He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Everything okay, Mrs. Black?”
“Call me Nora,” I said. “Edgar says he feels lightheaded. He hasn’t lost that much blood, so I’m worried something else might be going on.”
“Did he hit his head?”
He had fallen to the hard asphalt. Maybe he’d hit his head on the way down. “It’s possible.” The sounds of sirens grew louder. I gave Edgar’s forearm a gentle pat. “You’re going to be okay,” I told him. “Help is almost here.”
He placed his hand over mine. “Thank you for staying with me.” There were tears in his eyes. “Thank you for not leaving me.”
I won’t lie. Running had crossed my mind, but only fleetingly. “You’re welcome.”
“Clear,” I heard a woman shout.
“Clear,” a man added. “Stay vigilant.”
“They’re here,” I told the 911 operator.
“Good,” she said. “I’ll stay on until they get to you.”
I nodded, crawling forward and risking a quick peek at the deserted street. Uniformed officers had established a perimeter on the next block, moving with precision to secure the area so the shooter couldn’t circle back. They took strategic positions on rooftops and behind vehicles, their eyes scanning for any sign of the threat.
A tactical team dressed in black, with helmets and bulletproof vests, made their way up the street. I recognized the leader instantly. It was Ezra. He was the detective in charge of special investigations, which meant he and his team handled anything that the uniformed officers couldn’t. I hadn’t realized active shooters were on that list. My breath caught in my throat as I resisted the urge to shout for him. If the gunman was still around, I couldn’t afford to give away my location. Besides, the dispatcher would have conveyed my whereabouts. I just needed to sit tight and wait.
Ezra communicated silently, using gestures and hand signals to direct his team’s movements. They fanned out, systematically clearing each booth and storefront. I knew they had to ensure it was safe for the EMTs, but the minutes it took them to work their way to us felt like hours.
When Ezra caught sight of me, his eyes widened with recognition and relief. He spoke into his radio, coordinating with the team to prioritize our location. Reese McKay, his right hand in special investigations, was right behind him. They both moved swiftly and purposefully.
“Clear left!” one officer shouted, and another echoed, “Clear right!”
Approaching cautiously with weapons drawn, they assessed the threat level. When Ezra finally reached my booth, he knelt beside me, his eyes filled with concern.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, his tone calm despite the situation.
“I’m not,” I assured him. “But Edgar needs help.” I gestured to the wounded man.
Reese was already on her radio, calling for the medics. “We’ve got a wounded civilian, need EMS at our location ASAP.” She pointed to the other officers in black. “Fan out,” she ordered. “Make sure no one else has been injured.”
Ezra helped me to my feet as Reese dropped down beside the injured banker.
“Nora,” Susan said. “Keep talking to me. Are you safe?”
I hadn’t realized I still had the phone to my ear. “I’m good,” I relayed. “I’m with the police.”
I heard her blow out a breath. “That’s great. I’ll let them take it from here.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure. You’re in good hands now.” On that note, she hung up.
Edgar moaned and tried to get up on an elbow. Having the police at hand had given him a boost of energy.
“Whoa, stay put, buddy. Help is on the way,” Reese instructed. “Don’t move until the paramedics look you over. Okay?”
Within minutes, the ambulance arrived, and two paramedics rushed over with a stretcher and a large medical bag. The younger of the two was named Carver, he looked to be in his late twenties. The other was Mark. He had salt and pepper hair and was in his forties or fifties. Mark had been on the job for a while. I’d run into him on a few of the cases I’d worked on, but Carver was new to me. As they tended to Edgar, Ezra stayed by my side. His hand grazed mine several times—a reassurance—while maintaining a professional demeanor.
“I tried to keep him still as possible,” I told the EMTs.
