Carl Ramsey tried to look calm as he entered the hospital. He had agonized over what to do and in the end decided that he had already crossed the line, a little further wouldn't matter. He stopped at the nurse's station to check the room number and made his way slowly down the corridor.

Carl paused outside of Daltry's room, his hand fidgeting with the syringe in his pocket. He checked the corridor then slipped through the doorway. The muted hums and pings of the monitoring machines were the only sounds in the dimly lit space around the bed. He moved close and looked down into the bandaged face.

"Ed," he whispered close. "Ed?" Satisfied he was a sleep he removed the syringe from his pocket and drew back the plunger.

"Dr. Ramsey?"

At the sound of a voice behind him, Carl's body jerked with a startled spasm and he stumbled against the bed dropping the syringe on the blanket and waking Daltry.

"What the devil are you doing!"

Dr. Winston rushed to the bed and grabbed Carl's arm as he picked up the syringe and tried to jab a confused and panicked Daltry. The two men struggled, banging the bed roughly wrestling for control. Dr. Winston managed to grip the dangerous hand but before he could grab the syringe, Carl spun them around against the bed tray and they both fell to the ground with a grunt and a groan.

Daltry was muttering cries for help through his bandages and trying to sit up. A hand clamped on the bed rail and he squeaked as Dr. Winston dragged himself upright and stood panting a moment before grabbing the call buzzer and pressing it frantically.

On the floor, Carl lay making agonizing noises, the syringe protruding from his thigh. He pulled at it but his hand slipped and he lay motionless, staring at the dark ceiling.

"Dr. Winston-- my God, what happened?" The nurse hurried to the bed and then gave a short yelp as she saw the body on the floor.

"Call in a code blue and get Dr. Ramsey to emergency."

"You're hurt!"

"Call the code blue, now!"

Dr. Winston cradled what he knew was a broken wrist and gave Daltry a quick check then left the room and went to see Paulette. She was sleeping peacefully and he gave thanks that Ramsey hadn't visited her first.

********

Braxton slammed down his phone; the receiver bounced out of the cradle and hung down beside the table, spinning slowly. The call had come from Westhaven's police captain with the news about Dr. Ramsey and the incident in the hospital. Things were wobbling out of control and the number of people getting involved was growing. The police were on their way to see if they couldn't help cover up the threatening mess.

The sound of the car door slamming outside stirred him to move and he went out to greet his men with a frightened but indignant Barbara Sanders.

"What's the meaning of this? What right do you have--"

"Shut up! Take her to the barn."

Barbara complained all the way to no avail and was roughly shoved inside where she saw Nick sitting on a hay bale, blood running from his nose and a cut on his cheek.

"Nick! What have you done, you-- you thug!" She tried to slap the man guarding him but he caught her arm and shoved her down on the ground.

Braxton lifted Nick's chin and leaned down closely. "No time to waste, Roth. Where is the material. Tell me right now or your cousin will pay big time right here in front of you."

"Don't tell him anything, NIck!"

Braxton's backhand sent her reeling into the legs of the guard and he bent down to grab her arms while they all watched. Nick struggled to his feet, pulling a hoe from a hook on the wall and swinging it like a bat he caught one of the men across the neck. With a chopping motion he swung at Braxton who reacted quickly enough to avoid the blow to his head but not quickly enough to miss having the blade slice into the bridge of his foot.

Barbara broke free of the guard's gasp and raked his face with her nails, following up with a high heel to his shin. He fell back against the stall door, cursing and while she slammed the door against him, Nick drove the handle of the hoe into the stomach of the third man, pushing him painfully into the corner of the barn.

Braxton hobbled for the door and waved frantically as the headlights of the arriving police cars suddenly highlighted him.

********

Captain Cummins stood by while a nurse cleaned and bandaged Braxton's foot. He knew there was nothing he could do to prevent the facts from coming out; too many outsiders had stories to tell now. Carl Ramsey was on critical watch with no hope of survival. The dosage in the syringe was destroying cells and organs as it coursed through his veins.

