There was the gun.Under the loveseat.
She reached out.Grabbed the gun.She had the gun now.She did.
He couldn’t shoot them again.
And then…yelling.She heard more yelling.
There were people there.
People.
She looked up.
Into stone gray eyes and a beautiful face.
67
Cal was bleeding.He’d taken one, all right.Just below his right collarbone.He didn’t know how much damage it had done.But it hurt like hell.He rolled to his back.Looked at the people in his living room.“Well, now the cavalry arrives.”
It came out weaker than he’d wanted, but damn it, he could still talk.
“Don’t move, Grady,” Jack Masterson said, helping pull Neilson off of Cal’s legs.The other guy was gasping for breath.And it soundedbad.“He’s in worse shape than you are, but I only have one doctor here now.”
“How the hell did a doctor get here?I’m a bit confused…” He looked up.Into beautiful green eyes and his sister’s beyond pretty face.“Hi, kid.I have been meaning to track you down, lately.We need to talk.But…just when did you all get here exactly?”
He had a sister there—and two Mastersons.Jack and his younger brother.The doctor,notthe accountant.Thankfully.An accountant wouldnotcome in so handy right now.But a doctor and nurse-slash-paramedic?Yes, Cloe was probably his favorite sister at the moment, considering.
“No.Don’ttalk, you goob.”Cloe was doing things, poking at his shoulder.“I’m not sure what happened here, but we’re going to get you to the hospital, okay?”
“Where is the love of my life?Is Auggie okay?What about Markie and Mae-Mae?Where are the girls?They were sleeping in Clancy’s room.”
“Clancy and I saw what was happening when we came in,” Cloe told him, pressing something to his shoulder, hard.Damn it, that hurt.“Auggie texted Clancy where the girls were.We grabbed the girls and got them out and called for help.Clancy has them outside at the neighbors’ now.They are safe.Jack was just about to come in and rescue you both when we heard the first shot.Gabe wouldn’t let me get near until Jack gave the all clear.Jack always carries a gun, you know.”
“I did not.And had I known Jack was out there…I still would have done it.”He looked up at the woman now coming to kneel at his side.Red hair was everywhere.And her big blue eyes were so afraid.But there was blood on her now.He tried to sit up.“I had my woman to protect, you know.How badly are you hurt?I’m sorry I shoved you so hard.”
“You got me out of the way, Calloway Ellis.That’s what mattered.Your sisters are right—you are a goob.But you are my goob, and I am going to keep you forever.”
He was having a bit of trouble keeping his eyes open.He’d lost a lot of blood, he thought.But it was worth it.“I just wanted to keep her safe.I’m her breeding stock, you know.If she decides we want more kids, anyway.”
“Just save your breath, big guy,” Cloe told him.“You can tell me all about your plans for my bestie later.The whole idea of breeding stock is a bit terrifying.For now, I am taking you both to the hospital.You can’t keep scaring people.I don’t think I can take it.Between you two here and Claud, lately…I am getting gray hair.”
“Sure you are.”Then he looked at Augusta Dawn again.“You are everything to me.You and the girls, don’t forget it.”
68
The man passedout after delivering those words that she would never forget.She called his name, tried to grab for him.But people were there.Sage and Joel.They were both there.Sage helped her to her feet.“Auggie, we need you to move back.”
Gabe Masterson, Jack’s younger brother, was doing something she couldn’t identify to that horrible pig of a man who had done this.“He said he shot his brother.He said he killed Kameron.”
Sage was holding her balanced.Keeping Auggie on her feet.“Cadell found Kameron.Kameron is already at the hospital.Claudia did the escort herself.We’re going to get you all there now.Come on, Claud is waiting for you all now.Come on.”
“Em and Junie—the rest of the girls.I don’t know where the babies are—Markie and Maeya.Clancy has them—Cloe said Clancy has them at the neighbors’.I need to find my babies, too.”
“I have already sent Cade Newlin and one of our new deputies over to Em and Junie now.There is a WHP road officer with Clancy, too.He is going to drive Clancy and the babies to the hospital.Claudia and Cadell don’t know about this yet, I think.I am going to call the hospital and have them kept there until Cal gets there.We’re just going to get you there.Can you tell me why he did this?”
She looked at the men who had just entered.Weatherbys.Something about seeing the two of them made her feel…better.They were always there when the bad things were over, winding down.There were good guys there.
That meant…Auggie swayed a little.“I’m sorry…I just…”
