The Right Side of Wrong Read Online Free

him. “That means he’s gonna live, right?”
    Dr. Patterson lifted the thin blanket to reveal Cody’s feet. He took an instrument resembling a fountain pen from his pocket and pulled the dry nib along the sole of one foot, smiling at the tiny reaction.
    â€œWell?” Ned had no patience with doctors, and Ernie Patterson had gotten on his nerves years earlier. Ned felt Patterson should have used some of the money he made as a doctor to straighten his mouth full of crooked teeth.
    But it wasn’t Ernie’s appearance that truly annoyed Ned, or his slow response to the question. It was the place and the situation itself. Ned didn’t like hospitals, period.
    The nuns in their habits flowed down the halls holding steel trays full of things Ned didn’t like the looks of, and didn’t understand. He didn’t like the glass bottle dangling from a chrome stand by Cody’s head, or the tube leading into the crook of his left elbow.
    Ned hated needles as much as he hated a crooked lawman.
    â€œI believe he’ll be fine, but he won’t be hoeing any corn for a good long time.” Dr. Patterson replaced the blanket and slipped the pen into the pocket of his white coat. “I suspect most of the paralysis will be gone in a few days. His spine was bruised pretty badly in the wreck, but he’s already getting the feeling back in his extremities. That little dab of movement is a good indication the damage to his spinal column was only slight, so yes, I think he’ll make a full recovery.”
    â€œHe’ll be fine.” Miss Becky squeezed her Bible tightly and gave it a slight shake. “He’s on the prayer list at church, and I know the good Lord will take care of him.”
    Ned thought for a moment. “Well, why ain’t he awake?”
    â€œI still have him knocked out, Ned. He may look pretty good, but that wreck damn near killed him. Sorry Becky, I meant, it nearly killed him.”
    Ned scowled. “He don’t look good to me at all for a feller who flipped a car after he was shot at. His head must be a mess under all them bandages.”
    A thick dressing made Cody’s face look lopsided. Two stitches closed the toenail cut on his cheek and a small cut on his scalp. His broken nose was also taped. To Ned, it appeared there wasn’t an inch of the young man’s face that wasn’t damaged.
    â€œSomething slapped him pretty hard and he has a little frostbite on that left ear, but it’ll heal all right. I’ve checked his eyes, and we don’t think there’s any damage to his sight. We’re lucky there. He’ll look better when the swelling goes down.”
    â€œHe needs to rest now.” Norma Faye used her free hand to tuck a renegade curl of long red hair behind one ear. They’d been married for less than a year, but she’d settled into the family faster than anyone expected, despite the scandal she and Cody had created when they started seeing each other. “Where’s James and Ida Belle?”
    â€œDownstairs with the kids.” Miss Becky’s thumbs unconsciously worried at the worn leather of the Bible’s cover. “They’ll be up directly, when we leave. Top and Pepper wanted to come up here in the worst way, but one of them nuns said kids weren’t allowed on this floor.”
    â€œI’ll bring them up later if I want to.” Ned scowled and fiddled with the stained felt Stetson in his weathered hands. “Nuns or not.”
    Norma Faye always wanted the kids close. “Where are they now?”
    Ned shifted from one foot to the other to ease the ache in his knees. “Either in the waiting room, or outside throwing snowballs, I reckon.”
    â€œTop had that case he’s been carrying. They’re probably playing secret agent, like on that television show they’ve been watching.”
    The idle conversation was a relief valve, of no consequence, but it