unconsciousness.
“How’s he doing?” Dr Sam Browning asked.
“He’s awake. Asking questions.” Deacon opened the small ice dispenser and filled the pitcher.
“Here.” Sam handed Deacon a small cup and spoon. “Feed it to him from that.”
“Was anyone else hurt?” Deacon hadn’t asked about anyone else. He’d only discovered the information about Shane because he’d overheard Sam and Isaac talking in the hall earlier.
“Everyone else came out okay. Evidently Aaron broke a window at O’Brien’s which set off their security system. They managed to get safely out the front door and run around the side of the building to check on Moby’s mom who lives across the alley.”
The fire had destroyed three buildings in downtown Cattle Valley. “Any idea yet what started it?”
Sam shook his head. “They know it started at your place, but not why. I’m supposed to call Ryan as soon as Aaron’s well enough to be questioned.”
Deacon sighed. It was one more reminder of how fast a person’s life could change. “Thanks.” He carried the ice back to the room just as Isaac was leaving. “He gonna be okay?”
“Yeah. His lungs sound pretty good and his back’ll heal in no time. We’ll probably keep him here for another day just to be on the safe side.”
“Thanks Doc.” Deacon entered the room to find Aaron’s eyes filled with tears. Whether it was the news of Shane’s condition or the shock of the entire situation, Deacon wasn’t sure, but he prayed Aaron wouldn’t come out of the ordeal feeling responsible. He shook some of the ice chips into the glass and loaded a few onto the spoon. “Here.”
The oxygen mask gone, Aaron opened his mouth. It took three spoonfuls before he spoke. “I asked Dr Singer about Groucho but he didn’t know anything. Will you go look for him?”
Finally, Deacon had something positive to share. “Luke found him at the scene and sent him home with Priest.”
Another round of tears dripped down Aaron’s cheeks. “I was so worried something had happened to him and you’d never forgive me.”
“If I had anything to be mad at you for, it would be you going into a burning building to play hero,” Deacon argued. “But then I realised I would’ve done the same thing in your position.” He fed Aaron more ice. “You can add five more positive check marks onto that list I made you start.”
“I still don’t know what happened. I fell asleep on the couch with Groucho and he woke me a few hours later by scratching the hell out of my chest. When I woke up, the room was already filled with smoke.”
“It’s hard to say. The entire first floor was nothing but a big campfire waiting to be ignited. You’re lucky the storage cabinet was shut or the place could’ve gone up a lot faster.”
Aaron opened his mouth but paused before taking another spoonful. He pulled back, away from the spoon. “I remember shutting the cabinet.”
“Sheriff Blackfeather will be here in a little while to ask you what you remember. Make sure you tell him that.”
“Okay.” He shook his head when Deacon offered him more ice. “I’m done.” He brushed Deacon’s hand with his fingertips. “What’re you gonna do now that the shop is gone?”
Deacon set the cup on the table. He stood high enough to lean over the side of the bed. With his face hovering about Aaron’s he gazed into the eyes of the man he’d grown to love. “Spend the rest of my life thanking God you made it out safely. Beyond that, nothing else matters to me. As long as I have you by my side, I can whittle a stick of wood with a pocket knife and be content.”
* * * *
Deacon opened the bedroom door to check on Aaron. He was happy to find him sound asleep with Groucho curled up at his side. Pulling the door closed, Deacon tried to make as little noise as possible as he left the house.
He got into his truck and drove downtown for an appointment with George Manning to go over the scene of the fire. The parking spaces in front of
“How’s he doing?” Dr Sam Browning asked.
“He’s awake. Asking questions.” Deacon opened the small ice dispenser and filled the pitcher.
“Here.” Sam handed Deacon a small cup and spoon. “Feed it to him from that.”
“Was anyone else hurt?” Deacon hadn’t asked about anyone else. He’d only discovered the information about Shane because he’d overheard Sam and Isaac talking in the hall earlier.
“Everyone else came out okay. Evidently Aaron broke a window at O’Brien’s which set off their security system. They managed to get safely out the front door and run around the side of the building to check on Moby’s mom who lives across the alley.”
The fire had destroyed three buildings in downtown Cattle Valley. “Any idea yet what started it?”
Sam shook his head. “They know it started at your place, but not why. I’m supposed to call Ryan as soon as Aaron’s well enough to be questioned.”
Deacon sighed. It was one more reminder of how fast a person’s life could change. “Thanks.” He carried the ice back to the room just as Isaac was leaving. “He gonna be okay?”
“Yeah. His lungs sound pretty good and his back’ll heal in no time. We’ll probably keep him here for another day just to be on the safe side.”
“Thanks Doc.” Deacon entered the room to find Aaron’s eyes filled with tears. Whether it was the news of Shane’s condition or the shock of the entire situation, Deacon wasn’t sure, but he prayed Aaron wouldn’t come out of the ordeal feeling responsible. He shook some of the ice chips into the glass and loaded a few onto the spoon. “Here.”
The oxygen mask gone, Aaron opened his mouth. It took three spoonfuls before he spoke. “I asked Dr Singer about Groucho but he didn’t know anything. Will you go look for him?”
Finally, Deacon had something positive to share. “Luke found him at the scene and sent him home with Priest.”
Another round of tears dripped down Aaron’s cheeks. “I was so worried something had happened to him and you’d never forgive me.”
“If I had anything to be mad at you for, it would be you going into a burning building to play hero,” Deacon argued. “But then I realised I would’ve done the same thing in your position.” He fed Aaron more ice. “You can add five more positive check marks onto that list I made you start.”
“I still don’t know what happened. I fell asleep on the couch with Groucho and he woke me a few hours later by scratching the hell out of my chest. When I woke up, the room was already filled with smoke.”
“It’s hard to say. The entire first floor was nothing but a big campfire waiting to be ignited. You’re lucky the storage cabinet was shut or the place could’ve gone up a lot faster.”
Aaron opened his mouth but paused before taking another spoonful. He pulled back, away from the spoon. “I remember shutting the cabinet.”
“Sheriff Blackfeather will be here in a little while to ask you what you remember. Make sure you tell him that.”
“Okay.” He shook his head when Deacon offered him more ice. “I’m done.” He brushed Deacon’s hand with his fingertips. “What’re you gonna do now that the shop is gone?”
Deacon set the cup on the table. He stood high enough to lean over the side of the bed. With his face hovering about Aaron’s he gazed into the eyes of the man he’d grown to love. “Spend the rest of my life thanking God you made it out safely. Beyond that, nothing else matters to me. As long as I have you by my side, I can whittle a stick of wood with a pocket knife and be content.”
* * * *
Deacon opened the bedroom door to check on Aaron. He was happy to find him sound asleep with Groucho curled up at his side. Pulling the door closed, Deacon tried to make as little noise as possible as he left the house.
He got into his truck and drove downtown for an appointment with George Manning to go over the scene of the fire. The parking spaces in front of
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