Evelina pulled the phone out from under a newspaper and dialed Jimmy's cell. The phone rang and rang. Her nerves felt like they were bunching up and her heart was slowly stopping with each passing ring. After minutes of listening to the ringing and answering machine as she dialed and hung up the phone repeatedly, she set the phone down. She had a terrible feeling. What if he really was dead? She didn't want to think about it. She got up and walked back to the bedroom. She paused before going in. Her gaze caught sight of blood on the floor. She took a step backward and began following the trail. Her heart nearly dropped as she noticed a large amount of blood from there to the kitchen and other parts of the house. The realization of how much blood Joey had really lost hit her.
She went back to the room and walked up to the bed. Joey had his eyes closed. His breathing was so faint it was almost nonexistent. She stared at his paling face, laying a cool hand over his hot forehead.
He woke up to her touch. His eyes were beginning to grow bloodshot. He looked even more exhausted then just a few minutes ago.
"Are you feeling okay, Joey?" She asked him quietly.
He groaned and snapped at her. "Do I look like I'm feeling alright, Ev!"
She bit her lip. "I'm going to go and get you some help."
"No, Evelina!" He grabbed her arm as she started to get up, panic lacing his voice.
She looked back at him.
"I'm fine, really. I just had a weak moment." Joey tried to smile at her. He winced with every movement.
"You're not alright." She spoke quietly. The fear of losing him was setting in again. His condition was getting worse.
"Really, Ev, I'm fine. Don't get anyone else involved in this. Please. I just need to rest. We just need to wait for Jimmy. He'll know what to do." His attempt at reassurance didn't help. He knew he was lying to himself. He didn't want her to leave. He wanted to know that she was safe. Everything else was uncertain.
"Joey, you're going to die if I don't get some help." Her chin quivered with each word she said. Her voice was beginning to grow more frantic. "I just lost Zach. I don't want that to lose you, too. I'm scared!"
"I know." Joey said quietly, keeping his eyes locked on hers.
"No, Joey, I don't think you do!" She jumped back from him, waving her arms around emphatically. "I'm scared that you're going to die! I'm scared that Jimmy's already dead! I'm scared that Nakita might be dead! I'm scared that I'll never see Rose again! I... I'm scared that Davy's going to be back! I'm just scared, Joey!" Tears slipped down her face. She wanted comfort. She wanted security.
"Everything's going to be okay." He grabbed her arm, trying to calm her down, but his head felt like it was going to explode. His breathing was getting heavier and more labored, the wheezing from the warehouse had returned. He felt exhaustion setting in faster and was having a hard time staying awake. Even his mood seemed to be fluctuating. He wanted to be stable and comforting for Evelina, but the pain was bringing him to pure anger — mainly the result of not having answers.
Ev pulled her arm out of his weakening grip and backed up a few steps, just out of reach. "That's not good enough. I'm going for help, Joey. I don't want to leave you, but I'm not going to let you die either!" She fled from the bedroom.
"Ev! Evelina, don't!" He called after her, but she ignored him. He stopped yelling after her when darkness tried to overpower his mind and vision. He needed to conserve his strength.
Evelina looked out the window. Jacob was starting to make his rounds down their street and in front of their house. She ran out of the house, not caring about if the door closed behind her. She ran in front of Jacob's car.
The man slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop. His car screeched to a halt right in front of her.
She laid the palms of her hands on the hood of his car. The momentum of the moment pushing her hair in her face, soaking up some of the tears that had been streaming down. Her eyes met his. Her face a perfect visual of desperation.
Jacob got out of his car. "Damn it, Evelina! I nearly ran you over! What the hell is going on?"
Evelina tried to steady her voice before speaking. She was sure she looked wrecked, but that was the last thing she cared about.
"Joey's here." She whimpered. "He's been shot."
Jacob walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Where is he?"
"He's here and he's not doing good." She looked up at him. "And Jimmy won't answer his phone."
"I haven't heard anything from him either." Jacob confided in her. He looked away from her, hiding his uncertainty.
Ev dug around in her pocket and pulled out a garage door opener. She handed it to him. "Put your car in the garage and come in. I know someone who'll help out Joey, but I don't want to leave him alone while I call my friend. He keeps trying to fall asleep. I need you to keep him awake. I'm asking you to help me, please." Evelina begged him.
"Yeah, I can do that. Don't worry." He told her and began heading back to his car.
