Walk Through the Fire (Finley Creek Book 10) Read online

  “Wallace went insane!”

  Carl’s blood froze at the words. Terror and hysteria made it almost difficult to understand her words. He’d never trusted Wallace Henedy. His first thought was for her. “Jen…honey, has he tried to hurt you? Hit you? Where are you? Do you need me to come and get you?”

  “I told him this morning. I told him after the funeral that I didn’t love him anymore. That I wanted a trial separation. I know I shouldn’t have, but…he shot a woman. The idiot. I don’t know what to do. The police will be here, asking questions. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Calm down, Jen. I can’t help you if I can’t understand. What’s happened?” Carl stood and approached the window as flashing red and blue lights across the street caught his attention. Too many to be a single ambulance.

  There were TSP vehicles everywhere.

  “Something’s happened across the street.” Carl could see people running. Shouting. “I’m still at the hospital.”

  “It’s Wallace. He’s been arrested. He shot a woman!”

  “What? Why would that fool be doing something over there?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know what to do. Carl, I don’t know what to do!”

  Carl shot his sleeping grandson a look. Jason wasn’t going to wake for a long while. “I’ll go downstairs, Jen. See what I can find out.”

  “Please…Carl, I have to tell Reggie. I don’t know what to tell Reggie.”

  “Calm down, Jennifer. We’ll figure this out, honey. I promise. I’m going downstairs right now.”

  29

  When Carl walked into Ward A, which now acted as the ER for the hospital—as it had back eight years earlier—there were police officers everywhere, and half of the nurses looked as if they’d been crying. A few of the physicians looked a bit shell shocked, as well.

  Whatever had happened, it hadn’t been good.

  Allen Jacobson, a surgeon he easily recognized, was standing near the action—covered in blood—while an obstetrician he couldn’t recall the name of was tending to his arm. Allen pulled off his shirt and tossed it toward a bio-hazard bin. It hadn’t been patient blood, then. No. It was the surgeon’s.

  “Someone tell me what’s going on here.” Carl walked up to the nurse’s station. His attention landed on a young woman he didn’t recognize. She looked as overwhelmed as any of the others. “Where’s Holden-Deane?”

  “He’s…in with Nikkie Jean, sir.”

  Carl was on the board of this hospital. That had power. Power he could use right now. “Who?”

  Cherise, one of the night supervisors, stepped in. “Dr. Netorre was injured across the street, as well as one of our ER nurses. Our nurse is in surgery now.” She stepped toward him, obviously intending to give him the bum’s rush out of the center of the action.

  “What happened?” Possible hospital liability issues momentarily obscured the fact that Jennifer was practically having hysterics. He turned to another woman he recognized, one he’d worked with many times before. Her uncle was also on the board of the hospital. “Finley?”

  “Carl, please, come with me. I’m on my way upstairs. The nurse, Izzie, she’s a good friend of mine. I’ve promised Dr. Netorre I’d keep her up to date.”

  Allen Jacobson was already in the waiting room when they arrived. He stood in the door, watching the long hallway that led to the surgical ward. He looked at Finley Coulter. “Nikkie Jean?”

  Finley shook her head. “I’m still waiting on news. But she’s talking and aware.”

  “The baby?”

  “She’s…waiting on ultrasound. We’ll know more in a little while.”

  “What happened over there?”

  It was Jacobson who spoke. “Dr. Wallace Henedy shot one of our nurses. And me. Then attacked Dr. Netorre. No one is sure exactly why.”

  “Why in the three hells would Wallace do that? The man is a fool, not a criminal.”

  “We don’t know. But he shot that woman three times. I don’t…it didn’t look good. And he attacked a pregnant woman. No one knows the reasons why but Henedy.”

  Carl rubbed a hand over his face. He didn’t know how to help her with this. Not this.

  Carl didn’t know how Jennifer was going to survive this.

  30

  Claudia, the receptionist who’d outlasted the last four mayors, knocked on his door, an urgent look on her face. “Turner, hurry. Grab your jacket. Brush your hair.”

  The normally calm woman was beyond frazzled. Something had happened, and it wasn’t good. Fear shot through him. “Claudia, what is it?”

