Page 14 of Just George

The side airbags deployed, stunning the passenger, and I slammed a right hook into the guy’s face before wrenching his gun away and putting two rounds into his chest. Pivoting, I squeezed the trigger twice more, hitting the guy I’d elbowed moments before.

“Fucking fundraisers,” I groaned, opening the rear passenger side door, climbing over the dead guy, and falling out onto the ground.

I heard gunfire then, back where I’d been, and the sound of more squealing tires, cars driving fast to reach me. I really hoped that it was the police this time and not any more thugs, because the gun I had ammo for was no longer with me.

I felt the gray clawing at the periphery of my vision, but no way in hell was I going to pass out, no matter what. I just needed to get my bearings for a moment.

“Oh God,” I heard Hannah wail and lifted my head to scowl at her. She stopped hard, like she’d run headfirst into a wall, and covered her mouth with both hands. There were people running behind her, all in uniform.

“Why would I be dead?” I snapped at her, needing to put my head back down, realizing that I might have gotten more bounced around inside the Lexus than I thought I had. As long as I didn’t have a concussion. I hated those. “Give me a bit more credit than that.”

She was on me then, hands all over me, touching my face, my hair, finally taking hold of my hand.

“Your buddy is safe,” I assured her. “Maybe you should check on him.”

“I know he’s safe because you’re alive,” she assured me.

“Do I get a thank-you?”

She smiled through her coursing tears. “Thank you, George.”

“I need a raise,” I muttered.

“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” she said with a sigh.

4

The scene would have been a zoo, but because Mr. Sutter years ago had the good sense to marry a police commander, Duncan Stiel took charge, coordinated the situation onsite, and out of chaos there was calm. It was actually pretty impressive, considering he didn’t raise his voice even once. Much like my unit’s commanding officer, there was a quiet strength there that people responded to and didn’t second-guess.

Mr. Sutter insisted Hannah leave with him, and even though she wanted to stay with me, I promised I’d call and tell her if I died in the middle of the night from a brain embolism.

“That’s not funny at all!” she yelled at me.

It made no sense; how could I call if I died in my sleep? But what was helpful was that Kurt was there, and he was good at talking to her. He calmed her down, promised—for whatever reason—to make sure I got home safely, and reminded her that it was important for her to get home and assure her fathers that she was in pristine condition, but for some minor repairs needed on her tuxedo. As for me, my pants were in great shape, but my jacket was a goner.

When she finally left after making Kurt swear on the life of his dogs—apparently he had two—that he’d call her if anything big was wrong with me, I could finally breathe. Knowing she was safe, soon to be home with her family, was a huge relief.

“I get it now,” Kurt murmured as he got in the back of the ambulance with me.

“What’re you talking about?”

“That in volatile circumstances, something like tonight—there isn’t always the option to deescalate the situation.”

I shot him a grin. “So you’re saying maybe having a penchant for violence isn’t such a bad thing?”

“Don’t be smug,” he warned me. “What I’m saying is that I’ve always believed, even after being attacked myself, that reason, employed well, could solve any crisis.”

“It can’t,” I assured him. “There are times that there’s no choice but to defend yourself.”

“I understand defense, but no more than that. Not lethal force.”

“And now?”

“Now,” he began, taking a breath, “I talked to Hannah after she came in from the parking structure, after she alerted Duncan Stiel about what was happening. Once the police were mobilized, when she was with her aunt and uncle and Mr. Sutter, I thought she needed comfort because she was pacing and she looked worried.”

I chuckled. “Hannah hates to be placated.”

“I wasn’t,” he growled, “being placating. I was being sincere.”