Dr. Winston's statement and that of his nurse confirmed Ramsey's attempt on Ed Daltry; another loose end now likely to turn on them. Finally, the business at Braxton's barn with three of the Westhaven police officers, Roth and the Sanders woman just capped the entire fiasco.

Federal authorities, notified by Doctor Winston after a brief exchange with a raging Daltry, were on the scene as well and Cummins voluntarily surrendered his badge and weapon, hoping to get himself in front of any major charges.

"It's all over, Braxton. Every exit is closed and there is nothing you can say that will gloss over all these events."

"If it's over for me it's over for all of you too. I warned you I wouldn't go down alone."

"No, you warned me you would ruin me with the town if I didn't do what you wanted. Well you don't have to because I'm ruined anyway and with all the witnesses against you, you are done too." Cummins left and went back to the federal van awaiting him.

Inside sat a very glum and nervous Brian Teesdale and Tom Thatcher, who had been rounded up an brought to the scene. They watched Aaron climb in and settle into a seat, giving them both a morose look.

"Did they get Brax?" Teesdale asked.

"Oh yes. Braxton is done like dinner . . . as are we."

The engine started and they all rocked as it jerked away from the curb.

********

"Seems like your little jaunt up here just to get an inheritance cheque turned into quite an adventure."

Nick gave Barbara querying look.

"We were talking about how this all began and I filled Dave in on the details."

Dave? "I guess so. Looks like you had some adventure yourself, Doc."

"I did," Doctor Winston admitted. "I might get you to sign the cast before you leave."

"How is Paulette?"

"She's good; she'll be leaving the hospital in a couple of days. It will still take some time for the cheekbone to heal but I think it will be fine. What about you?"

Nick touched the tape on his nose. "If I'm lucky it straightened it." They shared a comfortable laugh and then an officer came in and told them their ride was waiting to take them back to Hunting.

"What about my car?" Nick asked.

"Someone will bring it by probably tomorrow. You ready?"

They said goodbye to Dave and followed the officer out.

The minute they were home Barbara poured two large glasses of wine and hauled Nick out to the patio.

"I'm exhausted from all the questions and statement signing; this will be a real treat." She sipped with her eyes closed and smacked her lips.

"You handled yourself pretty well in the barn, Cuz."

"Are you kidding, I was scared green?"

"Still it gave me that opportunity. Your face sore? That bruise from his slap looks tender."

"It is but right now it's a badge." She laughed and drank some more wine. "What do you think happens now?"

Nick waggled his empty glass in a broad hint and waited until she had poured him more.

"First, I would imagine, they will get all the charges sorted, set trial dates and eventually pass sentence. As for the damage done here, I would expect the town of Hunting to petition for the assets of BKD to pay for the cleanup of the water supply and the necessary well repairs."

"Would they do that?"

"Certainly worth the shot. All that property would need to be reassigned to someone too because Braxton won't see it again." He took a swallow and paused. "You know, I bet TT&F have all the paperwork for BKD and right now they are scrambling to see how they can carve up the remains . . . less one T that is."

"Tom. Yes, and he always seemed so nice."

"Didn't they all."

The phone rang and Barbara went inside to answer. A few moments later she came out looking shaken.

"What's up?"

That was Dave . . . Daltry got out of the hospital and they can't find him."

Dave called you! "How long ago? Who's looking?"

"He said about an hour."

"And he's just calling now?"

"He said he and some hospital staff were tied up with police questions . . . Braxton seems to have slipped away as well."

"What! I thought the Feds had him."

"Dave says he heard some of the officers saying they thought one of the federal officers deliberately let him go."

Nick got up and steered her back inside. "There's a good chance Braxton might come here. With nothing to lose he could want some vengeance on the people that knocked him down . . . you and me.