The night nurse took Frank’s vital signs, and made notations on his chart as morning broke. Doing so awakened Virginia who was near the bed sleeping in a chair. She checked on Frank, who was still sleeping, then made her way to the lounge area.
The Carmichaels were already up; Harry and Ann were looking over the morning paper that had been brought up earlier. They met up with Virginia and decided to go in search of breakfast. As they were about to exit through the lobby doors, they spied Ranger Larry Smith coming in.
“Well, hello.” He greeted everyone. “How’s Frank doing?”
“He’s still resting; the doctor is coming to check his progress in about an hour the nurse said.” Virginia looked tired and worn out, but she was putting on a brave front for the others.
“Well, he’s in our prayers,” Larry Smith said trying to give some comforting words.
“Has anyone gone out looking for the black bear?” Virginia asked him.
“Volunteer rangers rode out on horse-back at daylight to search,” Ranger Smith said. “It’s been over twenty years since anyone reported seeing a black bear in these parts.”
“Frank said he fired at least four shots at the bear. He couldn’t remember for certain, but he’s positive he hit it. He told me, he heard it fall a short distance away,” she explained.
“Yes, I know. We investigated the area where we found Frank and Jack. There’s several things I’d like to tell you. We haven’t found the site where Frank and Jack first encountered the bear. We hope the group that rode out this morning will locate it. We did however search the site where we found Jack and Frank. But we didn’t find any evidence of the bear having been there,” Ranger Smith stated.
“What was Frank shooting at?” She said with a puzzled look on her tired face.
“We found your mule not far from where we found Frank. It had been shot twice, and was dead. What we think happened is that Frank and Jack mistook the mule for the bear. The vet said that Jack had a bullet wound in his left side. We think Jack charged, just as Frank opened fire, and he was hit by one of the four shots.”
Virginia and the Carmichaels looked stunned, as they listened to the Ranger’s account.
Ranger Smith continued, “When the rescue party came near Frank, he fired another shot that struck a tree. We believe he heard them coming and thought it was the bear returning. Because of his severe injuries, we feel he was pretty much out of it at that point.”
Everyone was silent. Virginia and the Carmichaels just stared at the ranger. Harry noticed Virginia wiping tears from her eyes. They all turned as the Doctor approached them in the lobby.
“I was just looking for you. Frank has made much improvement during the night. He’s now stable. I believe he’ll have a normal recovery. His injuries are responding well, and his heart and vital signs look good. If we can prevent a secondary infection, he should be out of here in a few weeks.”
“Oh, thank God,” Virginia said finally smiling.
“He’s awake if you’d like to see him, just don’t stay too long. When you do leave, I gave instructions for the nurse to give him a sedative,” the doctor said.
As they entered his room, Frank gave a little wave. Virginia gave him a kiss, and a light squeeze, afraid to hug him too tightly.
“We were worried about you, until the doctor said you were doing great, so we decided to stop worrying,” she said grinning.
“Wait a minute. That doctor don’t know anything. I’ll be in here for at least a year,” Frank grumbled.
“I guess you could stay here, and do janitorial work at night, to help pay your bill,” she said.
“Whoa, if I have to work, I’d just as soon be home.” Changing his tune.
Ann and Harry greeted him with a kiss from Ann, and a handshake from Harry.
Frank changed the mood with a somber expression. “I’m worried about Jack. Have you heard anything about his condition? Maybe you could slip him in here, and hide him in the other bed?”
Virginia sat on the bed, holding his hand as if to never let go. “You know better than that. Besides Jack’s doing better than you. He’ll be released in a few days. They want him to take it easy for awhile. I plan on training him to drive your old red truck, so he won’t have to walk so much.” Virginia gave a phony laugh.
“Oh no you don’t. Keep him out of my truck, and if he should learn to drive, he’ll have to pay for his own gasoline.” Frank wisecracked.
The nurse entered the room with a tray. She had Frank’s medicine. Filling a paper cup with water, she handed it to him. A floral delivery arrived as the nurse finished observing Frank swallowing the pills. It was a beautiful basket of white and pink carnations.
“Tell your friends to stop sending flowers. It looks like a funeral home in here. It creeps me out,” Frank mockingly complained.
