When she woke up, the sky looked gloomy and overcast, and she noticed she had moved to a different room, and this room had color. Oh my God, I'm dying. No one was around, and she thought, I'm going to die all alone. There were flowers everywhere, at least twenty flower arrangements.
She looked at her body and noticed the tubes in her side were gone, and they were replaced with bandages. There were black and blue marks that ran all the way up to her shoulder. What could have made marks like that? Was she in a car wreck? She was too scared to look under the bandage.
The nurse's button was next to her hand, and she pushed it. Within a few minutes, a nurse entered the room, smiling. "I'm glad you're awake. You look my much better, do you feel better?"
She barely could talk. "Hi," she forced out that one word.
"Let me get you some water to wet your whistle." She went to the bathroom for some water, and then poured some in the glass. Realizing she didn't have a straw she went to the nurses'
station to get one.
Lana wouldn't wait. She drank three glasses of water before stopping. It tasted so good, the nurse poured her some more. "The medicines you're taking make you thirsty. You've had a lot of visitors, and as you can see the many flowers. All the nurses were wondering whom these good looking guys are, the ones carrying guns."
"I don't know," she mustered a barely audible answer.
"Every time they come, they bring you flowers. You couldn't have flowers in intensive care, but since you've been out, the guys come by at least twice a day with flowers. You are a lucky girl to be loved so much."
Lana had no clue what she was talking about.
"Are you some kind of cop? There have been many cops come by to check on you, and there's one outside keeping an eye on you. Do you want me to get him?"
She nodded yes.
Joe walked in and sat next to her, and gently squeezed her hand. "How are you feeling?"
All she could do was shrug her shoulders.
"I text Mike to let him know you're awake, and he's on his way. He's getting a coffee in the cafeteria. You know you are one tough lady."
A few words she could whisper. "You just noticed?" She smiled, she sure loved Joe.
He rolled his head back in laughter and said, "I've got to go back outside, but Mike will be here in a few minutes." He reached down and kissed her on the forehead and walked out to sit in the chair.
The pain was unbearable, so she buzzed the nurse to bring her bag of tricks. Within seconds, she fell asleep.
Even running to the room, he didn't make it before she fell asleep. The next best thing was to stare at her, he could spend hours just watching her. If she moved only an inch, he jumped up and checked on her. He didn't want her to be in any pain. If she needed moving he moved her.
Since he was much stronger than the nurses, he could move her gently. He couldn't stand for her to be cold, so he had her favorite patch work quilt brought from home. Whatever made her life easier—he did it.
*****
He saw her open one eye, and he walked over and cupped her head with his hands and said,
"Hi baby, I have missed you and I'm glad you're back. Do you need anything?" There was no doubt that Mike would have gotten her the moon. He kissed the corner of her mouth. He thought her face felt warm. Maybe the blanket was too much. He pulled it off her. A quiver of panic enveloped him.
"Just some water," she managed a whisper. He noticed her eyes didn't look well. He started to worry about her.
"You got it!" He left and brought her some water, then he went to the nurse's station to get her a straw and ice chips.
He put the straw to her lips, and she drank several cups of water. When she drank the water, it hurt when it went down her windpipe. She told Mike. "I thought I died."
He wasn't expecting that statement at all. "Why would you think that?
"All the flowers."
"Oh baby, all the flowers are because we love you. You are so cute." He pulled the chair up to the bed and held her hand while rubbing it against his cheek. He had to be touching her.
"Mike that hurts, you have whiskers."
"Oh baby I just love you so much. I'm so glad you're doing better," he said. The nurse came and took all her vitals and told Mike he needed to leave. She told him her blood pressure was up, and she was running a fever. The nurse immediately paged the doctor.
His heart sank because he knew that was not good news. He kissed her on the forehead and reluctantly left. "I'll be right outside if you need me."
She nodded, not wanting to let go of his hand, she didn't know why, but she didn't want to let go. She felt as though it might be the last time she would touch him. She mouthed the words, I love you.
He blew her a kiss. That was all he could do, his lips were quivering. What hurt him the most was she didn't want him to leave, he could tell. She squeezed his hand as if to say don't leave me. He prayed. "Please God, give her the strength to get through this, she needs you more now that she ever has before."
*****
Mike watched as the doctor examined his baby. The nurse took blood as the doctor ordered tests. Mike noticed the doctor shook his head, not a promising sight to watch. The doctors and nurses always smiled when they walked out of her room—not now. Mike didn't want to interrupt the doctor until he wrote all the details in the chart. Mike paced in the hallway outside the room waiting, dreading to hear the grim news. When the doctor finished, Mike couldn't wait another minute and walked in. "How is she?" Three words he hoped he would never have to say again, memories of Kathy flooded his mind. Mike's heart nearly beat out of his chest. He wanted to crawl on that bed and hold her… make her pain go away… make her better.
"Not good, she's running a high fever, and her organs have started to shut down one by one.
