'What do you mean, the ambulance is not available?' Crystal fought down panic so thick in her throat it threatened to choke her. 'The ambulance is always available.' With Shelby's life-threatening condition, it was the only safe way of transporting him. And she needed him transported immediately.
'Mrs. Howard?' The nurse yelled from the second-floor landing. 'We need you as soon as possible.'
'Look.' Crystal nodded to the nurse then turned her attention back to the phone. 'As soon as it's available, send it here. My husband's having trouble breathing. We need to get him into X ray as soon as possible.'
Crystal didn't bother saying goodbye. She dropped the phone and ran upstairs. 'What is it? Is he worse?'
'No worse. No better,' the nurse answered honestly. 'He won't calm down. He keeps asking for you.'
Crystal charged through the door and into the makeshift hospital room. The scene before her would have frightened her three months ago, but now it seemed normal.
Machines surrounded a man who was more mummy than person. What skin showed was raw and newborn, or scarred and withered. Patches of fine hair dotted his head. His left ear would have to be completely reconstructed. He'd lost most of the use of his left hand, and no one knew if he would ever walk again once he healed enough to try. If he lived long enough. If infection or hypothermia or pneumemia or a hundred other things didn't kill him first.
'I'm here,' she repeated as she had for months. 'You're going to be all right, Shelby. I've called an ambulance. In a few hours, your breathing will be easier.'
He mumbled something between short breaths, and she leaned closer.
'Don't leave me,' he whispered. 'Please, don't leave me.'
Crystal took his right hand. 'I'm not going to leave you I promise.'
'You got every right.' His voice was so rough no one else could have understood his words. 'No one would blame you.'
'We'll get through this, darling. I swear.' She held his hand and waited. The nurses tried to make him comfortable. Finally he dozed off.
Crystal didn't let go of his hand. She thought about their five years together. The good times and the bad. In truth the past months fell more in the good times category thann the bad, if all she weighed was their relationship. Since the accident, she'd been more of a partner. More of a wife.
Laying her forehead on the edge of Shelby's bed, she tried to forget all the things Trent had said to her yesterday.
Shelby's son had stopped by to tell her he would not be coming for Christmas. He and his sister had agreed the children didn't need to see their grandfather in such a condition.Why have them get to know the old man now, Trent said when Dad may not make it through the winter.
The fact that Shelby might like to see the children was not a consideration.
Trent talked on of other plans they had made as he calmly walked over and closed Shelby's door when the nurse stepped out.
'Since we have a few minutes alone,' he spoke as if Shelby wasn't in the room. 'I've something to offer you. Cull it an early Christmas present.'
He pulled out a thick envelope and spread the document over Shelby's tray.
Crystal guessed Shelby was awake, but as always when Trent came to visit, he chose not to speak.
'This is all fair. Elliot Morris made sure of that, though he didn't want to prepare the document at all. Threatened not to, until I told him I'd go to Dallas and have it done. When, he came around. I knew you'd know it was on the square if old Morris did the paperwork.'
Trent straightened, proud of himself. 'My sister and I are willing to offer you the value of one third of Howard Drilling. We can pay you a lump sum up front, then installments over the next thirty years. You have to agree never to contact this family again once your divorce is final or make any further claim on Howard Drilling.'
'But Shelby?'
'Don't worry about him. He'll continue to have round-the-clock care.' Anger fired Trent's face. 'I'm almost bankrupting the company with this offer, but it will be worth it to get my father out from under your control. You may say you're talking things over with him, but it's you making all the decisions. I understand you've even taken to visiting the sites to make sure I'm following through at my end.'
'I visit the sites because there are things that need checking. I'm not interested in your offer.' Crystal fought to remain calm. Trent no longer frightened her.
'Think about it, Crystal.' He always made her name hound cheap, on the rare occasion he used it. 'My father could die any day, and you'll get nothing. Not his house, or any money or any part of the company. His will leaves erything to his children and, if you fight us, you'll bankrupt us all. This way you walk away with a fortune, and we get to keep Howard Drilling in the family where it belongs.'
Trent paused, letting the last word sink in. 'Even if he lives another year, you'll never have your sugar daddy back. He could never be a husband to you, not the kind a woman like you needs. It's too late for him to change his will now. There's not a court in Texas that wouldn't throw out in attempt with all the drugs he's taking. But if you play along with us, you'll be set for life. All you have to do is sign.'
Crystal cried against Shelby's sheet as she rememberd Trent's words. He was right about so much. Eventually Shelby would die, maybe in a week, maybe in a year, and then she'd have nothing.
Trent reminded her that if she'd been the one hurt, Shell wouldn't have stayed with her. She knew Trent was right Shelby wasn't the type of man to sit beside a hospital bed.
Then why hadn't she signed the paper? Why hadn't she taken the money and packed her bags? No one would blame her. She'd already stayed longer than most of the them thought she would. She could have taken the money and gone someplace where no one knew her. She could start a new life without hospital runs and medicine checks, and business problems.
'Mrs. Howard?' The nurse drew her attention. 'The ambulance is here. He's parking in the garage so we won't have to take Mr. Howard out in the cold.'
Crystal pushed aside the last of her tears. 'Good. I'll get my coat. I'll be riding in the ambulance with my husband.'
A wildcatter is a man in the oil business willing to risk it all. The word probably came from the term 'wildcat bank' which originally referred to a bank in Michigan that went bankrupt in the 1830s. On the banknotes was a picture of a panther.
Crystal watched the traffic in the hospital hallways as Shelby waited for X rays. She had spent so much time in the place, no one noticed her anymore. The staff was too busy to worry about her, anyway. A woman was in labor in one of the front rooms, some man was in surgery in the wing that had been set up for operating rooms, and a prisoner must be three doors down from where Shelby slept.
She helped herself to a cup of coffee at the nurses' station and offered one to the deputy on guard. Everyone in town knew old Adam. There were even some who thought he should have run for the sheriffs job a few years ago. He liked to 'talk cop.' No one could ever get a clue out of Sheriff Farrington, but Deputy Adam loved to impress anyone who would listen with his inside knowledge.
'What's up?' Crystal handed him the coffee.
'Nothing much.' Adam grinned his thanks. 'Just a shooting this morning and a rape. When all the evidence is in, it may go down as breaking and entering, assault and even attempted murder.'
Crystal leaned against the hallway wall. She heard the nurses say they were going after a bullet in some guy's leg so Adam must be telling the truth and not just making up something to pass the time. 'Slow morning, huh?'
Adam laughed. 'You might say that. I've seen busier ones.'
Crystal didn't want to get him started on some old story that he'd had years to color. If she had to waste time talkiug to him, she might as well find out what was happening so she could tell Shelby.