"The house door's unlocked. Just come inside. I'll be down the hallway in the bedroom on the right. Come in and take my place after you've finished." She tried to instruct him, as if he didn't know what to do.
Jacob nodded his reassurance and began shutting his car door.
"Thank you, Jacob." Ev tried to smile at him.
Jacob returned the tight smile and nodded at her again, closing his door.
Evelina hurried back in the house to Joey. He looked up at her, his eyelids heavy.
"What did you do?" He asked almost accusingly.
"I'm trying to save your life!" She said critically. "Is that a problem?"
"Ev, if it involves you talking to people and dragging them into this mess, then yeah, it is a problem. Davy will find out, and so will the police." He made the problem known. "You'll be in danger. Don't you get that?"
"So be it. I'm already in danger. If it means that I'll have you longer by my side, than I will put up with either of them. At least if the police get you, they'd bring you to the hospital." She subtly let him know what she wanted.
"Before or after they find a way to make me talk? They have plenty of things that they'd love to question me about. They have plenty of ways to make a prisoner talk without leaving any visible marks, not that anyone would notice at this point even if they did leave more marks. I have plenty of names they want to hear, along with convictions. I don't want to spill out my guts to them, and, if I have a choice, I won't. You'd lose me sooner." He threw the fear and reality of his worth in her mind. He knew that the police suspected the senator's men of doing things illegally. He knew that they'd jump at the chance to question him if they had the opportunity. It'd be different if Jimmy was there and would be able to back him up or at least be a witness, but that just wasn't the case. He was alone. If the wrong interrogator got a hold of him, he'd be the farthest from help possible.
Evelina looked away. She knew that he was right. It hurt to feel so helpless in the matter at hand.
"Ev, the police aren't always our friends, despite what they make themselves out to look like." He tried to gently tell her. He realized that his tone with her was way out of line.
"That's only in the movies. It's fiction, Joey! Not reality!" Evelina couldn't stop herself from snapping at him. She knew differently, but her mind didn't want to fathom it.
"It's more reality than you give it credit for." He quietly told her.
"Oh yeah? And how would you know?" She snapped at him.
Joey looked away. His head gently bobbed with growing weariness. "I've heard stories. I've seen the results, Ev." Bitterness lined his voice. He'd had to kill friends, knowing that death was more merciful than life. It haunted him.
"Jacob's going to keep an eye on you while I get some help." Ev didn't know what else to say.
"Oh, what now? I need a babysitter?" He said angrily. "Ev, I don't need anyone's help!"
"Joey, for once in your stubborn life, listen to me!" She yelled at him.
He pinched his lips shut as defiance built up.
Ev's chin quivered. She got up and stalked off. She stopped by Jacob on her way out of the room. "He's all yours. I'll be back soon. Hopefully I won't have to leave the house, but if I have to..." She paused and looked back at Joey, then back to Jacob. "Anyways, think you can handle him?" Ev looked up into his eyes with both rage and care in her own. Without waiting for an answer she walked away quickly. She was angry.
Evelina walked back out to the living room. She grabbed the phone off of the hook and went downstairs to talk in private. The basement was dark so she flicked on a light, turning her focus back to the phone in her hand. A shaky sigh escaped her and she dialed in a phone number.
The phone rang and rang.
"Hello. West Bend Hospital. Kim speaking. How may I help you?" The secretary answered.
"Hi. Can I speak to Dr. Wiley, please?" Evelina asked, trying to remain calm and not seem impatient. Time was of the essence however.
"He's with a patient right now. Can I take a message for you?" Kim asked sweetly.
"No, thank you. I need to talk to him now." She said more forcefully.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am. But he's unavailable." Kim told her patiently.
"I need to talk to him now. This is an emergency. If you don't think he'll take the call, then go in and tell him that it's Evelina Markes. I can guarantee that he'll take my call immediately." Ev demanded. She wasn't at all sure that he'd take the call, but based on her continuous hospital runs the last two years, she was pretty sure that he would.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am..." Kim began, but was quickly cut off.
"No, don't be sorry. Put him on the damn phone now!" She yelled at her through the receiver. She never swore, but it just slipped out. She was beginning to feel more panicked. What if the secretary wouldn't let her talk with him? Time was running out.
"Please hold on one second." Kim's voice was patient, clearly masking her irritation.
"Please hurry." Ev sighed in relief as soon as the woman put her on hold.
