Should We Meet Again

"Can your friends drive you and your daughter to the hospital so they can make sure she doesn't have any hidden injuries? I would ordinarily do that, but all units are at an apartment blaze and I have to look for the black truck before he gets too far. Are you sure you can't remember the make?" The Trooper asked.

"No. Just that he was hauling a big, red speedboat behind it. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion, but I couldn't concentrate on details," I explained.

"That's normal. Sometimes details will come out later when you calm down. Can you give me your cell number, and I'll call you for more information? If it goes to trial we'll need all the facts as soon as they become available when they are fresh in your mind."

"Oh, God. No. Will Beanie have to see these men again at a trial?" I asked, alarmed.

"We can probably go on the information you provide and she won't have to go anywhere near them. I'll do what I can to convince the judge. It's a close-knit community and we take care of our people."

"Thank God. We have to travel to Binghamton for my Dad's funeral tomorrow and I can barely wrap my mind around that. Then, this..."

"I'm sorry for your loss, ma'am. I hope your husband will be driving. That's a long trip after a traumatic thing like this."

"My husband? No. No, he's not in the picture. It's just me and my girls," I told him, as he pretended to scribble in his notebook.

"Oh, well, then. Uh, be careful. As soon as the crime scene techs get here I will begin tracking those creeps," he said nervously, knowing that every second counted.

"Don't worry, Karol. We've got you," Mike offered, leading Beanie and me to his truck.

"Wait. Wait, Mike, you don't have a car seat. Beans needs a car seat," I insisted.

"Karol? Karol with a "K," right?" The Trooper interjected.

"Uhuh."

"We have to stop meeting like this," he joked. "Let me make some calls and see what I can find for transportation," he said, touching the radio on his shoulder.

His calls were interrupted by sirens and police cruisers thundering down Lakeshore Road toward us. Whatever was happening in town must have ended, freeing up the Cavalry. The cruisers skidded into the parking area next to Cottage #3 and half a dozen officers from our local station jumped out and ran to the Trooper.

The smell of acrid smoke trailed after them as the Trooper explained what had happened to Beanie and me. One of the officers ran back to her cruiser and brought a first aid kit back to where I stood, holding Beanie in my arms.

She knelt and I set Beanie on the ground next to her. "Hi, Sweetie! You had quite the exciting day, didn't you?"

"Our car was in the water an there were snakes! Jeff is my boyfriend and he saved me," Beans rattled excitedly.

"Oh, my. It's good to have a boyfriend who saves us. Can I listen to your tummy?" the officer asked, pulling out a stethoscope and listening to her chest and back.

Then, she pushed on Beanie's tummy and asked if anything hurt, looking for bruised or broken ribs while doing a cursory visual check for other injuries she may have suffered. She checked her ears for water or a broken eardrum. After running her hands over her scalp, she was satisfied that there were no other injuries.

To me, she said, "I can't hear any water in her lungs or stomach and there don't seem to be any obvious injuries. How about Mom? How is your breathing?"

"I'm fine. I may have a sprained ankle from kicking the van door open, but I'm just so happy my baby survived. I wasn't certain for a while."

"I want to warn you that later, probably tonight, when you get over the shock of everything that happened, you are going to break down. Just go with it. Cry it out. Scream it out. Eat ice-cream. It won't last forever. Here is a card for free victim's services. Please take advantage of their mental health care for both of you."

"Should we still go to the hospital?" I asked her.

"Yes. Absolutely. The ambulances are all busy at the fire. I just wanted to be sure you were both in good enough condition to travel. I have a child's safety seat in my cruiser. I'll give you a lift. Call me Debbie, okay?"

"Hey, Jay, I've got the hospital run, okay? You good?" she called out to the Trooper.

"Yeah, I'm off to find these creeps. Hey, Deb, can you get Karol's number for me?" he answered, raising Officer Debbie's eyebrows.