Page 70 of Edge

I wasn’t expecting a response and almost sagged with relief when I heard Ink’s voice. “I’m here! What the fuck happened?”

“Snarl shot everybody. He’s down. Call nine-one-one and start checking people. I don’t know who’s alive and who isn’t,” I told him as I continued to try to save Evie.

“Holy shit,” an unfamiliar voice said. I continued pumping Evie’s chest with one hand and pointed my gun toward the voice with the other.

Walter and Buck were standing just inside the front door with their hands raised in the air. “Tell us how to help,” Walter said.

“One of you check him for a pulse. There are two more in the kitchen. And somebody needs to find Irene.”

Walter dropped to his knees beside Edge while Buck ran toward the back. “He’s got a pulse!”

Buck reappeared with Irene in his arms. “She’s hurt, but alive,” he said as he laid her on top of a table. “I’m going to help in the kitchen.”

“Come on, Evie. Stay with us,” I told her as I continued trying to resuscitate her. “What’s going on over there, Walter?”

“Looks like a gunshot wound to the chest. I’m holding pressure. He has a pulse and is breathing on his own, but he’s not conscious.”

“You hear that, Evie? Edge is breathing on his own, and help is on the way. Now I need you to start breathing for me, okay? Please breathe,” I begged.

“Cedar Valley Police,” someone announced from the front.

“The shooter’s down, and the scene is clear. Four people have been shot and need help,” I said.

“Are you Dice or Ink?” the officer asked.

“Dice. Ink’s in the kitchen with Buck and two victims.”

“The scene’s secure. Send the paramedics in,” he ordered.

Within seconds, first responders filled the diner. Two paramedics rushed to Evie and took over CPR. When I stepped away from her, I looked around in confusion. I didn’t know what to do next.

A hand landed on my shoulder and startled me. “Sorry,” the officer said, and quickly withdrew his hand. “I’m Charlie, the Chief of Police. Can you tell me what happened?”

“I’m not sure how it started. When I got here, everyone was down. The shooter was standing over Evie. He was pointing agun at her. He was yelling at her and kicking her. I shot him. I tried to help her,” I told him. I knew I sounded disjointed, but I was having a hard time putting words together.

“Are you okay?” Charlie asked.

I glanced down at my hands and stumbled back a step when I realized they were covered in blood. “No, I don’t think I am,” I managed to say seconds before I leaned forward and vomited.

“Johnny, bring me some water and something he can wash his face with,” Charlie instructed as he led me to a chair.

“Thanks, but I need to check on my friends. I don’t know if—” More vomit interrupted the words I didn’t want to say.

“Stay right here,” Charlie said. “I’ll see what I can find out for you.”

When Ink appeared a few moments later, he was covered in more blood than me, and I almost threw up again at the sight of him. “Fuck, man,” he said and collapsed into a chair beside me. He covered his face with his blood-stained hands and let out a gut-wrenching sob. With my hand on his back, we sat there silently, waiting for someone to tell us if we’d been able to save our family members.

Somebody brought two bottles of water to us and a couple of damp dishtowels, but neither one of us moved. I had a feeling Ink was just as lost as I was.

I managed to hold myself together somewhat until I heard Phoenix’s voice. “You did good,” he said as his hand landed on my shoulder. And I fucking lost it. Uncontrollable body-racking sobs overcame me as every ounce of pain, fear, and terror I’d kept pushed down bubbled to the surface.

Phoenix stood between the two of us with one hand on my shoulder and one hand on Ink’s until we pulled ourselves together. “Luca brought some clean clothes for you. Go get changed, and we’ll head to the hospital,” he instructed.

As I made my way to the employee bathroom, I passed Walter and Buck. I started to extend my hand to thank them, but stopped when I remembered it was still covered in Evie’s blood. Walter nodded knowingly.

“We’ll catch up with you at the hospital,” Buck said.

With a silent nod of acknowledgment, I continued toward the bathroom on autopilot.

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