Chapter 1: Waiting Room (Fugazi)
POV: AMARI
Burning anxiety ripples through my body as I anxiously wait in the Emergency Room for any updates on Candace that I can report back to her family and mine. The emergency room is quiet, with only the hum of vending machines, coffee machines, and the soft chatter of the medical staff. My calloused hands pull at my curly black hair as I think back to the last few months. It is remarkable to believe that a woman I met just over two months ago could have such a profound impact on my family’s lives. She did so much for my love, Hadley, and my Godson, Cody. Going well beyond the care and medical attention a normal nurse would provide. She genuinely showed care and concern for their well-being, treating them as more than just her patients by dedicating endless hours beyond her work to provide comfort and friendship. Just talking with her, she doesn’t show judgment or pity in her eyes. She genuinely cares and offers her strength to help all of us pull through such a hardship after the car crash that put both Hadley and Cody in a coma. In such a short span of knowing Candace, my family has adored her and accepted her as our own.
One obvious thing about Candace is that she is a fighter for those she loves and cares for. Now, we need her to fight for herself and pull through the darkness that drowns her memories caused by her injuries. Knowing the involvement of Giocolano’s goons who kidnapped and harmed her, I am waiting for an update from the Bianchi Family to know what the retribution will be. I do not know what is worse: waiting for the verdict on Candace’s condition or watching my burner phone and learning the following words across that plastic piece of junk that we are at war. That is where we are now: in a battle between mafia families, and we are their collateral damage. Never in my life did I think I would have to fight enemies on my own soil.
What is Franco’s angle with us? This feud goes way beyond a rivalry between Franco Giocolano and Anthony Bianchi. Their poisonous roots have spread like invasive weeds, leaving a trail of victims in their wake. Are we just pawns in this game of chess? Why target King’s Ranch? Why target the Professional Bull Riding Organization? I understand that David had his own affiliation tied to them, but why would Franco continue the charade? Too many what-ifs and not enough answers. Not anymore, they have messed with the wrong families, and every one of them will get what they deserve. They already caused harm to Hadley and Cody with the car crash, attempting to kidnap Cody, another car crash injuring River Hendrix, trying to murder one of King’s Ranch’s prized bulls, and now this. This is all after David was killed. It is like they are the Greek mythological Lernaean Hydra; you chop off one head, and two grow back. Just like the hydra, we need to identify its weakness and cauterize it at the source to prevent duplication. My instinct tells me the source is no longer Franco but someone who is in the shadows, sinister and more sociopathic. I don’t know who is pulling the strings, but I am going to find out.
I called in a couple of favors for my brother and sister-in-arms. Currently, they are watching over Donovan’s for me while I am here with Candace. I cannot leave them unprotected, and at this point, there are very few people I can trust with their lives. Keeping Hadley and Cody calm amid the numerous unknowns surrounding Candace is a challenge. They know something happened to her, but I can’t let their anxiety rise, causing any issues with their recovery. Thank God our team flew out here to help. Hadley and I, our Army team, were deployed to the Middle East twice. We have been rotating surveillance and gathering intel. Merging with the group from King’s Ranch, we might be able to stay a step ahead.
Currently, Jack Jenson, a man I met in the hospital where Hadley and Cody are located, is meeting with the Bianchis. He seems cunning and sharp, like a blade ready to be pulled. I have yet to understand his whole story, but there is darkness lurking in his past. You can see the pain of memories that haunt him in his eyes, even with his stoic mannerisms. One who lives with PTSD can read it through another’s eyes. My instinct is that his pursuit of redemption will lead us to the intel we need to alter the game in our favor. Deciding to keep him close but learn all I can about him and his friends, I have had Gadget, my genius tech guy from my team, complete a thorough background check, and nothing significant has come up in our search.
From the corner of my eye, a tall, built older man with tanned skin from years in the sun, a cowboy hat in his hand, his large, calloused hands running through his salt-and-pepper hair and goatee, walks up to the Information Desk where the nurse resides, asking about Candace. Catching my attention, I stand to walk carefully towards the man, believing this could be William, or ‘Pa’ as everyone calls him. The nurse gives him the same update that I heard thirty minutes ago, and he nods politely.
“William?” I call out. The man in question turns toward me and gives me a polite nod.
“Are you Amari?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Can you tell me any more than what the nurse shared?” Since he is not officially related to Candace, they will only provide limited information.
“I found Candace unconscious and face down in a snow-covered ditch during the snowstorm we drove through. She was still wearing the nurse’s attire she had on earlier that day. Her leg looked twisted as she lay on the ground, and she had a large bruise covering her head. My guess is she has hypothermia, a concussion, and possibly a broken bone in her leg or ankle. I really do not know if she has any other injuries. Not waiting for the bus to reach us, I carefully transported her here, as I mentioned in my text message. When she came briefly, Candace had no recollection of who I, Donovan, or any of you were. At that moment, she had nothing but confusion across her face, and then she went unconscious again. We were in the process of transferring her onto a gurney for the medical team to begin assisting her
. I have not heard of any further updates since.”