  Not what, who. It was always a who. Being the mayor was like wrangling a tornado, excuse the expression. Always dealing with the wind.

  “There’s been a shooting. Near the hospital. Across the road. I’m not sure of the details.”

  There were days he wanted to just quit this job and returned to the safe and dull world of corporate law. July 29 topped that list. Never would he forget the day of the storm. “I’ll head over now. See what I can do.”

  “The last thing we need is for this to be broadcast all over the world. Our city needs a break.” Claudia was very vocal in what she saw as the people’s heart needs. The woman loved Finley Creek; it was why she’d outlasted four different mayors in her career. And why Turner adored her. “And they need a young, good-looking, steady, dependable leader out there for them to follow. So get your handsome self out there and be the mayor.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Turner nodded.

  He had vowed to do whatever Finley Creek and its people needed.

  He had a temporary driver, a TSP officer who had taken a hard hit in the storm and could only do light duty work until his arm and ribs healed.

  Officer Collin Eugent had volunteered to drive whoever needed driven. Elliot had sent him Turner’s way, mostly to help the officer feel useful, Turner suspected. It was appreciated.

  Turner used the few moments of the drive to try to contact Elliot.

  He didn’t get through.

  His driver parked in the rear parking lot of the hospital, then grabbed a vest from the seat next to him. The gravity of the situation wasn’t lost on Turner. “Mayor Barratt, I suggest you stay back here until we get an update on the situation. If there is an active shooter inside, you will be required to take cover. I’m going to see if I’m needed.”

  Turner knew that time wasted arguing was more valuable than could be calculated. He just nodded. “I’ll stay back. You be careful out there.”

  He had no desire to be in the midst of an active shooting situation, either. He wasn’t stupid.

  Before anything else could be said, a man jogged up. The chief himself. “Turner—”

  “What’s going on?” Turner tried to look toward the buildings where the TSP patrol cars encircled.

  “It’s contained. There was a shooting at W4HAV.”

  He recognized the name of the women’s charity across the street from the hospital. Mel, and several other women he knew, were directly involved in running it. Including Ariella Deane, the governor’s wife.

  The idea that someone he knew, and possibly loved, was hurt terrified him.

  “How many injured? Who?”

  “Three shooting victims, one assault. One is critical.”

  Turner felt sick just at the thought of it. “The shooter?”

  “Wallace Henedy. A surgeon at FCGH. We’re still gathering details.”

  Turner racked his brain at the familiar name. “Isn’t that Councilwoman Henedy’s husband?” Tall, slim, not very personable, but not super-objectionable, either. He’d rather blended in whenever they’d been at council functions.

  “I believe so.” Elliot paused. The look he shot Turner had his blood freezing. Elliot looked toward the temporary ER. “The woman in critical condition is Izadora MacNamara. Izzie. She’s a good friend of my wife, and Mel’s.”

  Turner froze. No; not Izzie. Not her. Big, brown eyes and a mischievous grin flashed in his mind. Not sweet little I
zzie. “Who was with her?”

  Sources—namely Mel—had told him Annie was getting out of the hospital soon. And if Izzie was somewhere, Mel had said, Annie wasn’t too far away.

  Elliot had said two more were shot. At a women’s charity.

  Two pretty female faces flashed in his mind—Annie and her little chattery friend. Two women who would have been close to Izzie.

  “Caine Alvaro, Allen Jacobson, and Nikkie Jean Netorre.”

  “Nikkie Jean—that’s the little chatterbox with glasses?” Turner started toward the hospital. He wasn’t going anywhere—even on the damned news—until he knew that Izzie was going to be ok. Annie, he’d need to check on her, too.

  Izzie and little Nikkie Jean were her best friends. She had to be terrified right now.

  “Yes. She…we don’t know the details, but she and the two physicians are in the ER now.”

  “So what happened? I’ll need to prepare a statement.” They headed toward the rear entrance of the temporary ER. Turner barely kept himself from running. Izzie’s pretty face kept flashing in front of his eyes. Her wicked grin the last time he’d seen her. The way she had been needling Allen in the hospital room. “How badly is Iz hurt?”

