Cat On The Scent

53

A crowd of people kept vigil in the hospital hallway: Harry, Miranda, Big Mim, Little Mim, Herb Jones, BoomBoom, Susan and Ned, Market Shiflett, Jim Sanburne, and Dr. Larry Johnson. Finally, Larry's young partner, Hayden McIntire, emerged from the operating room.

Everyone stood up.

“He'll live.”

A collective sigh of relief passed through the group and tears withheld from fear suddenly flowed in gratitude.

“Dr. Chan's closing him up now, but he'll definitely make it.”

Larry rushed down immediately once he heard the news. Hayden took him to look at the X rays.

“There's swelling in the area of damage. The brain is fine. Luckily the bullet didn't shatter his skull. It made a deep crease.” Hayden pointed to the X ray. “Right here is where the bullet grazed. Like a crease in a piece of paper that tears just a bit.”

“Thank God.” Larry closed his eyes for a second.

“It's very hard to say what his prognosis is until the swelling goes down. He should be fine. He's young, strong, healthy, but this is the last place you want swelling. Time and rehab will tell.”

Later Larry walked with Hayden to see Blair in post-op.

“Any ideas about what happened?” he asked.

“Yes. Given the position of the wound, I think he'd turned away from his attacker.”

“He didn't anticipate being shot?” Larry rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand.

“No. He turned his back.”

“Any other signs of struggle on the body?” Larry gazed at the tall man, seemingly asleep except for all the tubes running into him.

“No. Not a mark.”