Her Cowboy Savior (The Winchester Cowboys Series Book 2), page 1
Her Cowboy Savior
The Winchester Cowboys, Volume 2
Janalyn Knight
Published by Janalyn Knight, 2024.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Epilogue
About the Author
Chapter One
Carson Winchester gasped and slammed on his brakes as he rounded the curve. Tires screeching, he slid to a halt inches from a two-car accident as dust settled over the badly mangled vehicles.
He realized that it must have just happened. He pulled around and parked farther up the two-lane highway, then placed a 911 call. Still on the phone, he jumped out of his truck and raced back to the scene, noticing two conscious adults in a black pickup. It appeared to have crossed the line into the other lane.
“I’m on the phone with emergency services. Just hang on!” he said to them as he strode to the white SUV.
The young woman inside this vehicle wasn’t so lucky. She was unconscious, had a heavily bleeding head wound, and was hugely pregnant. He noticed the special seatbelt adjuster that kept the lap belt across her thighs. The steering wheel was jammed against her belly, however, and he desperately hoped that her baby was uninjured.
He tried the driver’s-side door, but it was jammed. He quickly went to the passenger door, and after several heaving efforts, was able to pry it open. After describing the situation to the 911 operator, he disconnected the call. He needed both hands to help the woman in the SUV.
Climbing inside, he scooted as close as he could to the woman. Needing something to stanch the blood, he removed his shirt and wadded it up, pressing it hard to the gushing wound on the far side of her head.
He looked anxiously down the road, but of course there was no sign of the ambulance yet. They were fifteen miles from San Saba, Texas, and there was almost no traffic on the road.
To his relief, however, an approaching car slowed to a stop.
As soon as the man got out, Carson waved and yelled as loud as he could, “Drive around the curve, and try to slow down the traffic!”
The man jumped back into his car, sped past the accident, and disappeared from sight.
The woman was still unconscious. Her long red hair was now matted with blood, and he feared that his effort to stop the bleeding was in vain. Her naturally translucent skin looked even paler, if that was possible. He pressed his shirt harder against her wound, desperately hoping she wouldn’t bleed out. He glanced up the road again. Dammit. Where was that ambulance?
He took a long look at the woman. She appeared to be short, not much more than five feet. And she seemed tiny, built more like a young girl than the woman her face showed her to be. He realized that his mind was rambling, doing anything to keep him from thinking about how badly the poor woman might be injured.
He felt strangely protective of her. She was alone, injured, and unconscious, and she needed someone to look after her. Without really stopping to consider, he decided that he was going to the hospital with her.
He looked up as a siren sounded just out of sight. God, please let that be the ambulance and not law enforcement. Seconds later, he saw red lights whirling atop the large boxy ambulance as it raced down the road toward them.
It crossed the double yellow line and pulled over onto the dead grass and gravel on the side of the road. The doors flew open, and two EMTs jumped out. They quickly gathered their trauma bags and jogged toward the wrecked vehicles.
“Hurry!” he called, his shirt still pressed to the woman’s head. “This woman’s unconscious and bleeding from a head wound, and she’s pregnant. The two in the truck are awake and alert.”
When an EMT arrived, slightly out of breath, Carson said, “I got here while the dust from the accident was still settling, so she’s been unconscious for about fifteen minutes now.”
The EMT nodded, and he noticed that the name tag on her shirt said “Shelly”.
“I’ll take over now,” she told him. “You did right to hold pressure on the wound.”
He climbed out of the car, grabbing a purse from the floorboard on his way out.
Shelly quickly removed his bloodied shirt from the woman’s head, and Carson saw that the wound was still bleeding.
He strode around to the other side of the car to see what Shelly was doing.
A moment later, when he opened the purse, Shelly glanced at him through the window. He said loudly, “I’m looking for her identification.” She nodded and returned her attention to the woman’s wound.
He found the woman’s driver’s license. Her name was Haley Wilson, and she was from Houston. He looked in every compartment of her wallet and then through her purse, but he didn’t find any emergency contact information.
He kept her license out for law enforcement but took a good look at something else he found before he zipped up the purse again—two fat bank envelopes full of cash. He looked inside and saw lots of hundreds in one and a huge wad of twenties in another. There were at least several thousand dollars—and probably more. He glanced at the injured woman, wondering why she was carrying that much cash when there had been credit cards in her wallet.
He retrieved her phone but was disappointed to see that it had a lock code on it and no emergency contact information. He tossed it back into her purse.
Another ambulance came into view, its siren wailing, along with a black-and-white highway patrol vehicle.
“That ambulance is for the other two people,” Shelly said through the window. “And we’re going to need help getting this woman out of the car. With the steering wheel pressing against her abdomen, we need to be very careful. The fire department’s on its way and will be able to help. It’s a good thing you told them when you called that this thing was pressing against her, or we wouldn’t have been prepared.”