We are treating her with antibiotics and let's hope for the best. Her body has been through so much." Dr. Orsburn wished he had better news for Mike.
"Are you telling me that she's dying?" Mike choked up and couldn't bear that thought. His entire body hurt.
"I hope not, so let's hope the antibiotics work, and her fight for life will prevail." Dr.
Orsburn knew anything was possible. People died when they were not as sick as Lana. But many in worse shape recuperated. It was in God's hands now.
"Do you think the antibiotics will help?" This gave him a glimmer of hope. Mike trusted Dr.
Orsburn's opinion.
"I hope so." The doctor answered honestly.
"Do you know where the infection is?" Mike was worried someone came in and gave her the flu or some kind of virus.
"I think the infection is in her lung. Because of the infection her heart has enlarged, and she's having trouble breathing. We are giving her oxygen. If she can get through the next few days—
she should be home free." He couldn't help himself but to put his hand on Mike's shoulder. Most of the time he tried not to get too close to the families, but he knew Mike was in such despair.
"Is there anything I can do?" Mike asked.
"Pray if you're a praying man."
His parents raised him Catholic, and he knew there was a God who could heal her. "Thank you, doctor."
The doctor shook Mike's hand, and then he was gone.
Mike paced around Lana's room. Other than her face looking flushed, she appeared to be sleeping peacefully. He stopped his pacing and stood by her bed. He took her hand and softly talked to her, encouraging her. "Baby, fight this infection, please. I need you beside me, with me, all our lives. You promised me fifty years. God I love you so much." He choked up and wept next to her.
Raymond and Joe had been standing in the doorway when they heard the dreadful news.
They knew how Mike would react to another death. At least with Kathy, Mike had time to prepare his heart. With Lana, he had no time to prepare. Guilt filled all their hearts. There were many - what ifs - going through their minds, especially Joe.
Raymond was the first to say something as he walked in Lana's room. "Mike, we know who did this, and as Lana gets better we will hunt him down like a dog. But right now we have to be strong for her. She will want to see your smile when she wakes up, and I want you to focus on that. In the meantime, Joe and I can work on the investigation."
Mike knew that he would not let the shooter get by with this, even if he had to quit the marshals and hunt him down on his own. "Raymond we have to find him or he'll come back and finish the job." From his experience as a cop, he knew this asshole would not quit until Lana was dead. If Ken was right, and he was paid to kill—he wouldn't get paid unless she's dead.
"I know he will, but we'll get him before he can get to Lana." Raymond was a little concerned about what Mike might do. Not only could this guy walk in the hospital, they wouldn't know it's him. There's only one person who would know him, Lana.
Mike could see the doctor at the end of the hall, and he had to talk to him one more time.
"Doctor, may I talk to you in private?"
"Sure, let's step into this room, it's empty."
Raymond waited in the hospital hall for Mike to return, when Sara called. "Hi Raymond I have some good news."
"I need to hear good news right now."
"I looked up everything on your guy, Angelino Marquit, and I couldn't find much. So, I had to get help from the Director's office to get permission to access his files."
"Why?"
"Apparently he is wanted all over the world, and the FBI has a special team to catch him."
"That's not unheard of especially when a serial killer is involved." This is the same thing Ken told him.
"He is a highly paid killer—getting $100,000 per bullet. He works with the Italian mafia and many of the gambling bosses. Apparently they are the only ones that can hire him and apparently the only ones who can find him. Nobody is sure where he lives or where he was born, or they aren't telling. But you know me, after pulling a few strings in the bureau I found out they lost him in Birmingham Alabama. He pulled one of his disguises. And guess where Peter Waters had been last seen?"
"Birmingham?"
"You got it, and coincidently Peter had a connecting flight from Birmingham to Charlotte to Boston."
"That's no coincidence," said Raymond.
"This guy is good."
"Does the FBI know where he is now?"
"They aren't telling, or at least they are not telling me and you know I would find out if any way possible. This is a first for me," said Sara.
"This is a first for me. I'll call Craven to get some releases. Keep plugging away, and let me know what you find."
"You know I will. Please tell Mike how sorry I am about Lana."
"I will, and keep her in your prayers."
"I already am, and I'll call you with more new later," said Sara.
"Bye," Raymond hung snapped his phone shut.
Chapter 38
It was a cold and cloudy day when Lana left this earth. Just the kind of weather she liked.
All the men came in to say goodbye, except Joe. He couldn't come in, his heart was breaking.
Mike asked the nurse to leave him alone with his baby because he had to talk to her one last time . "Oh God, give me strength," he said out loud. His eyes filled with tears as he looked at her lifeless face. "Lana, I know you can't hear me, and I'm not going to say goodbye. I just met you, and I'm not ready for goodbye. I love you so much. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to go back to the beach house and see your stuff there and remember you in every room. Looking at the jersey you wore and listening to the songs we shared and held each other. All along, I knew you were scared, and I wasn't there for you. I let you go outside against my better judgment." He reached over to touch her cold face, and he couldn't stand her being cold. There were several blankets on the bed, so he pulled them all up and tucked her in tight. "Honey, please forgive Joe for not coming in to say goodbye. He can't right now. He is heartbroken. All of us have grown to love you." He reached down and kissed her cheek and went back to the chair to sit down and sobbed uncontrollably.
