Page 130 of Counter Attack

An approaching siren gave Alex hope. “Hang on, Harvey. Help is almost here.”

“You don’t understand—” He grabbed his chest again, and his eyes fluttered before he lost consciousness.

Paramedics burst into the room and took over. Nathan helped Alex stand. “I didn’t think you were going to tell Harvey about the drug bust tonight.”

Alex shook her head. “I didn’t.”

“Then how did he know?” Nathan frowned. “You think Harvey is the dealer’s contact?”

“I don’t believe that. Maybe one of the other deputies told him.”

The paramedic yelled for everyone to stand back as he applied paddles to Harvey’s chest. The screen on the paramedic’s laptop caught Alex’s attention. Nothing but squiggles.

Harvey’s body jumped as the medic applied current. No change. Once more he applied the paddles. This time a more normal heartbeat appeared.

“We’re taking him to the hospital here in Russell County,”the lead paramedic said while the other two worked to get him ready. “Once he’s stabilized, they’ll probably airlift him to Erlanger in Chattanooga.”

“Thank you.” She gave him the phone number for Harvey’s wife. “She can give you background information on him.”

Alex took a deep breath to clear her head. HowhadHarvey known about the drug operation tonight? She’d only said there was an operation going down, not what kind.

Nathan touched her arm. “It’s getting late. You ready?”

She glanced toward her chief of staff, wanting to accompany him to the hospital, but there was nothing she could do to help him. “I’m ready.”

Once they were on the road, Alex called a couple of her off-duty deputies and asked them to go to the hospital and keep her informed of Harvey’s condition.

Alex checked her watch. Seven thirty. What if the drug dealers came early—before she and Nathan could get in place? She radioed Mark. “Any sign of the dealers?”

“Not yet. Where are you?”

“Ten minutes out.” She explained what happened to Harvey.

“Is he going to be okay?”

“I hope so. You think it would be safe for us to park a little closer to the lake?”

“Should be. I’ll radio you if anyone arrives.”

Nathan turned onto the gravel road and drove halfway down to the lake. He pointed to a trail in the woods. “I’m going to park in there.”

Once he had the truck out of sight from the road, they climbed out and crept nearer to the lake. Alex adjusted her body armor as she scanned the area. A half moon gave barely enough light to make out the two deputies hiding near the pier. She looked to her right for Mark, but he was hidden in the shadows of the trees.

Eight o’clock came and went. No dealers. “You think they found out?” Alex whispered.

“Don’t know.”

“What’s that?” She couldn’t quite identify the sound, maybe a whine? It wasn’t a vehicle. Alex cocked her head toward the road, but the whine came from the lake, and she turned in time to see a speedboat round the curve in the lake.

The deal was going down.

The boat docked at the old pier, and four men clambered onto the iron structure, one carrying a bag. Probably the drugs. But where was the contact?

Alex froze as lights flashed from the road. She poked Nathan, who stood beside her. He sucked in a breath when a Pearl Springs patrol car eased by them.

“Who is it?” she whispered.

“Not sure. Let’s give it a minute.”

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