A Sheriff’s Department cruiser pulled up, and the officer inside got out to direct oncoming traffic.
While the new EMTs hurried to the wrecked truck, the DPS trooper walked over to Carson. “Another deputy is managing traffic up past the curve. We should be safe to talk here now.”
Carson nodded, then handed him Haley’s ID. “This is for the woman inside the car.” Then he added, “I’m Carson Winchester. I arrived here first, right after the accident happened.” He realized that he was still holding Haley’s purse. “I’m going to the hospital with her.”
The officer raised an eyebrow. “Are you family?”
He shook his head. “I looked in her purse, and her phone has a lock code on it and no emergency contact. She’s alone and unconscious. She needs someone with her.”
The officer took the phone from him. He also attempted to find emergency contact information, but he was unable to.
The officer looked at him for another long moment. “I suppose you’re right, but I’ll need to get your information.”
While the trooper was writing down the details from Haley’s driver’s license, Carson stepped away and called his mom. He told her about the accident and that he’d be going to the hospital with Haley.
“Honey, that’s terrible! I hope she’s not injured too badly. Just call if there’s anything we can do from here,” she said. “Keep us posted, okay?”
“I will, Mom.” He walked back over to the crushed SUV. The fire engine had arrived while he’d been on the phone, and two firefighters were striding toward the car.
Shelly had applied a pressure bandage to Haley’s head wound and put a neck brace on her. As the firefighters assessed the scene, Carson walked around the car to see what they were going to do.
Within minutes, the firefighters had applied the jaws of life and opened the door wide. One of the men supported Haley’s head while the other went around to the passenger side and took a tool to the steering wheel. A third firefighter worked on it from the driver’s side. Several minutes later, they gently removed the steering wheel from its base.
Shelly stepped in and took control of Haley’s head while a second EMT rushed to her side with the gurney. They and one of the firefighters worked to gently extricate Haley from the wreckage while Shelly stabilized her head.
Carson could see blood on the leg of Haley’s jeans. Was it just a cut, or was there a more serious injury to her leg?
Once Haley was on the gurney, Shelly strapped her in and used blocks to immobilize her head.
Carson looked down at her. He’d been right about how small she was. She definitely wasn’t more than five feet tall. And she appeared so fragile, lying there all strapped in and braced in place. Her advanced pregnancy and her tiny frame made her look like she had a beach ball under her shirt. He hoped again that her baby was all right.
He touched Shelly’s sleeve. “I’m going to the hospital to be with her. Where are you taking her?”
Shelly glanced at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that, or I would have told you. We’re just stabilizing her here. Life Flight’s on its way to pick her up becaus
He nodded. “Not a problem. I’ll head over there.” Austin was less than a two-hour drive, and he wouldn’t pay much attention to the speed limit on the way. Then he said, “Listen, she’s got several thousand dollars in cash in her purse. I’m worried that something’s going to happen to it in all the confusion once you get to the hospital. Is there some way you can be sure that it’s safeguarded? I’m sure the helicopter will arrive before I do, and she doesn’t have anyone else to look after it.”
She bit her lip and thought for a moment. “Why don’t you talk to the trooper about it?”
“Good idea.” He strode over to the DPS trooper, who was talking to another sheriff’s deputy who had arrived on scene.
During a lull in their conversation, the trooper nodded to him.
Carson motioned to the purse in his hand and explained the situation.
The trooper stared at him for a moment. “There’s really no way to protect the cash at the hospital.” He glanced up at the sound of a helicopter approaching in the distance. Then he exhaled loudly. “Follow me and bring the purse.”
When they got to his car, he said, “Give me the money.”
Carson handed him the two envelopes, and the trooper took the cash and began to count it on the hood of his car. Each time he reached a thousand, he handed the bills to Carson. There were four thousand dollars in hundreds and a thousand dollars in twenties.
The trooper said, “Put them back in the envelopes, and then hand me your driver’s license.”
As Carson reached into his back pocket for his wallet, the helicopter arrived. Wind whipped around them as it landed on the road past the ambulances.
When he handed over his driver’s license, the trooper snapped a photo of it with his phone. “Is this your correct address?” he asked as he took photos of both envelopes of cash.
Carson nodded. “That’s my family’s cattle ranch. I’ve lived there all my life.”
The trooper handed Carson the envelopes. “You can keep the purse with you. I’m going to the hospital to get a statement from Ms. Wilson when she wakes up, so I’ll know if you did the right thing or not.”
Carson nodded. “Don’t worry. I will.” He glanced over as Shelly helped load Haley into the helicopter, then raced to his truck. It might take them a while to take off, and he wanted a head start.
Before leaving, he jogged to the SUV and checked in the back. There were two suitcases in it. After a few tries, he was able to open the back hatch. He grabbed the luggage and raced to his truck.
