Dom narrowed his eyes and seemed to be deep in thought. “I heard him talk. But I’m not sure if he was talking to the men, or trying to calm my mother down. That was after I heard a shot.”
“So, you don’t know who was shot first?”
“No, Sir.” Dom’s eyes widened as if remembering something new. “But there were more than two shots.”
Lamb brushed his chin. “How far apart were the shots?”
“I don’t know, Sir.” He seemed to be trying to think real hard. “I have no idea how much time passed. I don’t even know if there was a few minutes, or a few seconds, between shots.”
On and on the questioning went. Dom remembered a little more than when he was originally questioned. The nine-one-one call from the neighbor was part of the evidence since they were the ones who made the call after hearing the first shot. That neighbor likely saved my son’s life because if it weren’t for the sirens, they would’ve searched the house and found Dom.
Once Agent Lamb was done, he nodded at Lilly. She had worked for the FBI at one point, as a field agent and a Behavioral Analyst. Knowing her training and experience was probably why Agent Lamb was at ease at allowing Lilly to do Dom’s cognitive interview.
I needed to step in though. “Can we take a break for a few moments, please? I’ll take him outside for some fresh air.”
They agreed as long as a police officer accompanied us. Not that I would veto that. Keeping Dom safe was my only priority. And if that meant we all walked around with armed guards until it was all over, then that was what we would do.
I bought us each a drink from the vending machine and gestured for him to walk ahead of me as Jessica, a friend and a cop, led us through to the entrance of the police station.
Once outside, I could see the color returning to Dom’s face. He was stressed and overwhelmed and I hated that he still had more waiting for him. Probably the hardest part of this terrible day.
I put my hand on his shoulder. He didn’t pull away from me. He didn’t do it earlier, either. The kid was getting used to me. Ormaybe I was his only option. “I’m sorry you have to go through this all again.”
“It's okay.” He looked up into my eyes. “I just want them to catch the people?—”
A loudbangcracked the air. Without thought I shoved Dom to the ground. “Get down, stay down.” Some more followed.
I was at a police station, and for obvious reasons I was not armed. I stayed down with Dom, covering his body with mine. Jess, however, was moving between the cars. Other police officers came rushing out along with Lilly and Agent Lamb. Tires screeched and an engine roared. Loud voices surrounded me as I heard everyone trying to figure out what had happened.
It took several seconds for me to release Dominic and stand. I had faced enemy fire. I had been in war zones and had even narrowly escaped being blown to smithereens. And yet, I was sure none of that could compare to the fear I felt the moment I heard that first gunshot.
Even the ones that followed scared me. Dom was safe underneath me, but what if that gunman didn’t stop until he killed Dom? What if the people after Dom never expected to make it out of the situation alive?
I didn’t think I could be more terrified than I was at that moment. When I stood, and Dom didn’t immediately follow, I looked down at him. The dark red pool blooming from under his body had all the blood draining from my face. My vision blurred and the world tilted. My ears rang as bile hit the back of my throat. Dom was hit.
“Dom.” I screamed his name as I crouched down beside him. “Dom, talk to me kiddo.”
He grunted similar to the noise when he was annoyed or inconvenienced. Lilly and Jess ran over to me.
“Is he okay?” Like me, all Lilly could see was the blood. “Turn him over.”
I did as she suggested and Dom grunted once more. That time in pain. “Fuck.”
I wasn’t about to correct his language. “Where are you hurt, kiddo?”
“Arm hurts like a bitch.”
I checked out the arm closest to me and nothing seemed amiss. I turned my focus to the other arm and noticed the big gash in his bicep.
Red filled my vision like it never had before. When I found Curtis in bed with Jessica, I was angry. It took me a long time to understand Jess was as much a victim as what I was. When I found out he was only with me so he could spy on me and my family for a deranged cartel-owning psychopath, that betrayal hurt more than I could imagine. I could finally admit that nearly eighteen months later. But there was no anger. No visions of castration or disembowelment.
The gash in Dominic’s arm brought out another side of me. One I didn’t know existed. I was not interested in a fair trial. I only wanted ten minutes with the man who aimed his weapon at my child. I didn’t need more than that. No doubt he’d fight and scream. But he would leave not being able to have kids and he’d be eating through a tube.
No one hurts my kid.
Chapter Twenty-Two
BOYD
