Life Goes On–Part 3
By Nancy F. Thysell (The Nifty Lady)
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It was almost seven o’clock and Johnny looked up at the clock on the mantel with a frown. He double-checked his wristwatch and found it agreed with the clock. Chris should have been home by now. He decided to check and see if she’d picked up the food yet. He dialed the Peking Palace and found that ordering food was easier than trying to find out if the order had been picked up. Finally the manager got on the phone and he assured Johnny that their order had been picked up, that a young woman had been there over an hour ago. Johnny frowned as he hung up the phone. He didn’t like this. If Chris had car trouble, she would have called. He left a note for her in case she came home while he was out looking for her. He jumped in the Land Rover and drove in the direction that Chris would have taken from the restaurant.
Fifteen minutes later he spotted the pickup truck on the side of the road. He pulled over and parked opposite it. He quickly crossed the road, finding the flat tire and the doors locked. He saw the bags of Chinese food on the seat. Using his spare key to her truck, he unlocked the door and in doing so, found the note Chris had left for him. He looked anxiously back up the road he had just driven down. He hadn’t seen any sign of her on the way. He was extremely worried now. If Chris had made it to the main road, she would have gone to the phone at the gas station and called him. Fear gripped his stomach. Thoughts of the Hillside Strangler crossed his mind and that’s when panic set it. He ran back to the Land Rover, made an U-turn and broke the speed limit driving home!
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Johnny’s hands were shaking by the time he reached the police department after returning home. He tried to make himself act like a paramedic to get the facts out in an unemotional manner but the husband side of him was freaking out.
"My wife is missing!" he blurted out to the person on the other end of the line. The police woman who had answered the phone tried to speak soothingly to the distraught man.
"Calm down sir and try to tell me what happened."
"My wife didn’t make it home tonight! She stopped off to pick up Chinese food for dinner and never made it home!" he explained, fear and panic beginning to seize him.
"Okay. Take it easy!" she tried again. "May I have your name sir?"
"John Gage."
"And your wife’s name?"
"Chris...Crystal. You’ve got to help me find her!" he begged.
"We’re here to help you sir. I’ll dispatch an officer to your home if you’ll give me your address."
Johnny gave her the address, his frustration mounting. "Mr. Gage, an officer should be arriving at your home within thirty minutes."
"Thirty minutes!" Johnny wailed. This was interminable. He dialed Roy’s number as soon as he completed the call to the police.
"Roy!" he cried out when his partner picked up the phone.
"Johnny? What’s wrong?" Roy asked with concern at the tone of his friend’s voice.
"Roy, it’s Chris! Something’s happened to her!" he moaned.
"What? What’s happened?" DeSoto asked, trying to keep the panic he was feeling out of his voice.
"I don’t know. She’s missing! She’s vanished. Roy, I’m so scared!" Johnny confided to his friend.
"Hang on Junior. I’m on my way!"
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Roy pulled into the drive just behind the police car. He parked his car to the side of Johnny’s Land Rover as the officer climbed the steps to the front door. Johnny yanked it open before the officer had a chance to knock.
"Gary?" Johnny said in surprise as he recognized the officer as Gary Forester. Gary seemed equally surprised.
"Johnny? I have a report of a missing person...your wife?" he asked as he checked his notepad.
"Yeah, come on in. Hey Roy!" he stepped back to allow both men into the house.
"Gary Forester this is my partner Roy DeSoto. I don’t if you two met before."
"Yes. It’s been a while," Gary said as he shook Roy’s hand.
"Yeah," Roy responded. This wasn’t the time for small talk. Gary turned his attention back to Johnny.
"So tell me what happened," Gary urged the distraught paramedic. Johnny relayed the information as quickly as he could while Roy and the officer listened. Johnny sat on the couch and wrung his hands as he finished. Though no one said it, thoughts of the Hillside Strangler had occurred to each of them.
"Well, from the note Chris left, we know she set out on foot from her truck. Anything could have happened from there. John, I know you don’t want to hear this but I’ve got to explore all the possibilities. She could have been struck by another vehicle and could be lying on the side of the road."
"Oh, god!" Johnny groaned at the thought.
