The Way My Heart Beats

Chapter 15

She lets out a sigh. taking her eyes off of mine she looks across the street before answering me. "Your last tour in Afghanistan," she says with a pause, "the CIA is investigating the five Marines who were in on the raid in search of the Jihadi terrorist that held the prisoner of war, Jeff Hansen. I know you know that it didn't go at all like it was planned. I was hoping this wouldn't affect you the way it already has, but this Sheriff's Department is really good at minding everybody's business but their own."

"What do you need from me? You have my full cooperation." My phone rings before she can answer. It's Mitch calling to say he has a lead in the case.

"Alright. I'll be there in a minute." I push my phone back in my pocket looking up to Margaret. "I gotta go. Detective has a lead on Clara's case. I'm guessing you can figure out how to get ahold of me?" She laughs and nods her head. I have a few blocks to walk to get back to my truck. I could use the fresh air after being holed up in that cubby of a room the last three hours.

The traffic is unusually heavy today, but it is four days before Thanksgiving. Then I remember we are suppose to be leaving for Georgia Wednesday. It is weird how I was nervous about that trip and now it's all I want. I'd give anything to be with Clara going to her home state to visit her parents. I could use a bit of normal.

The light is green, so I hope I make it before it turns red, but being so busy out, luck won't be on my side. It turns yellow as I begin to slow, but suddenly the truck behind me slams hard into the back of mine sending me flying into the intersection. I t-bone the little blue car that has already made its way across the safety of the line. The large black truck speeds off escaping the scene of the accident. The windows were tinted too dark to see who it was. There is no way this was an accident.

My airbag imploded into my face and my left arm is burning and is in a hell of a lot of pain. Other than the pain in my arm, I am fine. I get out to check on the woman in the blue car. She is unconscious. The frame of the car easily destroyed against my much larger truck crushed the windshield. Sirens make their way through the stopped traffic rushing their way to the scene of the accident. I check the pulse of the woman in the car. It is thready and weak. That's when I notice her belly. She is pregnant.

She isn't trapped in since I didn't hit the driver's side of the car. Without hesitation, I rip open her door and pull her to the ground. Checking her pulse again it is almost completely absent. Thankfully, the paramedics are already in sight. I tell them what little I already knew. I am no medical professional, but I'd had my fair share of medical trauma situations out in the field.

Another paramedic pulls me away taking me to the ambulance to check me out. "Looks like this arm is broken." He says.

"Feels like it, too!" I let out a grunt through gritted teeth when he tries to move it.

"Alright. Hop in. We're gonna have to get you to the hospital to get an X-ray." He says, beginning to pack stuff away.

This day is beginning to take the cake on the "worst day ever" list. Screw all those participation trophies. Today gets the fucking Heisman.

I sit in the emergency room waiting on them to take me to radiology. I wasn't expecting to see Amelia when she walks in. "Did you break a mirror or something?" She asks jokingly.

"Yeah, right? I wish there was a cause for all my bad luck lately. Now a broken arm? Did I mention I was arrested this morning, and that I'm under investigation with the CIA?"