There was a look of terror in Shelby’s eyes. Eyes that were the same as her brother’s. Izzie was moving before she thought about it.
What Allen had told her sank in. Trauma—it was always a silent enemy sitting on a person’s back, ready to dig its claws in at the worst moment.
Izzie wrapped her hands around the taller woman’s. “Shelby, look at me. Just at me.”
It took Shelby a moment to respond, but she finally did. “I—”
“Look at me. We’re safe now. I promise.” She wasn’t exactly certain that was true, but they had done what they could, short of running across the parking lot toward the hospital.
Someone shooting out the windows of W4HAV was not exactly incentive for her to run across an open expanse of concrete.
That would be like painting a target on their backs. They weren’t going anywhere until the TSP had the lot cleared, and she was certain it was absolutely safe.
She looked at the two women with her. Margo had a look of war on her pretty face. Shelby’s just showed fear.
Izzie wrapped her arm around Shelby. “We’re ok, now. My uncle is with the TSP, remember. He’ll be here soon. We’re safe now.”
Maybe. For all she knew someone was waiting outside.
Shelby pulled in a deep breath. “I’m ok.”
“We need to grab the first aid kit and see what we can do here.”
Margo was already moving. She had the first aid kit in her hands before the sirens even sounded.
Izzie went straight to work. “We’ll need to get the shirt sleeve out of the way, Shelby.”
Margo handed her scissors quickly. Izzie went to work.
The TSP entered the lobby as she was cleaning the wound. “I think it is only a graze, but there’s a lot of glass.”
Shelby had been so close to the windows that an injury from the glass had been inevitable.
“Izzie!” someone shouted her name.
Jake. She’d figured he’d be the one to answer the call at W4HAV. “I’m ok, Jake. Someone shot out the windows. Shelby was grazed, and I have a few scratches from flying glass. We’re taking her across the street where Nikkie Jean can sew her up. Any questions, we can answer there.”
She kept her eyes on what her hands were doing. “Shelby, I’m afraid you’re going to have to have stitches. Fortunately, I know a bunch of people with great stitching skills. Across the street.”
Shelby winced. “Allen’s over there. He’ll freak after this.”
“Probably, as overprotective as he can be. Don’t worry. I’ll handle him.” Their eyes met. Yes, they both knew him well. He was going to go all protective over the both of them, and feel guilty that he hadn’t been there to make it somehow not happen. One thing they both knew about the man they loved—he took everything on his own shoulders. Izzie leaned closer and gently hugged the woman. “It’ll be ok. I promise.”
“I know.”
Shelby was a beautiful woman with an extremely cool manner, but that was the mask she hid behind. Her shield. She used it to keep people away, so they couldn’t hurt her. Like her brother had said.
Izzie helped her to her feet, shooting her uncle a glare when he stepped closer, a snarly expression on his face. “Questions can wait, Jake.”
He didn’t like it, and he let her know it. Izzie held up one hand, still covered with Shelby’s blood. “We need to get her across the parking lot. She’s bleeding a lot, and I really want to get out of this building right now. We both do.”
“We cleared the area, already. A unit was nearby when it happened and is in pursuit. It was a drive-by. We can get an ambulance in here.”
Izzie shook her head. “It’ll take time for that. Can we walk her over?”
“I’ll stay here with the detectives,” Margo said. “You go. Get Shelby taken care of.”
Izzie wasn’t letting Shelby out of her sight until she was absolutely certain Allen’s sister was going to be ok. “Let’s go. She’s lost quite a bit of blood.”
As she said it, Shelby swayed. Jake cursed, and before anyone else could react, he scooped Allen’s sister into his arms. “I’ll carry her. Let’s move.”
Shelby had hooked her arm behind Jake’s neck and rested her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were closed. That told Izzie all she needed to know. Shelby was hurting far more than she was letting on.
Jake looked down at Shelby briefly. There was something in his expression that caught Izzie’s attention. Then it was gone in an instant. “Come on. We need to get moving.”
“Thank you,” Shelby said in a whispered voice. “I don’t mean to be so much trouble. I can walk.”
“This is faster.” Jake carried her near the now-shattered front windows. He looked at the young deputy who’d accompanied him, Evers, and Callum. “Callahan! Is the parking lot secure?”
“As much as we’re able. Whoever did this didn’t stick around.”
Not exactly reassuring.
Izzie was jumpy most of the trek across the parking lot. It wasn’t even a large parking lot, but how exposed they were wasn’t lost to her. Right there, that was where she had fallen when she’d been attacked.
The shooter could have been right there. In any of the cars in the parking lot.
She shook every step of the way.
She’d probably never be fully comfortable in the hospital parking lot now.
Like she still had a bit of an anxiety attack every time she saw the familiar green-and-white sign for W4HAV. She probably always would.
Izzie ran ahead into the ER.
Straight into Allen and Nikkie Jean.