Page 89 of All I Need (Hearts of the South)
“Cookie, go to tactical.”
Cook fiddled with the radio, and Emmett’s voice cleared the static. “We can’t return fire without an exact location or visual. There are houses on the other side of the wood line.”
Savannah froze. Return fire? That could only mean one thing—an active shooting situation.
With Emmett involved.
She forced herself to breathe and think. His voice was steady and calm, and apparently, he was thinking too. For the moment, he was all right.
Calvert lifted the radio to his mouth. “GSP and Haynes County are coming in north and west. DNR is already in the area, working fields. They’re probably our best bet. Cookie and I are on our way. Sit tight and don’t do anything stupid.”
He tagged Cook’s arm. “Let’s go.”
They passed Mackey returning from lunch. He gestured after them. “Where are they headed in such a hurry?”
Savannah ignored the question, refusing to panic. “Do we have access to their tactical channel?”
“No.” Mackey frowned. “What is going on?”
“It sounds like an active shooting.” She swallowed hard. “And Emmett’s on scene.”
He nodded, his expression tightening. “They’ll call in or have EMS do it if anyone’s coming in.”
She bit her lower lip. This was worse than that night with Gates—that had come from nowhere. Today she was in a state of limbo, aware of the unfolding of a threat to Emmett’s safety.
Thank You for him. Please, put a hedge around him. Give me the strength to handle what might happen.
The simple prayer sank into her consciousness, along with the accompanying sense of peace. The concern over Emmett left no room for anger any longer. As she’d known He would be, He was waiting.
Now the waiting belonged to her.
* * * * *
Waiting was hard. Emmett rested his forehead against the quarter panel for a moment. Urgency pulsed under his skin—a wild desire to do something, but that would be the essence of stupidity. Impatience got cops killed. He wasn’t going to be one of them.
A pair of shots nailed the car, one rattling through the trunk, the other taking out the front driver’s side tire. He tensed, back and shoulders aching.Jesus, please. Don’t let him hit the gas tank.
A diesel engine rumbled from the west. He darted a glance over the trunk to find the GSP SWAT unit idling at the top of the hill. Gratefulness flooded him. Damn, he was glad to see them. As black-uniformed personnel scrambled from the vehicle, he cast a quick glance at the wood line. They had to be aware there were houses on the other side. He knew a couple of the guys on team, had trained with them. They were good and wouldn’t fire without location.
A rapid volley of shots came from the woods, aimed at the SWAT van. Whoever the shooter was, he was either arrogant or not as smart as he thought he was. That burst accomplished nothing except to reveal his location to the SWAT team.
A flash of movement behind them caught his attention. He glanced over his shoulder to find the large white mobile news van jockeying into position near the waiting fire trucks. For a moment, he let his forehead rest against the quarter panel. Damn, his whole torso ached. Breathing hurt, but the discomfort radiated from muscle pain. At least he hoped nothing deeper than that was damaged. If so, with SWAT on hand, maybe they’d be out of here soon. He could hang on that long.
“SWAT team’s advancing on the woods.” Bennett’s low voice refocused his attention. Emmett nodded and wiped beads of sweat from his upper lip.
“C-2 and C-3 on scene.” Their handhelds blipped to life with Calvert’s voice. “We’re headed into the woods from Christopher Cove.”
“GSP 29 to Chandler C-2, we’ve got a visual. He’s on the move, due south, still in the cover, two hundred yards from the cell tower.”
In well-choreographed formation, the SWAT officers advanced on the woods.
Emmett fought down the immediate desire to move. Bennett shifted, and Emmett motioned at him to stay put. “Not until the threat is neutralized.”
Long minutes dragged by. His thigh cramped, protesting the prolonged squat. He winced and shifted it, his gaze on the woods.
“We got him.” Calvert’s terse voice broke the waiting.
With the curt announcement, activity exploded. The fire trucks rushed in, firefighters unreeling hoses and spraying the still-burning car with water and foam. Emmett cast a glance toward the ambulance and pushed up to a stiff standing position. He’d not heard Clark the whole time. He managed one step in the ambulance’s direction before Bennett halted him.
