Another guy came around the truck.“Damn, Adam, what happened?”
Adam pointed where she indicated.
“A guy attacked her.Go see if you can catch him while I’ll get her inside the building.”
The man raced across the street, and right away, Myla and Adam heard a scuffle.
Adam yanked his phone off his belt and called 911.He explained what was happening as he sat her down on the steps.
“I don’t know anything, just get here and bring an ambulance!”he yelled.
Myla tried to stand and pulled her pants up the rest of the way, but was shaking too hard to fasten them.She wrapped her arms around herself, gasping for breath and crying.Adam went to pat her on the shoulder, but she cringed away from him and screamed.
Adam took a shaky step back.“Shit, I’m sorry.Help is coming.Just sit and rest.”
Myla didn’t hear anything.She vaguely saw several cop cars pull up in front, followed by an ambulance.She would cringe away from anyone who tried to touch her.She knew they were asking questions, but her senses were stuck in the terror of what had just happened.
“Call Kal...”She paused.She had no right to call Kaleb for help.“Call Joel Howe.”
“Who?”one of the policemen asked.
“Detective Howe,” she stuttered as her teeth chattered.
One of the ambulance men gently slid a blanket over her shoulders.Myla clutched it tightly as tremors wracked her body, and she went into shock.Her whimpers got worse as one man after another tried to get her to answer questions.
“Get the fuck back,” a voice shouted right outside the door.“I’m Howe,” he shouted as he held his badge out.
****
Joel got a look atMyla and wanted to kill the bastard.He slowly squatted in front of her, careful not to touch her.“Hey, honey.I’m here.”
He tried several times to get her attention.Every time he tried to reach for her, she cringed away from him.He knew she was in shock, and she was bleeding from a gash on her forehead, running down her cheek.She needed to be in the hospital as soon as possible.
Joel stood and took a few steps toward the door.
“Is there a woman here?”Joel yelled out the door.
“Yeah, she just showed up.”
“Good, get her up here now.”
A female cop came running up to the building.She took in the situation at one glance.She moved slowly and sat next to Myla on the step.
“Hi, Myla.My name is Deb.”
Myla blinked a few times and tried to focus on her.
“Myla, I’m going to help you into the ambulance.”
Joel gritted his teeth at the animal-sounding whimper that came from Myla.
“I’ll stay with you the whole time.No one will touch you or hurt you,” Deb said.
“Do ...do you promise?”
“Yes, honey.I swear.”Deb stood.“Let me help you up.”
Myla stood and was startled when the woman’s arm came around her waist.
