“I’m hoping it won’t come at all.” Frank gave Radar a treat from his pocket.
Her hair felt like silk running through his fingers. She looked at him. “I’m sorry. Did I pull it?’
“No, what are you doing?” She changed her position slightly.
“I like touching it.”
“That’s sweet, but don’t get sentimental on me right now. I’m this close to falling apart.” She snapped her fingers.
“You don’t look it. What can I do, sweetheart?” He looked into her troubled eyes and swore under his breath.
“Make sure you keep them safe.” She looked at Sadie and Katie.
He understood. She was more worried about them than herself. “You’re something.”
“You keep saying that,” she teased. “I would like to know what this something is that you’re talking about.”
“All I know is it makes me want to be a better man.”
“If you must know, I kind of like you just the way you are.” She leaned in closer to him. “No need for you to change. You’re my big, strong, hunky cop.” She bit her lip.
“Jess, play fair, I don’t want to shock your grandmother.” Matt heard Frank laughing in the background.
She jabbed her finger into Matt’s chest. “Feeling a little bothered, are we?”
He grabbed her hand and put it in his lap, pinning it there. “If you’re not careful, I’ll tell you what I’m feeling.” He grinned as she blushed. “You’re playing with fire. I don’t embarrass easily. I wouldn’t try me, if I were you.”
“I’ll behave.” She turned her back to him and answered Sadie’s question.
“Chicken.” He liked this playful side to her. Matt looked at Frank, who was still chuckling. “I think she’s nervous.”
Frank grinned. “I’ve never seen her this way. Thanks, I’ve enjoyed watching the sparks flying between the two of you. I would say she’s more than halfway to being in love with you.”
“I wouldn’t mind.” He turned on his earpiece. Henderson wanted to follow their progress and bark out his orders most likely. Tony’s was the first voice he heard.
Finally, you turned it on. I have men in place along the route.
“We’re about ready to get going.” He gave the server his card.
Good luck out there. Stay safe.
“Thanks, Tony. Keep your eyes open.” He signed the receipt.
Matt leaned over and whispered in Jessie’s ear. “It’s show time.” He looked around the table. “Everyone knows what they’re supposed to do.”
“We understand. We’ve prepared for the worse but hoping for the best.” Sadie spoke up while the others nodded.
“My sentiments, exactly.” Matt smiled at her and stood. “We’ll go to the first few booths together. After a while, Jeremy, you take them on to another area.” He pointed at Sadie and Katie. “Frank will remain close by in the area, never out of sight. The others are already in place.” Matt’s jaw tightened. “If everyone is ready, let’s go.”
The city closed several streets of the downtown area for the fair known to the locals as the Villagefest. Booths filled with artwork, unique food items, and handcrafted items were all along both sides of the streets. The ad said it drew thousands of people and Matt believed it. The streets were full, and more than once someone in the crowd bumped into him. He didn’t like it. Matt maneuvered Jessie around an Army private with his petite, redheaded girlfriend on his arm that had stopped suddenly in front of them to look at some rings. He smiled at the besotted look on the private’s face. He knew the feeling. Matt halted when Jessie paused to look as silk scarves. They attracted Katie and Jessie both. What was it with women? They could shop anytime. He shook his head. His eyes scanned the crowd looking for anything that seemed out of place. So many things could go wrong. How could they ever see Irwin or Mallory in the sea of faces? “Tony, can you hear me?” Matt turned his head when someone bumped his side.
I hear you, Matt.
He grabbed Jessie, pulling her closer. “Have you seen anything?” A middle-aged couple strolled past him carrying several bags. They eyed his holstered gun warily until he pointed to his badge. They smiled and continued.
No, but there’s a lot of people to watch.
“I’m not sure we could pick them out until they’re standing right in front of us. I don’t like the vibe I’m getting.” Matt’s eyes tracked the area in front of them as they walked. He jerked when a young boy ran past him, hitting his arm. The boy’s ice cream cone fell to the ground with a splat. He watched Jessie give the boy some money to go buy another one.
