Page 24 of Barbed Wire and Burglary
It was the last thing she heard.
At the soundof the EMT shouting Aurora’s name, A.J. paused his jog to his truck. What in the world? He whipped his head around in time to see her sag forward on the bench. The only thing that kept her from tumbling to the floor was her seatbelt.
“Aurora!” He sprinted back to the ambulance and started to climb in, but the EMTs motioned for him to remain standing outside.
“Let us do our jobs, sir.”
“What’s wrong with her?” He craned to see around the EMT’s bulky jumpsuit.
“If I had to guess,” the EMT’s voice was grim, “I’d say we’re looking at a gas leak.”
His partner was on his walkie-talkie, reporting the situation. Whoever he was speaking to promised to send someone to check on the gas line at the rental house.
Aurora moaned and stirred, clutching her stomach.
She’s back!Though A.J.’s heart thumped with gratitude, he feared she wasn’t out of the woods yet.
Her terrified gaze roved in his direction, lips moving like she was trying to tell him something.
He ignored the EMT’s renewed warning and leaned closer. “What is it, darling?”
She mouthed the word again, and he was finally able to make out what she was saying.Bandit.If there was, in fact, a gas leak, then her rescue cat was locked in with the poison.Good gravy!
“Throw me her purse,” he begged. “Her cat’s still inside the house.”
The EMT vehemently shook his head. “You can’t go in there, sir. It’s not safe.”
Watch me!A.J. wasn’t about to stand there and do nothing while Aurora’s beloved pet asphyxiated. Since there was no time to lose and the EMT didn’t seem inclined to hand over the house key, A.J. ran to his truck and tore through the go-bag he always carried with him.
Digging out his gas mask, he put it on as he raced to the front porch of the lake home. Instead of slowing his speed, he took a flying leap and crashed the heel of his boot through the doorknob.
The door banged open and slammed against the wall. Ignoring the shouts of the EMTs behind him, he did a rapid sweep of the living room, pushing over chairs and end tables. Bandit wasn’t there.
Where are you, you furry little varmint?A.J. moved down the short hallway, banging open the first door he came to, which turned out to be Aaron’s bedroom. He dropped to his hands and knees to look beneath the bed and found nothing, not even a dust bunny. The room was surprisingly clean. Too clean. There were no picture frames. No books. No discarded socks or shorts. Nothing personal whatsoever.
Inside Aaron’s closet was a similar story. The silverhangers holding his shirts and pants were lined up in perfect one-inch intervals, all facing left. The deputy’s orderliness stopped just shy of being creepy. The only other item of interest in the closet was a lockbox resting on the top shelf. The logo on it was what interested A.J. It was a snake coiled to strike in the center of a black diamond, a logo he was all too familiar with. It belonged to one of the companies he was investigating on behalf of the JSA.
What in the world was it doing in Aaron’s closet? So far, A.J. hadn’t succeeded in uncovering much of anything about the company. The JSA was unable to help since Diamondback Corporation kept its cards so close to its chest. Their membership paperwork had been handled in proxy by Diamondback’s attorneys, leaving its ownership and who they employed a mystery.
But his JSA investigation would have to wait for now. At the moment, A.J. had a cat to locate. He exited the bedroom and dashed to the next room. He found Bandit snuggled in a ball on the bed with his head beneath a pair of fluffy lilac pillows. Though he didn’t stir when A.J. approached him, his back moved up and down in a slow, steady rhythm. He was still breathing!
Sending up a silent prayer of thanks, he snatched up the cat and zipped him inside his jacket. Hopefully, the pillows had given him a modicum of protection from the lethal effects of the gas.
Returning outside, A.J. removed his gas mask and filled his lungs with fresh, cold air. Bandit wiggled inside his jacket, but didn’t try to climb out.
The ambulance was still idling with its lights flashing and back doors ajar.
“You found him,” one of the EMTs crowed. It was the same guy who’d warned him it was too dangerous toattempt a rescue. “Boy, am I glad you had a gas mask on hand!”
A.J. was only half listening. His gaze latched onto Aurora, who was sitting up again. She was holding an oxygen mask to her nose. Lowering it, she beckoned for him to bring Bandit closer. “He needs it more than I do.”
“We need to get this man to the medical center,” the other EMT reminded as he puttered over Aaron.
A.J. quickly climbed into the ambulance to drop Bandit into Aurora’s arms. Then he jumped to the ground. “I’ll meet you there,” he called over his shoulder.
Ten minutes later, he was locked in a negotiation with the ER front desk attendant. “I need to check on Aurora Cannon.” He repeated her name for emphasis. “I followed her ambulance here. She’s expecting me.”
The woman behind the glass gave him a dispassionate once-over. “And you are?”