After visiting another fifteen minutes, Frank started to fall asleep from his medicine. As his visitors were quietly leaving, he cleared his throat and said, “I thought you people would never leave.”
“Just keep it up. You’ll have me in the bed beside you,” Virginia mustered up a laugh.
Arriving home, Virginia noticed activity at the forest edge. It must be the rangers returning from their search for the black bear, she thought. Entering the house, she kicked off her shoes and stretched out on the couch.
She was going to rest for a bit, then have something to eat. Instead, she fell into a deep sleep. Hours passed, slowly waking up, she squinted at the clock over the television. Realizing how late it was, she made her way to the bedroom and lay down again, not realizing how exhausted she was.
Virginia was awakened by the phone ringing early the next morning. Answering, she recognized the veterinarians’ voice.
“Mrs. Turner, I’m afraid I have some sad news. At ten minutes after eight this morning, Jack passed away. It was a combination of the bear attack injuries and the gunshot wound. I’m so sorry; I know what he meant to you and Frank.”
Virginia, with tears flowing down her cheeks asked, “Would you make the arrangements to have him cremated for us?”
“Yes, Mrs. Turner, we’ll take care of it. I’ll phone in a few days, and let you know when his ashes are ready.”
At the hospital, two doctors and several nurses were in Frank’s room. During the early morning, his condition had taken a turn for the worst. One doctor was listening with his stethoscope to Frank’s faint, erratic heartbeat, when he was startled by Frank’s sudden outburst.
“You old rascal, Jack.” He laughed. “Thank God you’re here, boy. I sure did miss you. I can’t wait to get back out to the forest.” Frank’s eyes were closed but he was smiling. He slowly inhaled and exhaled several times, then stopped breathing.
The doctors checked his vital signs and agreed he had expired. They pronounced him dead at eight twenty am. Phoning Virginia, the doctor passed on the unpleasant news.
She phoned the Carmichaels, who came right over. They drove her to the hospital and later helped with the funeral arrangements. They spent the evening back at the Turner home reminiscing about Frank and Jack’s adventures over the years.
She had Frank cremated, as was his wish. A few weeks later she took Frank and Jack’s ashes and spread them out in the forest. She now felt with the two of them gone, she would sell the little farm, and move into town.
Virginia only lived seven months, and passed away peacefully in her sleep. The Carmichaels saw that she was cremated and that her ashes were scattered in the same location as Frank and Jack’s were in the forest.
Ann told Harry about the dream Virginia had about three weeks before she passed, “Virginia told me she dreamed that she was walking near the forest edge, it was a beautiful, sunny day. She said as she neared the woods, Jack came running out of the forest, and started licking her hand. Then she looked up and Frank came walking out, smiling as he hugged her. She said Frank told her it was time, and he took her by the hand, and led her into the wonderful forest. Virginia said after that dream she felt finally at peace.”
The retired ranger wiped a tear from his eye after finishing that story. “Throughout the years many reports kept popping up. All about an old man and his German shepherd, roaming through the forest, helping people that were lost.”
“What an amazing story, I’ve heard about the old guy and his dog. I had no idea you were involved. Have you ever seen Frank Turner and his dog since they passed on?” Donny asked his grandfather.
“Many people claimed to have seen them, but so far as I can recall, I’ve not run across them yet.” He replied.
Rose turned her head slightly, trying to focus on where the strange music was coming from. Standing, she became a little startled. “Well I’ll be damned.”
Donny and his grandfather looked at Rose, and then they stood, looking in the same direction as she. There was an elderly man walking along side a German shepherd. The small group standing on the porch silently watched as the figure of the man and dog went happy dick’n along the edge of the forest.
Rose gasped as the old man and his dog stopped, turned toward the house. The man removed his ball cap, and waved it in a greeting to them.
Rose grabbed her chest, “Holy shit,” was all she could say as she stared without blinking.
The old ranger waved, and shouted to them, “Hello Frank! Hello Jack!”
The two figures turned, and then vanished into the musical forest. After they were out of sight, they could still hear the faint sound of Indian drums.
Rose spoke slowly, “Tell me that wasn’t them?”
The old ranger turned toward Donny and Rose, “Looks like the reports are true. Good to know they’re still helpin’ folks out.”