Henderson’s voice came across the line. We are doing it as planned. Do you hear me?
“I hear you, all right. You’re not the one putting your life on the line. If I feel I need to abort the assignment, we will abort.”
I’ll back you on that, Tony added.
Matt motioned to Jeremy, who headed off in another direction with Katie and Sadie. Frank paused to look at something and lagged behind them a little but kept them in sight the entire time. Frank had an earpiece so Matt could call to him as needed.
Matt grabbed Jessie’s hand. “It’s just you and me, kid.”
“So I noticed.” She stopped to look at some artwork. “I wish I could enjoy looking at this for real. There’s some beautiful stuff here. Look.” she pointed at a sculptured piece. “That would look great in your house.” She took the man’s business card. “I think you should buy it. It’s only sixty-five thousand dollars.” Her eyes widened. “Only…”
“Sounds like a good bargain. I’ll take two.” He chuckled, pulling her along.
An hour later, Matt looked at a text on his phone. “Jeremy is taking Katie and Sadie home. Your grandmother’s getting tired.”
“Good, I’m glad. I want them away from here.” Jessie glanced at him.
“We’ll give it another thirty minutes or so and then call it a night ourselves. The fair is starting to wind down. Vendors are packing.”
They strolled on and the crowd began to thin out considerably. Jessie yawned. “I’m getting a little tired.” She shut her eyes and rubbed her temples.
He noticed a strange look cross her face. “Is everything okay?”
“Let’s turn around and start walking back,” she spoke softly to him. “He’s close by. I can feel him. I can hear him in my head. There’s something else, but I’m not sure what.”
“Did you hear that, Frank? We’re going to start heading back, so stop and fall in behind us. She feels he’s in the area.”
Okay, Matt. Frank paused to look at the wooden carvings on the table until Matt and Jessie passed his position.
“Tony, did you copy that.”
I heard. We’re watching.
Matt steered her back the way they had come. He felt the tension radiating from her.
“He’s getting closer, but I have no idea where to look.” She picked up her pace.
“Are you copying this, Henderson? She can feel him closing in. You guys keep your damn eyes open.”
I hear you, Matt, Tony responded. Henderson is the closest to your location, but he’s not responding. I’ll keep trying to reach him.
“Thanks, everyone, look alive out there.” Matt took her arm and picked up the pace.
“Matt, one of my guys found Henderson. He’s out cold. I’m closing in on the site, but still a little ways out from you.”
Matt swore under his breath. “It’ll be okay, sweetheart, we’re all looking.” Matt’s eyes scanned back and forth across the crowd.
****
Mallory kept his eyes on Irwin as he skulked along the edges of the crowd following Jessie with his beady eyes. He had seen Irwin hit the dumb mule. Out cold, Henderson never saw it coming. Mallory didn’t mind if there was one less of them. No cop was a friend. They’d never been there to protect him. What were they thinking? Irwin wasn’t an ordinary person. All of them were too far away to get to her in time. Irwin could outmaneuver them any day. Mall
ory moved quicker to keep pace with Irwin. The game was on.
Irwin was bearing down on Jessie, weaving through the crowd toward her. Suddenly he stopped. Mallory planted himself across from Irwin on the other side of the street, a few steps away from Jessie, but near enough to grab her if he needed to. Jessie knew Irwin was coming. Mallory could see it her eyes.
Standing behind a tall man where the cop couldn’t see him, Irwin opened his jacket slightly. The game was on. No more time to think! Mallory was about to change the game on them all.
Chapter 29
Jessie turned to look at Matt. “They won’t get here in time. It’s too late for them to help.” Her voice sounded resigned.
