"She was upside down, head in the mud, her seatbelt holding her under water. Somehow Goddard got her untangled, carried her up on the canal bank and was giving her CPR when the ambulance pulled up."
"What are you talking about?" It was early, before breakfast. Ray was surprised to see Sergeant Lewis down there, away from his desk in the visiting room.
"Thought you'd want to know." The sergeant passed the morning newspaper through the bars. "Deliberately run off the road. We're going to catch the guy. Not much in the paper-doesn't even give her name."
A small item was circled. "This is Sandy?" Ray read the brief item and started shaking as the situation sank in. "My God, is she okay?"
"Well, yes and no. She's alive. She came to before they got to the hospital. But her legs are numb. I just came from the hospital but couldn't see her."
"What do you mean numb? Can she move them?"
The sergeant hesitated and then shrugged. "Look, I'm not a doctor."
"She can't move her legs!" Ray yelled and hit the bars with his hand. "Damn, then it's her spine."
"Doctor says too early to tell. They're running tests. She's getting good care."
Ray stepped back from the bars, stumbling backward onto the bunk. He closed his eyes tightly and thought about the circumstances, the danger in which he had put his sister. He never should have called her, she didn't want to come anyway. They weren't close and he had forced the situation. Maybe she believed their folks would have wanted it. Now, what kind of remaining life would she go back to?"
"Let me know if I can do anything." Sergeant Lewis said quietly. He waited a few more minutes and then silently walked away.
They cleared away the breakfast. All Sandy wanted was some tea, a comb and a mirror. A nurse leaned into the room and said, "Hello world, she's sitting up now, that's good. Got a bet going on at the nurse's station on why an armed cop sat outside your room all night. We're trying to decide if you're somebody good or somebody bad."
"Didn't know about the guard. Anyway, long story and I don't remember it all."
"Well, cops drank all our coffee. Another cop's coming your way right now. Good lookin' one. He's been in and out looking at you, while you were asleep. If you don't want him let us know, we'll take him."
She saw Chip look in tentatively. She motioned him on in.
He said, "Hope you don't mind."
"Just don't look at me. Look at the wall or the floor. I need a shower. What do I say to someone who just saved my life? Thank you sounds laughable."