Page 34 of Valor

He pulled his gun from his belt holster and set it in his lap. He decided to drive past the church to see if the SUV was heading back to the mountains. But as he rolled on by, he didn’t see any sign of the vehicle.

Sick with dread, he quickly made the turn into the church parking lot, his stomach clenched.

The black SUV was sitting in almost the same parking spot he’d used just minutes before.

No! Owen threw the gearshift into park and grabbed his weapon. He bailed from the truck, carrying the gun down at his side. He darted toward the church entrance, pausing to listen intently.

Hearing nothing, he stayed as far off to the side as possible while cautiously opening the door. He braced for gunfire, but it didn’t come.

He quickly peeked around the edge of the doorframe. The church had a wide lobby-like gathering area. As he opened the door wider, he saw a man dressed in black standing there.

The driver of the black SUV. And he had a gun.

Owen didn’t recognize the guy, but he was certain he’d been sent to find him. He wasn’t a cop, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t fake it. “Stop! Police! Drop your weapon!”

The guy spun around, lifting his weapon toward the doorway. The man in black fired two rounds, narrowly missing Owen. He reared back, but then surged forward, returning fire.

The gunman let out a cry and fell to the ground. Owen hesitated, hoping the act wasn’t a ruse to draw him in.

“Doug? Is that you?” Emily called.

“No, it’s Owen.” He knew she assumed Doug had arrived because he pretended to be a cop. “Stay back.” He slipped into the church, cautiously approaching the gunman. Seeing the blood pooling on the ground beneath him, Owen knew his aim had been true.

He kicked the gun, sending it sliding across the glossy wood floor. Then he bent on one knee to feel for a pulse. It was thready and weak, but at least the shooter was alive.

For the moment.

“Emily, call for an ambulance! He’s hit.”

Owen heard muted voices, then Emily came rushing forward, holding Bear in her arms. She set the puppy down as she knelt on the other side of the wounded gunman. She drew his black T-shirt out of the way to examine his injury.

“He’s hit in the belly.” She winced and rolled the gunman over onto his side. The man groaned but appeared unconscious. “No exit wound, which means the bullet is still embedded inside. Owen, I need you to get ask Pastor Luke to grab any linens he has.” When he stared blankly at her, she added, “You know, the ones he uses for the altar? Just ask!”

He rose and strode across the lobby. Bear ran after him, his ears flapping and tail wagging as if this were a new game. He took a minute to pick the puppy up from the floor, then turned his attention to the man peering at him through an office doorway.

The pastor was younger than he’d expected. Not that he was an expert on church pastors. He gave the man a nod. “Emily wants linens to stop the bleeding.”

“Right away.” To his credit, Pastor Luke didn’t hesitate to emerge from his office. The man opened one of the glass doors and headed into the gathering area of the church. Pastor Luke grabbed a white table runner from the marble altar. Then he bent to pull linen napkins from another cupboard that was hidden beneath the table. Arms full of cloth, the pastor returned, heading straight for Emily. “Will these work?”

“Yes, thanks.” Emily took the linens and folded them into squares, pressing them firmly against the gunman’s abdominal wound. When she’d made a thick pad, she went up on her knees and put her weight into holding pressure. “You called the ambulance, right?”

“Yes. They’re on the way.” Pastor Luke glanced at Owen, frowning at his casual clothing. “You’re in law enforcement?”

“No. I just said that to see if the guy would identify himself.” Owen squashed the flash of guilt for both lying and shooting the gunman. Shifting Bear in his arms, he knelt beside the gunman. While Emily held pressure on the gunshot wound, he patted the man’s pockets searching for a wallet or ID. Much like the very first gunman Owen had been forced to take out of action, this guy had nothing but cash in his pockets along with the SUV key fob. With a sigh, Owen took the items, shoved them into his pocket, then stood, still holding Bear. “He didn’t identify himself by name or occupation. And he doesn’t have a wallet or badge. I think we can safely say he’s not one of the good guys. He shot two rounds at a man who claimed to be a cop. I had little choice but to defend myself.”And you and Emily,he silently added.

“Owen has been protecting me from killers for the past two days.” Emily glanced at Pastor Luke. “He’s not a cop, but he’s the only reason I’m still alive.”

“I don’t appreciate gunfire being exchanged in my church,” the pastor muttered. “This is a place of peace.”

“I understand, and I’m sorry that I brought this to your doorstep.” Emily’s tone was apologetic. “I was explaining about the danger surrounding me when this happened. At least now you know I was telling the truth.”

Owen took a few steps back, glancing around the church as Bear tried to lick his chin. He’d neutralized the threat, so there was no longer a reason to stick around. Yet it seemed like every time he tried to leave Emily behind, danger returned with a vengeance. He scowled, and asked, “How soon will your brother be here?”

“He’s thirty minutes away, having recently left Dayton.” Emily held his gaze. “I can’t believe you came back.”

“I had to. I passed the same SUV I saw earlier. As soon as I realized the driver wasn’t your brother, I turned around.” Owen swallowed hard. If he hadn’t returned, Emily and Pastor Luke would be the ones lying on the floor bleeding from bullet wounds. Only in their case, he doubted they’d have lived through the shooting.

The image was so clear in his mind that he knew leaving her behind again wasn’t an option. “We need to get out of here. Pastor Luke can hold pressure on the guy’s abdomen until the ambulance arrives.”

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