“It's his only chance,” the dog solemnly said.
“I wish somebody would tell me!” an upset gray kitty exploded.
“We're going to drive this sucker,” Murphy resolutely stated.
“You're out of your mind!”
“Pewter, go home then,” Murphy sharply told her. “Tucker, give him a shove.”
Tucker nudged Blair with her front paws and her head. He slowly slumped over just a bit more.
“Pewter, are you in or out of this car?”
“I'm in. What do you want me to do?”
“We've got to get the car in first gear.”
“His foot is on the clutch,” Pewter said.
“Okay, Tucker, can you fit in down there?”
“Yes.”
“Sit on his foot while Pewter and I push the gearshift into first. Then slowly move his foot off the clutch and we'll steer.”
“Won't work. We'll stall out,” Tucker panted. “The trick is, I have to get his foot off the clutch and mine on the gas pedal. Luckily his foot isn't on the gas pedal.”
“We have to get this right on the first try.” Murphy crawled over into Blair's lap while Pewter sat in the passenger seat, patting his face with her paw.
The idea was for Murphy to push the shift stick from the top while Pewter pulled from the bottom.
“Ready?” Murphy tersely asked.
“Yes,” the other two replied.
The cats moved the gearshift into first. That part was easy. The next part was hard because if they stalled out they'd have to turn the key and feed gas at the same time. They didn't think they could do that.
“Tucker, it's better if we shoot ahead than stall out,” Murphy advised.
Pewter had joined her in the driver's seat. She stood on her hind legs, staring out the window. Murphy sat in Blair's lap, her paws on the bottom of the steering wheel.
“God, I hope this car is as responsive as all those ads say it is.” Murphy sent up a little prayer to the Great Cat in the sky for Blair. “Let's go.”
Tucker pushed off Blair's foot as she pushed down on the gas pedal with her right paw. The car lurched forward and sputtered.
“More gas.”
Tucker, both feet free now, pressed on the accelerator.
The car smoothly accelerated at amazing speed.
“Keep on the road! Not so much gas!”
“Help me,” Murphy called out.
Pewter, claws unleashed, sank them into the leather steering wheel. She struggled to keep the car on the gravel driveway. Even a small motion turned the wheels. “Tucker, let up a little,” Pewter screamed.
“I'm trying.” Tucker took her full weight off the flat pedal. “We've got it now. We got it.”
“What are we going to do when we get to the paved road?” Pewter shivered with fear.
“Pray that no car is coming our way because if we stop we won't get started again.”
Pewter, eyes huge, chin quivering, steered for all she was worth. By God, she might be afraid but she wasn't a coward.
They reached the end of Blair's long driveway. A truck was past them on the right. With all their might the two cats turned the wheel to the left. The car door still hung wide open.
“Not too much! Not too much!” Pewter directed.
“More?” Tucker couldn't see a thing. This was truly an act of blind faith.
“No, keep it right like it is, Tucker. You're doing great. Okay, okay, here's our driveway. Another left. Not too much, it's curvy.” Murphy kept her voice calm.
“Slow, slow. Oh no—there's another car!” Pewter's fur stood on end.
“He sees us. He's not going to hit us without messing himself up.”
The car swerved around them, horn honking.
“Asshole!” Murphy spat. “Yeah, okay, now keep your eyes on the road, Pewts. We'll make it.” The car dropped down a bit on the dirt road; the stones had moved to the sides, as they always do. It's a waste of money putting stone on a driveway, but who can afford macadam?
“I see Mom!” Pewter almost wept with relief.
“Tucker, keep it steady. We have to roll past her line of vision. Okay, okay, she sees us. Pewter, hit the horn.”
Pewter laid on that horn for all she was worth.
“Off?”
“Yeah.”
Tucker lifted her weight off the gas pedal. The car shuddered to a stop. Harry stopped the tractor and hit the ground running. She tore over her newly seeded field.
“Oh my God,” was all she could say when she reached the stalled-out Turbo. She put it in neutral, started it, then picked up the activated car phone and dialed 911.
“Crozet Emergency—” Diana Robb didn't get to finish her sentence.
“Diana. Harry. Blair's in my driveway. He's been shot. There's blood everywhere. For God's sake, hurry!”
She dropped the phone. She was shaking so hard that Tucker, now on the ground, licked her hands. Then she remembered to turn off the motor. She no longer needed the power for the telephone. Harry felt Blair's pulse, which was surprisingly strong. Fearful of moving him, she ran around to the passenger side of the car and opened the door. The two cats got out of the car and looked up at her blankly.
Within minutes they heard the siren. The rescue squad halted behind the Porsche. Diana reached Blair first.
“Call the E.R. Let's get him out of here.”
“Is he going to make it?”
“I don't know.” Diana held his head. “Help me lift him upright from the passenger side. We'll slide him out on the driver's side.” She turned to Harry. “How did he ever make it over here?”
“If I told you, you wouldn't believe me.”
The animals watched, tears in their eyes, their ears drooping.
As Harry and Diana lifted out the injured man, Joe Farham, Diana's assistant, rolled out the gurney from the back of the ambulance.
The three humans gently placed Blair on the gurney.
Joe took Blair's pulse as Diana, still stabilizing his head, examined the wound.
“I can't find an entry point.” She stared at the bloody right side of Blair's head.
Blair moaned.
“Dear God, what can I do to help him!” Harry, in tears, cried.
“Take a couple of deep breaths. We'll get him to the E.R. as fast as we can. You wait for Rick to get here. I'll call for him on my way to the hospital. Oh, Harry, don't touch the car. Okay?”
“Okay.” Harry wiped her eyes.
Joe had shut the ambulance doors and hopped into the driver's seat as Diana jumped in next to Blair, closing the doors behind her. They hit the siren and flew down the gravel road as Harry tried to collect herself.
“Please let Blair live,” Tucker whimpered.
“I don't believe what I saw.” Harry cried anew, reaching down to stroke her animals. “You guys are heroes.”
“We couldn't let him die. He has a fighting chance,” Murphy solemnly said.
Harry sat down on the grass to wait for Sheriff Shaw.
53
A crowd of people kept vigil in the hospital hallway: Harry, Miranda, Big Mim, Little Mim, Herb Jones, BoomBoom, Susan and Ned, Market Shiflett, Jim Sanburne, and Dr. Larry Johnson. Finally, Larry's young partner, Hayden McIntire, emerged from the operating room.