“Adam!”
A shockwave of fear raced through her system as she crawled over to him. Using her free hand, she grabbed the collar of his bullet-proof vest and began dragging him over to the side.
Another blast filled the afternoon air a fraction of a second before something hard slammed into her left shoulder, throwing Riley forward.
She grunted as white-hot pain seared through her flesh but ignored it and remained focused on helping her wounded partner.
Positioning them both between the door and a large, picture window, Riley propped her back against the side of the house and spread her legs. Sliding her wrists beneath her partner’s armpits, she pushed through the pain, using every ounce of strength she could to lift him up against her.
His back to her front.
“You’re going to be okay,” she tried convincing them both. “Just hold on. You’re going to be okay.”
With a trembling hand, she yanked her radio from her waistband and called it in.
“Officer down! I repeat, officer down!” Riley gave dispatch her badge number and the address where they were located. “Hurry! My partner’s been shot! Single gunshot wound to the neck. Suspect’s name is Ronald McClanahan. He’s wanted in connection to two homicides that occurred during a convenience store robbery last week.”
She didn’t mention her own wound, because it didn’t matter. The only thing Riley cared about was making sure her partner and mentor—herfriend—was taken care of.
“Hang tight, Detective,” the calm voice from dispatch came through the speaker. “Help is on the way.”
“Hurry!”
Riley tossed the radio aside and lifted Adam’s lolling head. “Hey!” She lifted his bloody hand back to his neck. Pressing down hard, she wrapped her own fingers around his as she cradled him in her arms. “Stay with me!”
“Go. F-find...him.”
“Screw that,” she yelled. “I’m not leaving you.” When she saw his lids start to droop, Riley shook him. “Damn it, Adam, you have to stay with me!”
“C-can’t,” choked out the word even as his eyes fluttered back open.
The metallic scent of blood filled her nostrils. Their joined hands became covered with more of her partner’s blood.
Oh, God.
“Yes, you can!” She pushed harder. “You have to, damn it! It took me three years to train your ass. I don’t have time to break in another partner.”
The dying man’s shaky smile caused her eyes to flood with tears. “I t-trained...you. ’member?”
Please, God. Don’t take him from me. Not now.
“I just let you think that.” Riley used her good shoulder to dry the moisture from her cheek. She gritted her teeth through a rush of pain as she tried shifting him into a better position.
The corners of Adam’s lips twitched at her teasing comment before falling flat. “Meant what...said.” His voice had grown much softer. His breathing labored. “Best...partner...ever.”
Sirens blared in the distance.
Her heart was being ripped to shreds, thread by torturous thread. “No, Adam.Youare. All that stuff I said earlier...I didn’t mean it. Not any of it.”
God, I can’ttakethis.
“You were...right.” He coughed, spewing blood and saliva out over his pale lips and chin. “Should’ve...had your...back.”
Riley wanted to howl at the agony tearing through her chest. “It’s okay. You were just worried about me.”
She knew that, now. Had known it all along, really.
Turning his head, to try to see her face, Adam’s fading eyes worked to meet hers. A single teardrop fell down his cheek. “Tell my girls...l-loved...them.”
