Page 48 of SEAL's Harmony
“He won’t be in time,” Taylor said as he leveled the gun.
Then everything moved in slow motion. Ry was screaming for him to drop his weapon as he ran for her. But it didn’t stop him. He leveled the gun and pulled the trigger as Harmony closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her heart was already broken for what she wouldn’t ever have with Ry.
But there was no pain. She opened her eyes and Harry was on the floor at her feet, blood blossoming across his chest.
“Oh my God, what have you done?” she cried as she kneeled at Harry’s side and applied pressure to his chest. “Someone call nine-one-one.”
Ry burst into her office and took out her father with one punch to his jaw, then kicked his gun to the side while Josh dragged him out of the office.
“Are you okay, baby? You’re not hurt, are you? I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner. But I didn’t see him pull the gun until it was too late,” he said, his voice unsteady.
“It’s okay, you’re here, and you saved me. He would have killed me or dragged me out of here and no one would have been able to find me. I can’t believe he shot Harry.”
“The ambulance is already on the way. I’ll be okay, I promise.”
Harmony nodded through her tears. She’d never forgive herself if Harry died because of her.
The police and ambulance arrived moments later. The paramedics put him on a gurney and rushed him off to the hospital.
Detective Nelson showed up shortly after the patrol cars. He took her father and her boss into custody, although Ry wasn’t sure they’d be able to charge her with anything illegal. Unless taking payoffs was enough. After they wheeled Harry out, Ry grabbed the bug from under Harmony’s desk, and then handed the detective a flash drive. Everything her father had said was on that drive. Though Harmony wasn’t sure if it would be admissible in court, especially if her father got a good lawyer.
“I wish you’d let me in on your little mission,” Detective Nelson said as Ry handed him the recording.
“It came together late last night and honestly, we weren’t sure it would happen or not. We were acting on a hunch,” Ry said. “We got lucky.”
“Sure looks like it. I’m happy to know that Mr. Ericson wasn’t involved in any way. I hope he pulls through.”
Harmony sniffled. Harry’s blood covered her hands. So much blood. She didn’t know how he’d survive, and she’d never be able to thank him. “I hope so, too. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, and in the end, he helped save me.”
Ry put his arm around her and pulled her close.
After what felt like forever, Detective Nelson let them go with the promise that they’d be at the station in the morning to give their official statements.
“I need to go to the restroom and wash off this blood,” she murmured as Ry led her out of her office.
“Go ahead, I’ll wait right here. Josh grabbed your purse for you. Do you have your phone with you? He couldn’t find it.”
“Okay,” she didn’t really hear what he said. All she could focus on was the blood and reliving the moment. It happened so fast. Harry must have dodged in front of her when she’d closed her eyes.
Harmony didn’t know how long she stood at the sink, scrubbing her hands to remove Harry’s blood, with tears streaming down her cheeks. As she caught her reflection in the mirror, she barely recognized herself. The pale face didn’t look anything like her, like someone had drained her life force. Nothing would ever be the same again.
15
Afew days later...
Fall had arrived in Virginia. Harmony sipped her coffee as she stood on Ry’s balcony, admiring the colors of the leaves. It was her first fall on the East Coast, the first of a lot of things.
Last night she’d woken up three times because of the nightmares. Ironically, they weren’t about her father. Instead, she’d woken up crying for Harry. Ry told her they’d fade over time, and she believed him. She just wished they’d hurry and go away already.
Behind her, the sliding doors opened, and Ry put his arm around her waist. “It’s nice out here, isn’t it?”
“It really is. I can’t wait to watch the colors turn.”
“I’m sure the leaves turned in Iowa,” Ry commented.
“Sure they did, but nothing was pretty there. It was all just gray, at least to me.”
She saw Ry nod and was thankful that he ‘got it’ and she didn’t have to explain. She’d done enough explaining to last her a lifetime. Too bad she still didn’t know why her father had treated her with such hatred and malice.
