Page 18 of Stilettos and Outlaws

“Sun City residents are far from harmless,” Doc Halliday replied.

Eddie looked confused. “But they’re old. How much trouble can they get into?”

I laughed harder.

“Explain it to him, Jerry,” Doc Halliday instructed.

Jerry exhaled a long breath. “Yes, sir.”

“Don’t forget to tell him about all the orgies,” Julie called.

Eddie exclaimed, “Orgies? Old folks still have sex?”

Mom chortled as a cry of disapproval erupted in the waiting room. Most of the sick and injured were over sixty.

“I’ll explain everything outside,” Jerry growled.

“But…”

“Outside,” Jerry snarled.

Doc Halliday shook his head. “The kid is in for a few surprises.”

“Ya think?” Mom quipped.

The emergency room doors slid open and in stomped the entire Glendale Police Department’s SWAT team.

“That can’t be good.” My hand dropped to the butt of my Glock.

Sergeant Durham walked over to us and winced. “I heard you two blew up Chuck Hennessey’s place.”

“We did not blow it up,” I retorted. “The chickens did.”

Sergeant Durham grinned. “Chickens, huh? You gonna stick to that story?”

Julie gave him the stink eye.

“Did Alex send you?” Mom asked sweetly.

Sergeant Durham shook his head. “We’re here to guard the prisoners the three of you shot.”

“They attacked our ambulance. We stopped them,” Julie said.

Durham frowned. “They still had plenty of fight left in them when your deputies rolled up. Only two of them survived the shootout.”

My stomach knotted. “Any of our guys hurt?”

“No,” Sergeant Durham answered.

I sagged in relief.

“Why is Chuck so important to them?” Mom mused.

Sergeant Durham shook his head. “Don’t know and they’re in no shape to answer questions right now.”

The emergency room doors whooshed open, and the paramedics rushed in with two badly bleeding thugs. Six heavily armed Peoria Police officers followed on their heels.

“Doctor Jones is set up in OR one,” Doc Halliday called.

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