Page 77 of James

Suddenly James was looking down the barrel of the gun, wide as a cannon.

“Give us one last one-liner to remember you by,” the other man said, “and then the lady and I will be on our way, over your dead body.”

Just like the night of the tornado, the knowledge that death might be imminent lit up his entire being. His head was on fire, full of intent, but no real thought. His muscles bunched as James prepared himself to lunge, preparedhimself to die. Time slowed to a crawl. He had ages to watch the other man’s smile widen, enjoying the last moments of his victim’s life, ages to see Laura’s lip curl in a snarl as she raised her foot and brought the solid block of her sensible office shoe down on her captor’s toe and twist until they all heard the pop of breaking bones. She twisted out of his grip as he howled, pushing him back even as she fell to the floor, and James threw himself forward and punched the man in the face with the full force of an arm that had swung sledgehammers for a living.

The man staggered, blood gushing from a broken nose and broken mouth, spitting blood and curses as he raised the gun, and like a funhouse mirror reflection, the old security guard came up behind the desk, raising his arm just the same. In that moment of confusion, James thought the old guard had a flashlight, but no, it was a taser, and although the guard was old and very clearly frightened, his head was clear and his aim was true. He fired as James dove to get out of the way, falling beside Laura and curling himself around her. The taser made no sound that James could hear; the gunshots were deafening as the other man’s convulsions sent bullets spraying across the ceiling and then he dropped like a sack of spuds and was still, groaning low harmony to the wail of approaching sirens.

Time snapped back, now too fast. James had mere seconds to hold Laura, to feel her warm and alive, her tears soaking through his shirt, before the lobby lit up in flashing red and blue.

Shoes clapped across the floor. Voices tangled together, incoherent. None of that mattered. His heart swelled with a mixture of relief, love, and protectivenessas James and Laura held each other. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to never let her go, to shield her from any harm that could come her way. She was safe in his arms, and he would do whatever it took to keep her that way.

After Laura and James had finished their formal statements to the police on the events of the afternoon and agreed to stay in a safe house until Donatelli’s arrest, Dets. Stone and Christopher arrived.

Laura raised an intrigued eyebrow, curious about their presence. The female detective took the lead and explained the situation, revealing a surprising twist.

“Your lawyer knows some influential people,” she began. “He pulled a few strings and we’ll be the primary detectives on your protective detail. We’ll be with you from 8 am to 8 pm and you’ll have another team at night. Mr. Andrews thought you’d be more comfortable with people you already knew.”

The corners of Laura's mouth pulled up as she laid eyes on Det. Stone once again. "I'm glad to see both of you.” she expressed sincerely. “Lincoln was right; having you here to protect us will put my mind at ease. Speaking of which, what about phone calls? I need to inform my family about the situation before they come across it on the news."

Detective Christopher chimed in, assuring her, “You can call them when we get to the hotel, but don’t worry about the news. We’ve succeeded in keeping things quiet on that front.” Det. Christopher shoved his hands in his back pockets. “We issued a statement about a bomb scarein the building. And since we’re going to be spending a fair amount of time with each other, feel free to call me Bill.”

Agreeing to be on a first-name basis, they left the room together. Detectives Stone and Christopher accompanied James and Laura to their respective homes, allowing them to gather their essential belongings for the next ten days. Detective Cagney assured Laura that he would retrieve her laptop from her workplace the following day.

When they arrived at the hotel that would serve as their safe house, Laura was pleasantly surprised. The building stood tall and inviting, a comfortable extended-stay hotel that promised a much-needed respite.

Check-in had already been taken care of and as they entered the suite, Laura's eyes widened at the spaciousness that greeted them.

The suite consisted of two bedrooms, a cozy living area, and a small but functional kitchen. A feeling of relief washed over Laura as she realized they wouldn't have to rely solely on takeout during their stay. The prospect of having a kitchen at their disposal meant they could prepare their own meals, adding a touch of normalcy to their unusual circumstances.

As if sensing her thoughts, Paula said, “The other team will pick up basic supplies on their way here and we’ll put together a list of what else you want in the morning.” Paula held her cell phone in the air like a trophy. “Tonight, how about pizza?”

A smile crossed Laura's face as she nodded in agreement. "Pizza sounds perfect," she responded, her appetite awakened by the mention of the savory treat.

While they waited for their food to arrive, Laurareached for her phone and dialed Suzie's number. As Suzie picked up the call, Laura took a deep breath, preparing herself to recount the events in a calm and reassuring manner.

As she relayed the story, Laura could hear the initial alarm in Suzie’s voice, her concern mirrored through the phone lines. However, Laura’s words soon eased her sister’s worries as she explained that she was now under the protection of the police. She carefully detailed the safety measures they had been instructed to follow.

Laura wrapped up the call and promised to be careful. Though separated physically, Laura felt a comforting connection with her sister.

Without putting the phone down, she dialed her father’s number, going through the same conversation as with Suzie.

The second team of detectives, Forest and Blackburn, arrived at the same time as the pizza and Laura promised her father to keep in touch and to stay away from the windows as the Detectives had instructed her.

Once the call ended, Laura set her phone down, her mind now focused on the arrival of their dinner. The aroma of freshly-baked pizza wafted through the air, filling the suite with a tantalizing scent.

Laura and the others gathered around the dining table. She savored each bite, the flavors dancing on her tongue, momentarily distracting her from the weight of the day's events and the larger-than-life presence of James. Laughter and conversation flowed freely, despite the underlying tension. She didn’t say much but just smiled and nodded along as a bone-deep tiredness seeped in.

As the meal came to an end, Laura excused herselffrom the group. She thanked everyone for their help and wished them goodnight, retreating to one of the bedrooms. Closing the door behind her, a sense of solitude washed over her, but it didn’t give her the peace from the whirlwind of emotions she wanted.

In the quiet space, Laura took a deep breath. Thoughts and worries swirled in her mind, but for now, she willed herself to be still, and to embrace the momentary peace that the closed door offered.

One day turned into another, and James grew increasingly frustrated. Throughout the days spent in the hotel suite, they fell into a routine. Laura would join the group for breakfast, engaging in light conversation before retreating to her bedroom to focus on her work.

While she kept herself busy, James found himself pacing the living area, a knot of energy coiling within him. He yearned for the physicality of his usual construction work, the freedom to move and exert himself.

Or he sat by the window, gazing out at the city below, a restless energy humming within him. With luck, phone calls with Chris would distract him from playing solitaire, and inventing new card games with Paula and Bill.

In the evenings, they would gather together, watching movies or engaging in conversation.

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