Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 18063 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 90(@200wpm)___ 72(@250wpm)___ 60(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18063 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 90(@200wpm)___ 72(@250wpm)___ 60(@300wpm)
“Do I get a thank-you?”
She smiled through her coursing tears. “Thank you, George.”
“I need a raise,” I muttered.
“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” she said with a sigh.
4
The scene would have been a zoo, but because Mr. Sutter years ago had the good sense to marry a police commander, Duncan Stiel took charge, coordinated the situation onsite, and out of chaos there was calm. It was actually pretty impressive, considering he didn’t raise his voice even once. Much like my unit’s commanding officer, there was a quiet strength there that people responded to and didn’t second-guess.
Mr. Sutter insisted Hannah leave with him, and even though she wanted to stay with me, I promised I’d call and tell her if I died in the middle of the night from a brain embolism.
“That’s not funny at all!” she yelled at me.
It made no sense; how could I call if I died in my sleep? But what was helpful was that Kurt was there, and he was good at talking to her. He calmed her down, promised—for whatever reason—to make sure I got home safely, and reminded her that it was important for her to get home and assure her fathers that she was in pristine condition, but for some minor repairs needed on her tuxedo. As for me, my pants were in great shape, but my jacket was a goner.
When she finally left after making Kurt swear on the life of his dogs—apparently he had two—that he’d call her if anything big was wrong with me, I could finally breathe. Knowing she was safe, soon to be home with her family, was a huge relief.
“I get it now,” Kurt murmured as he got in the back of the ambulance with me.
“What’re you talking about?”
“That in volatile circumstances, something like tonight—there isn’t always the option to deescalate the situation.”
I shot him a grin. “So you’re saying maybe having a penchant for violence isn’t such a bad thing?”
“Don’t be smug,” he warned me. “What I’m saying is that I’ve always believed, even after being attacked myself, that reason, employed well, could solve any crisis.”
“It can’t,” I assured him. “There are times that there’s no choice but to defend yourself.”
“I understand defense, but no more than that. Not lethal force.”
“And now?”
“Now,” he began, taking a breath, “I talked to Hannah after she came in from the parking structure, after she alerted Duncan Stiel about what was happening. Once the police were mobilized, when she was with her aunt and uncle and Mr. Sutter, I thought she needed comfort because she was pacing and she looked worried.”
I chuckled. “Hannah hates to be placated.”
“I wasn’t,” he growled, “being placating. I was being sincere.”
“And she said?”
“She said that she always knows everything is going to be all right as long as you’re with her. She was worried about you. Only you. Her safety was never in question.”
“Of course not,” I agreed.
“Yes, but she wasn’t at all traumatized by the fact that you’d taken lives. What had her the most frightened was that you might be hurt. She’s understood, always, she said, that in the process of protecting her, there could be casualties. She believes that you do what’s needed and necessary. Even with being so much older than her, I missed that piece completely.”
“Didn’t the kids tell you all that in their sessions?”
“Yes, but I always try and dig deeper, to see if there’s more, but now I know there’s honestly not. They all have such faith and trust, and I understand that now. I see the difference.”
“Oh yeah, give it up for breakthroughs. Or epiphanies. Which one?” I teased him.
“You’re a horrible person.”
I cackled just a little.
“I’m trying to give you a compliment and say I misjudged you.”
“Aww, now I’m all touched and shit.”
“Vile man,” he pronounced, but his smile was fond. “You were worried about Hannah.”
“There were a couple moments there that had me concerned,” I conceded.
“That’s because she’s like the little sister you never knew you always wanted,” Kurt apprised me and I was amazed, and pleased, that he understood how I felt about her so completely. It meant he could read me. He got me and that had never happened before.
“No comment,” I grumbled before noting how flushed he looked. “Are you all right?”
“Am I all right?” He chuckled. “Are you kidding?”
“No,” I said, reaching up to touch his face since I was lying on a gurney in the back of an ambulance. “Are you okay?”
He covered my hand with his, sliding his fingers between mine. “I’m fine. Let’s concentrate on you now.”
I grunted. “I’m fine. I just need a shot of antibiotic for the bullet graze, as the rest of my shots are up-to-date, a bandage, and I’m ready to eat.”
“Eat?”
“Yeah. Hannah said we could go for hamburgers, and I’m dying for one.”