Calm jazz music came on over the receiver. Ev tapped her fingers against the cement steps. Her patience was being tested and she didn't like it. Nope, not one bit. It made her think of the pain that she was in and she didn't have time for that. It came and went, but it was still there, both physically and emotionally. Joey's snappiness had also worn on her. She knew that he was in even more pain than she was and was just trying to protect them all, but he could have at least been a little appreciative of her trying to help him.
"Hello?" A man's voice came over the receiver after the music stopped.
"Doctor Wiley?" Evelina asked for verification; suddenly feeling like she was going to lose it again as her chin started to quiver.
"Yeah, it's me. Evelina? You okay?" He asked, concern crept into his voice.
"No, not really. I have a question to ask. Actually, it's more... it's more like a favor." Her gut churned nervously. What if he turned them in to the police? She hadn't thought that far. She needed to have faith in him right now. She prayed that she could trust him.
"What is it?" He asked her quickly.
"It's kind of illegal, but I really need your help." Tears lightly dripped down her face. Her breath felt short and quick, leaving butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
"Evelina, you need to tell me what's going on. You do know that you have doctor client privileges. That means that I can't, by law, tell the police, or anyone for that matter, what you tell me." He reassured her. The policy wasn't as loose as he made it sound, but it was the gist of it.
"Joey's been shot." She blurted out, feeling the panic and tears flooding her more. She shoved her hand shakily through her hair. "He's not doing very good, Doc. I don't know what to do. The bullet didn't go all the way through and I can't bring him to a hospital. The police can't know. I don't... I don't know what to do."
"Okay, slow down. Just breathe, Evelina." He tried to calm her down. "You're not going to help anyone if you're not calm. Are you alright?"
"I... I think so. Just a little banged up." Ev thought back to the bruises covering her face and body. She figured it was just that, bruises. "Joey keeps trying to fall asleep though. I'm really worried that he won't make it through the night if he doesn't get some help. I know this compromises your medical license and life, Doc, but I don't know who else to ask. I'm really worried." Ev was worn out. She wasn't sure what to do if he didn't help them out.
"Evelina, I'm not worried about that right now. I can handle myself." He reminded her.
"You can't talk to anyone about this. Joey's already upset about me trying to find him some help. He's getting pretty protective." Ev warned him again.
"Hasn't he always been?" Doctor Wiley noted. "There's nothing wrong with him wanting to keep you safe."
"I suppose." She sighed. "But if it kills him..." She couldn't finish the sentence.
"I'll be there soon and we can see what we can do, alright?" He told her quickly. If Joey was shot then he needed to hurry up.
"Okay." Ev agreed. "Thank you for this."
She shakily sighed as she hung up the phone. She prayed that she was doing the right thing. Her hands shook as she walked back up the stairs. She opened the door and walked back onto the main level of their house. She worked her way back to the bedroom, unsure of what she'd find.
Jacob was doing everything he could to keep Joey up and awake. It was the only thing that was possibly keeping him out of a coma. Evelina tiredly watched the two from the doorway. Jacob was telling Joey stories, forcing him to start conversations. He definitely wasn't one to give up easily.
Evelina admired how Jacob was handling the whole situation. Perhaps this was a daily thing for him and Joey, but she couldn't understand how calm they were with everything. Leaning against the doorpost gave her time to really be hit with the exhaustion. She was tired — physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. Everything seemed to be happening so fast with no time to catch up. She realized life had its rough spots, but this was by far the worst one yet. She prayed it would draw them all closer as a family. She prayed that they would all gets through this. They needed all the help that they could have at this point. Going to the Big Guy upstairs just seemed to make sense.
Ev drifted out of her thoughts quickly as she heard something by the front door. It may have been nothing, but the slight clinking noise still seemed out of place. She blinked a couple of times and walked back down the hallway. As she rounded the corner back to the living room, she couldn't help but stand and gape at the person in their house. A smile of relief covered her face. She ran across the room and gave the man a hug. Refusing to let go.
"Jimmy, you have no idea how worried I was!" A few tears of relief dripped off of Ev's face.
Jimmy hugged her back and sighed. "At least you're safe."
"Joey's here." She pulled back from him, just noticing his red-rimmed eyes for the first time.
"What? How could he have escaped?" He rambled out loud.
"He said some of Davy's guys had pulled him out back just as the shooting started."
"I was too busy making sure to protect my men to know what really happened." Jimmy admitted.
Ev swallowed hard. "He was shot, Jimmy."
"Where is he?" Jimmy asked her, already making his way down the hallway.
"In our bedroom." She followed after him, wondering how many more trips back and forth the floor could take without leaving a worn path.