“She’s hurt.”
“What?” Bailee spoke before she realized Easton wasn’t talking to her. He spoke to his brother.
“Bailee,” Luke loosened his hold and stepped around to look at her. “Your arm.”
She shook her head. “I don’t…”
Then she suddenly registered the sting at her bicep. She stared incredulously at the bullet wound, trying to remember when she’d been shot. The bullet had gone through the tissue, leaving a gaping hole that oozed blood. Her clothes were coated.
“Melvin shot at us. I thought he hit Easton, but he didn’t so I never realized...It’s nothing,” she insisted, almost robotic. “Please take care of Easton. I’m fine.”
Sirens sounded in the distance. Bailee could feel her adrenaline start to wane. Her legs were wobbly, but she refused to collapse. Easton needed her to hold it together. He needed medical attention before she did.
“Luke, please. Take care of him.”
“Okay. I got him.”
With his weapon shifted to his back, Luke reached for his brother, hauling Easton across his shoulders in a fireman’s carry. He hurried out of the room, and Bailee turned to see Ben leading a weeping Sabra out of the room, yelling profanities at Bailee as she went.
Jackson appeared at her side, his hand on her elbow. “Come on, Bailee. Let’s get out of here.”
She nodded, but her limbs felt too heavy to move.
“Bailee.” Jackson nudged her.
She peered into his face. Spots appeared in her vision. Her head spun, suddenly feeling too heavy for her neck to support. Her legs buckled, and she fell to the ground before she succumbed to the darkness.
∞∞∞
Bailee’s eyes fluttered open, and she took a moment to gaze around the room as far as she dared without making her headache worse. She was still in the emergency room unit, judging by the curtain giving her privacy. Shifting her weight in the bed, she winced at the pain radiating through her arm.
The bullet wound had been stitched and bandaged, and her other cuts and bruises had been treated with antiseptic and ice to reduce the swelling. The doctor insisted on IV antibiotics to reduce the possibility of infection. Looking at the bag hanging beside her, she only had a few minutes left of that before she could be discharged.
Once she sat up straighter, she looked over at her Gran, who occupied the chair next to her bed. Darby Anne watched her in silence, fatigue clouding her eyes. Bailee smiled slightly at Gran, pleased to see her safe and unharmed.
“Good to see you awake, Bailee Anne.”
“I told you not to stay. You have to be tired and probably hungry.”
“I know what you told me. Didn’t mean I was going to do it. How are you feeling?”
Bailee shrugged. “As well as can be expected. Any news?”
“They took Easton into surgery. He has some internal injuries they want to repair. Becky said his condition is critical. The boys have checked in on you. We promised to keep each other posted.”
Bailee looked away, concern squeezing her heart. She’d rode in the ambulance with Easton, so she knew he’d lost consciousness again along the way. The paramedics kept him stabilized, but she could see by the grave looks on their faces that Easton’s injuries were severe.
Once they arrived at the hospital, everything was a blur. She and Easton were separated. Each saw nurses and doctors, had IVs started and blood drawn, and vitals monitored. At some point, Darby Anne appeared and hadn’t left, though Bailee insisted she go home. She asked about Roxy and was assured her dog was being cared for. Roxy probably thought she’d been abandoned again, giving Bailee another reason to feel guilty.
“Stop it, Bailee Anne.”
She turned her eyes back to her grandmother. “Lecture time, Gran? Because I doubt you could say anything I’m not already thinking right now.”
“You did nothing to earn a lecture or the self-deprecating thoughts you’re entertaining. You’ve had a rough time of it. You’re allowed to feel sad or angry or frustrated. Hell, you can even feel like giving up. But you are not to feel responsible foranything that has happened today or any day before this. You’re a cop, Bailee Anne. You see rotten things and deal with rotten people and watch innocent people get hurt. That doesn’t make you at fault. It makes you determined to right the wrongs as best as you can, but even you have limitations. Accept those. Feel guilt only for the actions you can control.”
Tears pricked Bailee’s eyes. “They kidnapped Easton because of me.”
“They kidnapped Easton because they were too stupid and too evil to know better.”
