Searching for Anna, Jenifer Carll-Tong [cheapest way to read ebooks TXT] 📗
- Author: Jenifer Carll-Tong
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"Disciplinary action?" Colonel Vandercook asked.
"Isn't that what you meant by my 'future with the force’?”
"I'm not planning to discipline you, son. I want to promote you."
Will's eyes flew open. "Promote me?"
"We need more men like you protecting our fine state, influencing and training future recruits. In Detroit, you could really make an impact on the force."
"Detroit?"
"I know Lansing is where your heart is, son, as is mine, but Detroit is where we have the biggest crime problem, if you ask me. Last winter, bootleggers drove their cars right across the frozen Detroit River, right in front of my men. And the preliminary investigation of that hideout you discovered last night proves me right. Maps and letters, amongst other evidence, directly connects that ring you broke up to the Purple Gang in Detroit. In fact, we may have gathered enough to bring that bunch of criminals down once and for all, and I'd like you to be the one to lead that effort. You'll need to heal up first, of course. But as soon as you can travel, I'll have you on the first train south."
"It's a lot to consider."
Vandercook frowned. "Consider? The promotion isn't a lateral move, Caffey. It comes with a raise in rank as well. You might want to consider that."
"Yes, sir. It isn't that it isn't a generous offer – "
"It's more than generous. You'd be the youngest man to reach that rank. I'm offering you opportunities that you will never see hidden away way up here in the U.P."
"Yes, sir."
"But obviously you have some healing to do. And once your head is cleared up from the doc's medicine, you'll see what a great opportunity this is for you." Colonel Vandercook stood and placed his hat on his head. "Doors like this don't open every day."
Just then, the back door opened, and Phoebe entered carrying a bucket of fresh water.
Open doors. It was a great opportunity that Will knew he should seriously consider, not only for his career, but for his heart as well. Phoebe had shut any doors that Will had hoped to someday open in her life. What doors did he have left in Iron Falls?
But God had called him, hadn't he? And hadn't He called him to be Phoebe's protector? Or had Will misread God's plan all along. Maybe Will's calling as protector was only meant to extend to Phoebe for a short time. And maybe that time had come to an end.
Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.
Will pushed the thought aside as the doctor's medication began to take effect. The pain in his shoulder began to subside, but in its wake, the pain in his heart increased. Yes, he should go to Detroit, if for no other reason than to give his heart room to heal.
Will's eyes grew heavy. Yes. Room to heal.
"Well, Caffey, I bet when you volunteered for this post you weren't expecting excitement like this from a sleepy town like Iron Falls."
Will's eyes shot to Phoebe. She stared back at him, her mouth slowly falling open. She now knew the truth. Iron Falls had been his choice. "That is true, sir. I didn't expect this."
"We don't get many volunteers in the troops wanting to come to the U.P., especially one that graduated top of his class. You could have had your pick of posts."
Will hadn't lied to her. But he also never told her exactly how he came to be in Iron Falls. Yes, he had other posts available to choose from, but when one of them happened to be the same as where Phoebe was being called, then it seemed that God's hand had been in this from the beginning. "Yes, sir. But I felt like this is where God was calling me."
"You probably were hoping for a quieter assignment. Hope all this excitement hasn't disappointed you."
"No sir, but, if you please, I'll let some of the rest of you chase the rum runners for a bit while I rest up from this adventure."
"He is doing much better than I had expected, thank God. I had very low expectations when I left last night."
Phoebe turned, a little surprised at the doctor's voice. The other men had left so abruptly at her return, she'd barely noticed that Dr. Langley remained.
"His color is much better, I believe," she said. In truth, his coloring could have been improved by the natural light that poured in through the tiny window above the bed. Oil lamps did little to help a person's coloring - but there was more. His breathing was much less labored, and he slept far more peacefully now than he had all night long.
"Yes, I agree." Dr. Langley held his stethoscope to Will's chest and listened quietly. He nodded and smiled. "Our constable here is a fighter, that's for certain. But he still has a long way to go. He needs rest, time for his blood to build back up. The others are already talking about moving him back to the Constabulary barracks, but I told them I wouldn't allow it. He needs to stay put, until he's a little better." He looked up at Phoebe. "However, if you aren't comfortable with keeping him…"
Phoebe shook her head vigorously. "No sir, I'm not uncomfortable. I want to do whatever is necessary to help him back to full health." Her voice cracked as she choked back tears. "He saved my life."
Dr. Langley picked up his bag and hat. "Well, madam, from what I can tell, it seems you have also saved his."
Once the doctor had left, Phoebe quickly washed her hair and braided it. She then spent the remainder of the day alternating between scrubbing on her bloody dress and checking on Will. Will fitfully slept the day away, except for a few moments to eat some of the broth and bread Mrs. Speer had brought over. He no longer talked in his sleep, but occasionally grunted and winced when he moved. Phoebe felt helpless, wishing she could do something to make him more comfortable.
By the time Mrs. Speer brought the evening meal, Will's condition had not changed, but her dress had improved.
"How did that soap work out?" Mrs. Speer asked her quietly as the two women sat at the table.
"As good as I think is possible," Phoebe answered. "There is still a small area on the upper back that won't seem to budge, but there was a lot of blood…" Phoebe choked on those last words. The thought of Will's blood pouring down her back was still hard for her to think about.
Mrs. Speer patted her hand. "Would you like me to take it home and work on the stain?"
"No," Phoebe answered. "No, I think I will leave it. If I wear my hair down, it won't be noticeable. Besides, I think it will be a reminder of what he sacrificed to…to save me." Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, but she didn't care.
The older woman only stayed a few minutes more but promised to check on Phoebe the next day. When thinking back to her first encounter with Mrs. Speer, Phoebe couldn't help but marvel at what a difference a few months could make. So many things had changed. She had made many friends, grown confident as a pastor, and had fallen in …
She looked at Will. She wondered if she should wake him. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully now, but he had eaten little today. He needed nourishment, she knew, but did he need rest more? She sat in the chair next to the bed and looked at him. In his restlessness, he had shed the blankets, leaving the upper half of his body exposed. He wore nothing on his torso, except for the bandage wrapped around his left shoulder. She reached out and gently touched the bandage, intending to pray for his healing, when like a bolt of lightning, Will grabbed her wrist and sat upright. Phoebe was so startled that a small scream escaped her lips.
"What are you doing?" he asked, frowning at her.
"I – I was just going to pray."
Will loosened his grip on her wrist but didn't let go. They sat there, looking into each other's eyes, not moving or saying a word. Will still frowned, and Phoebe thought that his eyes looked even more blue, if that were possible, when he was upset. Phoebe was the first to break the trance.
"Mrs. Speer brought dinner," she said, pulling her hand away and walking to the table.
"I'm not hungry."
She scooped some food on a plate and placed it on the bedside table. She grabbed the pillows and folded them behind his back.
"I said I'm not hungry," Will repeated, sounding annoyed.
"Hungry or not, you need to feed your body so it can heal. Now, would you like me to help you?"
"I don't need anyone to feed me. I still have complete use of my right arm," he answered gruffly.
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