Page 64 of Montana Freedom

I hadn’t realized I was, but sure enough, tears were streaming down my face.

Noah hit his knees beside us. “Ambulance is on the way. Lucky you took that where you did. Could have been a lot worse.”

“I know.” Daniel grunted. “Noah, you have to get people out of here.”

“We are,” he said. “Youneed to stop giving orders. We’ve got this, and you were just shot.”

Daniel’s hand was gripping mine. “Keep her safe.”

And he passed out.

“Is he going to be okay?” My voice was hysterical. I knew the shot was a flesh wound, but he was still bleeding on the ground in front of me.Forme.

“I think so. We just have to get him to the hospital. When the ambulance gets here, make sure you stay covered, but go with him.”

“Okay.”

Leaning down, I kissed Daniel’s forehead, praying to a God I wasn’t sure I believed in that he would be all right.

Chapter21

Emma

Daniel would be fine.

A whirlwind ride in the ambulance and Daniel was rushed away through the emergency room. It was a clean wound that didn’t hit anything vital. Mostly cosmetic.

But they’d had to check to make sure, so he was sedated now, sleeping while I sat by his side.

The others were here too, coming in and out to check on me. They decided one of them would always be outside, just in case, but they didn’t try to make me leave. I wouldn’t have gone anyway. This was the safest place for me to be. Simon wouldn’t risk himself to come into somewhere so public or with so many cameras.

If he tried again, it would be from a distance.

It was Simon—whether it was him in person or someone he sent. He was the only one who had the motive to shoot straight at me.

A figure in the doorway startled me. My heart pounded in my ears until I realized it was the police chief, Charlie. “Hello, Emma.”

“Hi.” I tried not to sound hesitant. But it wasn’t like we were on the best of terms.

“I know it’s late, but if you’re up to it, I’d like to hear what happened while it’s fresh in your mind.”

“Yeah.” That made sense. I gestured to the other chair in the room. “I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of details that will help you.”

I outlined exactly what had happened from when we’d stepped outside the reception tent to the time we got to the hospital. I hadn’t seen anything, and other than the gunshot, I hadn’t heard anything. There hadn’t been a second shot.

“Maybe the guys out there have something more? Daniel told them to look for the shooter.”

“Not yet, unfortunately. Given this was a targeted shooting, I’m going to leave an officer here. And I’ll be back tomorrow to talk to Daniel.”

I nodded, and he stood. “Can you do something for me?”

“If I can.”

Taking a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders. “I want to talk to the FBI. I know they’re still here, and I’m not stupid. If they’re in town, you know about it. Tell them I want to talk to them.”

The police chief studied me for what seemed like forever. “I can do that.”

“Thank you.”

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