“Might be a partial transection preventing it from constricting and closing off,” KT observed. “Get the 3-0 ties ready, Vic, then take over the compression on the wound.” She motioned to the second paramedic. “You’re going to need to suction for us.”

“Sure,” he said as he moved closer to the field and took the suction from Tory.

KT picked up a hemostat in her right hand and glanced from Tory to the paramedic. “All set?” At their nods, she said, “Put the retractors in and let me have a look.”

For the next two minutes the room was entirely silent except for the gurgle of the suction machine pulling a steady stream of blood from Bri’s neck through the plastic tubing and into the container. Once, KT said steadily, “Suck right there. Over just a little bit. Good.”

While Tory and the paramedic stared into the depths of the laceration, struggling to clear the blood and hold back the subcutaneous tissue and divided muscle edges, KT used the hemostat to dissect out the external jugular vein from the surrounding tissue, identifying the segment that had been partially divided and that gaped open, accounting for the rapid hemorrhage.

“Got it,” KT muttered, clamping the proximal portion leading from the head toward the chest. Without taking her eyes from the other end of the vein that she needed to control, she held out her right hand. “Hemostat.”

Pia placed the instrument into KT’s hand, and KT clamped it around the distal end of the vein. The bleeding from the wound stopped.

“Scissors,” KT requested, again extending her open hand, palm up. The scissors settled smartly against her palm, and she closed her fingers automatically on the instrument. She finished dividing the vein so that the two ends were now free and could be ligated. After setting the scissors aside, she held up the first hemostat. She couldn’t tie with only one hand. “You’ll have to tie these off, Vic.”

“Vicryl okay?” Tory asked, reaching for the suture.

“Should be.”

Tory looped the suture around the end of the hemostat and, using both hands, tied off the vessel. She repeated the procedure as KT lifted the second hemostat. When she was done, the wound was nearly dry. Looking into KT’s dark eyes, Tory said quietly, “Beautiful.”

“Thanks. Let’s look around to make sure there isn’t anything deeper.”

With the paramedic retracting and Tory gently suctioning, KT delicately explored the wound, lifting tissue layers with her forceps until she had identified the carotid sheath undamaged and the nearby internal jugular vein, also inviolate. “Fortunately it doesn’t extend to the midline, so the trachea and esophagus should be fine. Looks like it nicked the submandibular gland. I should close the capsule just to prevent delayed bleeding,” She straightened and turned to Pia. “Can you load up that 3-0 Vicryl on the short needle holder for me.”

“Got it.” Pia opened the sterile suture package and clamped the jaws of the needle holder onto the semicircular needle. She passed it handle first into KT’s right hand.

“You’re pretty good at that,” KT murmured.

Pia smiled and nodded toward the wound. “You too.”

Twenty minutes later, Tory and KT had finished closing the laceration. Bri, only semiconscious due to a combination of shock and sedation, remained unaware of the procedure.

“We should ship her to Hyannis for observation, I guess,” Tory said reluctantly. “I know she’s going to hate that”

“She’s stable. We can watch her here until morning,” KT suggested. “She’s already had antibiotics, the wound is closed, and if you’re worried about blood loss, we can do a finger stick hemoglobin. But I doubt she’s going to need transfusion.”

Tory hesitated.

“Why don’t I talk to her father?” Pia suggested. “Then one of you can fill him in on the medical details, and you can make a decision about the next step.”

“Now there’s an idea,” Tory said with a shaky laugh. “Thanks. Let me just check her blood count, and I’ll be out.”

When Pia stepped out into the hallway, Nelson, Reese, and Allie rushed forward.

“She’s doing fine,” Pia said immediately, aware that that was all they really needed to hear and that they probably wouldn’t remember anything else from the initial explanation.

“The bleeding?” Nelson croaked. Christ, there had been so much of it. When he’d followed Reese into the kitchen and seen Bri on her knees, blood pouring from her neck, he thought he’d pass out. While he’d stood rooted to the spot in helpless fear, Reese had jumped forward and clamped her hand over the wound in his daughter’s throat. “Jesus Christ.”

“It’s stopped. KT and Tory found the bleeder and controlled it.” Pia surveyed the small group. Nelson was obviously a wreck; Allie was deathly pale, her eyes dark pools of anguish; and Reese vibrated with tension so palpable Pia felt it even though their bodies did not touch. “Are any of you hurt?”

“No,” Reese replied abruptly. She glanced toward the treatment room. “We were just a little too far away.”

