Page 77 of Beaten

Jamie

When I heart the gun shot echo through the house, I tried to run past Jack but he grabbed me. He would have held me back if we hadn’t heard “Tango down. Repeat Tango Down.”

I clicked my rifle to safe and ran into the kitchen.

The first thing I saw was Craig, lying in a pool of blood. AJ was standing over him, making sure he didn’t move. The next thing I saw was Emily curled up in a ball on the floor, arms covering her head. I watched as she lifted her head and looked at her parents, who were also on the floor, her mom on top of her father. Dad checked their pulses and gave me a quick nod, letting me know they were alive.

I slung my rifle over my back so I could move more freely. “Emily?” When I reached down and touched her shoulder she pulled away from me, her eyes never leaving her parents.

I kneeled next to her and gently turned her face towards me. “Emily, it’s okay, you’re okay.” It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn’t quite the truth either. Her face was covered in blood and tears, and bruises were already forming. Judging from the way she was clutching her mid-section, she probably had a few cracked or broken ribs. Not to mention the emotional scarring from going through a traumatic hostage situation.But she’s alive, thank God. And so were her parents. We’d deal with the rest later.

Emily looked dazed as she shouted at me, “MY MOM AND DAD?”

From the look on her face, and the fact that she was shouting, I assumed her ears were still ringing. Gun shots in a small space were hell on the ears.

“They’ll be okay.” I pointed at them, and my dad who was still helping them. She nodded then slowly looked around the room.

I scooted closer and started evaluating her injuries.

I asked the team, “Ambulance?”

Dean answered, “ETA three minutes.”

I held Emily as I listened to Dad and Dean on the radio. Weatherford PD would be on scene in two; Dean would run interference, so they didn’t come in guns blazing. The Taylors didn’t need to experience that twice. Dad called Doug in to stay with Emily’s parents, then went outside to help Dean.

“Where’s Craig?” Emily asked with a shaking voice.

Craig had been shot in the chest and was bleeding heavily. I wasn’t sure he’d make it. I more than half hoped he wouldn’t—securing me a special place in hell.

She couldn’t see him because Jack had dragged him behind the island. But she could see the pool of blood, and the bright red drag marks.

What little color there was drained from her face. “Did he shoot anyone?”

He hadn't. AJ had given us a summary of what happened: they breached, Craig raised his gun, dad shot him. I shook my head back and forth as I answered in case she was still struggling to hear.

Emily nodded and opened her mouth to answer but her eyes rolled back in her head as she started to sway.

“Emily?” Panic laced my voice as she passed out. I caught her before her head could hit the floor. I heard her mom cry out in fear.

My hand shook as I checked Emily’s pulse.Thank God. I whispered into the comms as relief flooded my system, “She’s okay. She’s alive.” I trusted Doug to tell her parents.

The sounds in the room faded to a dull hum as I held her and repeated, “I’m so sorry I failed you,” over and over as tears welled up in my eyes. I felt Jack’s hand on my shoulder a second before he reached over and removed my ear piece. Not that I cared if the team could hear me. I couldn’t stop thinking about how helpless I felt as I cradled her in my arms and whispered in her ear. “I’m so sorry.”

“Jamie.” Jack’s voice cut through my pain. “The paramedics are here.”

I nodded as I pulled myself together and gently lowered Emily back to the floor. “Thanks.” I stood up and stepped back, giving the paramedics room to work. There was nothing more I could do for her right now, so I wiped my face and squared my shoulders.

Putting aside my fear and guilt, I surveyed the room, focusing on what needed to be done.

The paramedics were helping Emily and the Taylors. They didn’t need me. AJ was standing near Craig.But not helping him.

Jack whispered, “He didn’t make it,” answering my silent question.

I nodded as relief washed over me. Not my normal reaction to hearing someone had died, even a bad guy, but I was relieved Craig could never hurt Emily again.

Dad was talking to the police officers, and had everything there under control.

More officers arrived, along with a forensic specialist, and the coroner. WPD wouldn’t let me leave without giving my statement, so I couldn’t ride with Emily, but Jack told me Meg was waiting to take me to the hospital, once I was cleared to leave.

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