The mother screeched,“He saved my baby! Did you all see that?” Instead of taking her baby back, she lifted her arms heavenward and closed her eyes, swaying back and forth, chanting, 'Praise the Lord.'
Jim reached Mark and took the child and returned her to the mother, startling her into opening her eyes. With a snort of disgust, Jim put one arm across Taylor’s shoulders, and shoved people with the other as he forced their way through the crowd. Taylor let out a strangled groan as Jim dragged him along. He hated having to pull Mark , knowing the guy was hardly in the best shape to be rushed through a crowd, but there was no other option.
Sirens announced the arrival of the police-finally-and also caused the people to turn their attention away for a moment. It was all they needed the door open, Dan blocked the crowd from entering, and Jim and Mark stumbled into the building.
The dim interior, so quiet after the screams and shouts, seemed almost unnatural.
Lily was waiting inside and took Mark's arm, letting him lean on her as he hobbled towards the back of the studio. It took the combined strength of the other three to shut the door and lock it against the push of people. The trio leaned back against the door, gasping for breath. Nobody spoke.
Mark limped to his desk and collapsed onto his chair, his head hanging as his chest heaved.
Jim staggered over, surprised at how drained he felt. He sat on the edge of the desk. His heart still raced, and he couldn’t imagine what Mark was feeling. Hearing pounding, he looked to the door, glad to see Dan remained against it, standing guard. Jessica had crossed to the back corner of the office and was filling a paper cup from a standing water cooler. He glanced back at Mark. “You okay?”
Mark nodded but didn’t look up. His right elbow rested on his knee and his hand reached under his sling to rub his abdomen. Jim remembered the stab wound he’d suffered and he noted a long scratch on Mark’s exposed shoulder. Jim grimaced. It was his fault. It was his job to see that Taylor made it through the crowd, and he should have anticipated something like this. Instead, he had failed miserably.
Mark took the cup from Jessica and guzzled the water. Jim pushed off the desk to grab a drink too. After he downed the first cup and re-filled it, he finally felt his heart slow down. He tried to take stock of the situation. 'How's it looking out there?'
Dan peered out the front window then threw over his shoulder, 'I think it would be best if you got out of sight, Mark.”
Jessica edged towards the windows. “I wouldn’t put it past them to break out the glass.”
Jim followed her gaze, his mouth dropping open at the faces pressed against the window. “I guess this didn’t go quite how we planned.” Uniformed officers began moving people back from the windows, but Jim could see it wasn’t an easy task.
Mark raised his head at that, a hint of smile turning up the corners of his mouth. “No?” He straightened, wincing as he did, his eyes going to Jessica. 'Thanks for the drink, but about now, a shot of whiskey might be more appropriate.'
Jessica smiled. 'I hear you. I think I could use one myself.'
Jim wanted to join in the conversation, and knew that after the harrowing encounter, a little light-hearted banter was exactly what Mark needed, but he had to stay focused. Just because they hadn't seen Kern, didn't mean he or one of his followers wasn't lurking in the crowd.
'Hey! I can fill that request!' Lily practically leaped across the room and flung open a cabinet against the back wall.
Mark took a deep breath, then raised his hand in a stop gesture as Lily reached behind some folders and lenses, and pulled a bottle of liquor out of the cabinet. “That's okay. I was only kidding, Lily. I’m still on antibiotics and I don’t know how they would react to alcohol. I appreciate the thought, though. I'm sure it would have taken the edge off.”
Dan grimaced and said, “Sorry about how this went down, Mark. I should have called back-up before you guys even got here. I just didn't think the crowd would be so aggressive. I mean, they were out there singing hymns a little while ago.'
Mark waved him off. “It's not your fault. I shouldn’t have stopped moving. I just kind of…froze, I guess.” He raked his good hand through his hair and Jim didn't miss the slight trembling.
For all his lighthearted talk about shots of whiskey, Jim could see how shaken up he was inside. He crossed to stand in front of Mark. “Seriously, I need to know if there was any damage done.”
Mark looked at his foot, hesitating. “Not really, but my foot got stepped on pretty good.”
It took a moment for Jim to realize Mark was probably afraid to look-not that he could blame him.
Jim's own stomach churned at what they might find, and didn’t know if he could look either. “Should I call paramedics?”
Mark pushed back in the chair. “No! It’s fine. Last thing I want to do is add to the circus.”
Jessica strode over from the windows. “Let me see.” She took her jacket off and threw it over the back of a chair before bending on one knee reaching for Mark's foot.
Jim made a mental note to thank her.
Mark withdrew his foot from her grasp, and turned so that it was under the table. He wore an expression of horror. “It’s fine!”
“Christ, Mark, it’s just a foot. It’s not like she asked you to drop your pants.” Jim shook his head in mock annoyance.
Jessica's face turned pink and matched the color of Mark’s ears. She, at least, overcame her embarrassment. “Come on. It’s either that or we take you back to the hospital for them to look.”
Mark’s eyes narrowed and he looked from Dan to Jim and over to Lily. When no one offered any refuge, his shoulders slumped. He leaned over and tried to reach his laces to untie them, but stopped short and grabbed his stomach, his eyes screwed shut in a grimace. It was few seconds before he opened them again. Lily closed in on his side, her hand going to his back.
'You okay?' Jim stepped closer, but if Mark wasn't okay, he didn't know what he could do about it.
Mark nodded as he blew out a breath. 'I just moved wrong.'
Jessica bent and took his foot. “It’s not a big deal. You think cops don’t get hurt and need help sometimes? What would happen if we refused to let our fellow officers help us?”
He scowled, but extended his foot for Jessica to reach, then grabbed onto the side of the desk, wincing when she pulled the shoe off.
“Sorry, Mark.”
Jessica glanced up, her expression sincere and it dawned on Jim that her tone had changed. Gone was the no nonsense professional tone he was used to hearing. In it's place, was an intimate, soft inflection. That was forgotten when he got a look at a large blood-stain on Mark's sock. He swallowed and was glad he wasn’t the one doing the examining.
Lily made a face and turned away. Apparently she wasn't a natural born medic either.
'You ready?' Jessica's hand hovered over Mark's foot.
“Okay.” Mark's knuckles blanched as he gripped the arm of the chair, but Jim credited him with being braver than he would have been in the same situation as Mark leaned forward for a better look. Jessica eased his sock off and began unwinding the bandage.
Jim scrunched his eyes up in sympathy and tried to look away, but it was like a car wreck, he had to see. Lily looked like she was turning a bit green, so Jim said, “Lily, why don’t you see if you have some clean cloths or bandages around?”
Obviously relieved for an excuse to get away, Lily stepped away from Mark. “Sure, I’ll be right back.”
Jessica turned his foot carefully, running her fingers lightly under it. Mark squirmed and her head shot up. “Does that hurt?”
“No…it…tickles.” Now Mark’s whole face turned a deep red, but he grinned.
Jessica laughed. “Sorry. I think just the scab came off and maybe some bruising on top.” She took the towel Lily handed her and dabbed at the blood. Once it was clean, it didn’t look so bad. Jessica rolled his sock back on, and Mark put his foot back in the shoe, his movements slow and careful. Jessica tied the shoe loosely before standing. She tucked her hair behind her ear. “There. Good as new.”
“Thanks, Jessie.” Mark stood and took a step, his grimace easing after a few test steps. He stopped in front of Jim, Dan and Jessica and extended his hand to Jim. “Well, thanks for the ride.”
Jim stared at him in confusion. “What do you mean? Aren't you just going to get a few things?” He shot a
