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Jo gasped for breath, smoke seizing her throat. She tried to push herself up—pain erupted through her chest. Billows of black-gray smoke raced across the ceiling above her, and waves of heat pulsed over her. She dropped back down and tried to remain still, eyes squeezed shut, fighting back the desperate need to cough.
The shriek of sirens broke through the crackling of the fire. After an eternity, boots pounded toward her.
Goran’s voice suddenly materialized next to her ear. “This is gonna hurt like a sonuvabitch, Jo. Hang on.”
She nodded, and reached an arm out to wrap around his shoulder. He jimmied himself under her armpit and around her back, then hefted her up as gently as he could.
“They have Mrs. Visniky?” she asked.
“Woods claims Visniky is out in the shed, safely away from the fire. Arnett’s getting her now.”
She nodded, grimacing against the pain. “Get a move on.”
“Big talk from someone who just took a bullet to the chest.” He shifted down the stairs.
Jo grimaced. “God bless body armor.”
CHAPTERSIXTY-SIX
“Don’t be amartyr, Fournier.” Bob Arnett smirked at her from over the top of his phone. “Take the pain meds.”
She glared up at him from the hospital release forms. “Don’t you have paperwork to fill out for your officer-involved shooting?”
He held up his phone and wiggled it. “Already done. Ain’t modern technology grand?”
“And the investigator?”
“Took care of business before I was allowed to leave the site. Bagged my gun, took my picture, the whole nine. They want me to get some rest, eat, and meet with the union attorney before I do the official interview. He’ll want to talk to you as soon as you leave the building.”
The door opened and Matt hurried in, face tight with concern. “Hey. How are you?”
“Hey.” Jo smiled up, more pleased than she expected to see him. “I’m okay. I had a vest on.”
He leaned down to give her a kiss. “I checked with your doctor on the way in. Two bruised ribs and a contusion the size of a tennis ball on your chest, but he says the only thing you’ll agree to take for the pain is Advil?”
“It’s not so bad. The only reason I’m here was so they could run all the tests to make sure nothing more serious was going on.” But she winced in pain as she stretched up to meet him halfway, and his face shifted. “I’ll take something once we get this all wrapped up, I promise.”
“What’s there left to wrap up?”
“Jennifer Woods is out of surgery, and she asked to talk to me.”
His brows popped up. “Without an attorney present?”
Jo set down the forms and stood, careful to keep the pain off her face. “If she wants to waive her rights, that’s fine by me. I’ll have Goran in there with me. He’ll record the conversation on his phone and her doctor will monitor.”
Matt crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t suppose it would do any good if I told you that you need to rest and let the other detectives handle it?”
“No more good than it would do for me to tell you to abandon a patient who desperately needs a life-saving surgery just because your bad knee was flaring up.”
He raised his hands in surrender. “Point taken. Should I wait to drive you home?”
She smiled. “If you want to, I’d really love that. But I’m not sure how long it will be, so if you want Goran or Arnett to bring me, that’s fine, too.”
“Not a problem. I have a few items I can knock off my to-do list while I’m here waiting.” He stepped over to open the door, then gestured her through.
She squeezed his hand on her way out.
Goran, waiting in the hall, watched her gait as she approached. “I’ll lead the way. You set the pace.”
