by Anne Patrick
Jo could feel her body giving in, though. Her heart slowed. She gasped for each breath.
"Get away from her, Brad!"
Jo heard Austin's voice and opened her eyes. The cord loosened slightly.
"I'm warning you, Cartwright. Get away from her or you're a dead man."
Jo felt the cord fall to her shoulders and looked up to see Austin leaning over Brad, a gun held to his head.
Austin stepped back. "Now stand up."
Brad stood, reaching for the gun in his belt at the same time. Jo tried to warn Austin, but nothing came out. Brad swung around, gun in hand.
Austin fired two shots. The bullets struck Brad in the chest, the impact throwing him backwards against the sofa before he fell to the floor.
Jo stared at the crimson pool forming underneath Brad's body as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Austin's arms closed around her. "Its okay, Jo, it's over." He held her briefly before turning his attention to his fallen deputy.
Jo watched helplessly as Austin felt for a pulse.
"He's lost a lot of blood, but his pulse is strong. I think he'll make it," he said as he reached for his cell phone.
*****
It took another hour before the drug wore off completely, and by then the place was crawling with what seemed like every law enforcement officer in the state. They had wanted to take her to the hospital sooner but Jo had refused. She had to see with her own eyes as Brad Cartwright was confirmed dead. Only then would she be able to rid her mind off the horrors he'd committed.
"Where is she…Is she okay?"
Jo heard the familiar voice of Isaac Washington and raised her head from the gurney to which she was strapped. "Now is a fine time to show up," she said in a raspy voice.
"I got here as quick as I could. Are you okay, are you hurt?"
"She's going to be fine," a paramedic assured him before she had a chance to say anything. "They'll probably want to keep her overnight for observation."
Isaac took her hand and smiled down at her. "Are you sure you're all right?"
Jo knew it wasn't just her physical condition he was worried about. "A couple of months of therapy and I'll be as good as new." As his expression hardened, she smiled. "I'm kidding, Isaac, I'm fine."
Austin joined them. "You ready to go?"
The last hour she'd watched him being grilled by her colleagues in the FBI and knew he'd just about had his fill with the bureau. She had to hand it to him, though, he'd kept his cool better than she would have if she'd been in his shoes.
"I'm ready." She looked past Austin to Isaac. "Remember that transfer you mentioned? I'm thinking you may be right."
"We'll talk about it later," he replied closing the door of the ambulance.
Jo turned back to Austin. He was grinning. "Billy's going to be needing my support."
"Is that the only reason you're thinking of relocating?"
"No. I'm thinking if you'll have me, I'd like to marry you."
"I don't know. I've heard you can be a handful."
"Oh come on, where's your sense of adventure?"
He leaned over the gurney and she met his lips. Who said you can't ever go home?
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award-winning and best-selling Wounded Heroes Series, Sabotage, Out of the Darkness, and Fire and Ash. When she isn't working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling to foreign countries to experience new cultures and adventures. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas.
Visit with Anne online. She loves to hear from her readers!
Website: www.annepatrickbooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/anne.patrick.98
GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/AnnePatrick
Other books by Anne:
Dark Alliance
Lethal Dreams
A Familiar Evil
Malice
Out of the Darkness
Sabotage
Fire and Ash
Journey to Redemption
Renegade Hearts
Fire Creek
Reservations for Two
No Greater Love
Wounded Heroes Series, Book One: Kill Shot
Wounded Heroes, Book Two: Trespasses
Wounded Heroes, Book Three: Betrayal
Wounded Heroes, Book Four: Secrets
Wounded Heroes, Book Five: Vengeance
Murder at Black Lake