“Good to know.” She pursed her lips to hide the grin pulling at her lips. Served Mr. Takeover-My-Job right for sticking his nose where he didn’t belong.
He narrowed his gaze. “You look like you’re having a little too much fun with that piece of info.”
She sighed and mentally reprimanded herself. “Sorry. That wasn’t nice of me. I promise to be gentle.”
David studied her, then nodded. “I appreciate that.”
A grunt and crash caught Jennie off guard. The suspect broke through the restraint, grabbed a pair of scissors, and drew his arm back. She stood paralyzed. Her gaze shifted to Detective Whitman.
David’s eyes widened. He flew off the hospital bed and tackled her. His forearm smacked across her face.
The scissors clanged against the wall and tumbled to the floor.
“Stay down,” he growled in her ear.
Her cheek throbbed, and her pulse raced. “Get off me!”
She clawed and fought to get away. Crawling to the opposite wall, she hugged her knees.
The heat of her swollen face and the sensation of a man pinning her down had her heart fighting to pound out of her ribcage.
Shoes scuffled on the floor and shouts echoed in the small area.
Jennie froze. She had to assist, but her body refused to cooperate. Her mind tumbled to the past. Her ex-boyfriend Kenny’s fist contacting her face and hateful words spewing from his lips.
“Jennie.” A voice flittered through the haze. “Nielson!” Doctor Bennett’s command snapped her back to the present.
She scrambled to her feet. “Yes, sir.”
“10 milligrams Diazepam. Now!” Bennett strained to push the patient’s shoulders to the bed while Mitch, both officers, and Tammy each grabbed a limb.
She hurried to get the medication and fumbled with the syringe. Inhaling, she clutched the man’s forearm and inserted the sedative into his upper arm. She added her weight to Tammy’s and held tight until the medication took effect.
Doctor Bennett released his hold. “Well, that was fun, boys and girls.”
Taking two steps backward, she absorbed the sight. Everyone appeared frazzled. The man had ripped the IV from his arm. Blood splattered the white sheets and the floor—not to mention her own scrubs and the detective’s polo shirt. A massacre scene from a horror movie came to mind.
Blood flowed down David’s arm.
Her gaze locked with his. Color washed from his face.
“Detective, I think you better sit down.” She clasped his uninjured arm and led him to the adjacent bed.
He dropped his chin to his chest. “I don’t feel….”
“Mitch!”
The paramedic scrambled to her side. He grabbed the officer under the arms, and she lifted the man’s legs. Together, they swung the detective onto the mattress.
She unwrapped the bandage. The fight had caused the wound to split further, and his arm bled at an alarming rate from the physical stress.
She applied pressure to his cut to stem the bleeding. “Doc, I need you as soon as you’re free.” Taking a deep breath, she willed her stomach to uncoil, but the swelling on her cheekbone made it impossible to shake the internal fear.
David’s eyes fluttered open. His unfocused gaze landed on her. He blinked.
“Welcome back.” Jennie grabbed supplies with her free hand. She cleaned and prepped the detective’s arm. “Doctor Bennett will be here in a minute to stitch you back together.”
“Thanks.” He touched his forehead. “Can’t believe I passed out.”