"Or, they could have rushed her to a hospital. Or she may have been abducted."
"Oh, no! Please, no!" Johnny cradled his head in his hands. Roy sat down beside his friend and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Gary hesitated a moment before continuing.
"Johnny. I’ve got to leave now. I’m going back to where you said you found the truck. I’ll start my investigation from there." Johnny and Roy started to rise from the couch but Gary stopped them with his hand. "No, I want you to stay here. I’ll have all the help I need. We’ll find her."
"But Gary, we’re trained for search and rescue," Roy insisted.
"I know but you’re both too close to this. Besides, someone needs to be here in case...anyone calls." He looked at both men. He wanted Roy to stay with Johnny to keep him from doing anything crazy. He’d pull Roy aside before he left and tell him. "I’ll have dispatch send paramedics to the scene. I’ll call as soon as we know anything. Okay?"
Johnny nodded numbly. Gary crossed to the door and motioned to Roy to follow him out. Once outside he turned to Roy.
"Keep an eye on him, Roy. Don’t let him go off half-cocked or anything. Keep him here. Understand?"
"Yeah. Gary..." Roy tried to find the words, "...you don’t think it could be..." Roy could bring himself to say it.
"Roy, let’s not jump to any conclusions. Give us a chance to make sure she’s still not out there, okay?"
Roy nodded. He watched until the police cruiser disappeared down the drive before he turned back to the house. He took a deep breath and released it slowly and went back inside to keep vigil with his friend.
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Gary had begun searching on foot from the truck toward the main road. He crossed to the opposite side of the road, figuring that’s what Chris probably would have done. She would have walked facing traffic. A moment later, Squad 88 pulled up behind his cruiser. Doug McCarthy stepped out of the driver’s side of the squad.
"Whatchagot?" he called. Gary returned to the vehicles. Larry Sizemore had left the passenger’s side of the squad and met Gary in front of the truck.
"Missing woman. Chris Gage. Blond. Blue eyes. Age 24. 5 foot three. About 120 pounds," he informed them. "She left a note in her truck here saying she was going to find a phone but obviously never made it. We’re starting with the assumption that something happened to her between here and the main road."
"Gage? Hey Larry? Isn’t there a paramedic over at 51s by the name of Gage?" Doug asked his partner.
"Yeah. John Gage. You know, DeSoto’s partner," Larry responded. They both looked at Gary expectantly.
"It’s the same one. It’s his wife," Gary confirmed.
"I didn’t realize he was married," Doug commented.
"They just got married the day after Thanksgiving," Gary informed them. Both paramedics just shook their heads. A couple of more police cruisers arrived and a search grid was established and they men moved out on either side of the road. The beams from their flashlights bounced on the roadside as they searched in the darkness.
"Hey! I think I’ve found something!" Larry called out. The others hurried over to see the woman’s shoe with a broken heel that Larry had discovered on the shoulder of the road. Flashlights were trained in the area to the side of the road where the shoe was found.
"Look! There!" someone yelled as the light crossed an object some fifteen feet below the shoulder. Doug and Larry took the lead and slid down the embankment. Doug reached her first.
"She’s alive!" he yelled up to the relieved searchers. "Larry’s coming back up. Send down a safety line."
A few minutes later, they had Larry back up on the road. The officers helped Larry assemble the equipment into the stokes and aided him as he made his way back down the embankment. Doug quickly took Chris’ vitals.
"Rampart? This is Rescue 88. How do you read?" Larry relayed on the biophone.
"Loud and clear Rescue 88. Go ahead." Head Nurse Dixie McCall instructed.
"Rampart. We have a female victim. Age about twenty-four. The victim is unconscious with a head injury apparently suffered in a fall. Vitals are..." he looked at his partner for the numbers. Doug recited his findings and Larry relayed them to the hospital.
"Stand by Rescue 88. I’m locating a doctor for you," Dixie informed them. She then paged for a doctor to the base station. Dr. Kelly Brackett appeared almost instantly. He opened the door to the base station.
"What do we have Dix?" he asked as he entered. She gave him her notes.
"Rescue 88 has an unconscious woman. These are her vitals."
