Veronica narrowed her eyes as if she was desperate need of glasses.
Then she leaned back and shook her head as if she was cleaning out the cobwebs. “What night?” She put her hands on her hips and squared her shoulders. “I didn’t drive drunk.”
The end of her denial was pitched a little too high to sound credible.
“You never went before a judge, but I was there. I know what I saw.”
Crois wanted to hug Harmony and clap a hand over her mouth to keep her from putting a target on her back.
EMTs might not fall under the Center City Police Department, but there was a lot of politics that happened between the administration form one service to the other.
Deals made and grudges held by people who hadn’t seen the day to day operations on the street in years, maybe even decades.
He didn’t want Harmony to be targeted because of him.
She didn’t deserve that.
He grasped her hand tighter hoping that she understood his touch and his support.
Veronica took another step forward and while he tried to pull Harmony behind him, she kept pace, stepping up with him. “You better think again, blonde.”
Harmony laughed.
Not just a chuckle.
Or a giggle.
A full-throated laugh.
It made Crois beam with pride, but it was like waving a red flag in front of Veronica’s bullshit.
She sprang forward.
Her nails extended like claws.
A strangled shout echoing off of the hallway walls.
Crois couldn’t let Harmony take a hit.
Veronica’s issues with her were because of him.
So he took long strides forward and bent over, putting a shoulder into her middle.
Veronica was a woman but she was also solidly built. He knew at the moment of impact that he’d have a bruise to his shoulder, but that she would also be hurt.
He was sorry for it in a way.
He hadn’t joined the police department to hurt people. He’d done it to protect them.
And he was going to protect Harmony, no matter what.
He picked Veronica up an carried her down to the end of the hall, calling over his shoulder for Harmony to call 911.
By the time he set Veronica back down onto her feet at the end of the hallway, he could hear Harmony relaying the situation over the phone.
He could tell that Harmony was part of the first responder community. While he knew that she was upset, she managed to keep a calm voice and give out the necessary information to dispatch.
When she was done, Crois reached into his pocket and called out.
