Page 84 of The Hacker
Vicky spun again and pointed a glittering talon at Tully. “What the fuck do you mean ‘on behalf of the FBI’? Are you the FBI or aren’t you? Because if you aren’t, get the hell out of my gym!” She began to advance toward him.
“Ma’am, stop or I’ll have to handcuff you,” Tully said. “The FBI will be here soon.”
Dawn scrambled up the ladder behind Leland. Taking his right wrist, she tugged him away from Chad and Vicky toward a chair on the opposite side of the pool. “Sit and I’ll get a towel.”
He obeyed, sinking onto the chair before he caught her hand. His blue eyes blazed up at her from under the wet hair plastered to his face. “You’re sure you’re okay?”
She squeezed his hand. “I’m fine.” At least physically. Emotionally was a whole different ball game. “You’re the one leaving a dramatic trail of blood in the water.”
“It’s just a graze, I swear. More annoying than painful.”
She didn’t believe him because she’d seen how awkwardly he swam. “We’ll let the medics give us their expert opinion on that. In the meantime, I want to stop the bleeding.” She gave him a soft kiss and rested her forehead against his for a moment before she slipped her hand out of his grasp. “Maybe press your hand against the wound until I get back?”
He dutifully put his palm against his upper arm and winced. She made no comment before she headed toward the towel cabinet, her sneakers squishing with every step.
Two of Tully’s men now stood on either side of Vicky, but she continued to spew vitriol at Chad. He ignored her, gazing straight ahead as she berated him about the pool, the guns, the Wi-Fi, and his stupidity. Dawn gave them a wide berth.
She yanked clean towels off the shelf and heaved a sigh of relief when a group of people wearing jackets with FBI stenciled on them strode through the door to the pool, their shoes crunching on the broken glass. One shouted, “Hey, Gibson! What have you got for us?”
Tully stepped forward and gestured toward Chad and Vicky. “The arms dealer and his co-conspirator.”
Not wanting to draw attention to herself, Dawn scurried back to Leland and the quiet side of the pool.
“Reinforcements have arrived,” she said. “Maybe they can shut Vicky up.”
“Or take her away.”
When Leland lifted his hand from the wound, Dawn grimaced at the bright red blood staining his palm before he scrubbed it off on his soggy jeans. Folding one of the towels, she handed it to him. “I’m going to let you hold it because I don’t want to hurt you by applying too much pressure.”
“Sit by me,” he said, his tone pleading. “I need to have you where I can see you.”
She understood because she felt the same way. “Let me just give you this to keep you warm.” She draped a towel around his shoulders while she worried about how much blood he had lost.
She forced back the tears that held all her fear before sliding onto the chair next to him, her wet clothes squelching against the cushions. Her body was beginning to tremble in reaction to the adrenaline overload, so she wrapped a towel around her own shoulders.
Glancing across the pool, she saw FBI agents swarming around Chad and Vicky. Tully stood to the side having an intense conversation with one of the agents. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but when they both swiveled their heads to look across the pool toward where she and Leland sat, a shiver of nerves ran through her. She buried her face in the crook of Leland’s neck to block out everything but the feel of him alive and well beside her.
“You’re shaking,” he said, his voice a concerned rumble.
“I’m soggy and relieved to have the good guys in control of the situation.” She felt him shifting on the chair and lifted her head. “What are you doing? Do not take your hand off that towel!”
He gazed down at her with worry in his eyes. “I want to hold you.”
“Nope.” Although the temptation of having his strong arm wrapped around her was powerful. “I’m good. I just want to go home and change out of these wet clothes.” And burrow under the quilt on her bed snuggled up against Leland’s big, comforting body.
Instead, Tully and the FBI agent he’d been talking with walked up to them. “Dawn and Leland, meet Senior Special Agent Chris Wertz.” Tully held out Leland’s glasses. “I thought you might want these. We found them in the pool.”
Agent Wertz, a man with short iron-gray hair and a beak of a nose, nodded to them. “We appreciate your assistance with this case. You were instrumental in taking down the entire command structure of a major drug cartel.” He cut his gaze to the towel Leland held against his arm. “We regret your injury.”
Leland seated his glasses firmly on his nose before he stood up. “It’s just a scratch. I’d like to get Dawn home so she can change out of her wet clothes. She’s shivering.”
Tully shook his head. “Not yet. The EMTs are on their way in to treat your wound. You got shot, buddy.”
“As soon as they’re done, we’re leaving,” Leland said.
“Only if you don’t need to go to the hospital,” Dawn said, coming to her feet as well.
Leland scowled at her but his expression quickly shifted to dismay. “There’s blood all over your shirt.”
