Tough as Nails

Chapter 10

"Everleigh! Stay with me! Get the ambulance here now!" A familiar voice shouted.

"Starting compressions!" Another voice said.

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

Sheriff Whimbley's P.O.V.

Everleigh was beaten so bad that I barely recognized her. When I busted through the door and saw the devil himself choking the life out of this sweet girl, I wanted to put a bullet straight through his fucking skull. After a split second, I realized he deserved a death far worse than a quick one. I lowered my gun and shot him through his shoulder. My mission was to make him pay to the full extent of the law.

My heart broke into a million different pieces when I saw the scene in the kitchen. Her bloody hand prints were all over the kitchen where she tried to drag her beaten body to freedom. Her beautiful face was covered in welts and bruises. The evidence on her body told me that this wasn't the only beating she had endured.

On the far side of the kitchen laid a skillet that was caved in the opposite way of what it should be. It was clear it was used as a weapon, I just hoped Everleigh was the one that got to use it. From the look on Blaze's face it was clear she had fought like hell. Tough as nails, she had proved what I knew.

I walked over to Blaze to arrest him. I shoved my thumb into the bullet hole in his shoulder as I cuffed one arm. I brought the other hand behind his back with such force that I broke his wrist. He hollered out in pain, making me wish I could bestow more torture on him.

"That's for Everleigh." I whispered into his ear.

My deputies carted his ass of to jail. I instructed one deputy to take pictures of the scene as I made mental notes of things I would need to remember for later.
"I'm on my way to the hospital to check on the victim. Call me if you need me." I told my deputy.

When I got to the hospital, the doctor was almost done with his exam and test. The nurse said Everleigh was still unconscious.

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

Everleigh's P.O.V.

I could hear a beeping sound. I was to scared to open my eyes. My head throbbed horribly. My mouth felt as dry as a desert. I heard a sweet voice talking to me.

"Miss Morris, you're safe in the hospital. You need to fight to wake up. No one can hurt you now."

I fought to open my eyes for a few minutes. I opened them slowly letting them adjust to the light. The bright light intensified the pounding in my head.

"Could you dim the lights?" I whispered unable to recognized my own voice.

"There you go Miss Morris. I'm going to let the doctor know your awake. Would you like a sprite or water, dear?"

"Water, please." I squeaked.

I got my eyes to open in the dim light. After a second, the nurse was back with a cup and a pitcher of water.

"I'm glad to see you're awake. I'm Patty, I'll be your nurse tonight. Drink this slowly." She said handing me a cup of ice water. The coldness of it soothed my throat immediately. I drank the first cup and asked for a second. She seemed happy at my request. Our attention was drawn to a knock at the door.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Bost. Could you tell me your name, please?"

"Everleigh Morris." I answered. He wrote something down in his folder.

"Good. Can you tell me how old you are?"

"20, soon to be 21."

"Do you remember what happened to you, Miss Morris?"

"Y-yes."

"You're very lucky to be here. Would you mind if I let the sheriff join us so you only have to discuss this once?"

"Yes, please, I would rather get this all over with as soon as possible."

"I will stop the meeting as soon as I feel it's to much." Dr. Bost said patting my foot.

"Is there someone I can call for you?" Nurse Patty asked. I didn't want to have to face my parents yet, so I gave them Zander's number. He was the kind hearted cousin who would realize I called him because I didn't want to face my parents yet.

"Miss Morris, this is Sheriff Whimbley."

"Hi, Sheriff. Have you been sticking to your diet?" I asked causing both men to laugh.

"You know I have, darlin'. Besides every time I try to cheat, I can hear your sweet little voice nagging me." He chuckled. "How are you feeling?"

"A lot better than I was, that's for sure." I said forcing a smile. "I finally got away from that bastard. Thanks to you."

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

Sheriff Whimbley's P.O.V.

My heartbeat quickened when she was more worried about me than herself. She damn near made me blush. My heart nearly broke when I saw what that bastard did to her.

"Are you positive you feel like doing this now?" I asked dreading having to make her relive it.

"Yes, If I wait it's like letting him keep control over me longer. Doing it now is like getting to spit in his eye." She smiled a real smile.

"How long have you known Blaze Fader?" I asked.

"Almost 4 years. I met him at Bonnie's when I started working there not long after I moved here." She answered in more detail than I asked for. She was trying to make this easy on me after she had been the one who suffered.

"What was your relationship to Mr. Fader?"

"We shared an apartment..." She paused. " This is embarrassing but I'm just going to blurt it out. We were just two friends splitting rent that sometimes slept together." She said putting her head down picking at her fingernails. Her face was so bruised that if it wasn't for her ears telling on her for blushing, I would have missed it. Her answer put a knot in my stomach. Why was I jealous?

"When was the last time you had relations?" I had to ask but didn't want to know the answer.

" Willingly? About 2 months ago. He started acting different so I stopped it."

"Are you saying he forced you?" I asked as my blood began to boil. "When did he force you?"

"The day before he made me quit the Diner and the bar." Her eyes grew big. " He pretty much admitted he killed Zac! That's when I attacked him with the skillet!" She broke down in sobs.

She went on to explain everything without me having to ask. She told me about the last night at the bar, going home to get her stuff, the phone call with Zac and him figuring out that she was being held against her will. Then I wanted to cry along with her when she told about the beatings, the baby... everything.

"Everleigh, I'm so sorry. I knew something was off about the story you told Bonnie. I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner." The guilt was eating me alive.

"You listen to me, Sheriff. You listen to me good! I believe everything happens for a reason and we aren't suppose to question why. You found me when you were suppose to find me, that's all that matters. There is no telling how many people you saved after me by walking in when you did. Don't you ever feel bad about that. I will be thankful everyday for the rest of my life for what you did." She wrapped her hands around my neck and kissed my cheek. I closed my eyes and enjoyed every second of it. I couldn't help but stare at her in awe.

Tough as nails...