Dr. Quick looked up and frowned. “Who are you?”

Inman flashed his badge. “Detective Inman, Georgia State Police. This man is our prisoner. Can you tell me his prognosis?”

“Not yet. Just wait outside, and if we need you, we’ll call you in.”

Inman eyed the man on the exam table. He didn’t look good, the detective thought as he went back into the hall.

But as Dr. Quick continued his examination, it became apparent that Hoover had a bigger problem.

“Somebody get Detective Inman in here, please,” Dr. Quick said.

A nurse turned and darted out of the room. Moments later, she was back with Detective Inman.

“What’s wrong?” Inman asked.

“We have a problem. We can remove the wood from his leg, but the leg is no longer viable below the wound. The tourniquet was left on too long. It cut off the blood supply.”

Inman glanced over at Slade’s body. “Has he regained consciousness yet?”

“No, sir,” Dr. Quick said.

“What are his chances of getting through surgery?”

“It’s hard to say. Maybe fifty-fifty. Maybe a little more.”

“Can he be transported to a bigger hospital in Savannah?” Inman asked.

“Delay would lessen his chances, and we have a good surgeon on staff.”

“Then do what you need to do to try to save him,” Inman said.

And with that, they wheeled Hoover into surgery.

Chapter 15

Sully took Melissa into the big shower in the room across the hall, started the water running to get it hot, then stripped both of them. She sat on the lid of the toilet without moving, almost in a daze. The emotional exhaustion of what she’d gone through was overwhelming. All she wanted was to get clean and lie down.

Sully reached for her. “Okay, baby, the water is just right. All you have to do is stand there. I’ll wash the mud out of your hair, and then we’ll deal with what’s left on you. Can you handle that?”

“Yes,” she said, and let him lead her into the shower.

The warm water felt like heaven as it sluiced down her sore, achy body, but the relief also triggered more tears.

“I’m sick of being hurt,” she said. “I can’t believe this has happened again.”

“Neither can I, sweetheart, but it did. Right now, we’re going to get you clean. First job is to get some shampoo in your hair.”

And so she stood with her eyes shut as Sully washed her from head to toe and then quickly soaped himself before getting them out.

He wrapped one towel around her hair and then dried her back and legs.

“Want to dry the rest of yourself?” he asked.

Melissa managed a wry smile. “You’re doing such a good job, you might as well finish,” she said, and so he did, then wrapped a towel around his waist and walked her back across the hall.

“You didn’t dry yourself,” she said.

“Oh, I drip dry,” he said. “Do you want your nightgown?”