Page 53 of Rekindle My Heart

Chapter 13

“We have a multi-vehicle accident on Division and Oak Street. Multiple injuries reported,” the dispatch call announced.

Erica and Garrett were the first to the rescue truck while Finn and Rivera followed in the fire engine. As lead medic on the scene, Erica would need to assess injuries first. AFD was the main paramedic unit as well as the fire and other rescue for the city. If they needed backup, it would take up to twenty minutes for the ambulance to come from the neighboring city.

As they pulled out of the barn, Garrett flipped on the lights and sirens. Erica read off the directions and double-checked the traffic. All clear up to the block of the accident.

As they pulled up to the scene, Erica grinned. “Not bad today. You only had to lay on the horn once.”

“Stupid people,” Garrett muttered. “You would think the big red truck in their rearview would be a clue to move over.”

Not to mention they were coming in with full lights and sound. It still surprised Erica at how people could drive without actually paying attention to their surroundings.

They inched closer as the gawkers parted for them. She took in the steam from the engine compartment on the commercial truck. Something in her stomach tightened. How bad was the other vehicle? Or vehicles? Every accident was different and following procedure saved lives, but something about this one had her insides in knots. She hadn’t even gotten out of the vehicle yet, and she knew it would be bad.

“The delivery truck is leaking fuel.” Garrett radioed Rivera and Finn. They were out of the truck and pulled out the solvent and cleaner before it could catch fire. All it would take was one spark.

With the spill being handled, she and Garrett grabbed the medic bags and headed to the vehicles involved. Thankfully, there were only the two.

Officers were setting up a perimeter, and they flagged them in. She stopped first at the truck driver holding his head. He was talking and waved her off.

“I don’t know what happened. It’s like my tire blew out just like that.” He snapped his fingers. “The guy is still in the Jeep. I think he’s hurt bad.”

Erica handed him off to Garrett and jogged to the gray Cherokee. The ball in her stomach squeezed tighter. Acid worked its way up her esophagus before the people standing around the vehicle moved. Before she got a look at the driver, she knew.

“Ryan.” She pushed the bystanders aside and gasped when she got a look at the damage. She forced back her lunch, which threatened to make a reappearance.

Do the job. Assess the situation. Critical first. She hadn’t had to utter those words in years, but this was personal. She inhaled to the point of bursting her lungs, then her mind clicked into work mode.

No way they were getting that door open without help. She grabbed her radio. “We need the jaws-of-life. Stat.”

“Daniels. Can you hear me?” She knocked on the glass, but he didn’t move. No. No. No. “Ryan, it’s Erica. We’ll get you out. Can you open your eyes?”

She pulled out a tool and shattered the window. Carefully, with gloved hands, she pulled the spider-webbed glass from the door, then pulled off the glove and reached in to check his pulse. A soft rhythm beat under her fingers.

“Thank you, Jesus.” She assessed his injuries, and his pulse and heart rate were good.

The guys brought the tool that opened the bent metal like a can opener. The next few minutes were filled with the sounds of saws and grinders as they freed Ryan’s legs from the wreckage. Once she had him fully braced, they moved him to a back board and got him on the gurney.

Ryan groaned, then his eyes fluttered as they loaded him into the rescue truck.

“Hey, can you tell me your name?” Erica asked while monitoring his blood pressure and dressing his head wound.

“Did you forget?” His words were weak, but his usual smartass comments were definitely working just fine.

“Humor me.”

“Ryan David Daniels.” His voice was soft but clear.

“Good. Are you in pain?” She attached the leads to track his vitals. The monitor beeped, and she stopped it with a tap of a button. At his pained look, she started an IV for meds. “What happened?”

“I heard a shot, then I couldn’t steer. Another shot, then the truck hit me.”

“Shot?” Was she hearing him correctly? She leaned closer. “Did you say shot, as in a bullet?”

“Yeah.” He swallowed. “Gun shot. It sounded like a rifle.”

Erica’s mouth went dry. She reassessed him, this time looking for bullet holes.