Page 101 of Holding On to a Hero
Spence ripped hisPrince$$t-shirt off and pressed it to Brian’s side. “Looks like a through and through on his side,” Spence told me. “I don’t think it hit anything major but he needs an ambulance.”
“Brian!” I shouted again.
His head finally rolled in my direction and he squinted at me. “I can’t hear anything!” he yelled. I should have realized that the gun going off inside the car would have impacted his hearing. Then his eyes went big. “Jason, your arm! Are you okay?”
I shook my head and mouthed, “I’m fine,” at him, though I could feel the blood dripping from my elbow.
I looked back toward the house. Will and Cole were hovering in the doorway. Cole saw me looking and called, “The ambulance is on the way, and the cops are almost here. Can we come out now?”
I shook my head. “Wait for the cops, please.” I didn’t want them anywhere near the shooter until she was in handcuffs. The woman kept her hands on the steering wheel and stared straight ahead. Her expensively highlighted hair was a mess after her struggle with Brian, but she looked like she was maybe a well-preserved sixty. I couldn’t wait to find out why she wanted to kill Will, but I figured it would be better to let the police ask the questions.
This close to the SUV, the mixture of blood and burnt gunpowder was overwhelming. I’d hoped never to encounter that smell again after I left the Army, and I had to remind myself everything would be okay. Brian was going to be fine.
The sound of sirens in the distance was a relief.
“The ambulance is almost here,” I mouthed to Brian.
“I’m okay,” Brian pushed out through gritted teeth.
I waited until he looked at me before saying, “You’d better be. Or I’m going to tell Mom.”
Brian rolled his eyes. “I’ll just ask her if she’s met your new boyfriend.”
Detectives Ochoa and Callahan ran up the driveway, followed by several uniformed officers.
“How far out is the ambulance?” I demanded, jerking my head toward the other side of the car. One of the officers slowed to use his radio. Ochoa peeled off to check on Spence and Brian, and Callahan came to my side.
He peered around me into the car and grunted, “Nice work.” Then he produced his handcuffs and asked me to step back. In less than a minute he’d pulled the woman out of the car, cuffed her, patted her down and had her lying on the ground.
Another officer held out an evidence bag for my gun, and then I hurried around to the other side of the SUV. Cole and Will were standing behind Spence staring at Brian with wide eyes.
“Will,” Brian rasped. When Will leaned closer, Brian said, “Hey, um, I’m sorry about not telling you Cole wasn’t in a coma. I didn’t know you and I just wanted to keep Jason and Cole safe.”
Will stared Brian down for a few seconds and then nodded. “I’m sorry you were injured trying to keep me from getting killed. I think we’re even.” Brian gave a faint smile and closed his eyes before snapping them open again.
“Can one of you please wrap up Jason’s goddamned arm?”
Will and Cole, who hadn’t been able to see my injury from their position in the doorway, turned and immediately started fussing over me. Cole pulled off his t-shirt and wrapped it around my arm. Brian looked between Spence and Cole’s naked torsos and wiggled his eyebrows at me with a grin.
He was going to be fine.
The ambulance finally pulled up, and we were all shoved out of the way as the paramedics took over and got Brian onto a gurney. They wanted to look at my arm but I told them to get Brian to the hospital and I’d follow in a bit. I wasn’t in that much pain and there was no way I was leaving before I found out who the hell that woman was.
As the ambulance pulled away, I noticed the neighbors gathered on the street. Most of them had phones pointed in our direction. I put myself between them and Cole as best I could, but I was sure it was too late.
Callahan appeared next to Will. “The shooter doesn’t have any ID on her. She’s been read her rights and we wanted to see if you know who she is since she’s not talking.”
Will nodded and followed Callahan over to where the woman was still on the ground. Cole and I flanked him for support.
As Will drew near the woman lifted her head and spat, “You! Why couldn’t you just die?” Cole and I put our hands on Will’s back as he looked at her, perplexed.
“Um, do I know you?” He looked confused. The woman made a tsking noise and turned her head away. Will shrugged at the detectives. “I’m sorry, but she doesn’t look familiar.”
Will turned to Cole and me. “I don’t know who she is.” His voice began to rise. “Why does she want to kill me if I don’t even know her?”
Detective Callahan started to speak, no doubt to move things along since Will obviously couldn’t help, but Cole stepped forward and asked, "May I?"
The detective cocked his head and, after a considering pause, made a sweeping motion with his arm. "Be my guest."
