A Wild Ride (Jessica Brodie Diaries #3)(29)

Before I knew how I’d gotten there, I had a giant knife in a steady hand led by a buzzing brain. I was not at the wheel. With Dusty, both times, I had been. I grabbed onto calm, rational thought with him. Not this time.

The large man with a giant barrel chest was advancing on me. He looked sad. Shaking his head, he said, “Sorry baby doll, but I have to. I didn’t think I needed a mask—you’re never here. But as the Texan’s say, I ain’t going back to the pen.”

“That’s a terrible accent.”

Up came a gleaming gun. My eyes honed in on a black hole in the middle of a gleaming silver circle. The end that went bang was pointed at me.

I did the only thing I could think of. I screamed as loud as possible…for Fred. I called his name with every ounce of breath in my body. With my fear lending my voice a higher-than-normal pitch, and urgency giving my voice power, I screamed. And hoped.

And then a blast blotted out all thought.

Followed by that vicious, wet growl.

Then the screaming.

I did close my eyes, then. I closed my eyes and wished for death. I’d had enough.

Chapter Six

“She’s coming to.”

It was Adam. His voice was close to my ear.

My eyes fluttered open. Adam was carrying me. I closed my eyes again.

I felt a warm hand on my arm. A woman’s hand. Lump, then. Her hands were always warm. Great circulation.

“Are you okay, Jess?” Lump asked quietly.

“Don’t know. Is Fred okay?”

“Yes. He is walking next to us. He has some gashes, but he’ll be okay. Are you okay?”

“Don’t know.”

“Can you think about it and let me know? We’re walking out to the paramedics, but maybe I should run ahead?”

“I have my running shoes on. I should’ve run.”

“Yes. I’ll just run ahead. See you there in a jiff.”

I closed my eyes again.

I came to as my butt hit the grass next to a police car. There were feet all around me, some with black shiny boots, some with white sneakers, and an assortment of other kinds, mostly not trendy.

A scratchy brown blanket was draped over my shoulders.

“Second time I get this blanket,” I told no one in particular. “They should invest in better fabric.”

Someone sat next to me. By the smell, it was Adam.

“Do you hate deodorant?” I asked without really caring what the answer was. He must have known, because he didn’t say anything.

I looked out at all the people flocking around. Police were talking to a few people, mostly Gladis’s employees that stayed in the house. A group of paramedics were loading someone into the back of an ambulance—I couldn’t see if the head was covered or not.

I felt another body next to me, panting. I put my hand on Fred. He was wet.

“Oh my God!” I jumped up, my mind clearing like a windshield wiper had just come through. “Fred!”

He whimpered.

Adam moved around me, staying close, and looked closely at Fred.

“Jesus Christ,” he said quietly. He looked up at me with fear in his eyes.

“Did he get shot? Did I?”

“It’s okay, Jess.”

“Check Fred—I heard the gun go off, Adam. Where did the bullet go if not in me?”

Adam stared at me, frozen in place. I could barely make out his eyes with all the glare and shadows, but I could see defeat. He needed to give up this foolish vendetta to protect me, and it looked like he’d just realized it. Obviously the protection award went to Lady Luck, who I would never call a bitch ever again as long as I lived.

“Check Fred,” I insisted. Sometimes people just needed a job.

Adam did as he told until Lump came over. Then he just kinda…sat down. Not gracefully, or in control—he just half fell over onto his butt and looked at Fred.

“Did he get shot?” I asked again, louder.

“Betsy—“ That was Gladis, sounding so in control of this situation she might have planned the whole thing. “I have a vet here for Fred. Bring him over.”

Lump bent to Fred but Adam stopped her. “No. Have them come here. He’s hurt.”

“Did he get shot?” I asked again, really trying to hold back the tears. I was pretty sure at this point that I didn’t get that bullet.

“How bad?” Lump asked, bending over the dog. Then, “Oh shit. No problem. Jessica, this is no problem. He would stand if I asked—he’s a dog. They are superhuman. I’ll just run and get the vet and we’ll deal with this real quick!”

“I give up, Adam. I don’t want to do this anymore.” I laid down on the grass and closed my eyes again.

The first sight I saw Denise peering down at me. I was lifted—Tom this time—and put onto the back of an ambulance. The Davies lawyer—forgot his name—was standing guard over me.

For some reason that made me feel extremely good.

“Jessica, we are just going to get you looked at, okay?" the lawyer informed me. "Betz said that you have been through a trying ordeal, so we are just going to have you looked over.”

Lump and Gladis, in control when the world was falling down around them.

I nodded my ascent and let the paramedic look at me, but all he found were bruises when I hit the floor. Less for photographs this time.