“Sounds perfect.” Rafe pulled his daughter in for a hug. With a quick kiss to the top of her head, he added a fatherly, “You two be safe driving home.”
“We’re always safe.”
“Always?” He shot her a pointed stare.
Shadow shrugged. “Mostly always.”
Rafe’s deep chuckle sent his broad shoulders shaking. “That’s what I thought.”
“You be safe, too,” his daughter chided. “I worry about you being alone in that big, old house.”
“I like my house.”
“So do I.” Her expression softened. “I just hate thinking about you being there all by yourself.”
“I manage just fine, sweetheart.” He smiled, his highly trained gaze shifting to a slowly approaching car. Rafe blinked, and over the next few seconds, several things happened all at once.
A slight glint of sunlight caught moving metal rising through the opened passenger window. His pulse spiked, a rush of adrenaline flooded his veins as his heart slammed against the inside of his chest.
“Get down!” Rafe shouted. It was the only chance he had to warn his daughter and son-in-law of the danger swiftly closing in.
He and Digger both moved to grab the woman they loved and pull her safely to the ground as a single shout rang out through the air.
The trio dropped to the sidewalk below as a soft grunt reached Rafe’s ears. Someone nearby released a loud, piercing scream. Tires squealed as the car sped off down the street, and when he lifted his head, the vehicle was already gone.
Go back up to the office and have Shadow access the CCTV.
With any luck, the area’s cameras picked up a clear view of the shooter’s face. Or at the very least, the car’s plates.
“Are you two okay?” He looked back to Digger.
The other man was pushing himself from Shadow’s hunched form.
“I’m fine.” Digger started to offer her his hand. “Shadow, you good?”
When she didn’t respond, both men looked to each other a beat before returning their focus to her.
“Ah, God, Rafe.” A look of horror took over Digger’s widening gaze.
Rafe’s stomach dropped when he saw the pool of bright, red blood spreading out from beneath Shadow’s still form.
No!
“Alice!” he cried out as both he and Digger fell to their knees next to where she lay.
Working together, they carefully roll her over tobetter assess her condition. Shadow’s eyes were closed, her head lolling to the side as they positioned her onto her back.
“Oh, shit!” Digger’s trembling hands shot out to press down onto the open wound to help slow the bleeding.
Rafe held his breath as he checked the side of her neck for a pulse. It came out in a loud rush when he felt the faint rhythm beating beneath his touch.
“She’s alive,” he announced.
Shadow had been shot in her lower left abdomen. From what he could tell, the bullet was still somewhere inside.
“Call an ambulance!” A frantic Digger yelled.
But Rafe was already pulling out his phone to dial nine-one-one.
