by Green, Vicki
“Tommy.” He sniffs into my shirt.
“Tommy. Tough name. And your sister?”
He turns his head and looks up at me. I have to hold back my reaction to the many bruises on his sweet face. “Sara. She’s only three years old.”
My brows lower at the thought of her being so young. “Have they hurt her too, Tommy?” He sucks in his bottom lip. “Don’t be afraid. I need to know if she’s injured before we go in and get her. Okay?”
“N – No. They haven’t hurt her. I protect her. I take everything for her.” He blinks rapidly, his tears dropping from his eyes.
I put my hand over the back of his head as he buries his face into my shoulder again. “Of course you did. That’s what us guys do. We protect our girls.” My heart breaks for these kids, for him especially. Thank fuck they haven’t hurt Sara. My anger rises, adrenaline starts rushing through me.
It takes longer to get back. The sky opened up and the rain started to pour. At least the lightning brightened up my way, every once in a while. I reach Barrett’s truck and open the back door. Tommy cowers into me as I try to set him on the seat. “Got a blanket, Barrett?” Barrett nods and jumps out of the truck. He walks around to the back and gets some blankets from the compartment in the bed. “Tommy.” Tommy looks up at me. “Barrett’s one of my guys. You don’t need to be afraid.”
“I’m not – afraid.” He sits up straight, trying to be brave, but in his eyes is fear.
“That’s my big guy.” I smile.
Barrett hands me the blankets, and I wrap them around Tommy. I rest my hand on top of the truck and look at him. “I’m gonna send someone to sit with you. Not that you need babysitting or anything. I know you can handle your own.” He looks up at me with those big eyes, and my heart melts. “I just need to be sure you’re okay while we go get your sister.” He nods slowly. I turn my head to Barrett, the rain soaking us both. “Linda with Jason?” He nods. “Good. Text her and tell her she’s needed here.” Barrett gives me a nod as he takes out his phone. “Tell her to bring the first aid kit.” I turn my attention back to Tommy. “Linda’s a good person. You’ll like her. She has three kids of her own. Will you let her take a look at your injuries? It’ll make me feel better.” He nods again. “That’s my big guy.”
It doesn’t take long until Linda’s jogging over to the truck, the first aid kit in her hand. I introduce her to Tommy and we talk for a few minutes. Brave little guy. While she takes over, I send a text to Blake. He replies immediately telling me he’s fifteen minutes away and he’s called the local police. They’re on their way. “C’mon, Barrett. We have work to do.” I look at Barrett as I shut the door to the truck. As we start walking in the grass next to the sidewalk, I reach around and pull out my gun, tapping on the windows of the other two cars that hold my guys as I walk by. We get to the house next door to the foster parents. I hear a scream from inside, sounding like the voice of a young child, and I signal for the guys to go around back. Barrett and I stay out front. “We can’t wait for them.” Barrett nods in his agreement and I whistle, the guys stopping and looking back at me. I give them a signal again, telling them as soon as they hear us move in and come in through the back. I watch them all lower themselves and jog along the side of the house, making their way to their positions.
Barrett and I creep up on the house when suddenly there’s more screams and crying. Dammit! We get right below the front porch. I turn and look at him. “We can’t wait.” He nods, agreeing with me. Another scream and I take off up the steps. We rush to either side of the front door, our backs against the house, guns raised. I have no idea what to expect. I should have asked Jolie more about them. Guess I was caught up trying to make sure she was okay. That we were okay. Stupid! Another scream and cry and I turn around, open the screen door, and turn the knob on the front door. Unlocked. Turning the knob, I kick the door and walk in with my gun out in front of me. “Stop where you are!” I yell. Shots ring in my ears, and I’m thrown back against the wall beside the front door. I wince in pain and look down quickly at my right thigh. Blood oozes out from a hole in my jeans. I look back up quickly as the lights go off. I see movement from the corner of my eye, Barrett running in, low to the ground. I nod in the direction of the hallway at the back of the room, and he takes off, staying close to the floor, moving around the furniture. I hear a crash from the back of the house, knowing my guys have entered.
I crouch down, the pain in my leg inhibiting me as I make my way on the other side of the room towards the hall. Another shot fired and I aim in that direction, catching a glimpse of a shadow. A man screams and I know I’ve hit my target. I start moving towards the sound when another shot fires, the impact pushing me against the wall. My hand moves to my waist, and I feel the thickness of blood ooze between my fingers, the metallic smell reeks in the air. As I fall my hand holding the gun jerks the way of the shot fired and goes off, twice. I hear someone cry out, and a couple of heavy thumps, hitting another target, but another shot goes off afterwards. I fall down on my left knee, pain searing throughout me now, my eyes becoming blurry.
“MAN DOWN!”
Crackling sounds from a walkie talkie. Sirens sound in the distance, becoming louder as they draw near. Thunder roars outside and a crack of lightning hits, brightening up the room. I look across and see the entry to the kitchen, a man lying on the floor with blood all around him. I look up and see Barrett leaning against the wall right outside there, covering his shoulder with his hand.
“You shot me.” He half smiles and winks. I try to smile but suddenly feel lightheaded.
