully answered.

Rollie chuckled and Julie had to smile. "At ease Marine," Julie said. Tully went to parade rest, still staring at the same spot above Julie's head.

She turned back to Rollie and asked, "Now that the Neanderthal has been heard from, why don't you tell me where you guys have been."

"My fault Julie. I wanted to question the guy that shot me. Tully just helped me get there."

"Why did you want to talk to that man?" Seeing the look on Rollie's face she answered her own question. "Never mind, I know why."

"Guy's name is Johnny Rogers; he works for a mid level drug dealer named Tommy Jackson. Tommy planned to beat the hell out of Jess and me, but his guys got excited and started shooting."

"Why would this Jackson want to hurt you?" Julie asked.

Tully walked to the door and looked into the hall way. "Security details on the job," he said.

"Security detail? What security detail?" Julie asked. "This is serious isn't it?"

"It's gonna get real serious for Jackson," Tully answered.

Julie saw the look on Tully's face and in his eyes and shivered. I wouldn't want that man on my bad side, she thought. And Rollie is even more driven.

Rollie looked at Jessica lying on the bed. "Tully and I had dealings with Jackson while Jess was in Chicago for a couple of months."

"Dealings?"

He sighed and explained. "A friend of a friend of Major Taylor's, he was my commander when I was still with the St. Louis Police. Anyway, this man's son made some bad choices and got involved in drugs and other things. The friend asked if we could do anything to help his boy. Tully and I checked things out and got the boy into a rehab center."