"I can swim fine." The smile reached her eyes this time. "I just prefer warmer water."
A laugh escaped him, unexpected and relieved. "You're insane."
"Been told that before."
The medic glanced at them. "Blood pressure's stabilizing. Core temp's rising. You did good getting her out fast."
“What about Hale?” she asked.
He stared out at the controlled chaos, uniformed first responders hurrying in every direction.
“Go,” she ordered with a weak shooing motion. “You know you want to interrogate him.”
“Wade shot him. Nothing serious, but he’s gotta be hating life right about now.”
Something sparkled in her eyes. “Sounds like the perfect time.”
For sure. But he couldn’t make himself leave her. She was going to be fine. But this could have gone so badly wrong…
“Gabe Sawyer, go!”
Swamped by too many emotions to sort, he reached for the hand not bristling with IVs and bent over it, planting a gentle kiss on her cold skin. “Yes ma’am.”
42
The parking areawas organized chaos.
State Police officers secured the perimeter and the only access to the narrow highway. Fire trucks idled with lights flashing, ready to respond if the unstable main building collapsed further.
Gabe stood beside Cara's ambulance. David was being treated in the second rig, but the third stood open, white light spilling out onto the concrete. No sign of Hale. Gabe’s ribs screamed with each breath, but he ignored the medic who kept insisting he needed X-rays.
Price stood in a group of white-shirted fire chiefs between the ambulances and the smoldering building. He caught Gabe’s eye and jerked his head toward the outer edge of the building.
Two State Police officers rounded the corner, escorting a hunched Hale between them. His hands were cuffed behind his back, shoulder bandaged where Wade's bullet had winged him. His face was pale and sweating despite the cold morning air.
The uniforms marched him across the gravel toward a waiting cruiser.
Gabe headed over to intercept them. He wanted answers before Hale lawyered up.
“I want in on this,” Wade said, materializing at his side.
“Fair enough.” Gabe sped up, ignoring his protesting ribs.
Hale stumbled as the officers guided him forward. His eyes darted around wildly, scanning the fog-shrouded tree line and surrounding buildings like he was searching for something.
"He'll kill me," Hale babbled, his voice carrying across the parking area. "You don't understand. He'll?—"
The crack of a rifle shot split the morning.
Hale's head snapped back. The officers dropped to the ground, weapons in hand as the older man collapsed backwards onto the gravel.
"Cover!" Price drew his weapon and spun toward the tree line. "Everyone down!"
Gabe dropped behind a State Police cruiser, Wade at his side. Around them, officers took defensive positions with weapons raised, searching the fog for a target.
Nothing moved. No follow-up shot. Just silence and mist and the sound of Hale's last breaths.
"Cold bore shot through fog at a moving target." Wade's tone carried reluctant respect. "That’s some world class work right there."