I sit down on the floor, my back against the wall, knocking over a table and hear a crash. “Whoa. Easy there, Tanner. Helps almost here.” Barrett’s voice makes me look up, his face full of concern. I watch through hazy eyes as he removes his button down shirt, a t-shirt underneath. He folds it and I grimace as he moves my hand away from my waist, pressing it against my wound, hard.
“Did someone get the girl out?” I stammer, my words sounding garbled. I sound like I’m drunk or high.
He nods. “Yeah. Jason’s got her. He’s taken her to my truck and giving her to Linda.”
The sirens are so loud now. They almost sound like their inside the house. I wince and rest my head against the wall, looking around the room as the various colored lights moving around, making it look like a disco instead of a crime scene. I close my eyes, not able to feel my leg anymore but the pain in my waist hurting like a mother fucker. “Jolie,” I whisper.
“I’ll call her and Hailey. Don’t worry. Just hang in there, man.” I nod or at least I think I do.
Voices go in and out, sounds all around me, fading with my consciousness. “Tell her – I love her.”
“Hey! You can tell her yourself. Hey,” I feel his hand on my face, “stay awake for me. OVER HERE!”
Running feet.
Jostling.
Hands poking and prodding.
I let out a grimace as I’m laid down on the floor. A prick in my arm. All I can think about is how worried Jolie must be. I should text her. I raise my arm but it’s gently pushed back down. “Don’t move, please. Setting up an IV. We’ve gotchya.” Jolie. She’ll be pacing the floor by now. I barely feel something entering my body and a little relief from the pain causes me to open my eyes. Barrett’s sitting on the arm of a couch across from me, shirtless, and a paramedic is tending his wound. I turn my head, slightly, towards him.
“Sorry I shot you.” I wince as someone tears open the jeans on my leg.
He lets out a small laugh. “Yeah, you really should be more careful with that thing.”
I smile, and a laugh bursts free, but the movement only causes more pain. I wince as the pain sears through me. My mind goes in and out as I close my eyes. Jolie’s face materializes. Her blonde hair with the dark strands underneath, short, parted over on the side. Her sexy lip pier
cing and those amazing blue eyes. I let her take me into my dreams, relieved that the kids are safe, and the thought that I did what Stephen always wanted to do himself. “It’s done, bro.”
“STAND BACK! AFIB!”
Chapter 20
“Why hasn’t he texted? Called? It’s been too long. Something isn’t right.”
I’d awoken from my nap, still holding Tanners pillow tightly in my hands. I breathe in his smell but sit up quickly when I remember where he went. I bolt out of bed and run out the door and into the living room, panting heavily. Hailey’s sitting on the couch, filing her nails. She looks up at me in alarm. “Have you heard anything?” I look out the windows in the front. It’s dark out. Crap! I slept longer than I wanted to.
“Barrett texted me and told me they were there and in position.” She brings up her right hand and starts biting on a nail. She’s as nervous as I am. I walk around the couch and start pacing the floor. “They’re gonna be fine, Jolie. They know what they’re doing.” I stop and look at her. My eyes widen. “Okay. I know anything can happen, but they’re tough. They’ll be fine.” She sucks in her bottom lip and starts chewing on it. Not real reassuring.
I’ve been pacing for a while now. I stop and look up at the clock on the wall. Rain patters against the windows as lightning brightens the dark sky. “We should have heard something by now,” I say as I take my phone out from my front pocket, checking again to see that I have no messages. I let out a sigh. I start pacing again and watch Hailey pick up the remote, turning on the TV. The silence is filled with various sounds as she flips through channels.
“Ambulances have been called to the scene. Gunshots heard by several neighbors.”
Stopping abruptly, I whip around and stare at the TV. “Turn it up!” I yell as I walk over and glare at the screen, my heart beating wildly and those knots in my stomach return with a vengeance.
“Let’s go live to Maggie Porter at the scene. Maggie. Can you tell us what happened and the state of the victims?”
“Good evening. It appears that a group of men infiltrated this residence.” Camera pans behind her. “Apparently, this is a foster house. I don’t have names yet but one man is dead.” Two paramedics are seen carrying down a gurney with a body completely covered. “A woman was injured as well, believed to be still alive. It’s been reported that two more men are injured but no report yet how badly. One man’s injuries are so severe, he’s being transferred to a hospital that can treat his injuries properly. The other injured man is traveling with him.”
I thought I’d feel something – anything, about the house showing on the screen. Instead, I raise my phone and quickly send off two texts. One to Tanner and one to Barrett. Please let one of them answer! I startle as my phone starts ringing. I swipe the screen and hold it up to my ear, shaking. “Jolie.” I look over at Hailey. She’s sitting on the edge of the couch, still biting her nail. I cover the phone with my hand.
“It’s Barrett!”
She releases her nail and stands. “Thank God!”
“Barrett! Are you okay? Where’s Tanner?” My heart beats so furiously, I can feel it in my chest, my stomach becoming queasy.
“I’m fine. Tanner shot me but I’m good.” Wait! What? “Jolie. We’re being taken to the hospital there. Tanner – he’s….” My stomach drops, and my knees buckle. I quickly grab ahold of the recliner behind me and sit down.
