Chapter Sixty

A sea of flashing neon lights was the first sight to greet Jon and Richie as they screeched around the corner.

“Sweet Jesus…” Richie uttered the words in dread as he took in the ambulance parked near the platoon of patrol cars. Jumping from the car before the wheels had even stopped moving, Jon raced over to the ambulance only to be stopped by a uniformed officer.

“Sir you’ll have to stay here!” He firmly indicated the police cordon, placing himself in front of Jon to block him from going any further.

“The hell I will! Where is she?” Snarling ferociously Jon glared wild eyed at him.

Richie running up behind him put a calming hand on Jon's shoulder before he tackled the officer to the ground. “Take it easy man.”

When the police chief had called Jon to say they’d found her but that she had been involved in some sort of incident, the blood had drained from his face instantly. Although Jon pressed him for details he wouldn't elaborate further just giving the address and advising him to get over there. The car had hit the road in spots as Jon had gunned it to the scene. Whatever he had been expecting it wasn't this, the sight of that ambulance had made his blood run cold.

“I swear if you don’t let me……”

Right before Jon threatened to knock the young officer’s lights out; the chief of police spotted him and hollered at the officer to let them past. Brushing past him, Jon marched straight towards the ambulance before the chief intercepted him.

“Hold on Jon, the paramedics are with her right now.” The burly man with greying hair put a hand on Jon’s shoulder to reassure him. “Just give them a few minutes okay?”

“What the hell happened Mike?”

The Chief's grim face spoke volumes. “Some guy jumped her down a side street and I dunno how but she somehow managed to fight him off.” He glanced across at a patrol car that was just pulling away with all lights flashing. “We got here just in time before he made a run for it - he’s in custody.”

“Is she okay? Tell me she’s not hurt Mike dammit!” Curling his fists by his side in frustration, Jon paced up and down in front of his old friend. He had been friends with him since he’d performed at a fundraising event for fallen officer's widows years ago.

“Calm down Jonny, she’s in safe hands now.”

Just as Jon was about to explode with frustration, a paramedic came around from the back of the ambulance peeling off his white latex gloves. “Chief, we’re good to roll!”

“Hang on one minute okay?” Calling back to the paramedic, Mike turned and nodded at Jon, “Alright Jon, go on ahead.”

He needed no further encouragement as he charged around the side of the rig to the open doors at the back. What he saw nearly stopped his heart dead. Sitting upright on a gurney being attended to by another paramedic, Jenn’s bloodied and dirty face gazed back at him. When their eyes locked, her battered face crumpled as she made to jump off the gurney to get to him. Before she could move a muscle however he was by her side, strong arms gently cradling her as she sobbed into his shoulder.

“I'm so sorry, so sorry!”

“Sssh baby, I got you, hush you've nothing to be sorry for!” he crooned into her tangled and twisted hair, tears running freely down his own face.

“So stupid…I shouldn't……” The sobs racked her body, making talking difficult. “All my fault…”

The medic who had been tending a cut above Jenn’s left eye had initially stood back to make room for Jon as he jumped in. Moving closer to the embracing pair he gently cleared his throat.

“We need to get moving here folks.”

When Jon made to straighten up, Jenn clutched desperately to him, her shoulders still shaking. He resumed gently rocking her, trying to soothe her fears as he looked directly at the paramedic. “ I'm riding with you.”

The medic eyed him for a moment and then nodded curtly in acknowledgement. Just as he went to close the back door, Richie’s concerned face poked through.

“Jon, I’ll meet you there okay?” 

“Thanks Rich.” Turning to look back at him, Jon nodded. “See you there.”

With the rig beginning to move, he turned his attention back to Jenn, her tears beginning to subside. As she looked up at him with one eye bruised and starting to rapidly swell, he tenderly wiped away her tears with his thumb.

“You’re gonna be okay baby,” He smiled down into her dark eyes that still swirled with panic. Relief that he’d found her alive and breathing poured over him, his mind remarkably crystal clear for the first time all day.He meant the next words he uttered with his every being.

“We’re gonna be okay, I promise.”