She should probably do as he asked, but she'd never been one to do what she was supposed to.She knew damn well that if she went right on home, she'd only sit there and stew.It'd be far better if she stopped at the clinic right now and went to apologize.
Okay, so she might think he was being touchy if just the mention of his Papa Bear name was enough to make him hang up on her.But if it really mattered to him, she could respect that—and she’d tell him so.The last thing she wanted was for her careless words to cause a rift between them.
~ ~ ~
Emmett's jaw clenched as he set his phone down on the desk.He felt bad cutting Harper short like that, but all the little hairs on the back of his neck were standing up.While they'd been talking, he thought he'd seen a shadow cross the yard—someone was out there, he knew it.
He'd let the techs go at lunchtime, as was usual when things were quiet on a Friday.They worked their asses off for him and assisted him after hours often enough.It was only fair.
He had no appointments lined up this afternoon, and folks in the valley wouldn't just come out here to see him on the off chance—they knew their best bet was to call him.
He went to the window but couldn't see anything out there.His truck was the only vehicle in the lot, although...He hurried out into the hallway, headed for the back room, remembering all of a sudden the mark on Janey's window that she'd shown him.Her office was on the quiet side of the building.If someone had tried to break in there before...
He headed straight for the drug room.He needed to check the cabinet.He cursed himself as he went.He shouldn't have left his phone on the desk—he should be calling Deacon right now.But that would have to come later.
He approached the door quietly and pushed it open slowly.As soon as he poked his head in, he heard someone yell.Pain exploded inside his head as he fell to the floor.Everything went black for a few moments.Shit, he should have been more careful.He'd known about the string of robberies.Damn it.
Every instinct he had wanted to leap up and fight.But he was older now, and a dad, so he let his logic override his instincts and lay there, eyes closed, hoping to buy himself some time.
It seemed to work.He heard footsteps moving away from him and rushing toward the drug cabinet.He opened his eyes a crack and peered out to see a young guy, maybe in his mid-twenties, stringy hair hanging down his back.
Emmett inhaled as he watched the kid use the butt of his pistol to smash the glass on the cabinet.That must have been what he used on the back of Emmett's head, which was throbbing like hell.But he was grateful that at least he hadn't used the business end.
It wasn't much consolation, but even if the thieving bastard got away, he wasn't going to get much ketamine—Emmett was sure that was what he was after.Since he'd heard about the recent robberies, Emmett had been ordering only what he needed, keeping minimal stock on hand.
He waited until the kid set his pistol on the desk behind him while he wrestled with the cabinet door.Then, he rolled onto his side, pushed to his feet, and ran at a crouch, tackling the thief like the linebacker he'd been in high school.
He wasn't fast enough though.
Still dizzy from the blow to his head, Emmett caught the kid off guard but didn't take him down—he screamed like a banshee and lunged for the pistol as he fell.
The shot cracked through the room.Both he and his assailant froze for a split second.Then a red stain bloomed across Emmett's shirt, and white heat seared through his shoulder.
He curled into a ball as the crazy fucker started screaming again, his boots thudding into Emmett’s ribs over and over.He did his best to protect his vitals, but the kid had to be high—he had that frantic, almost superhuman strength of someone who couldn't feel his own limits.
Since playing possum had worked before, Emmett went limp, closed his eyes...and waited.
"Fuck!Why did you do that?"the kid ranted, his voice high and thin."You were supposed to stay out of the way.Now you're hurt, and it's all gone wrong, and..."
Emmett forced himself not to react as he took another kick to the ribs.The pain seared through him, but he held his breath.
"Just don't die.Let me get my K, and I'll be gone.You'll be fine."
The kid turned back to the cabinet, frantic now, sweeping everything into a bag—not just the ketamine, but whatever else he could grab.
Emmett was suddenly grateful for the brutal training Blane had put him through years ago — forcing him to use his left hand for everything for months, until he was just as capable with his ‘off’ hand as he was with his right.He began to inch his left arm toward the desk…
Then, his whole body tensed when he heard a car door close outside.
No one was due out here.
His heart thudded to a halt—Harper, it had to be.
Shit.
He’d told her not come, but he should have known that wouldn’t stop her.
The kid hadn’t heard.He was too busy muttering to himself as he swept everything off the shelves and into his bag.
