A Shepherd in France Ch. 02

The roar of the engine behind him grew closer and he spared a quick glance over his shoulder. The rusty old truck was gaining on him rapidly as Arsene brought the truck up to a reckless speed.

Ben came to the sick realization that he wasn't going to be able to reach the main road before Arsene got to him. Close but not good enough. He hammered the pedals but it wouldn't matter. He looked back again in desperation and saw the grin on the man's face suddenly twenty feet away.

He stood as high as he could on the pedals thinking maybe he'd roll onto the hood and avoid going under the wheels. Then he spotted a branch overhanging the road from an old tree growing on the field side of the wall.

He reached out and grabbed it with both hands just before the truck slammed into the bike's back wheel. Ben screamed as he felt his shoulders being pulled painfully. He swung up and over the sidewall and lost his grip on the branch. He was flung into the field just on the opposite side of the wall. Ben landed on his back with a thump and slid downhill through the dirt as the air was knocked from his lungs.

Arsene screamed in rage as his quarry escaped from the road. The large bicycle shot forward under the impact to fall on its side and went under the truck. There was a horrible screeching sound and the steering wheel jumped under Arsene's grip and snapped his thumb back. He screamed in agony and fought the wheel. He slammed his foot on the brake but something was wrong. The pedal was spongy and he wasn't slowing fast enough. He glanced forward and saw the intersection racing towards him. He engaged the parking brake and began to slow but it wasn't enough.

The old land rover shot across the main road at fifty miles an hour to slam into the old stone wall a split second before a speeding delivery truck on the main road slammed into Arsene's door, crushing him.

Ben lay in the dirt trying to get his breath back. He must have blacked out for a time. He heard screaming and the voices sounded familiar. He sat up and took inventory. His shoulders ached like crazy, but he was intact. Fingers and toes moved as expected. His back felt like it was on fire but he couldn't see that so he tried to ignore it. He got himself to his feet and looked down the road. He was maybe thirty yards from the intersection and could see smoke and what looked like a traffic accident. Head spinning, he walked along the field side of the wall to see what happened. As he approached he could see Alexis' van and she and Béatrice holding each other and crying as they stood across the road from the burning vehicles. The remains of the bicycle could still be seen under the burning truck. Arsene's corpse was on fire.

Suddenly Alexis spotted Ben staring at her and screamed. He raised his hands and the two women came running.

"BEN! OH MY GOD! THANK GOD YOU'RE ALIVE!" Alexis screamed as she reached across the wall to grab at his arms.

Béatrice tried hugging him but Ben hissed when she touched his back. He turned around so they could see the damage and they screamed again. His torn t-shirt was covered in blood and dirt.

"OH MY GOD! You need medical attention!" Béatrice yelled. Ben saw a firetruck approach followed by an ambulance. Ben took off his helmet and handed it to the women. Béatrice saw the cameras were still recording and looked at Alexis excitedly. She shut them off and disconnected them from the helmet. The cameras went into her pocket.

They helped Ben over the wall and held his arms as the trio made their way closer to the road. The police arrived shortly after the firemen were dousing the blaze.

The driver of the delivery truck was badly injured and needed more immediate care so the paramedics saw to him first. One took a quick look at Ben's back and said he'd be back to clean that up.

Ben recognized one of the policemen as he approached. Béatrice acted as his interpreter as he gave the man his statement. They were still talking when the ambulance packed up their patient and raced away. Alexis shouted after the vehicle but they had a critical patient to deal with.

Béatrice told the policeman something and the man nodded. Then she and Alexis turned Ben around and led him to their van. He went into the back and Alexis backed the vehicle all the way up the lane to Arsene's driveway where she turned and drove forward the wrong way on the road back to her property. Béatrice was on her cell and told Ben that Henry and Richard were on their way.

They helped Ben into the chateau and led him into the living room calling out to Marie to quickly bring a clean sheet. Alexis threw the couch cushions onto the long coffee table and Marie arrived with the sheet and squeaked when she saw Ben's back. Alexis took the sheet from her and sent her to get a basin of water, facecloths and towels. The woman scurried away. The sheet went over the couch cushions and they had Ben lie on his stomach over this. He sighed heavily as he finally relaxed his screaming muscles.