“Thank you. Please call me Pa. I know Candace has mentioned how kind your family has been to her and how much she adores Cody. It means a lot to our family that you were willing to drop everything to save her.”
“She means a lot to my family, sir, and that is what we do. We serve and protect those that we care for.”
“Military?” Pa has a curious look on his face as he examines me.
“Yes, sir. Sergeant First Class Army Medic. I served Hadley. She was my Master Sergeant when we were on tour in the Middle East.” Pa gives a thoughtful nod.
“Thank you for your service to our country, Amari. Did I hear correctly that you are now working as an EMT?”
“Yes, sir. After my Honorable Discharge, I became an EMT in the same area where Zach and I grew up. Zach was Hadley’s husband.”
“Wow, service to others must be in your blood, and it is very honorable of you. Again, thank you.” I always feel awkward in this type of response, so what else can I do besides a small smile and a nod? “At some point, I would love to hear more about Hadley and Cody. They sound like wonderful people. Just wish we were able to meet under better circumstances.”
“Yes, I think they would have liked that as well. They seem quite taken by Candace; she is already someone they have adopted as their own, which doesn’t happen very easily.”
“What do you know about what is happening with the situation?” Clearly, he knows enough not to go into detail.
“I have my fair share of details, sir, but I fear it is still not enough. Once Candace is stabilized, it would be best if we all met to get on the same page about what we know. That way, we might have a chance to stay a step ahead of the… bullshit.” Stuttering to find the right word in front of the audience around us leaves Pa chuckling.
“Bullshit is right, Amari. Yes, I believe that is a good approach. When will they be released from the hospital?”
“If all goes well, they might be able to be released by the end of the week. Cody could have already been released, but Hadley wanted him to be close to her. They moved him into her room now that she is more stable.”
“Do they have a secure place to stay?”
“Um, well, they do have their house, but I wouldn’t call it secure.”
“After everything that has been happening, we have upped our security at the Ranch to rival Fort Knox.” Pa chuckles at the thought, “Cas has done an impressive job of making the ranch secure. He was able to eliminate the remaining accomplices of David’s from the ranch, and they hightailed it back to their hideout. If you or Donovan ever need a place to stay, we still have a few cabins available. There are also rooms in the big house. The invite is open to you all until this situation gets resolved.”
Wow, did this stranger really offer us a place to live in safety? How do people like him exist? I must look comical with my eyes bugged out and mouth gaping like a guppy.
“Don’t be so shocked, Amari. There is no pressure, but I am sure everyone would enjoy having you with us. Plus, Cody would love the ranch’s animals. Sydnee has several horses she has trained for riding, as well as two dogs. Heck, the girl would have a zoo of her own if she could. Plus, Ashton could give the kid a couple of shows as he practices at the arena on the bulls.” There is a twinkle of love in Pa’s eyes as he reminisces about his daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law.
I am rendered speechless. Damn, this would be perfect if I didn’t have my team with me.
“Well, sir, not to be disrespectful, but given the circumstances, I have called in a few of my friends from the service to help as well. I would not want to leave them.”
“Well, of course, they could stay as well. The more, the merrier. As I mentioned, we had some ranch hands unexpectedly depart once we caught onto them, so we have extra cabins available.”
I must be in some fiction novel right now, where, in a time of peril, the character of the story meets a crazy older man with a heart of gold. This can’t be real.
Pa continues, “I will require a background check from Cas, but if everyone checks out, you are welcome to stay.” That makes sense; I do the same with anyone my family encounters. Thanks again to Gadget’s apps, which he produced for me.
“Wow, thank you, sir.” Taking a moment to gather my wits, “Let me discuss it with Handley and my team and get back to you.” Honestly, this could be perfect. I don’t have the funds to invest in the security we need. We could check out what measures they have put in place and decide if, for the time being, we will stay at King’s Ranch.
“Sounds good.” Pa turns his head to the couple that entered through the sliding glass doors of the emergency room.
The couple looks to be close in age to Pa. The woman is bundled in a snow jacket, boots, gloves, and a wool hat. Her eyes are red and puffy, suggesting she has been crying for a while. The man is wearing similar attire, complete with round-framed glasses, and looks exhausted to the bone.
“Carter, Rena,” Pa walks over, giving a bear hug to the woman and a firm handshake to the man, “I am so sorry your daughter is here and through this. What else can we do to help?” The woman goes back into Pa’s arms, bawling her eyes out, trembling in his arms, as the man shakes his head, deflated and too in shock to produce words. These people must be Candace’s parents. God, please give them strength.
