Justice by Oleander - 2012 Watty Awards, Finalist

Chapter 1

“Kevin is it?”  She asked him quietly after double-checking the name on the badge attached to his uniform.  He nodded.  “Kevin, I suggest that you shut your trap.  You see this woman here?”  She nodded her head sideways toward the patient.  He nodded yet again in reply.  “Well, today’s the worst day of her life.  I recommend that you don’t jump to conclusions and that you keep your comments to yourself.  She doesn’t need salt to be thrown in her injuries.  For all you know, this unconscious woman could be hearing everything you’re saying.”

“So you’re going to tell me that she might have had a fight with a meat grinder?”  He smirked at his partner, evidently proud of his smartass comeback.

Mika noticed his partner giving him the look of death in warning as he shook his head trying to discourage him from saying anything further.

“I’ll be speaking with your supervisor,” Mika’s eyes pierced him like daggers to a heart.  “Now get out of my sight!”

She had never seen anyone scamper off so damn fast.  It was safe to say that George Carney was most likely going to tear this young gun of a paramedic a new arse hole.

So much for getting off on time, she thought to herself with a deep breath.

There was no way Mika was leaving this patient before she finished treating her.  It was clear that this lady was going to be in pain for a while.

A few hours later, Mika heard a man bellowing commands and shouting in the halls.  Judging by his boisterous voice, he was inching himself closer.

Where is security?

A few seconds later, he came crashing through the observation room door with a nurse chasing him while she hollered that he wasn’t supposed to be in there.  What good that did.

“Becky!”  He said.  “Oh my God Becky!  I’m so sorry, Hunny,” he reached for her hand.

Rebecca was finally awake but heavily dosed with pain killers.  She flinched slightly as he seemed to gently yet forcefully grab her hand in his.

Or do I want to be seeing this?  Mika wondered.

The more she pondered and observed the two and the wild and panicky look in her patient’s eyes, the more she was convinced that it was indeed a brutal domestic case.

“Mr.-“ Mika began softly.

“It’s Lance Denton,” he said without prying his eyes from Rebecca.  “Please tell me my wife will be okay.”

“Mr. Denton,” she began again, “please follow me.  I need to speak with you and I think it best that your wife gets a bit of rest right now.  She’s been through a lot.”

He nodded and she heard his heavy footsteps fall in stride behind her as she led him to the small conference room the doctors used from time to time to confer about their patients and treatment choices.

The moment the door to the conference room shut behind them, Mika turned around with a look of fire in her eyes.

“Mr. Denton.  Can you please tell me what the hell happened to your wife?”  Mika demanded.

“I shouldn’t have to explain it to anyone, especially a lady Doc like you,” he said dismissively.

“You either talk to me or I can call the authorities and have you explain everything to them if you’d prefer,” she rebutted.

Denton seemed to stop short in his pacing and paused to eye her in a rather hungry way.  She despised these men.  Men that came waltzing in like they could never do no wrong.  Men that were all that and the proverbial bag of chips.  The ones that were used to getting away with everything they did, whether it was good or bad.  Mika failed to see what was attractive about the man before her aside from his obvious dashingly handsome looks.  The rest of this man was positively rotten to the core.