A Rescued Heart(20)
Author: Natalie Replogle

After a quick conversation with her family and his pointed recommendation that someone stay with her until he could return, he left, reassuring them that he would call with an update.

Once inside his squad car he decided to call dispatch and get a cruiser to Kim’s house just to be safe since traffic was heavy at this time of day.

His heart sank when dispatch replied that an officer had been called to that address fifteen minutes earlier. He should go back inside and let Ava know, but he didn’t want to add anymore unneeded stress to her day. He would go and check out Kim’s house first, find out why they had been called, and then let Ava in the loop.

Matt prayed for Kim as he merged into traffic. At this moment it was the best and only thing he could do for her. “Lord, help us not to be too late. Keep Kim safe. Protect her.” His prayer bounced around in the empty space of his interior.

Matt pulled into Kim’s driveway fifteen minutes later. An ambulance parked in front of her house along with two other squad cars. As he rushed up to the front door he noticed an officer talking to the next door neighbor. He made a mental note to find out what information she gave in her statement. The front door hung open and Matt rushed in. The EMTs had just loaded Kim onto a gurney and were strapping her down.

Matt turned his head away at the sight of Kim. It wasn’t often that a domestic abuse made him nauseous, but the surprise of seeing Kim’s battered body made him want to fall to his knees and lose his lunch. At least she wasn’t zipped up in a black body bag, but by the looks of things, she wasn’t far from it.

Matt caught the attention of the middle-aged EMT woman whose skin turned paler by the minute. “How is she?”

“Critical. Many broken bones, low blood pressure, probably internal bleeding.” She secured the last strap and looked up at her partner. “All set. Let’s roll.”

Matt backed out of their way as they wheeled Kim out to the ambulance. As they closed the doors, he made his way outside and walked around to the side to jump in on the neighbor’s statement. The elderly woman had a plump figure that reminded him of his belated grandma. The woman wrung her hands together as she spoke.

Matt walked into the conversation mid-sentence, “… and then I saw him run out the back door and into the street behind our houses and leave in his truck.”

“How long ago did that happen?” the officer asked.

“Right about the time I heard the sirens.”

“What color was the attacker’s truck?”

“A rusty red color, I believe. It was too far away for me to give you a make or license plate number.”

“That’s okay. Can you tell us what he was wearing?”

She paused, taking a moment to remember. “I think he had on jeans and a gray T-shirt, with a navy blue or black baseball hat on. I’m sorry, it all just happened so fast.”

Matt looked down at the officer’s tablet, cheating by taking a peek at her name. “Mrs. Marron, I’m Sergeant Thompson.” He stuck out his hand for her to shake. “You are doing a great job and we appreciate any information you can give us. Can you tell me if the man you saw running away from here was the same guy who’d been currently living here, or was it someone different?”

“I … um … can’t say for sure. I didn’t get a good look at his face because of the hat. But the truck looked like the man’s that lived here. I never met him. Only saw him from a distance.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “I knew that poor girl was in trouble, I should have called for help sooner than today. I didn’t want to be a nosy neighbor.”

Matt wondered how many other situations could have been stopped if someone had stood up and said something. How many lives would be changed right now if someone had the courage to speak up? Domestic abuse usually stayed a hidden lifestyle. Many people could cover the secret with finesse while neighbors, family members, and friends were left in the dark. Some may have an idea, but not enough to approach. It was a fine line that many people never crossed.

The other officer spoke up, “Mrs. Marron, you have done great. You probably saved Miss Davis’s life by calling the police when you heard her screaming. Today you were her hero.”

Matt excused himself to take a walk around the outskirts of Kim’s property. After rounding the house twice to look for anything out of place and also to blow off some steam, he ventured back into the house to see how things progressed inside. The technicians had started their search for fingerprints and any fibers that would testify as to who was here. Their prime suspect would be Ray, but in case Kim didn’t make it or was unable to tell them her attacker, they needed evidence to insure he would be punished for his crime.