“WHAT? WHAT?” Hailey’s screaming pierces the sound of my heart flooding my ears.
“He was hurt pretty bad. I’m not gonna lie or sugar coat it for you, Jolie. We almost lost him once.”
My eyes snap to Hailey. “We have to go.” I stand and continue to listen to Barrett as I walk over and pick up my purse from the end table and start running to the front door. “NOW!” I scream as I open it and run out into the rain. “Were on our way,” I tell Barrett. “Just …. tell him to hold on for me.” My voice cracks, tears fill my eyes as I reach Hailey’s truck. “Please! Tell him I’m on my way!” I end the call and jump in her truck. As I fasten my seatbelt, she climbs in and starts it up. “Hospital. Please hurry.” I look over at her. She turns her head as she backs out onto the street then slams the gear into drive. The tires screech as she pushes on the gas. Please hurry! His gorgeous face enters my mind as I watch the lights go by. That sexy grin appears as I try to contain the tears in my eyes. Now’s not the time to be weak. He needs me to be the strong person I’ve become. Thoughts of him lying in a hospital bed flow through my mind. Will he still be alive when I get there? He went there because of his beliefs. Because of the selfless man he is. He went there for Stephen. For me. Please hold on for me, Tanner. Fight like you’ve never fought before.
It feels like it takes an hour to get to the hospital when, in reality, it was less than ten minutes when we pull into the parking lot. She barely comes to a stop in a parking space outside the emergency entrance, when I open the door, unclasp the seatbelt, and bolt from her truck. I don’t hesitate and start running to the double doors, hearing Hailey’s running feet behind me. I almost fall from my slick shoes on the tile as I run inside and directly to the front desk. Placing my hands on the counter to steady me, I can barely speak from my heart that feels lodged in my throat, and the lack of oxygen in my lungs. “Tanner Clark.” A nurse looks up at me and down at my clothes. I’m dripping on the floor and on the counter.
“Let me check,” she says as she types on the keyboard in front of her. “Are you a relative?”
“I’m … I’m…” I look at Hailey, my eyes wide.
“She’s his fiancée,” she blurts.
I look back at the nurse who’s intently looking at the computer monitor. I feel sick. I didn’t even know what to call my relationship with Tanner. I suck. The nurse looks up at me. “He’s in surgery. Please have a seat in the waiting room, and I’ll make sure you’re notified once he’s out.”
Surgery. Oh, no!
I can’t seem to move, gripping the edge of the counter tightly. I feel Hailey’s hands on my shoulders and release the counter as she turns me. I notice several people sitting in various seats in the waiting room. My eyes snap over to two police officers standing next to a set of double doors as Hailey guides me over to the corner of the room. She pushes gently on my shoulders, and I sit down on the nearest seat. My body is shaking from being wet, cold, and from fear. I sit here in a daze, wondering what’s happening to Tanner. Hailey’s voice penetrates my mind, and I turn and look at her.
“I’m going to go find out about Barrett and get you a cup of coffee. Will you be okay to sit here for a minute?” I nod, my entire body numb. She tries to smile, but I can tell it’s forced. I watch her stand and follow her as she walks back over to the counter. I cross my arms over my chest and squeeze tight.
“You need to be strong, Jole.”
Stephens’s voice enters my mind. I startle when Hailey sits down beside me, handing me a hot cup of coffee. “Barrett was shot in the shoulder. He’s doing okay. She said we can go to his room as soon as they situate him there. He’s in recovery now.”
Barrett’s okay. Thank God! “She told you and you’re not a relative?” She lets out a laugh and takes a sip of her own coffee.
“I told her I’m his sister.”
The corner of my mouth lifts. “Did she say anything more about Tanner?” She shakes her head. I hear a sound and move my eyes over to the police officers. There’s a ton of reporters gathered in front of them, holding microphones up and in their faces, everyone talking at once. One of the officers steps forward with his hands up and palms out.
“Ladies and gentlemen. Let’s move over to the other side, and we’ll answer what we can. Blake Fairchild, the head of this rescue operation, will join us in a few minutes. Please, hold your questions until he arrives and ask one at a time. He’ll give you the information that he’s allowed to discuss at that time.�
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I watch as he leads them over to the other side of the room, away from the waiting area. I attempt to stand, wanting to hear what this Blake person has to say, but I can’t seem to make my legs work properly. “C’mon. I’ll help you,” Hailey says, grasping my arm as she takes my untouched coffee, setting it down on the table. She leads me over to where all the reporters are but behind them where some chairs sit in front of the windows. I manage to sit down in one and wait again.
Regrets can make you strong.
I became strong for Stephen, but I regret not telling him how much I loved him, how thankful I am that he was there for me, how his love and protection gave me the strength to live.
Regrets can make you weak.
I became weak after Stephen left but remained hopeful he’d come back for me. It was a continuous struggle especially after he didn’t.
Some regrets you can never get over.
So many times I wanted to return to that foster home and turn them in. Even though it would have been my word against theirs. If I lose Tanner because of that, I’ll never get over it. This could have all been avoided if I had done that. I was too…