Kel looked over the notes and then spoke into the microphone.
"Rescue 88. Start an IV with D5W. Take spinal precautions. Monitor vitals and transport as soon as possible."
"10-4 Rampart. IV with D5W. Spinal precautions and monitoring."
"How soon can you transport?"
Larry checked with the officers above for an ETA on the ambulance and then informed Rampart that they should have an ambulance momentarily. Their ETA at the hospital would be in about thirty minutes. They quickly secured Chris in the stokes and by the time they reached the top of the embankment, the ambulance had arrived. Doug got into the back of the ambulance with Chris and they were on their way. Gary had waited to verify that it was Chris before he called it in to have dispatch notify Johnny.
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Both Roy and Johnny jumped when the phone rang. It had been almost an hour.
"Hello?" Johnny said into the phone. His body was tense as he listened. Roy awaited impatiently beside him. "They did? ... Thank God! ... How is she? ... Where? ... Rampart? Yes, thank you. I’m on my way!" He hung up the phone.
"Well?" Roy asked. Johnny shook his head.
"They didn’t tell me much. Just that they’d found her and she’s on her way to Rampart right now."
"Come on, partner! I’ll drive," Roy told his partner, feeling immensely relieved.
"Okay," Johnny responded numbly. He couldn’t shake the feeling of fear that still held him. He had no idea how injured Chris was and he was frightened. He was grateful to have his friend there for support. He wasn’t even aware of the trip to the hospital. Roy knew his partner was scared and worried so he gave him space he needed. He’d be there for his friend no matter what. He just prayed that it wasn’t serious. Roy pushed the accelerator a little harder as they sped to Rampart.
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Johnny burst through the automatic doors of the ambulance entrance to the ER and ran down the corridor to the base station, looking for anyone who could tell him about his wife. Obviously everyone was occupied and Johnny was forced to wait. He was still waiting when Roy came in from the parking lot. He ran his fingers through his hair with one hand and spun around as Roy approached.
"Anything?" Roy asked as he joined his partner. Johnny shook his head.
"I don’t know. I haven’t talked to anyone yet. If I don’t find someone soon, I’m gonna start opening the doors to the treatment rooms!" he declared.
A technician pushed the portable x-ray machine down the hall and opened the door to Treatment Room Four. Both Johnny and Roy became alert, waiting for the doctor and nurses to leave the room. Maybe now they’d get some answers.
Dr. Brackett came out of the room, followed by Dixie. His eyes came to rest on the off-duty paramedics. He wanted to smile, to be reassuring as he crossed to them but his concern kept the smile from forming.
"Hello Johnny. Roy. Johnny... uh," he began haltingly.
"How is she doc?" Gage demanded.
Brackett shoved his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. "I’m not sure Johnny. She regained consciousness in the ambulance. McCarthy said she became combative and had to be restrained."
"What’s wrong with her? What happened? Why was she unconscious?" Johnny fired questions at the doctor.
"I’ll know more after I see the x-rays. She’s suffering from a severe blow to the head. Johnny, I’m worried that her previous head injury may complicate things."
"Why is that?" Roy interjected. Kel looked at the blond paramedic.
"It really hasn’t been that long since her skull fracture, Roy. The bone may not have completely healed. This trauma may have re-injured that portion of the head. Like I said, I won’t know for sure until I see the x-rays. I’m sorry I don’t have better news for you Johnny."
Johnny nodded stiffly. "Is she awake? Can I see her?" he asked anxiously.
"As soon as the technician is finished, Dixie will take you in there. Chris been slipping in and out of consciousness," Kel explained.
"Thanks doc," Johnny responded as Kel headed to check on another patient. Dixie steered the two friends to the lounge with a promised to fetch them in a few minutes.
Roy helped himself to the coffee by pouring cups for each of them. He placed on in front of Johnny at the table. Johnny ignored the cup and rubbed his eyes.
"She’s gotta be okay, Roy! I’ve just found her! I can’t lose her now!" he moaned. Roy placed a comforting hand on Johnny’s shoulder and gave him a squeeze.
"She will be. Keep the faith," Roy counseled. He checked his watch and then remarked to Johnny, "I’d better call JoAnne. She’ll be worried sick. I’ll be right back."