Matt needed to call and check up on Ava. But if he called to get an update on her, she would want one on Kim. A lump grew in his throat as he envisioned having to share this news with her. She would be crushed.

Matt stroked his face, debating on the best plan of action. He wasn’t needed here. There wasn’t much more he could add that someone else wasn’t doing. He would just be in the way. Plus, his procrastination wasn’t going to make the blow any less painful for Ava. Making his way outside, he took a few minutes to regroup with the officer that had taken the neighbor’s statement. An alert had gone out for the arrest of Ray as a suspect. The search for him was already set in motion.

As he climbed into his car he decided to run to the hospital to get an update on Kim before he faced the dreaded task of telling Ava what horror had befallen her friend.

Matt and Ava walked the halls at the hospital, waiting to hear a report about Kim’s surgery. The ER had been unexpectedly busy for the early morning hours and Ava jumped at the chance to get some space and finally move to a private waiting room near the surgical floor.

When Matt had told her about Kim, she’d broken down and cried while he held her. In his line of work he oftentimes had to be the bearer of bad news to people, but to give it to someone he loved and cherished was an emotion he had yet to encounter.

When her door swung open he had tried to ignore how vulnerable Ava looked, engulfed in an oversized robe with fuzzy slippers peeking out from underneath. Being the first time he’d seen her without makeup or her hair done, she was still a breath of fresh air.

Over the last couple of hours determination had replaced Ava’s earlier sadness. A new strength sprouted from her as she prepared to support her new friend.

They passed a coffee stand just outside the cafeteria. “Can I get you another cup of coffee?” Matt asked while he wrapped his hand around her icy fingers.

“Sure. My first cup is wearing off.” He caught her yawning as he filled her cup. The coffee had a burnt aftertaste, but the caffeine would do its job and bring her back to life. The steam whirled from the top as he handed her the Styrofoam cup filled with rejuvenation.

“How are you holding up?” Matt rubbed her arm, fighting the urge to wrap her in his arms, but this was not the place or time.

“I just can’t believe this is happening, Matt. Kim was finally getting her life together.”

“I know.” They stepped to the side to allow two nurses to pass through the hallway. He still wore his uniform and picked up on the looks it created.

“Any news on Ray yet?” With Ray still on the run, yet to be caught, Matt felt unsettled by the fact that he could be anywhere. Especially since he had already gone after Ava once.

“Not yet. Will you please reconsider getting a restraining order and lying low until he is caught? It would keep a few gray hairs away from me.”

She smirked while running her fingers through his hair. “I don’t think Ray cares about me. He just wanted to scare me. He is probably more concerned about getting out of town than coming after me.”

“Ava, that man is crazy. We can’t predict what he will do.”

She blew lightly across the top of her coffee and took a small sip. She took a deep breath, taking her time to answer. He couldn’t tell if her delay came as a good sign or not. Ava had a stubborn streak in her.

“Okay, I will file the restraining order, keep a low profile, and see if one of my brothers will move in to my apartment with me until Ray is found.”

He breathed his first sigh of relief since the moment he heard what Ray had done to her. “Thank you.”

“I figure that’s the advice I would give Kim, so I should probably take it myself.” Her eyes began to mist at the mention of Kim’s name.

“Hey.” He lifted her chin with his finger, careful not to touch the bruise staring back at him, reminding him, haunting him, that he hadn’t been there to protect her. “Kim is a strong woman and she can still turn this around.” He threw all caution to the wind and leaned into her, invading her space. “I happen to know an incredible woman who took the broken pieces of her life and built a stronger one in its place.”

He kissed her with a gentle touch and yet long enough for her to get the point. Ava cleared her throat. “This woman must have had an amazing, good looking, and supportive man to help her along the way.”

“Ah, he was just along for the ride.”

“You’re being very modest, Sergeant Thompson.” Her eyes sparkled while they flirted. She traced her fingers over the detail in his uniform.

“No, I’m just in love.”

