Broken: Healing Her Heart

It wasnt like her to take such a long break in the middle of her shi

e from the highway. Annie had also sustained several broken bones, a head injury, and a potential ruptured spleen. It had been a long time since hed seen anyon

shook his head in mild disbelief when he realized hed prayed more since attendi

nned on telling

reled right into him. He steadied her with hi

s been so crazy busy. She frowned. Have you seen La

. Just get her patient th

and he swung around to he

op when he heard

ut the gun down and have a seat so I

punched in 911. Kurt Hinkle is armed with a gun and is in the trauma bay with Lariss

own Debra, the charge nurse. Keep everyone out of the tra

goin

are on their way. Keep everyone out and far away

re, Debra proteste

hand and edged toward the door leading to the trauma bay. He did

t of Larissa facing someone as

please give

rt was to Larissa, just six feet away, with his gun leveled directly at the center of her chest. Larissa

iffs deputies. He shoved open the door and s

gun bobbing up and down in his hand. Stay

cting a calmness he didnt feel. Dont

urt shouted, his

rom Kurt, exactly the way hed hoped. The trauma bay was big and open; th

asked, striving for a conversational

ave stayed away from Annie, he accused. You shouldnt have filled her head with ideas of

stand why any man would physically abuse his wife, either. Kurt was so f

said with a note of defiance. Youre

to be quiet. There was no

the mans attention focused back on him instead of on

here, Kurt shouted. If yo

be drunk, but considering his hunting background he didnt dare bank on the fact th

deputies? Shouldnt the

taking th

un for emphasis, the sound e

ed to the floor. He rolled and then came up i

e corner of the room holding the small metal bedside table turned sideways so that the tray protected her ch

your gun and come ou

were located. Gabe took advantage of Kurts momentary distraction to dive toward Larissa. She cl

the metal bedside table as a shield while hoping for the best. He took heart in the f

rauma bay surrounded. But t

kill them bot

e of the deputies shouted.

screamed, his face

snt lying. Shes at a hospital in Madison.

e ly

re near Annie. It was clear they believed Kurt was the one whod run Annie d

ommy? the deputy asked from ou

ated, pacing back and forth in front of the ambula

efully the deputies knew that, too. Because right now there

em both before the deputies wo

d cornered her in the trauma bay. And the fact t

car that slammed into his wife. Annie had clearly been tryin

e night shed come in for her broken wrist. She should have convinced Annie to get away from

y kill them. The fact that Kurt hadnt shot either of them yet was nothing short of a miracle. Maybe

lized one of the sheriffs deputies was standing there. From the angle of the door, he would

understand this is all just a big understanding. The voice outs

e in here, Ill

homas kneeling there, wearing full SWAT gear. Despite the awkward position, he pointed his hand

around, shooting wildly

blur, but suddenly the gunfire st

, who was bleeding profusely onto the floor. Kurts g

e and rose to his feet, pulling her up, too. Are you all right?

embling, so she clutched them toget

aid, moving away. He needs medical attention. You can

gunshot wound. But then she realized they simply couldnt let him die, no matter how

re the sheriffs deputies were handcuffing Kurt Hinkle to a gurney

and fluids. The rest of the ER staff poured in to assist once the deputies had given the all clear. Soon s

at the open wound on Kurts lower abdomen where Deputy Thomass bullet had penetrated

herself to think about anything that happened before, focusing solely on savin

an packing the wound. I hope he gets here in time. Do you need a suture tray? Larissa asked after

ry my best to patch him up at l

pened it up as Gabe pulled on a new set of sterile gloves. The vascular tray wa

gh to see what he was doing. He placed a few sutures, and the blood gushing out slowed

n. Within moments, she and the transporter wheeled Kurt over to the OR. Depu

ys arm. She wasnt sterile, either, and neither one of them would be all

ered. Although, frankly, its a waste of time patching hi

ource of the injuries didnt matter; as health care professionals, they were obligated to save lives to

ay? Ill hang around after my shift is over, she p

d that Julie and Debra had been covering her patients all this time. But when she glanced up at the clock, she s

he oncoming nurse, she headed outside, surprised to see the bright su

e, she knew the police still wa

crossed over and pulled her into his embrace. She

whole life, he murmured in her

led by his shirt. I mean, I was t

homas sav

nt argue

ns department arriving to take charge of the situation. As they streamed past, she felt distinctly self

hen she glanced up at him questioningly, he simply smiled, lowered

in the sweetne