Joe sat outside the room hearing Mike's goodbye to Lana, and his heart was breaking, and he too sobbed.
After several minutes, he sat on the bed next to his beloved Lana and whispered, "I can't leave you—I just can't. My entire soul is hurting, and I want you back so badly. Several doctors and nurses came by and told me that I needed to leave, but I can't. Someone has to stay with you until we bury you, and I will be the one." He paused and took a deep breath. "Baby, the doctor let me hold your hand at the end. And I'm glad I was there for you because I couldn't imagine you dying alone. I didn't want you to leave without me at your side. Oh honey, I miss you already,"
he said sobbing like a baby.
Holding her hand, he remembered Lana telling him about the guilt she felt for her cousin.
She told him how she hurt when he died. He told her that he would carry that burden for her, and now he wondered who would help him carry his burden—he hoped that might be Lana. He didn't understand how God could send her to him, let him fall in love and then let her die. When Lana and Mike discussed his work and the possibility of him dying, she said, "I would rather have a few wonderful years with you than fifty years of nothing." Neither one them dreamed it would be only a few days.
As Mike sat there holding her hand crying, a nurse walked in, a little short nurse who waddled when she walked. She had on scrubs, and they were rolled up at the ankle. Her hair was combed perfect in the front, short with bangs. The back looked like a rats nest. She tried to fix only the hair she could see. "I'm looking for a Mike Ramsey?"
"I'm Mike Ramsey."
"Ms. Andrews wanted me to give this to you if she passed away." And just like that she handed it to him and walked off, waddling.
When he first looked at it, he smelled it, and she could smell Lana on the envelope, and he can see her little hand folding the paper. He didn't want to open it, but he knew he needed to see what last words she wrote to him. His hands were shaking terribly, and he sat next to her body.
He could picture her lying there writing this.
My Dearest Mike,
I'm watching you sleep in the chair next to me, and it brings tears to my eyes to know when you get this note I'll be gone. You are the most incredible man who wandered into my life, just when I needed you most. I fell in love with you the minute I saw you. I too wanted to kiss you and touch you at that moment. You make my heart and soul smile. I wish I had many years with you, but we don't get that choice. If I can, I will look down on you, and I will smile with the fondest of memories. The first night you made love to me was one of the most precious memories I ever had. Your touch broke so many barriers to my heart. You made me feel again. Please my friend, lover, and companion; remember me. Remember the feelings we had, and I want you to have that feeling again. I want you to live a fulfilled life, and tell Joe there is a perfect woman for him. And tell him true love is out there because we found it.
I love you to infinity, Lana
Oh God, help me, he thought as he held her letter next to his heart. This one piece of paper he would never part with, ever. His heart hurt so much he thought he might have a heart attack. If it weren't for catching Angelino Marquit, he would welcome a heart attack. In his mind, he said his name over and over again. He knew he would kill him and say Lana's name as he died. Hate for Angelino Marquit filled his heart and his goal was to catch him and kill him. Mike's thoughts were interrupted.
"I'm sorry I was told Lana Andrews is in this room." The funeral home attendant looked down at his paper; he wanted to make sure he had the right room.
"This is her room, and I'm Mike Ramsey. I'll be escorting the body and staying with her through the funeral."
"What?" The kid looked at him dumbfounded. He wasn't expecting this at all.
Mike pulled out his badge and showed it to the attendant. He had his hand on his gun to show he meant business. This guy appeared to the right height for the killer, and he didn't want to take any chances. "I need to see your driver's license."
The attendant reached for his wallet and showed Mike his ID, and he asked, "What's going on?"
"She was under protective custody, and now my final assignment is to stay with her until she is buried."
"Okay, no problem." This was a first for him, but heck he didn't care, he just had to deliver the body to the funeral home.
Mike was going to take the sheet off, but the attendant stopped him and said, "We can take the sheet and keep her covered."
"She would appreciate that, thanks."
Mike gently picked Lana up and put her in the black bag and zipped it up, and the attendant put his ear plug in his ears to listen to music. It was obvious he had done this before, like a second nature to him. They walked out the room without saying a word.
Joe sat outside the room crying as the gurney rolled past him. Mike put his hand on his shoulder. "You can go home Joe, I'll take over from here."
Joe touched the black bag and sobbed. "Goodbye Lana." He walked off so heartbroken he couldn't stand it. His shoulders shook as he sobbed.
As Mike walked down the hall of the hospital, all his men were lined up with their badge numbers covered with black tape. They put their hands across their hearts as she rolled past them.
*****
As he promised, Mike stayed with Lana until the moment she was buried in the ground.