“Oh Matthew.” She spoke his name with a tenderness that gripped his heart. He had so much he wanted to share with her, but a sterile hallway with an audience didn’t seem very romantic. He put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her head while leading them down toward the elevators. “Come on, let’s go check on Kim.”

They arrived at the waiting room and met Kim’s sister, Stephanie, who had just gotten into town and informed them that she was taking Tessa back with her until Ray was caught. Once things settled down she would bring Tessa back and help out while Kim recuperated.

The doctor walked in briskly after 4:00 a.m. and said the surgery went well and that they were able to stop the internal bleeding. Kim would be in pain for a while because of her broken ribs, arm and leg, and until the swelling went down around her right eye, they wouldn’t know how much vision she’d lost from the blows. The doctor seemed optimistic about sending her home in the next few days. They had Kim in recovery and a nurse said she’d come and get them when she was awake and ready for visitors.

That time came just before the sun started to rise. They stood outside Kim’s door while Stephanie took the first visit so she could get back to Kim’s house and clean up the remains of the horrendous night before Tessa got home.

Now that Kim was out of surgery and coherent, they were able to get her statement to confirm what they already knew. Ray had attacked her. An officer took up post guarding the door until Ray was in custody. They would not take any chances of Ray coming back to finish the job. He hoped that Ava understood the precautions they took for Kim and wouldn’t give him grief when he encouraged those precautions for her also. She seemed on board … for now.

Ava looked up at Matt through bloodshot eyes. Exhaustion laced her movements. She would need a day to recuperate from being up all night. He didn’t weather as rough from sleepless nights like she did. It wasn’t uncommon for him to miss a night of sleep. And he wouldn’t sleep well until they found Ray and had him locked away.

“Would it be okay if I went in by myself to talk with Kim?” Ava asked. Her determination had returned and he wasn’t up for an argument. The sight of Kim would be terrible, but it wasn’t his decision as to whether Ava could handle the sight alone.

“Sure. I need to make a few calls anyway. I’ll be down at the end of the hall if you need me.” He brushed his thumb along her cheek and reluctantly left her side.

Ava watched Matt walk away and wondered if she was crazy to do this alone. Stephanie came out of the room and stopped her from calling Matt back. Kim was awake and asking for her. With a final glance at Matt, deep in discussion on his cell phone, she made her way into the room and took the empty chair by the bed.

Kim’s right eye was matted shut by the swelling. Her face was also swollen with bruises and cuts, concealing the beauty she once held. A blanket covered her battered body. Ava sighed in relief. It was hard enough to see her face. She couldn’t imagine what her body looked like.

“Ava?” Kim mumbled, only able to open her swollen mouth a small amount from the left side. She opened her good eye with effort and fixed her gaze on Ava.

“Right here, Kim.”

“I’m sorry Ray came after you. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“I do. This is all my fault.” Her voice caught.

“I would do it all over again to help you, Kim. Please don’t blame yourself.”

“I’ve made a horrible mess of my life. Is God punishing me?”

“Oh Kim, that’s not how God works. He loves you and out of that love gives us all the freedom to make our own choices. Sometimes bad consequences come from poor choices and sometimes bad things happen to make us work at becoming a better person.”

“I’ve made so many bad choices in my life and it seems even my good choices turn against me.” A monitor went off which sent a nurse rushing in to check her vitals. Ava took the moment to collect her thoughts.

Ava waited until the nurse left to keep their conversation private. “You’re a strong woman, Kim, you can turn your life around.” Matt’s words echoed in her thoughts.

“Where do I go from here?” She coughed and groaned from the pain. Ava fed her ice chips to help with her dry mouth.

“You take time to heal and then face one day at a time. You no longer have to live in fear, and that’s a great place to start.”

Rebuilding her life would not be easy and many obstacles would be in her way, but Matt told her that once they found Ray he would be locked up for a long time. Without him around, Kim would be able to rest and get back on her feet quickly. She was finally free from a life of bondage.