Page 32 of Shadows of Before

Someone kneeled over her. “Katie? It’s Joe Romano. Tell me where you hurt. If anything’s broken.”

“Sore all over,” she got out through the plaster dust in her mouth. “Nothing hurts a lot. Except my head aches like a bitch.”

He brushed back her hair. “You got a good-sized goose egg. Let me know when you think you can sit up.”

“In a minute.” Someone else came into view. Chief Thomas. His face was grim as he squatted down. “Chief…I didn’t do anything.”

“Of course you didn’t, Kate. The goddamned ceiling fell right on you.”

Another firefighter knelt next to Joe and handed him an ice pack. He put it on her head.

“That feels better.”

Thomas said, “You’re going to the hospital.”

“No, I don’t—”

His voice turned gentle. “Yes, you do. Don’t argue, Officer Donovan.”

She closed her eyes. Heard Joe say, “We got the med car, Chief. We can take her. I sent two of my guys up to the attic to see what happened. And another two to get the gurney.”

A female firefighter wheeled in the stretcher. The chief stood and moved away while she lowered it to the floor. “You and me, Swanson,” Joe said. “Get on the other side.”

The woman moved.

“On three. One, two, three.”

Kate was slid onto the gurney. And moaned.

“Sorry, sweetie.” This from Joe, again the endearment because she’d gone to school with him.

“I’m ok…”

“What the hell is going on here?”

Will was here. Will washere?

The chief crossed to where he stood by the front door while the gurney was raised and the straps fastened on her. He said something to Will.

He reached her just as they started away. “Hold on a second.”

Joe stopped. “Okay, Will. You can talk to her. But only for a few minutes.”

He bent over the stretcher.

“Hey.” Her voice was throaty.

“Hey, yourself.”

“I must look like the Abominable Snowman.”

“No. You look hurt.”

“Nothing too bad. A cut on my head.”

“Damn it.” He turned to Joe, “I’m riding in with her.”

“Pretty cramped back there. It’s not a real ambulance.”

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