All Chained Up (Devil's Rock #1)(9)

Anticipating his needs, Briar busied herself gathering up the supplies required for suturing the wound, retrieving items from the cabinets. She was glad she had taken the time to familiarize herself with the contents this morning so she didn’t have to bother Josiah, who was now on the phone arranging transport to the local hospital for the inmate with the injured knee.

She offered Dr. Walker an anesthetic to help numb the area before suturing. “I don’t need that,” Callaghan said, his voice soft, but deep enough that she would have probably heard him from outside the HSU.

Dr. Walker smiled kindly, as though he wasn’t dealing with a dangerous convict, and accepted the syringe from Briar. “It’s nothing to be afraid of, son. It just hurts a moment, but you’ll be grateful for the relief once I start sewing.”

“I don’t need it,” he repeated in that quiet, unshakable voice.

Dr. Walker stared at him a long moment before glancing at Briar, the hesitation clear in his eyes.

She shrugged. “If he doesn’t want it . . .” She let her words fade away. As harsh as Callaghan had been to her, she wasn’t particularly motivated to argue with him just so he could suffer less. If he wanted pain, then he could have it.

As soon as the uncharitable thought entered her head, she gave it a swift kick. Her profession called for her to offer comfort and compassion. In so short a time, this inmate had squashed that impulse in her. It made her feel small and ugly inside. So soon, this place was already changing her. She didn’t like it, and right then she vowed not to let it happen. Part of the reason she went into nursing was because she wanted to be a good person. Nothing like her father.

“Very well, Mr. Callaghan,” Dr. Walker declared. “I shall endeavor to use a gentle hand, but I can’t promise it won’t hurt.”

Callaghan blinked, his lids dropping slowly over those blue eyes. He pulled back slightly, as if the mister before his name had somehow thrown him, and she doubted he had often, if ever, been extended that courtesy. At least not while he was in prison, and as he’d made clear, that had been a while.

Dr. Walker was good to his word, working quickly and efficiently. She stood at his elbow, handing him whatever he needed promptly, her gaze only straying once or twice to Callaghan.

The man stared straight ahead, his jaw locked tight, his expression reflecting none of his discomfort, even though she knew it had to hurt.

Was that what prison did? Killed one’s ability to feel? The possibility left her a little hollow inside.

“There now.” Dr. Walker slipped off his gloves. “Are you opposed to acetaminophen?”

After a moment of hesitation, Callaghan shook his head.

Dr. Walker smiled. “Very good, then. Nurse Davis will get that for you as well as an antibiotic cream to help with any potential infection.” He lightly patted Callaghan on the shoulder like he was one of the old grannies that came to see him complaining of arthritis, and not a hardened convict.

“What about his ribs?” Briar asked.

“Ah, that’s right. Let’s take a look.” Dr. Walker rubbed his hands together, warming his palms before placing them over the bruises on Callaghan’s torso. “Possibly fractured,” he said after a moment. “Maybe only bruised. How’s your breathing? Any trouble?” Briar offered him a stethoscope, and the doctor placed it on both Callaghan’s chest and his back, listening for long moments as he directed the patient to inhale and exhale. At last he sat down, looping the stethoscope around his neck. “Your lungs sound strong. Considering there is little to do to treat your ribs, I don’t think it necessary to send you out for X rays. We’ll bind you up, though. That should offer some comfort and help with the healing.”

Callaghan nodded once, which she supposed was acknowledgment and thanks rolled into one. It seemed even this hardened criminal was not immune to Dr. Walker’s generous bedside manner. The older man pushed himself to his feet just as the door opened.

Chester and another guard returned, entering the room in that swaggering way of theirs. “Any of these inmates ready?” Chester asked, his gaze falling on Callaghan, making it clear who he really wanted.

She tried not to let the fact that the guard clearly disliked him matter. If Chester was singling him out, it was just further evidence that Callaghan was a problem and probably deserving of such treatment.

“Thought we’d get them transferred to seg before our shift ends.” He stopped and hooked his thumb in his belt, legs braced apart. “Save the new guards coming in the trouble.”

Dr. Walker looked bewildered, his gaze seeking out Josiah, their interpreter in this strange new world.

Josiah pointed to the inmate with lesser injuries. “This one can be moved, but we’ve already called transport to take Rollins to Memorial—”

“What about Callaghan?” Chester strode closer to his bed, his manner almost possessive.

Dr. Walker blinked and looked down at the silent inmate. Even with his stitched forehead and his bruised torso, he looked formidable. Too big for the cot.

Briar’s gaze dropped to his hands with the scarred knuckles. Her stomach clenched when she noticed they were curled into fists. Battle ready. She could almost imagine him bursting from his handcuffs like the Hulk. Her gaze shot to his face, locking with his eyes. Her chest tightened. He was dangerous. She knew it. And he knew she knew it, too.