Béatrice rushed away and returned with scissors to cut the shirt off. Once the basin of water arrived with the towels the three women began carefully cleaning Ben's back. The blood had dried and bonded the t-shirt fabric to his wounds so that needed to be softened with the water and peeled away. Béatrice snipped the loosened shirt away from his body until they could fully expose his back. They then cleaned him as best they could until they could see the damage done. The once smooth skin now had scratches and abrasions from his fall. Some looked quite deep.

Henry and Richard rushed into the building calling out and Alexis yelled for then to join them in the living room which they did quickly.

Henry immediately knelt down and examined Ben's back as Richard gasped.

"What happened to Ben?" he asked.

Béatrice suddenly recalled the cameras in her pocket. She rushed away and returned with her tablet. She extracted the memory stick from the camera and inserted it into the tablet's card reader. She found the file and started playing the movie. She scrolled ahead and saw Richard talking with Ben. She scrolled a little further forward and there was some jerky motion.

"Go back!" Richard barked.

Béatrice glared at the man who apologized, embarrassed by his excited outburst. She scrolled back and saw Ben stop at Arsene's place then roll forward. The boom of the shotgun could be heard and Ben's grunt. They froze the movie.

"He was shot!" Béatrice yelled.

Henry nodded. "Yes, there are several pellets under his skin. I have to remove them. Ben, I have no pain killers. Would you like some whisky?"

"No thanks Doc. I'm on the wagon," Ben mumbled from his face down position.

"Removing the pellets will hurt. Are you sure?" Henry said.

"Do it," Ben replied with a sigh.

Henry looked at Alexis with trepidation. She raised her eyebrows. The retired doctor took out his tools and selected a scalpel. He made a neat cut above the bump of one of the pellets and Ben hissed. Then he used tweezers to spread open the cut to get to the pellet. Ben growled deeply as the tool dug into him then the pellet was out and Ben sagged with relief, panting.

"Ben, there are four more and one is deep. Are you sure you don't want something?" Henry asked.

"No. Just do it," Ben growled.

Henry moved quickly and efficiently but the pain was still unbearable. Once he had the last one out, the deepest, Ben was unconscious.

"A small mercy," Henry said after checking Ben's pulse. He proceeded to clean and stitch the larger gashes on Ben's back closed. None needed more than two.

"Keep playing the video," Richard asked.

Béatrice nodded and they all watched Ben's harrowing escape. She extracted the memory card and put in the one from the back facing camera. That view clearly showed Arsene's face as he attempted to run down Ben with his truck.

"Please make copies of those movies and send them to the police," Alexis asked her partner who nodded and left to go to their office.

Alexis looked at the sleeping man on her table and suddenly broke down in tears. He'd almost been killed! Twice!

"Alexis! Calm yourself, everything is good. Ben's injuries are not serious. He will have a few more scars for his collection but nothing else is permanent," Henry said.

"I insisted he go for that bicycle ride! It's my fault!"

"Alexis..."

She looked down at Ben.

"Alexis please..."

She knelt down to see his eyes were open. Glassy with pain but open.

"You are not at fault... If he had come after me... when I was with the kids... this way... was safest for everyone." Ben's eyes closed and he was out.

Alexis was suddenly angry with Ben. She wanted to strike him for not thinking of his own safety.

Henry saw her face and pulled her to her feet and walked her out of the room as Richard and Marie followed with puzzled expressions. Once everyone was back in the kitchen Henry faced her.

"Why does he think he is not important? Why does he not see how much people love him? What is wrong with that man?" Alexis' voice was rising with each question until Béatrice arrived and pulled her into a hug. Both women burst into tears and shook with reaction to the near tragedy. Marie watched with tears in her eyes and her hand on her mouth.

Stephanie wobbled into the kitchen. "What happened?" she asked nervously.

Alexis pulled back from her partner and turned to her sister. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "Ben was in an accident but he's ok!" she finished in a rush as she saw her sister's shock. "It was a very close call and he could have been killed. Ben was riding one of the new bicycles when Arsene shot at him and tried to drive him down with his truck. Somehow Ben got away but Arsene crashed his truck and died."

"Arsene's dead?" Richard, Henry, and Stephanie all gasped in unison.

Alexis looked at the men and nodded. "Yes, he died in the crash and burned when the trucks caught on fire."