  “He shot her multiple times, Turner. From what I understand, it doesn’t look good. Allen Jacobson was also hit, but he was able to carry Izzie to the ER. A few minutes later, Caine Alvaro was struck. Nikkie Jean was physically assaulted by Dr. Henedy, but no bullets struck her, amazingly.”

  Nikkie Jean was pregnant. He’d learned that the night of the storm when he’d spent several hours talking with her partner Dr. Alvaro, who’d sat by her bed for those hours. Pregnant, and had already had two hospitalizations.

  “Her baby?” She didn’t deserve this. None of them did. He’d check on Annie, check on her little friend, put eyes on Allen himself, and then he’d wait for Izzie.

  Elliot shook his head. “I don’t know. We’ll have to get more details inside.”

  They stepped into an ER that was running as smoothly as possible, considering an F4 tornado had ripped through the hospital ten days ago.

  Turner stepped up to the central desk. “I need to speak to Dr. Holden-Deane as soon as he is available.”

  “Mayor Barratt, he’s in with a patient. If you’ll have a seat…” the nurse, who’s tag read Wanda, and whom he had seen before, said firmly.

  “Wanda, my people will need to speak to Dr. Netorre, Dr. Jacobson, and Dr. Alvaro as soon as possible.” The chief spoke, drawing her attention to him. Wanda nodded.

  She’s been around long enough to have seen just about everything the world can throw at the ER, Turner thought. There was a world-weary awareness in her eyes.

  “They’re upstairs in the surgical waiting room. At least, Dr. Jacobson is.”

  Elliot leaned forward. “Where is Dr. Netorre?”

  “She’s being treated, then she’ll be heading up to the waiting room for the surgical department. She’ll need some time, Chief Marshall. Give it to her.” She shot him a determined look. “There’s nothing that cannot wait a bit. Not until we know about our Izzie. Don’t make this worse for little Nikkie Jean. Hear me?”

  “Yes, ma’am. The last thing I want to do is upset Nikkie Jean,” Elliot said. “But the TSP needs to speak to those involved as soon as possible. Before any misinformation gets out. I want to protect Nikkie Jean, just as much as you do. But she’s the one with the answers we need. Now.”

  “I’m here,” a feminine voice said, quietly, from behind them. “But we can do this upstairs. And I’m only talking to you, Elliot. Where’s Jake? We need to find Izzie’s uncle. He needs to be here. She’ll…Annie is her next-of-kin. I need to be with Annie right now.”

  “We’ll head up now.”

  “I’m waiting for Caine.”

  “Right here behind you, sweetheart.” Dr. Caine Alvaro had a sling on his arm. The other went around the petite woman who was almost silent.

  “Layla’s booking me a room here tonight, complete with room service. Just as a precaution. I’m supposed to be there now, but…I need to be upstairs with Izzie.”

  “Of course.”

  Turner didn’t know what to say, so he just walked behind them quietly. Dr. Alvaro had his good arm around her. She was crying silently.

  He’d never forget her face in that moment. Almost every time he’d ever seen her, she’d been chattering away, a bright little butterfly who made people smile. Now she was just silently crying.

  He sent an unspoken prayer to the man upstairs that Izzie pulled through.

  Annie was in the waiting room, pacing, when they walked in. She cried out, and then she and her little friend were wrapped in each other’s arms, bawling.

  Dr. Alvaro finally pulled them apart several long minutes later.

  Turner put his hands on Annie’s shoulders and pulled her until her back rested on his chest. He didn’t think about it, he just did it. Just wanted to be there in case she needed him. Wanted to offer what comfort he could.

  She didn’t even look up at him, just turned, burying her face in his chest. Her tears soaked his shirt, but she never said a word. Turner wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he dared. He’d hold her until the storm ended.

  He looked at Elliot. “You handle the press conference. I’ll take the next one. I’m going to stay right here. With Annie.”

  31

  They wouldn’t let her in the operating room. Not that Annie had expected they would, protocol existed for a reason. They didn’t need distracted by her in there. Not now. Not when it was Izzie.