Johnny wasn’t even aware that Roy had left the room. He was lost in worry over Chris. Dixie came back a few minutes later to bring him to Chris. He almost knocked over the chair getting up in his hurry.
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Johnny entered the exam room, hesitantly. Despite the number of patients Johnny had seen in his career, seeing his wife on the treatment table was hard to take. Her blond hair lay scattered around her head, trapped in and out of the stark white bandaging. Her complexion was an almost deathly pallor. IV tubing snaked down from her left arm and up to the vinyl bag of D5W. Her eyes were closed as though she were asleep. Her breathing was slow. As Johnny moved closer, he noted that her blouse was worn in places and there were numerous scratches on her arms. A blanket covered her torso and he assumed she had probably more bumps and bruises on her legs as well. Now he could see an abrasion on her chin. The wounds had been cleaned but not dressed. He rounded the table and stood on her right side. He gathered her right hand in his and held it tightly. She felt cool. He straightened a few stray strains of hair with his left. How he wished that she’d open her eyes and he could look into her blue eyes and know everything was going to be okay. He leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek. A tear escaped and ran down his cheek onto hers. Carefully, he brushed the tear from her cheek with his finger.
"Come on Chris. It’s time to wake up sweetie!" he whispered urgently. His heart ached to see her like this. He felt so helpless. He wasn’t much on conventional religion but he bowed his head and prayed.
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Dr. Brackett was concerned about the fluid build up that he found in the x-rays. He had Chris admitted to a room for observation. If she didn’t improve by morning, they would have to take her to surgery to reduce the fluid. Johnny refused to leave her side, insisting that he be there when she woke up. Kel allowed him to stay though he wasn’t hopeful that she would awaken any time soon. It would be a long night for the young man.
Roy returned home around midnight unable to shake the sense of dread he felt. First, he checked on both his children and kissed their sleeping forms before turning in. JoAnne was already in bed but she hadn’t been able to sleep, waiting on more word from Roy. She knew by his silence that things hadn’t improved. He crawled under the covers and pulled her into his arms. He didn’t say anything. He just held her tightly. JoAnne sent up another silent prayer for Chris as she held onto her husband until he fell into a dreamless slumber. His hold on her relaxed as his sleep deepened. JoAnne sighed and kissed his forehead. Then she permitted herself to fall asleep, hopeful that the morning would be brighter.
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Morning came and the nurse shooed Johnny out of the room while she checked Chris’ vitals and changed out the IV. Johnny was miffed at being sent out but he complied as he didn’t want to be banished all together. He’d worked with or dated enough of the nurses at Rampart to know which ones were tough and Francis Holston was not to be challenged. Brackett came and checked on Chris. He was pleased to note that the swelling had diminished but was unhappy that she hadn’t regain consciousness again. He ordered Johnny out to get something to eat and to get cleaned up which he did reluctantly. As soon as he forced down a quick breakfast, he was back at Chris’ bedside. He hated the thought of calling his in-laws. They were going to think he was a terrible husband!
Roy talked him into going home to sleep that evening. And as much as Johnny didn’t want to, he had to work his shift the next day. They needed the money. Dixie promised that they’d contact him if there was any change. Only then, Johnny allowed Roy to take him home. He slept fitfully. Dark circles under his eyes faced him in the morning as he shaved. He could only hope for an easy shift.
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His shift went fairly quiet. The runs they had weren’t too severe. Every chance Johnny had, he called the hospital to check on Chris. Each time he was told the same thing–no change. Mid-afternoon he slammed the receiver back into its cradle in frustration. Roy didn’t have to ask. He could tell by the expression on his partner’s face that nothing had changed.
"Hey Johnny! Let’s go over to Rampart and get some supplies," Roy suggested. He knew Johnny would feel better if he at least had an opportunity to see Chris, even if she wasn’t awake.
"Thanks Roy," Johnny responded with a smile and headed for the squad. But before Roy could turn the key in the ignition, the tones sounded and both the Engine and Squad were sent to a structure fire. Three hours later, two weary paramedics delivered a couple of smoke inhalation victims to the ER. Roy watched as Johnny hustled off to Chris’ room. He hoped that the floor nurse wouldn’t chase his sooty partner away. He turned to Dixie and handed her their supply request.
