Page 59 of Louisiana Protector

“Mommy, don’t leave,” Danny said as she was about to walk out the front door.

She squatted down to his eye level. “Honey, the bad guy is in jail now, so he can’t take me away ever again. I promise you I’ll be back later, but Johnny got hurt, and I need to go see him.”

“Johnny held me and kissed me while you were gone with the bad guy,” Danny said. “I love him, so can I come with you?”

She considered it for about a minute and then shook her head negatively. “Not this time, honey.” She stood, said her goodbyes and flew out the door.

She didn’t want Danny to see Johnny until she knew what condition Johnny was in. He had to be okay. He just had to be. Hopefully the bullet hadn’t hit anything vital. Hopefully he wasn’t struggling to stay alive.

Twilight had moved in, casting deep purple shadows all around. She hurried down the path, her knife held firmly in her hand. She’d survived Jean-Luc. The last thing she wanted was to fall victim to the Deer Slayer.

A sense of urgency filled her when she finally reached her car. The homecoming with Danny, Gramps and Renée had been wonderful, but now all her thoughts were on Johnny.

He’d gotten shot because of her. When she’d seen him running toward her, instead of welcoming his arms around her, she should have told him to get back, to stay away. Now he was in the hospital, and she had no idea about his condition.

Finally, she arrived and parked in the emergency room lot. She jumped out of her car and raced through the encroaching darkness to the door.

A middle-aged woman she didn’t know sat behind the receptionist’s desk, and Mimi was the only other person in the room. She hurried up to the desk.

“May I help you?” the woman asked pleasantly.

“Yes, Johnny Night was brought in by ambulance earlier. Is he in a room, and can I go see him?”

“I believe he just got out of surgery. I’ll see if the doctor wants to come out and speak to you.” She got up from the desk and disappeared through a doorway to the left of her desk.

Mimi’s heart nearly stopped beating, and her knees buckled. She sank down in the nearest chair. She hadn’t considered the fact that Johnny might need surgery. That meant his injury was serious. Oh God…how serious?

After a few minutes, the woman returned, followed by Dr. William Stromburg who was Mimi and Danny’s doctor. “How is he?” she asked without preamble as she jumped up out of her chair.

Dr. Stromburg smiled. “I believe he’s going to be just fine. The bullet was still lodged in his shoulder. We managed to dig it out and he came through the surgery just fine.”

“Can I see him?” she asked.

“He’s probably still a bit groggy from the anesthesia, but he’s in room three,” the doctor replied.

“Thank you,” she replied and then took off toward the door that would lead her to the patients’ rooms.

There was only one light on in his room, a soft light that radiated a glow just above his head. He appeared to be sleeping.

She sat in the chair closest to his bed and merely gazed at him. To her, he was still the most handsome man in the world. But she hated to see him like this…so still in the bed and hooked up to an IV and various other machines that beeped in the otherwise silence of the room.

Johnny held me and kissed me while you were gone with the bad guy. Danny’s words echoed in her head. She was so grateful Johnny had been there for her son…for their son.

His eyes flickered open, and she gazed into their beautiful blue depths. “Mimi,” he said with a half- smile. “You’re here.”

She smiled and reached out to take hold of his hand. “Where else would I be? How are you feeling?” Her smile faded. “Are you in pain?”

“Not much at the moment. I feel a little like I’m half drunk,” he replied.

“That’s probably due to the pain meds they’re giving you and some lingering effect from the anesthesia.” She squeezed his hand. “Oh, Johnny, I’ve been so afraid for you.” Tears burned at her eyes and trekked down her cheeks. She didn’t realize until this moment just how afraid she had been for him.

“Hey, hey, don’t cry. We all survived, and we’re going to be just fine. I’m just grateful that you’re okay. I was so afraid for you.” This time he squeezed her hand.

“I hope Jean-Luc burns in hell,” she said with a burst of anger.

“That makes two of us. But now you don’t have to worry about him anymore. You can go back to living your life now.”

“What about you? Have they told you how long you’ll be in the hospital?”