In a blink of an eye, a huge form rushed past Matt, shoving him aside like a rag doll, sending him crashing to the ground. The man jumped in front of Jessie at the precise moment the gun fired. The bullet’s impact propelled him backward taking Jessie with him to the ground with a sickening thud. The smell of sulfur and blood filled the air, mingled with the sound of the chaos that ensued. People screamed, scattering in all directions. Matt rose up on his elbow so he could see her. She lay quiet and motionless on the ground. His breath caught in his chest. Time played out for him in slow motion. Mallory lay splayed on top of her, his face contorted with pain.
“Jessie,” He shouted her name, scrambled to his feet, and lunged toward her. Frank had already squatted beside her.
“Matt, she’s okay.” His broad face was bright with relief. “She got the wind knocked out of her. Help me get her out from under him.”
Matt felt for a pulse on Mallory and found a weak one. They got Jessie out from under him, and she sat up to catch her breath. “Tony, can you hear me?” he snapped into the wire. “Did you see what happened? We’re you able to get the guy?”
Not yet, we’re sealing up the perimeter, but in the confusion, I don’t know if we were fast enough.
“Get an ambulance here.”
It’s on its way.
“Tony, don’t let Irwin slip away.”
“We’re trying, Matt. If he’s here, we’ll get him.”
“I’ll get Radar out there looking.” Frank brought Radar over and put the line on the dog. “It was the damnedest thing I ever saw.” He shook his head. “The guy flew out of the crowd, jumped in front of her, and took the bullet himself. He saved her life.” He drew a ragged breath. “I thought you should know. I saw the whole thing.”
“Thanks, Frank.” Matt could see Jessie out of the corner of his eye, rubbing the back of her head. She moved over to Mallory and knelt beside him, lifting his head into her lap.
He got busy on the radio, listening to the reports coming in, but he never took his eyes off her pale face. He could see her talking to Mallory. Matt could tell from the wound, he probably wasn’t going to make it, even if the ambulance got here fast. He decided that moment to give Jessie her space.
****
“Thank you, William, for saving my life.” She saw his eyes flutter open. “Why, why did you do it?” She pressed a towel Frank handed her over the wound in his chest, trying to apply pressure.
He grimaced. “I couldn’t let him kill you…” He struggled to breathe. “You were my…” His voice trailed off, and his breathing became labored.
“Shh, don’t talk, save your energy. Help is on the way. That was a kind thing to do.” She swallowed and went on, raising her voice slightly, to be sure he heard her. “Did you know your grandparents were the ones who saved you? Who got the state to take you away from your mother? They loved you.”
His eyes fluttered, opened. “I never knew.”
“They never wanted your mother to find you again, or they would have raised you themselves. They tried to find you before they died.” She gulped trying to hold back the tears.
“Sorry…” Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
She laid her hand on his. “Thank you, how can I ever thank you?” She sat holding him that way for what seemed an eternity. He opened his eyes one more time and looked into hers. His breath gurgled in his throat; he shuddered a few times, and he was gone. Her tears dripped onto his lifeless cheeks. She didn’t move, not even when the paramedics got there.
“Ma’am, you can let go of him, we’ll take care of him for you.” The young man looked at her. He knelt down a little closer so she could see him. “You can let go of him.” He gently removed her hand from Mallory’s hand. We’ll take good care of him, I promise.”
Matt squatted down behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Come on, sweetheart, we need to let them do their job.” He stood up and helped her up, too. Her jacket was splattered with Mallory’s blood, and she was dazed. He picked her up in his arms and they motioned him toward the ambulance.
“Let’s have you checked out.” The woman paramedic on the team told Matt to set her down. “Your friend will be close by. He won’t leave you.” Jessie held tight to Matt’s hand.
“Could you check the back of her head? She’s been rubbing it. I think she landed pretty hard on the asphalt.” Matt watched the woman treat her.
“Here, honey, you can wipe your hands with this.” She talked quietly to her for a few moments, then turned her attention back to Matt. “She’s had quite a shock. They’re waiting for the arrival of the coroner before moving the body. You can go take care of things you need to out there. I’ll work with her. I’m going to see how she responds, and you can probably take her home pretty soon.” She faced Jessie. “Jessie, do you hurt anywhere?”