  She kept pacing in the surgical waiting room. Nikkie Jean was in a wheelchair next to her. Annie was still trying to process what had happened to Izzie and Nikkie Jean. No one knew why it had happened. Or even how it could have.

  Why Izzie?

  Annie bit back a sob. For a moment, she wanted to throw herself back into the mayor’s arms and just let him hold the world at bay again.

  Nikkie Jean was bruised, and they were keeping her, but it was mostly at the insistence of Rafe. Wallace Henedy had just shot Izzie. For no reason at all. Not one anyone understood, anyway.

  Annie wiped at the tears again.

  Nikkie Jean’s hand wrapped around hers. “She’ll be ok. Vir and Cage will take good care of her.”

  32

  “You should be resting,” Annie said. Nikkie Jean had a black eye forming. And she held herself gingerly. She was hurting and wouldn’t take anything for the pain, no doubt. She was terrified of doing something to harm the baby.

  “So should you,” Nikkie Jean pointed out. “But neither one of us are going anywhere.”

  Nikkie Jean was right about that. Annie studied the older woman. Nikkie Jean had her own bruises now. Someone had said Wallace Henedy had slammed her into the wall, too. “How are you feeling?”

  “Bruised and sore. But the baby is fine. Is going to be fine.”

  Wallace Henedy had knocked her around. As small as Nikkie Jean was—at probably not quite five feet—it was a real miracle Wallace Henedy hadn’t hurt her more than he had. Or the baby.

  Some of the details were still emerging. Mel had connections at the TSP and was using them to get information for Caine as a family favor. Caine hovered behind Nikkie Jean, his arm in a sling where Henedy had shot him, as well.

  No one truly understood why Wallace Henedy had gone off the deep end. Nikkie Jean had said he’d told her and Izzie his wife had ended their relationship, and that he’d had an affair with Nikkie Jean’s mother years ago. That was about all the information anyone had to go on.

  He’d been friends with Nikkie Jean’s father, too.

  None of that explained why he’d targeted Izzie. Three times. She’d been shot at least three times. The odds of her surviving that were slim.

  Even with the best surgeons in there with her now. Annie trusted the men and women in there, but things went wrong in surgery—especially emergency surgery—all the time. Annie knew that herself far t
oo well. She’d worked surgical many times before.

  No one understood why he had shot Izzie like he had. Nikkie Jean had said he’d just walked up to Izzie, raised the gun, and fired. Twice.

  It didn’t make any sense why he’d targeted Izzie. Their paths had rarely crossed, even while in the hospital.

  He’d shot Izzie a third time before throwing her into Allen Jacobson’s arms. Thank God Nikkie Jean had been with her. Nikkie Jean had slowed the original bleeding. And then Allen had carried her to help, just across the street.

  Three times. Three bullets. Annie could imagine it way too easily. Her father had tried to shoot her mother one night after he’d come home from a hospital function drunk on his feet. And then he had turned on Annie with his fists when the gun had jammed.

  Or when he’d been too drunk to remember how to take off the safety.

  Annie forced herself to calm down. There were people with Izzie who Annie trusted to take care of her. Cage Ralstone and Virat Patel were some of the very best. And Allen Jacobson, the head of surgery, had scrubbed up to watch. He couldn’t treat Izzie, as he’d also been shot by Henedy, but he could be there next to her. To make certain everything went as it should. He was the head of the surgical department. One of the best they had in the state. Allen would watch every second.

  Annie gave a watery hiccup. “She’s not going to be happy to have Dr. Jacobson in there with her.”

  “Probably not,” the tall man beside her said. Annie could still feel his heat next to her, his scent surrounding her. Promising to make the world better again. Safer.

  Like he had before. It took everything she had to resist clinging to the mayor until this storm was over.

  Izzie was terrified of Allen Jacobson and had been for well over a year now. His best friend Logan Lanning had almost gotten Izzie fired before he’d died.

  Lanning had done it on purpose because he hadn’t liked Izzie, and everyone had known it. Except perhaps Allen Jacobson. It would never be easy with Izzie and Allen Jacobson. But Allen had kept her alive this long. Annie would always love him for that. “Someone will need to feed her cat.”