Stephanie had a strange look on her face, somewhere between awe and satisfaction. Béatrice saw it and was confused. "What is it?" she asked.

"Ben said he was 'going to have to do something about him' and he certainly did," she smiled grimly.

Alexis frowned. "Steph! Ben didn't do this to kill Arsene! He was wearing cameras which showed he was surprised by Arsene's appearance and had to flee for his life! Arsene's death was an accident!"

"I can't watch the video so I will believe what I want to believe. He is my hero! Where is he? I want to give him a hero's kiss!" Stephanie said stubbornly.

"Ben was injured in the attack. Henry had to dig five shotgun pellets from his back then the fall from the bicycle inflicted more damage to his skin," Alexis explained.

"More scars?" Stephanie gasped, looking shaken. "Take me to him!"

The group looked at the woman in surprise then her sister guided her to the living room. "Ben is resting on the coffee table on the couch cushions," the older sister whispered. "Don't wake him."

"Guide my hands to his back. I'll be gentle," Stephanie whispered back.

Alexis frowned at her sister then lifted her hands up to the top of Ben's broad shoulders. Stephanie nodded when she knew where her hands were. She concentrated hard and feather light she moved her hands down his back. She got the locations and sizes of the cuts and once she reached his waist she pulled her hands back and fixed the image in her mind.

"I need to go back to my room please," she said to her sister. Alexis led her away as the rest stayed and watched Ben sleep.

"He couldn't have planned that, could he?" Richard asked his partner who was frowning at Ben. The words sunk in and Henry scowled at his lover, shaking his head in disappointment. He turned and left as Richard hustled after him apologizing. Marie went back to the kitchen so Béatrice sat down on the couch to keep an eye on the big man.

About an hour later Ben's eyes twitched and slowly opened. He saw Béatrice resting on the couch and he tried to move. All be managed to do was moan. Béatrice's eyes flew open and she leaned forward.

"Ben! You are awake?"

"Yes, but now I wish I wasn't. Can you get me some painkillers?" he moaned.

"Right away. One or two?"

"Three, please."

"They are very strong!" she warned.

"All the better."

She rushed away and returned with three pills and a glass of water. She found Ben sitting on the cushions. "What are you doing sitting up!" she cried.

"How else was I going to swallow the pills?" he asked.

Her mouth worked but she had no answer so she just gave him the medication and water. She watched him wince as he lifted his arm to drink.

"Where does it hurt?" she asked gently.

"I wrenched my shoulders when I grabbed that branch and my back feels like I was dragged through a cactus patch. Multiple times. While it was on fire," he grinned and she smiled back. Then her smile vanished.

"Ben, we very nearly lost you today. Alexis and I would never have forgiven ourselves for our part in taking the love of Gabriella's and Catherine's life away from them. It has shaken us up terribly. Please do not joke about this," Béatrice said seriously.

"Ok, but let's be REALLY clear on one very important thing. You and Alexis played NO part in the danger I was in today! You two bear NO responsibility for what that lunatic tried to do! Maybe he was intending to come up here with that gun and kill everyone! Maybe he would have come after me when I drove by with Gabriella and the kids! I certainly didn't want to be in that situation but considering he had a shotgun and a truck and all I had was a bicycle the fact that I walked away alive and he didn't tells me I did ok! I thank you both for that ride," Ben's voice boomed in the large room.

Béatrice looked at him with wide eyes as she trembled. "I want to hug you so hard but I think that would hurt," she said.

He nodded. "Yes, it would. A lot."

Suddenly her lips were pressed against his and his eyes were wide with surprise. She pulled back with a grin. "Not to worry, I still play for the other team."

He smiled back.

"First our cook and now you're going after my woman!?!" Alexis said in mock outrage.

"Tempted. Seriously tempted, but I hear she plays for the other team," Ben smiled and saw the look in Alexis' eye. "You heard me?"

"Everyone heard you!" Alexis exclaimed.

Ben pushed himself to his feet. And both women moved to stop him but he raised his hands. "It's time to show you how to grout tiles," he said.

"BEN! That's insane! You will NOT be grouting a bathroom after being shot!" Alexis yelled.