“It was my fault,” Allie said. “I was behind Bri on the stairs, and I didn’t see him follow us. I let that fucker get to her.” Her voice was hollow with self-recrimination and pain.

“We’ll talk about that when we debrief,” Reese said quietly. She looked at Pia. “What’s the plan?”

Tory appeared in the hallway, announcing as she approached, “She’s stable. Her hemoglobin is just a bit above eleven. I’ll check again in a few hours, but she’s not going to need a transfusion.” She walked directly to Nelson and put both hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look only at her. “She’s awake. She’s all right. She’s going to be fine. She wants to see you.”

Tears finally streaked his cheeks. “You’re sure about her being okay?”

“Yes. We need to keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn’t develop an infection, but the knife didn’t strike anything vital. She’s going to be completely fine.”

Nelson gave a shaky laugh. “Then she might be the only one of us.” He rubbed his face. “Jesus. That kid…” He trailed off as his throat closed around another unanticipated swell of tears. When he finally managed to find his voice, he said, “Well. Let me go see her.”

“Go ahead, but expect her to be drowsy.” Tory looked from Allie to Reese. “You can both see her, as well. But just for a few minutes. I’m going to keep her here until morning. I’ll check her hemoglobin again then, and if she’s stable and everything else looks good, I’m going to take her home with us, Reese. There’s nothing they would do in the hospital but keep an eye on her. And I can do that.”

“Good,” Reese said gruffly. “I’d rather have her here.”

For the first time, Tory touched her lover. She took Reese’s hand and squeezed. “So would I. Sweetheart, change your shirt before you go see her.”

Reese glanced down and winced. “Yeah. I’ve got clothes in the Blazer. I’ll do that now.”

Tory watched Reese walk away, the relief so acute now that the crisis had passed and she knew that her lover was safe for another day that her legs felt weak. She leaned one shoulder against the wall and took a long breath.

“She’s really going to be okay?” Allie asked in a small voice.

“Yes.” After a second, Tory turned and put her arm around Allie’s shoulders, giving her a hug. “She really is.” To Tory’s utter surprise, Allie pressed her face to Tory’s shoulder and wept. Soothingly, Tory rocked her. “It’s okay, honey. It’s okay.”

“That fucker,” Allie sobbed into Tory’s shirt. “That fucking bastard. I’m so glad she broke his goddamned arm.”

“Did she?”

Allie nodded, breath hitching as she struggled to contain her tears. “Dislocated his shoulder too.”

“Good,” Tory said vehemently.

“Yeah,” Allie said with a sigh, stepping away and brushing the tears from her cheeks with both hands. “The guys said she never even hesitated. Took him down with a shoulder throw even though he’d…” Her voice broke, “…cut her.”

Tory stroked Allie’s cheek. “She won’t remember very much about it. She’ll remember, but thankfully, the mind has a way of dealing with horrible things like that. She’ll need to talk about it you all will but you’re all going to be okay.” She lifted Allie’s chin and smoothed away the last of her tears. “All right?”

Allie nodded, then turned at the sound of Nelson’s voice.

“She wants to see you, Allie,” Nelson said, his color considerably better, the torment gone from his eyes. He smiled crookedly. “She sounds like a bullfrog, but she doesn’t look too bad.” He glanced at Tory. “The other doc says there won’t be too much of a scar.”

“She should know,” Tory replied with certainty. “She’s the surgeon.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Tory slumped, eyes closed, in the leather chair behind her desk. At the touch of a soft kiss on her forehead, she opened her eyes. Reese bent over her, her arms braced on either side of Tory’s body. Murmuring a soft hello, Tory reached up and wrapped her arms around Reese’s neck, burying her face against Reese’s shoulder. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes.” Reese knelt, sliding her arms around Tory’s waist and cradling her against her chest.

“When I got the call, driving here” Tory halted, collecting herself. “All I could think was that you’d been hurt again. I can’t stand it when you’re hurt.”

“I know you must have thought it was me. I’m so sorry, Tor.”

“Oh God,” Tory whispered, her voice trembling. “It’s not your fault.”

“I scared you. I don’t ever want that. And Bri…I put her in there. I thought I could cover her fast enough.” Reese shuddered. “I promised Nelson I’d take care of her, and I almost let her get killed.”

Tory leaned back, her arms still around Reese’s shoulders, and fixed her with an intent stare. “That is not your fault. If Bri hadn’t been as well trained as she is, who knows what could’ve happened. And you trained her.”