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Chapter Twenty Three

"Howie!" Elizabeth screamed, leaning over him. The events of the past seconds seemed to play over and over in her mind in slow motion.

In the middle of her very last line, she heard Howie. "Elizabeth!" he screamed. She saw him rushing towards her.

From the back of the room she heard a voice that she recognized as Deputy McCormick's. "Howie. No!" He began to race up towards the stage.

But it was too late.

Howie had jumped in front of her. Wrapping his arms around her, he had gently rolled her to the ground. Elizabeth had heard the shot and breathed a sigh of relief.

He saved me.

But, when she finally felt him roll off her she knew all was not well. He had not rolled himself off of her. Deputy McCormick had pulled him off her. Blood covered the back of her dress. Turning around she felt her head spin.

Blood was spilling out of his chest. His eyes were wide open with fear. They looked far away, distant.

The sound of the paramedics rushing towards the stage brought Beth out of the terrifying moments.

"Is he going to be alright?" she screamed at them. Without an answer, they lifted Howie onto a stretcher.

"You can ride with him." one of them finally mumbled.

He didn't wake up all the way to the hospital. The only thing Elizabeth could do was hold his hand and cry. Her teardrops fell onto his frozen face.

The minute the ambulance pulled up to the hospital, a group of doctors and nurses were waiting. They rushed him off without a look back at Elizabeth. She stood there, in her blood stained gown, clutching the ambulance door for support. Finally a kind faced nurse appeared.

"Let me help you into a chair." she suggested, taking Elizabeth's arm and guiding her towards the door.

* * *

The hours seemed to blend together. Elizabeth concentrated all of her thoughts on one tile on the linoleum floor. Her hands were clutched together so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white. The nurses urged her to get something to eat. All she could do was shake her head.

Finally a soft voice spoke. "Ms. Montgomery?"

Looking up through tear-filled eyes she realized it was a doctor. "Is he okay?" she whispered weakly.

"He's very critical. The bullet punctured a corner of his heart. We've tried to stop the bleeding but we aren't sure if it's worked or not. He's insisting that he see you immediately."

The thought of him insisting to see her straight out of surgery brought the welled up tears cascading down her pale face.

"Show me where he is." she said, mustering the strength to stand.

Without another word, the doctor led her down the hallway. Ignoring the bleakness of the walls and the overpowering smell of cleansers, she followed the doctor towards the ICU.

"Here it is." he said, nodding towards a private section.

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth opened the door and walked slowly inside.