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Johnny paced the elevator impatiently as it moved slowly to the third floor. He brushed past the personnel awaiting to enter. One of the nurses made a face at the acrid smell of his uniform but he didn’t noticed. Johnny was intent on getting to Chris’ room.
He opened the door and stepped into the subdued lighting of the room. Again he was reminded how tiny she looked. So fragile. Only a small bandage covered the injury on her forehead now. Someone had washed and brushed her hair. He suddenly realized how long it was getting and smiled. He knew she preferred a short hair style but she’d been letting it grow for him. She was hooked up to a couple of IVs for nourishment and one for the output. He started to reach out to take her hand and realized how grimy his hands were. He crossed to the sink in the room and quickly scrubbed his hands and arms clean. One look in the mirror and he had to chuckle at his face. He didn’t want Chris waking up to that sight! He promptly removed all traces of the fire that he could. Using the paper towels to dry off, he crossed back over to her bed and took her hand. She appeared so peaceful. If only she would open her eyes!
"Hey Chris! It’s Johnny. It’s time to wake up sweetie," he quietly urged but Chris didn’t wake up. The door open and Roy poked his head inside.
"We’ve got a run partner," he informed his friend.
"Coming," Johnny responded. He leaned over and kissed Chris lightly on the lips. "I love you," he whispered. "I’ve got to go, but I’ll be back as soon as I can," he promised. Reluctantly, he turned and followed after his partner. A small smudge of soot Johnny missed when had washed his face, transferred onto Chris’ cheek as he had kissed her. Later it would garner smile from Dixie when she stopped by to visit. Francis Holston would not find it quite so amusing.
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The dorm was dark and the men were finally getting the chance to sleep. Two a.m. and the annoying shrill of the phone ringing pierced the quiet of the station. Captain Hank Stanley sleepily arose from his bunk.
"LA County Fire station 51. Captain Stanley speaking." All the men had turned groggy ears toward the sound. "Just a moment. Gage! Phone!"
Johnny leaped out of his bunk and slid on sock feet to the desk and grabbed the receiver.
"This is John Gage," he answered breathlessly. "Hiya doc ... She is? Great! ... What? Hang on." He turned to his crew mates. "Chris woke up! Cap? Doctor Brackett would like me to come over. Would it be okay if Roy and I..."
"Go! Make yourselves available from Rampart. Call us with any news," Hank ordered. Johnny gave him his trademark grin.
"Thanks Cap! Doc, Roy and I’ll be over as soon as we can get there," he informed Brackett. The two paramedics slipped into their turnout gear and made their way to the squad. For the first time in over 36 hours, Johnny had a reason to smile. Roy also felt an immense sense of relief as they headed for the hospital.
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Johnny practically flew down the hall to the elevator. Roy followed at a more respectable speed. Johnny must have pushed the "up" button twenty times. Roy reached his partner as the doors opened on the elevator. They boarded the car and road up to the third floor.
Again, Johnny sprinted down the corridor and made for Chris’ room. The night floor nurse rose with concern as she saw the fireman in turnout gear dash past her desk. The other fireman motioned to her to relax with a smile and then she realized who the first fireman was. She sat back down and resumed her paperwork.
Johnny burst through the door. Dr. Brackett’s body blocked his view of the bed as he entered. Kel turned around with a disapproving look on his face at the anxious young man.
"Johnny!" he admonished. "This is a hospital!"
"Sorry," Johnny said sheepishly as he slowed down a little. He quickly crossed over to the bed and smiled at Chris. She was awake! Her eyes followed him as he made his way to the bed.
"Hi sweetie!" he said happily and took her hand in his. Chris stared at him.
"Uh, Johnny..." Dr. Brackett said to get Johnny’s attention. He looked up, "Chris is having some trouble remembering things."
A frown and confused looked crossed Johnny’s features and he looked down at Chris. She was still staring at him and now he could see what Dr. Brackett meant. Chris didn’t recognize him!
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END PART 3--TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 4
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