“Yes, I do!” Whittaker started to squeeze the trigger, but Cord rushed into the room and Whittaker swung around and fired. The bullet struck Cord, and his body jerked backward. Hazel screamed and Ellie lunged at Whittaker’s back.
He fell forward and the gun skittered across the floor. The front door burst open, and Derrick charged in. Whittakerstruggled to get up, but Ellie pinned him. The bastard had shot Cord.
She slammed her knee into Whittaker’s back, and he bellowed, then Derrick was there, handing her handcuffs. She slapped them on, then looked up to check on Cord.
He pressed his hand over his arm as blood streamed from his shoulder.
“Cord?”
“I’m okay,” he said as he stepped toward her. His face was pale and he was losing blood, but he was standing. Tears filled Ellie’s eyes and she choked back a cry. Dear God, she couldn’t lose him.
Behind them, Hazel’s sobs wrenched the air. Derrick grabbed a growling, hissing Whittaker. Ellie stood then rushed to Cord. “Where did it get you?”
“My shoulder,” he said gruffly. “I’ll be fine. Go to Hazel. She needs you.”
Ellie winced, but Hazel was crying uncontrollably, obviously in shock.
Outside, a siren wailed and twirling lights broke through the snowy haze as the ambulance arrived.
ONE HUNDRED TEN
DAY FIVE
Bluff County Hospital
Ellie rubbed her hand over her blurry eyes and finished her umpteenth cup of coffee. While Cord was in recovery from the surgery to remove the bullet in his shoulder, she checked in with Shondra.
During the night while she’d paced and fretted, the storm had ceased. Power outages still plagued the most rural parts of the mountain, but the town’s electricity had been restored due to the extra power company workers being brought in overnight. Because of the weather and the murders in the area, the governor had declared a state of emergency and designated resources to their area.
“Hey, girl,” Ellie said as she slipped into Shondra’s hospital room.
Shondra groaned and looked up at Ellie. “Did you get that bastard?”
“We did and Hazel and Clara and her baby are all safe. How are you feeling?”
“I’m pissed as hell. Can’t believe that maniac got the best of me.”
“It happens to all of us,” Ellie said. “He was ruthless and sick. I’m sure the court will order a psych evaluation for him. I just hope he gets prison time and not some mental hospital.”
“Same. The other girl is okay?”
“Dana Jo is here. Traumatized of course but physically she’ll recover.” Ellie sighed wearily. “We still haven’t found Iris or Lou Lou though. We’ll interrogate Whittaker, AKA Wally Wheaton, later today and try to force him to talk.”
Shondra’s eyes were drifting closed again. “I want to go home.”
“Sorry,” Ellie said. “The doctor said you have a concussion and wants to keep you at least twenty-four hours for observation.”
“But I need to help you,” she mumbled.
“You did your job, you protected Hazel. Now get some rest.” She squeezed Shondra’s arm. “Call me if you need me.”
Shondra nodded but was asleep again in seconds.
Ellie rubbed the back of her neck as she walked down the hall to Cord’s room. They were rolling him in when she got there. Her heart squeezed with fear at the same time it melted with love for him.
He stirred and reached for her hand as the orderly settled his bed into place.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said in a gruff voice.