Jessie focused on the woman. “My head hurts and my ankle, a little.” She pointed at her right foot.
“Let’s have a look, shall we?” She lifted her pant leg when Jessie nodded at her. When she poked around her ankle, Jessie winced. “It seems a little swollen. You probably twisted it when you went down.”
“He saved my life.” Jessie rubbed the back of her head.
“Did he now?” She patted Jessie’s hand. “That was a brave thing for him to do.”
“How can you repay someone who died to save you?” Jessie touched the medic’s arm. “I didn’t know what to say to him.”
“I don’t imagine there’s much you can say besides thank you. Did you tell him that?”
“Yes.” Jessie raised her arm so the paramedic could check her pulse. “Thank you doesn’t seem quite enough when someone dies in your place.”
“Do you think he heard you?” She put on the blood pressure cuff.
“Yes, I think he did.” She nodded. “He opened his eyes and looked at me.”
“Then you did all you can do.” She smiled at Jessie. “Your pressure is good, considering what you just went through.
“Thank you.” Jessie smiled slightly.
“For what, honey.” The medic looked at her.
“For letting me talk.” She folded her hands in her lap. “I need to speak about it.”
“I’m good at listening.” The woman felt the knot on her head “I’m going to wrap your ankle. Someone will need to monitor her for a while to make sure she doesn’t have a concussion.”
“What should we be looking for?
“A persistent headache, lack of coordination, memory loss or pupil dilation are a few of the signs you’ll need to watch for. I’ll give you a sheet to take with you. If at any time tonight, she becomes nauseous or has blurred vision, get her into the ER. Don’t leave her alone if possible.”
“She won’t be alone.”
“Jessie, I’m going to let your friend take you home so you can shower and change your clothes. How’s that sound?” She reported to the doctor on duty over the radio.
“I would like to go home.” Jessie watched her wrap her ankle.
“The doctor has prescribed something for you to take tonight. It will help your system to recover, and rest. I’ll give them to your friend to keep for you.”
“Okay, thank you.”
The medic handed Matt the pills that the doctor had prescribed for Jessie. “See that she tak
es this when she’s all cleaned up at home. Tonight for sure and tomorrow night if she needs it.”
“I will.” He helped Jessie out of the ambulance. “Let’s get you back to your grandmother, sweetheart. Can you walk on that foot? Better yet, you sit here, and I’m going to get the car.”
As soon as Matt took off, Jessie limped her way over to watch them working on the crime scene. She saw Frank standing there and heard him tell the officer what he had seen. She watched them as they photographed the body. It was hard not to look at Mallory and the gaping wound in his chest. He hadn’t had much of a life. It was sad what people were capable of doing to each other. She would always remember this strange man. Not for the bad he had done, but for this one moment. It had erased the rest from her mind.
“Jessie, why don’t you sit down?” Frank pointed to a bench on the sidewalk.
She shook her head. “He saved my life.”
“I know. I saw him,” He told her what he had seen.
Jessie smiled. “I don’t think Matt appreciated being knocked on his backside.”
“I think he was more worried about you than anything else. You were pretty still for a few minutes.”
“I couldn’t catch my breath.”
“It’s scary having the wind knocked out of you, if you ask me. I’ve had it happen to me a couple times, and it’s not a pleasant feeling.”
“I thought I left you sitting over there.” Matt walked up to them.
“I needed to see him again.” She pointed in Mallory’s direction. “I’m okay now.”
“Let’s get you home and the ladies can help you get cleaned up. Sadie’s waiting for you.” Matt looked over at Frank. “I can take you back to the motel now, or come back for you.”
“They want me to hang around since I saw it all, and they’re still looking for Irwin.”
“I’ll take her to the resort and then be back myself.” He took her hand.
“Okay, see you in a while.” Frank patted Radar’s head when the dog nudged Jessie’s hand.
Mallory’s body was covered when they walked by it. “Frank told me you got knocked to the ground.”
The Game Changer Page 21