Page 65 of Fighting for Brielle
Justice was parked at the Four Corners, keeping an eye on the teens gathered there after school just let out for the summer when Hutch hailed him over the radio.
“Chief, get to the beach ASAP. A copter is en route to take you to Cedars-Sinai Hospital. Brielle was shot during a bank robbery thirty minutes ago.”
Justice’s gut tightened in soul-searing fear. He turned on his lights and siren and punched the gas pedal. Keeping the fear at bay, he concentrated on getting to the beach as fast as possible. He breezed through the traffic, traveling close to a hundred miles per hour and prayed that he didn’t hit anyone. Less than five minutes later he tore up the sand skidding to a stop just as an LAPD helicopter landed in front of him. He leapt from the Explorer and sprinted toward it. In twenty seconds they were airborne. Justice questioned the pilot about what happened, but he didn’t have any more information.
They touched down on the helipad on the roof of the hospital, and Justice jumped to the ground.
Finnigan met him and shouted above the noise of the helicopter as it lifted off again, “Brielle’s in surgery. I’ll take you to the waiting room.”
The number of cops spilling out of the waiting room and into the corridor scared Justice and sent his blood racing through his veins. He assumed they were from Brielle’s precinct. His gaze swept the area and touched on Brielle’s SWAT brothers and their commander, all of whom he met last weekend at Vinny’s.
Turning to Finnigan, he demanded, “Tell me what happened to Brielle.”
“We’d been tracking a trio of armed bank robbers hitting the Royal Business Banks. We knew they were striking the Sunset branch next so Brielle and I staked it out while the rest of the team surveilled us in a van. Everything happened pretty quickly. The perps started shooting, and Brielle and I identified ourselves and demanded they drop their weapons. When they had me in their sights, Brielle threw herself in the line of fire and killed one of the gunmen. She got hit twice. One bullet traveled through her left arm and…lodged near her heart. And the other struck her left leg above the knee cap.”
Finnigan paused and shook his head. “She saved my ass. And ignoring her own wounds?seriously, I don’t know how she managed it?she also saved two victims.”
All the color drained from Justice’s face, and he swayed unsteadily on his feet.
“Hey, Chief, are you okay?” Finnigan asked.
Justice gaped at him as fear and disbelief ripped through him. “No, man, I amnotokay! The woman I love is in surgery fighting for her life because she’s brave and selfless. And you! She saved your sorry ass after the way you treated her! So, no, I’m not okay!” he shouted.
The officers had been murmuring among themselves, but now silence fell as they turned to look at Justice. Into that vacuum of sound, he added, “Has anyone contacted Brielle’s family?”
Commander Mattox detached himself from the SWAT officers and approached Justice. He shook his hand and clasped his shoulder. “I called Mr. and Mrs. McAdams. Brielle’s brother-in-law, Nick Stone, is letting them use Stone Enterprises’ private jet.” He checked his watch. “They’ll be wheels up in just about ten minutes. Perhaps you should sit down, Chief McQuaid.”
Justice shrugged away from him. “No, I don’t need to sit down. Please excuse me.”
Alone in the corridor and out of sight of anyone, Justice called Franklin. “Dad…” his voice broke.
“Justice, what is it? Are you okay?”
“No, no, Dad. It’s Brielle. She’s been shot. Badly. Please…I need you.”
“I’m on my way.”
He didn’t have to call his team. Hutch, Tawny, River, Martini, and Dooley showed up on their own to offer their support.
Hours passed. Someone brought everyone cups of coffee from Starbucks. The longer Justice waited without any news the more worried and anxious he became. Officers came and went except Commander Mattox and SWAT and Justice’s faithful five. His father sent him a text to let him know he’d caught a flight a couple of hours ago and would arrive in LA in about six more hours.
Tired of sitting, Justice started pacing outside the waiting room. Just as he thought about ramming his fist into the wall, a deep voice addressed him.
“Chief Justice McQuaid, I presume?”
He spun around and looked into a face that bore a striking resemblance to Brielle’s, and his heart slammed into his rib cage. His eyes moved from that countenance to the petite woman at his side. Definitely Brielle’s mother. Tears stung his eyes.
“I?I love your peach cobbler!” he blurted for lack of anything better to say. These were his woman’s parents, and he sounded like a blithering idiot!
Brianna McAdams let out a half cry, half laugh. She held out her arms to offer an embrace. “She’s going to be all right, Justice. Our daughter is a fighter. Just like her brothers Trey and Ben.”
When he stepped out of Brianna’s arms, Justice appraised Cameron. Tall. Imposing. Fierce. His amber eyes burned with love and concern for Brielle. Cameron held out his hand and Justice shook it with a strong grip.
“Sir, it’s an honor to finally meet you. Brielle…speaks…fondly of you. Of both of you.”
“You, too, Justice. We’re so happy that a good man like you is in our daughter’s life.” Cameron paused. “Has there been any news?”
Before Justice could respond, the surgeon who operated on Brielle approached them.