Once he was out of sight, he leaned on the gas, unable to get his last vision of Haley out of his mind. Frail, hugely pregnant, bloody, and unconscious. He prayed, “God, please keep her safe on the flight to Austin. And don’t let her wake up afraid. Keep me safe as I drive to the hospital. And, God, please protect the little one she carries inside her.
He bore down on the gas pedal again as the empty road unwound ahead of him. He had to be there when Haley woke up.
Chapter Two
Carson paced back and forth in the waiting room. Haley had gone into labor on the flight to the hospital, and he’d arrived too late to see her before they took her back.
He’d told them that he was a good friend to gain access to news about her, but he’d already been there several hours and there was still no update.
He strode to the thermos on the corner table and filled his cup for the third time. It wasn’t too bad for hospital coffee. After taking a seat, he took a swallow, hoping to calm his nerves. Would the baby be healthy? Had the steering wheel impact injured it? His heart ached at the thought.
Then there was the mystery he’d uncovered. When he’d arrived at the hospital, he’d opened the two suitcases, hoping to find some contact information. There had been nothing like that in them, but he’d been surprised to discover that the clothes and baby items they contained had been tossed in every which way, as if she’d packed with incredible haste. Was there a family emergency that she’d been racing to? Or, worse, was she running from someone? His pulse sped up.
A doctor walked into the room, his surgical mask dangling under his chin. “Wilson?”
It took Carson a couple of seconds to realize that the man was calling for him. “Here!”
“Haley’s head trauma wasn’t as serious as it could have been,” the doctor explained. “There’s a large knot on the side of her head, and she has a pretty serious concussion, but no hematoma on the brain. She’s delivered her baby girl, and the baby’s in the nursery getting special care. She’s small. From what we can tell, she’s come about four weeks early.”
“So the baby’s healthy?”
“She appears to be. Her vitals are all normal for her gestational age.”
“And Haley’s awake? She’s not in a coma?” He knew he was repeating what the doctor had said, but he was so overwhelmed by the good news he couldn’t help himself.”
The doctor smiled. “She’s conscious, but she’s still groggy.” He paused a moment as if choosing his words. “We’re not sure if it’s just because she’s coming off sedation, or something else, but she’s having problems with her memory. I wanted you to be aware of that before you speak with her.”
Carson frowned. “Could that be brain damage?”
“Well, memory loss can happen when a person takes a strong blow to the head. It’s probably temporary, but worst-case scenario, she may have retrograde amnesia.”
Carson’s heart fell. “Amnesia? That’s terrible.”
The doctor touched Carson’s shoulder. “Like I said, that’s the worst-case scenario. Give her some time. Right now, just be patient with her.”
He paused a moment. “Since the baby was born prematurely, we’ll be moving them to St. David’s up in North Austin. They’ve got a great NICU unit there. We’re really not set up for preemies here.” As he turned to leave, he said, “Someone will come get you when you can go back with Haley.”
Still trying to absorb the news, Carson dropped into the closest chair. Amnesia? Surely it wasn’t that. They needed to know why she’d packed so hurriedly. If she was in danger or if someone she loved was in crisis, she’d left Houston on an urgent mission.
A few minutes later, he tossed his cold coffee into the trash, still mulling over the various problems.
A nurse came in and called his name. He jumped to his feet and followed her down the hallway.
Haley was in a curtained recovery area. He walked in and stood by her bed. Her eyes, which had been partially closed, opened wider.
“Hi, I’m Carson Winchester. I helped you when you had your car accident. I came here to the hospital to see if you needed anything.”
He grimaced. Of course she needed something. She needed everything. He went on, “The doctor told me that you’re having a hard time remembering things. Don’t worry about that. I’m going to stay here with you while you figure things out. Oh, and you’re in Austin, Texas, but you’re actually from Houston according to your driver’s license.” Then he added, “I have your purse, by the way, and all of your cash is just fine.”
Her brows drew together, and she winced, raising her hand to touch her bruised face. “I have cash?”
“Yes, five thousand dollars in hundreds and twenties. And I don’t know if you remember or not, but you’ve had a baby. You went into early labor on the flight here to the hospital. You have a healthy little girl.”
Her hand moved slowly to her abdomen. “I was pregnant?” She breathed out a long breath. “Yeah, I think someone told me that. I remember them saying something about me having a baby.” She wrinkled her brow in concentration and then cried out, raising her hand to her head.
“Easy there. You banged your head up pretty bad in the wreck.” He touched her shoulder. “Do you remember them telling you that they’re moving you and the baby to St. David’s Hospital? They can take better care of the baby there.”
“Why do they need to take better care of her?”
Her eyes were wide with fear. He touched her shoulder. “The baby came a little early, about four weeks or so. St. David’s has a good neonatal unit. But your little girl is doing well. Try not to worry.”