"I'm not going to do it. You are. I'm just there to instruct. I promised I would help you finish but my arms and back aren't going to let me do that. So what I can do is impart my knowledge to you. Really, you've shown me you can do everything I've shown you with professional results. Once you know how to grout you can finish on your own and you'll feel more pride in knowing you've done the work yourself," he explained.

Béatrice looked doubtful but saw the pride in Alexis' eyes so she caved.

They walked upstairs with Ben and he began his lesson.

Chapter 15

Gabriella's and Catherine's reaction to his being shot and almost run over by a truck was significantly stronger than their reaction to the clubbing. Like the bomb at Hiroshima was stronger than a hand grenade.

Ben endured their clinging to his arms and waist and crying on him for over an hour upon their return.

He was unable to disguise the fact that his back was a raw mess and his movements showed the aches and pains he was in.

Béatrice had edited the videos she'd taken from his cameras and had put copies onto a memory stick for him to take with him. They watched the edited versions and this started the tears once more. The scene where Ben walked down the hill to see Alexis and Béatrice crying over his apparent demise hit those two particularly hard and they were in tears as well. Daniel and Miriam cried and Ben felt no shame in his own tears as he hugged them until their tears stopped.

He finally had to say enough when the group attempted to watch the videos for a third time. He told them it was over and he was alive and just slightly worse for wear but would heal. He wanted the tears to stop and to hear about the adventures they'd had in Lyon.

Daniel showed him some pictures but after a short time everyone could tell the mood was wrong. They'd have to come back to this later. No one felt like eating and Gabriella suggested everyone go to bed as they were supposed to be on their way in the morning.

Ben went to the kitchen as he actually was hungry having missed lunch. Marie made him a wonderful meal with leftovers and he kissed the back of both of her hands making her blush fiercely. She surprised him by kissing his forehead before she headed home. Alexis and Béatrice were sitting with him and watched their cook with wide eyes as she left.

Gabriella and Catherine joined them in the kitchen and crowded around the kitchen table to be near Ben as he ate. Both began to pick off his plate until he glared at them and Alexis brought out the rest of the leftovers and made some plates for her other guests. Sophia, Rachel and Megan arrived and everyone moved to the dining room as the kitchen table couldn't fit that many people. Gabriella's kids were next and made sandwiches from baguettes and sliced meat.

Stephanie made a rare appearance. She had clay smeared on her arms and hands and on her face as well. Alexis cleaned her up at the sink and made her some food.

The informal dinner was nice and the mood had finally lightened. Once they were done everyone helped clean up then the group gave their hosts hugs and kisses.

Ben watched Stephanie's satisfied expression. "How's it going with the clay sculpture?" he asked.

"It's done," she said with a deep smile.

Everyone perked up asking to see it.

"Tomorrow morning before you leave I will have a showing before Richard arrives to take it for his bronze casting process," she said.

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"She's rolling her eyes, isn't she," Stephanie said and chuckles erupted.

Their group made their way upstairs and Ben hugged Daniel and gave Miriam a hug and kiss before sending them off to their beds. Megan kissed him and pressed herself fondly against his chest afraid to touch his back.

Sophia's kiss was a little desperate and he held her face gently as he slowed their kiss and felt her calm down. He kissed her tenderly and she smiled at him dreamily as she went into her room.

Rachel had tears beginning to pool again so he kissed her hard and left her gasping with a smile and a spinning head.

Gabriella and Catherine made it clear that they fully intended to sleep in his bed with him tonight. He didn't argue and they all brushed their teeth together. Afterwards he crawled into the middle of the bed and gently laid down on his stomach. He wasn't to sleep on his back tonight and no hanky panky but the women understood and were well behaved. They snuggled in beside him and soon they were all asleep.

Ben had a bad moment in the middle of the night as he relived the race down the road only this time the branch broke and he went under the wheels. He woke screaming and Gabriella and Catherine were there to calm him down. Sophia and Rachel, who were sharing the room next to his, burst in to see if he was ok.

He was under the covers and the room was pretty dark so he was only mildly embarrassed. He realized they were still just anxious. He sat up and tucked the sheet around his waist as he offered to hug them. Rachel was immediately on the bed and pressed herself against him. As she pulled back from the hug she stopped to look at his mouth then kissed him quickly. Catherine gave her daughter a gentle spank on the butt as the young woman slipped off the bed.