Page 94 of More Than a Hero
The car was blocked in. A big, ancient Buick was parked directly behind it, and she recognized it as Bertram’s. Not understanding how it came to be there, she tried to wrench her arm from his grasp. He yanked her back, fury radiating off him like a furnace.
Red and blue lights flashed around the corner. Sirens were now right there, tires screeching. Tamarcus spun around and dragged her back toward the apartments.
“No—let me go!” Angie twisted, but his grip was like iron. Her knee completely gave out, and she dropped to the ground.
He dragged her until they were at Marty’s door. Tamarcus tossed her to the floor. She looked behind her, but Jimmy had disappeared. So had the other boy, and when she looked toward the recliner, Marty was also gone.
Her attention darted back to Tamarcus. She could hear shouting, commands being yelled, and footsteps thundering down the walkway.
Tamarcus jerked the curtains closed over the front window, and Angie scooted farther away, trying to stay out of his way. Her heart crashed like thunder, and her chest heaved with each breath. She wasn’t sure if she was going to die at this moment, but she wasn’t going to make it easy for him.
38
Pete’s SUV screeched to a halt at the edge of the Careway Senior Apartments. Jeremy was already out of the passenger door, weapon drawn but lowered, eyes sweeping the quiet complex. A few unmarked vehicles followed in behind, deputies piling out with grim, tight expressions.
Pete had gotten the voicemail from Robert three minutes before the dispatch call came in. He didn’t need more details—the names Tamarcus, Robert, and Angie in the same sentence lit a fire in his gut he hadn’t felt since Cora had been held hostage in the hospital’s morgue. He now knew how Jeremy had felt.
He scanned the U-shaped curve of the buildings. It was quiet for a few seconds, then suddenly erupted. A few of the seniors popped their heads out of their apartments, and he spied some of his kids peeking out as well.
“Back inside, now!” Pete shouted, bending low to race to the closest apartment. “Bertram! Harold! Get them inside and lock it down. Go! Get into Rosetta’s or George’s, I don’t care which. Just keep them together and away from the front.”
The kids turned and raced back inside, with the exception of Caleb, who darted out, ducking and weaving as he ran to Pete. “Hey!” he called, breathless, pointing toward the other side.“They’re still inside! Mr. Marty’s apartment! Tamarcus has Ms. Angie in there!”
“Got it! Now, get back behind the deputies’ vehicles!” Pete’s jaw locked as adrenaline surged through him.
“Jimmy still there?” he asked.
Caleb nodded fast. “Jimmy and Robert are there too. Said he was gonna protect her. There’s a back window that goes into the apartment’s bathroom. You can’t see it from the living room, but the back door is visible.”
He radioed, “Multiple hostages inside apartment 101.”
Jeremy stepped beside him. “We need to get to the back.”
Pete didn’t wait. He and Jeremy took off at a dead run, boots pounding the narrow concrete strip as they raced around the back corners of the building. The trimmed grass behind the units was silent, broken only by the humming of old AC units and a few flapping trash can lids.
“Marty’s on the far end,” Pete muttered, his eyes flicking to every movement, every possible angle. As they rounded the last corner, two back doors cracked open—George and Harold again, peeking out, heads low.
“Stay inside!” Pete snapped, voice low but firm. “Lock it up. Don’t come out again, you hear me?”
George gave a tight nod and was pulling the door shut when there was movement at Marty’s window. Robert crawled through and turned to assist someone else.
Pete raised his weapon instinctively, but froze as he registered who it was. Robert was helping Marty to the outside. Robert looked to the side, and his gaze begged for assistance. “Help!” Robert whispered. “He’s hurt—he’s bleeding!”
Pete signaled to a deputy, who ran over. “Get rescue here. Have them come to the back.”
While the deputy made the call and signaled the other law enforcement in the area, Jeremy helped get Marty out of thewindow. As soon as the older man was clear, Pete could see Jimmy on the inside.
“Jimmy,” he breathed.
Robert had his shoulder under Marty’s arm, struggling to keep him upright. Pete looked over his shoulder to see Bertram hustling down the back sidewalk. George was already at the door, rushing forward with Bertram. Together, they helped Marty into the neighboring unit, their movements fast but careful. Marty’s face was pale, blood in his hair, his eyes dazed as he mumbled something about not being able to hear right.
Robert stood, his face tight with fear and effort as he looked up at Pete. “What do I need to do?”
“Get into that apartment with them and stay there until it’s clear,” Pete ordered, pointing at George’s back door.
Robert hesitated. “But Jimmy’s still in there,” he whispered, pointing at Mr. Marty’s apartment.
Pete said, “You did good. Now keep doing good by following orders, okay?”
