Page 87 of Because of Logan

We stay quiet and listen.

Steps running outside the door.

Voices. Snippets of words.

“Single shooter...”

“Suspect neutralized...”

“Officer down, officer down...”

“Check other rooms...”

People begin to move around but stay in the back of the room. Whispered questions wondering if it's over go unanswered.

Mrs. Orcher is crying openly now, no longer able to hold in her pain. Sobs wrack her body every few seconds, her shoulders hunched over as if she’s trying to cave in on herself and disappear. There’s guilt and sorrow written all over her face. She aged twenty years in a matter of minutes. I reach for her and squeeze her hand. She looks at me with gratitude in her watery eyes before turning away again and stepping to the side, away from the twenty-something students in her classroom. She’s my favorite teacher. Something tells me I won’t see her in this classroom again. Some people are texting furiously, letting their loved ones know they’re okay. I look at my bag in the front of the room. I dare not walk to it. In horror movies, this is when the blond heroine does something stupid and dies. I’m staying right here. Bruno has his arms around me. I could ask for his phone, but... what if it’s not over? What if I text River or Logan and something else happens? My mind is in turmoil. I can’t think straight. My body feels heavy and my head too light.

We wait for what seems an eternity. The muffled sounds outside seem to multiply. More footsteps, more indistinguishable voices travel through the walls. New sounds have us all looking at the door. It opens a moment later, with a loud bang against the wall. I jump.

The room fills with men in body armor holding guns pointed at us, and there are screams all around me as people retreat and look for cover. I stay rooted on the spot. My eyes are frantically searching the faces behind the guns until I find him... just before everything goes black.

Chapter Forty

The air isthick with gun smoke and the metallic smell of blood. So much blood, I can taste it. The suspect is down. He was cuffed and his body checked for more weapons. But he’s not going anywhere. He’s dead. We still have to wait for a medic to come in and pronounce him, but that will have to wait until the whole building is cleared and declared safe. As suspected, the duffel bag is full of ammo and more guns. Everyone in the building is very lucky he wanted to bargain with his wife first. I don’t want to think of the outcome if he didn’t.

His wife may be better off without him, but now his son has to live the rest of his life knowing what his father did. I feel sorry for the kid.

Dozens of officers are here now. The TSU team has arrived and taken over. They have to secure the area, check all classrooms, make sure this was a solo act. Three police officers were shot, including Mike. Flesh wound to the right thigh. He took that bullet instead of me when he stepped in my way. He and the other two guys were moved to a staging area outside the building. They’re probably on their way to the hospital. Now that the TSU is here, most of the guys moved outside to secure the perimeter. But I’m not going anywhere until I make sure Skye is safe. Steven is hanging behind with me. He’s reading me again, and I’m sure he can see how worried I am.

Processing the scene will take hours. Pictures have to be taken and everything documented before the scene is released to detectives, crime scene investigators, and forensics.

TSU is clearing the classrooms farthest away from the body. A tent was set up to keep the gore hidden from curious eyes. The last thing we need is cell phone pictures and videos. The media coverage will be crazy enough without the addition of any photos or videos to fuel it. Everyone is being taken outside. Their faces show shock and disbelief. Some have to be helped by their friends. As far as I can tell, this is one man going on an angry rampage because he couldn’t deal with his wife leaving him.

I still don’t know where Skye is. I paid attention as each of the other classrooms were evacuated and she wasn’t in any of them. My gut tells me she’s in room 307, with the suspect’s wife.

Jesus! Had the suspect known which room his wife was teaching in, the wife and every single student in that classroom could have been killed. Skye included. The thought makes me sick to my stomach. If I puke now, everyone will think it's because of the horrible scene at our feet. Everyone looks as if they’re on the verge of getting sick too. The coroner’s crew has arrived. TSU is going into 307 now. I follow them in even though I know I’m breaking protocol.

Room 307 is the last occupied room. They wanted to make sure that Mrs. Orcher didn’t have a chance to look at what’s left of her husband before they tented the area around his body.

TSU moves in. I follow and pray this classroom will be a repeat of all the other ones we evacuated and no one is harmed.

Five TSU officers sweep into the room, guns raised, looking for anything other than the students and the teacher. A few of the kids scream and shuffle to the back before they realize we’re the good guys. My eyes search for Skye everywhere. I’m vaguely aware of the students being evacuated. I’m so frantic and filled with dread, I miss her the first time I glance over the left side of the room. Then I find her. Her blue eyes—huge on her pale face—lock on mine, her lips tremble, and her legs give out. Bruno is behind Skye and catches her just before she hits the tiled floor. I get to them a second too late. I’m both grateful he kept her from getting hurt and angry he has his hands on her, that he was here when I couldn’t be.

I take Skye from him and pick her up, burying my face into her neck. I breathe her in. I’m so overcome with relief, I can feel tears stinging my eyes. I can’t remember the last time I cried.When I was a kid, maybe.

It registers that I’m on my knees when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up and Steven has positioned himself between me and the other cops and discreetly hands me my gun. Fuck! I don’t even remember dropping it. He covered for me. I can’t work my throat just yet, so I nod my thanks and holster the Glock, making sure the safety is engaged.

“You know her.”

Steven’s voice is low. For my ears only. It’s not a question.

I nod again and find words this time.

“My girlfriend.”

“Holy shit, man. Did you know she was here?”

“Not for sure, but I suspected.”

---