Page 5 of Freedom to Love

He adjusted his studious glasses, and Margie tossed her a smile as well. She glanced at them back and forth, studying. They were full of shit. They were trying to protect her. But from what, she didn’t know. More pain registered and she checked under the covers, beneath the gown. She was covered in bruises. Looked like she had been beat to hell.

“Some of the bullets hit your vest,” Murph said.

“Jesus, how many?” Her heartrate kicked up at the mere thought. Why can’t I remember?

“Don’t worry about that. Just worry about resting now. We’ll get you some more pain meds as soon as you speak to your guys.” Margie again patted her leg.

“They have some questions for you,” Murph said. “Are you up for it?”

“Yes, of course. They’ll tell me what’s going on. They’ll get me out of here.” She tried to kick her legs over the side of the bed, but she was hit with dizziness and pain.

“Kat, stop it.” Murph was standing, holding her back. “You’re very weak.”

She closed her eyes to stop the room from spinning.

Murph laughed softly. “Stubborn as always.” He removed a pillow from behind her shoulder and she sighed with relief. “Better?”

She nodded.

She wanted to slug him, but she knew she couldn’t.

“Elevate my arm a little more?” she asked.

He did so and she thanked him, opening her eyes to take in the two of them. Both were standing and they looked so Ma and Pa, Margie clutching her designer purse, well made up, and Murph in his camo ball cap and Polo styled shirt. He wiped a tear from beneath his glasses.

They bent and kissed her cheek. “We’ll be right outside.”

“Okay.”

They left through the curtain, and her captain and a few other deputies rushed in. They looked pale with shock and their eyes were wide with panic. Her captain was wiping his brow.

“Captain, relax, they say I’m okay.” He looked like hell. What is going on?

They all kissed her cheek and patted her hand. A few wiped tears.

“Fellas, it’s okay.” She searched their eyes and studied their posture. They weren’t relaxing, and it was obvious everything was not okay.

Captain Bowman gripped her hand. “Vander.” He cleared his throat. He was flushed so red she was worried he would pop.

“Cap, what is it?”

“You don’t remember anything, do you?”

She searched her mind. “I know I was shot.” And suddenly her heart dropped to her stomach. Her partner. Brian Damien. “Oh, my God.” She clutched her gown at her chest. “Damien. Where is he?” She could see him, his body jolting with every bullet that hit him. He was trapped behind the wheel. She’d leaned over, tried to pull him down, but bullets tore into her as well, leaving her motionless. As she’d felt the hot blood pulse out of her body, she’d tried to release his seat belt. But then someone had been there, someone pulling her from the cruiser. A woman.

“He’s been flown to Charter General,” Captain Bowman said. “He’s critical.”

Kat felt tears nip at her throat. “Oh, Jesus.”

“He’s sustained multiple bullet wounds, one to the head, massive blood loss. They don’t know if he’s going to make it.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “It’s my fault. I couldn’t get him down. I couldn’t get him down.”

Captain Bowman squeezed her hand. “It’s not your fault. I don’t want to hear you blaming yourself. It won’t do anyone any good.” He wiped a tear and straightened. “Christ knows you did your best. All we can do is pray now.” Silence hung in the air, and he cleared his throat and carried on. “We knew you were in pursuit of a stolen SUV. And from the footage we just viewed of your dash cam, we know they turned on you and opened fire. They ambushed you. You’re damn lucky to be alive.”

“What we can’t see is what was going on behind you,” a deputy she knew only as Chaz, said. He spoke softly, serious.

“Behind me?”

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