Burnett's face turned red, and he swung the pistol around, aiming it at me. "I am not crazy!"
I grinned when Burke stood up behind Burnett. "Could have fooled me."
Just as Burke grabbed Burnett, wrapping an arm around his throat, the gun went off. The bullet hit me in the center of my chest, throwing me back into the bookshelf behind me. I felt as if I'd been hit with a sledgehammer. The pain was immediate, stealing my breath.
As I crumpled to the floor, I saw Sal leap up from his chair out of the corner of my eye. I heard the unmistakable sounds of a struggle, and then all went quiet. A moment later, Sal was leaning over me.
"Where'd he get you, David?"
"Ch-Chest."
I hissed when Sal's hands began moving over my chest.
"It didn't go through, David. Your vest stopped it."
Still hurt like hell.
I drew in a couple of low breaths until my chest didn't feel as if it was going to explode then nodded to Sal. He slid an arm around my back. I gritted my teeth and tried not to cry out as he helped me sit up. Vest or not, getting shot hurt.
I winced when I glanced down at the hole in my Kevlar vest.
"Skip's going to kill me."
Chapter Nineteen
Skip
I was ready to crawl out of my skin by the time the panic room door opened and I saw Sal and Lany standing there. I quickly jumped to my feet and glanced behind them. When I didn't see who I wanted, I looked at Sal as he hugged his kids.
He didn't look good. There were darkening bruises on his face and a bit of dried blood at the corner of his split lip.
"Are you okay?"
Sal nodded. "Burnett knocked me around a bit trying to get me to tell him where the rest of my team was."
Speaking of team..."Where's David?"
Please, say he’s all right.
"He's in my office securing the scene." Sal smiled at me. "He's okay, Skip."
I blew out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "He's okay?"
"A little banged up from coming through the window, but that's about it."
My eyebrows lifted at the same time my heart slammed painfully in my chest. "He came through the window?"
"Detective Burnett had us all tied up in the office. Jean was with him, and they were both armed. If David had come through the door, they would have shot him. Breaching the office through the window was his best choice of action. They weren't expecting it, although they should have. We're SWAT for fuck sake. Breaching someplace during a hostage situation is what we do."
"But he's okay?"
I had to be sure.
"He's fine. I promise. A little banged up, and he's got one hell of a bruise on his chest, but nothing a good soak in the tub won't cure."
I gestured to the door. "Can I?"
"Yes, go." Sal moved the kids to one side so I could get to the door.
