“I’ll shoot anyone who walks through that door other than you.”

Russell nodded and slid into the dark.

She curled up behind the center island and waited for Russell to return.

Her heart pounded in her chest as the reality that she’d just been shot washed through her.

She started to tremble and couldn’t control the fear that followed. “Carter.”

****

The wind settled long enough for the plane to land.

He broke every speeding law en route to his home, and as he rounded the corner of their street, his worst nightmare unfolded before his eyes.

Red and white flashing lights illuminated the night. Emergency vehicles filled the street and his driveway. The only thing missing was the coroner’s van. Eliza!

He jumped from his car, engine running and barreled through the uniformed policemen on scene. “Eliza!”

“You can’t go in there.”

Carter shoved at the cop. “It’s my house. My wife.” Someone grabbed his arms and started to wrestle with him.

“Let him in.”

The arms holding him let go, and Carter ran toward Dean. “Where is she?”

Dean glanced toward the gurney being wheeled from the house. “Oh, God.”

He stumbled toward the paramedics and heard his name.

“Carter?”

Eliza? She can talk?

“Carter it’s okay. I’m okay.”

Even with the light of the moon he could see how pale she was, how frail. She lifted a hand with an intravenous tube running into it.

“Where are you hurt? How bad is it?”

Another gurney emerged from the house, this one bearing another woman Carter didn’t recognize. What the hell? “What happened?”

“Sir, we need to get her to the hospital.” The twenty-something paramedic pushed ahead toward the back of the waiting ambulance.

“I’m her husband. I’m coming with her.”

The medic nodded. “You can ride in the back, but you need to give me room to work.”

They loaded her into the van and before the medic could shut the door behind them, Russell appeared. “The police have questions,” he told Carter. “I’ll be at the hospital as soon as they’re done.”

Carter glared at the man who failed to keep his wife safe. He didn’t trust himself to speak, so Carter gave one curt nod and then focused his attention on his wife.

The bright lights of the ambulance added a little color to her face. She forged a smile but winced when the van started to move.

“Hey, watch it,” Carter yelled at the driver.

The medic frowned and turned to Eliza. “It’s bumpy back here. We’ll be at the hospital in ten minutes.”

“It’s only a flesh wound, Carter. I’m okay.”

“Flesh wound?” His eyes scanned her torso and found a blood soaked bandage on her left arm.

“The bullet went through. Nothing to worry about, right?” Eliza asked the medic.

“Bullet?”

“She was shot in the arm, Mr. Billings. The ER will take some x-rays, clean her up… She’ll probably be able to go home tonight.” The medic adjusted the IV as he spoke.

Some relief eased into Carter’s bloodstream, but until Eliza was given a blessing from a doctor, he would hold his breath.

“What happened?”

“The wind blew the furniture around in the backyard. We went out to push it against the house. Zod started barking and the next thing I know I was on the ground with this.” Eliza glanced at her arm. “Russell tried to shield me, but the bullet traveled faster than he could run.”

“A woman shot you?”

“It appears that way. Wait, how did you get here so fast?”

“I was told you were in danger. I tried calling…”

“The power was out.”

He kissed the tip of her cold fingers. He had so much to say, so many more questions to ask. He tried to hide the tremor in his hand, but knew she felt him shaking. She’d been shot. His wife, the woman he’d sworn to protect was lying on a gurney in pain, and he couldn’t make that right.

A nurse and a doctor met them at the back door of the emergency room. Carter was whisked off to sign papers and check Eliza in. Less than ten minutes later, he was at her side while the doctor examined the hole in her arm.

He wasn’t one of those people who melted when they saw blood, but when the doctor probed Eliza’s arm, he felt lightheaded and ill.

“An x-ray will let us know if the bullet hit bone. How bad is the pain?” Dr. Solomon asked.

“I’ve felt better,” Eliza attempted a joke.

“I’ll have the nurse bring you something. You’re not allergic to anything?”

“No.”

Carter sat to the side of her gurney and squeezed her good hand.

“She’s going to be okay?” he asked the doctor.

“Your wife will be fine.” Dr. Solomon left with the chart in his hand. Outside the door, several uniformed police were talking with the staff. He remembered the shooter on the gurney at the house.

“You’re squeezing too tight,” Eliza said.

Carter released her hand instantly. “I’m sorry.” He offered a pained smile. “I’ll go see what’s taking that nurse so long with your pain meds.”

“The doctor just left,” Eliza said.

“I’ll be right back.”

He closed the door behind him and motioned to one of the cops. The officer broke off his conversation and addressed Carter.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Billings, right?”

“Right.” Carter glanced around the department, wondering what bed they placed the woman who attempted to murder his wife. He clenched his fists and sucked in a deep breath. “The person who shot my wife…she’s here?”

The officer stepped in front of Carter and blocked his view. “Let us do our investigation. We don’t want any trouble.”

Carter shook off his retort. “A professional hit was put out on my wife tonight. Make sure your investigation checks that out. I want someone at this door.”

The officer glanced over his shoulder to his partner. The other officer asked one of the nurses for a chair.

Once the officer stood guard at the door Carter asked, “Where’s Detective Brown?”

“He’s on his way.”

Carter nodded and followed the nurse back to Eliza’s side.

Eliza forced a smile to her lips when Carter returned. She hoped the nurse brought some happy juice of some kind. The pain in her arm was getting worse, not better.