In the snack bar of County General Hospital the two EMTs that
transported the crash victim Mac had rescued were talking
and chatting. EMT Benny Shreve stood at the coffee machine
waiting for the coffee he purchased to go through its cycle.
Mark Iverson, the EMT sitting at the table closest to the
vending machines said, That fellow we just transported here
doesn't know how lucky he was to have crashed in front of
Davenport's house. That guy might not have made it here
had Mac not been there."
"Yeah," Shreve answered then asked, "Wasn't Davenport
a firefighter at one time?"
"He was," Iverson replied, "Until some fire rescue mishap
claimed his lower left leg and cut his career short."
He went on to say, "I heard it destroyed his marriage as well,
bummer."
"Oh man, that had to be a rotten deal," Shreve said, shaking
his head.
"I didn't get the whole story," Iverson continued, "but it was
said that the emotional stress of Mac's accident and the fact it
ended his career somehow caused his wife to miscarry. She
was pregnant at the time."
"So she left him?"
"Committed suicide. OD'd on sleeping pills and alcohol."
"Ah, that stinks," Shreve exclaimed then said, "I guess losing
a baby was too much for her."
"Must've been," Iverson replied, "I can only imagine what Mac
must've been going through."
"Hell, I would think," Shreve replied.
"No doubt, Benny," Iverson countered as Benny came over to the
table and sat across from him, "But he sure has bounced back from
it with flying colors."
He then added, "Must have something to do with his religion I suppose."
"His religion, you say?"
"Yeah," Mark said, "He is what you call one of those born-again
Christian types, they believe if you accept Christ as your personal
Savior you are saved from going to hell, thus you are born-again,
they say."
"Oh, that type," said Shreve then added with, "Doesn't that one
church on Oak Street preach on that stuff? That Newberry
Community Church?"
"That's the one," Iverson answered, "In fact Davenport's a member
of that church. He must be the church greeter there because there
were times I went by there and he'd be out front greeting everyone
that came."
"Is that right?"
"Yep." Iverson took a long sip of his coffee and as he did Officer Frank
Hunt entered into the snack bar and over to the soda machine to buy
a Diet Coke. After he pulled the bottle out of the bin he walked over to
where Iverson and Shreve were sitting and asked them, "Mind if I join
you gentlemen?"
" Have a seat, Frank," Iverson replied as he pulled a chair away from the
table toward Frank which Frank took and sat down and removed his police
cover which was a dark blue campaign "Smokey the Bear" hat which was of
the same style worn by the Ohio State troopers.
"So what's up, Frank," Iverson started.
"I went up to see Davenport and to check on the guy he pulled from the
wreck," replied Frank.
"How are they?" inquired Shreve.
"Davenport's in great spirits despite a roasted right foot. He knew right
away why I came to see him and wasted no time answering my questions
regarding the accident."
Shreve put in, "No doubt he was the only one to witness the crash since
it happened right in front of his home."
"Yes, he was the soul witness," said Frank matter-of-factly.
"What about the guy we brought in?"
"He's conscious but still critical so I wasn't allowed to see him yet, but
the doc attending him sounded optimistic when he spoke to me."
"The guy looked familiar," Iverson remarked, "I've seen him before
yet I can't remember where or when. Local businessman of some kind,
maybe?"
"He is," Frank put in, "He's Richard Williams, a certified public accountant."
This concludes Chapter 12.
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