She began crying hard at the reality of all that had just happened to her. A man was laying on top of her, dead. A man who deserved it. She pushed harder against Smith's dead body. If she didn't move him soon she was going to vomit.
She looked around and saw lights coming fast towards her. Grace had one thought and that was to get to Walker, wherever he was. She started screaming at the top of her lungs, “Walker! Walker! Please, God, help me. Please Walker." Abruptly, she was freed of Smith's weight and she was yanked up by strong arms. She felt them wrap around her and then she knew nothing else as black stillness took her mind away.
∞∞∞
Cade and Boomer had been walking around with other officers for a good while, weapons drawn and at the ready. But in the dark, at an unfamiliar location, everything seemed to be a target to be suspicious. After several areas had been canvased Cade had suggested that they walk towards the storage shed that was down from the barn. No one had checked it out yet. Boomer, Cade and Captain Phillips were almost to the shed when they heard a female screaming into the night.
Boomer knew who that voice belonged to. He knew! “Grace”, he gasped to the men and then took off running, with Cade shouting at him from behind to use caution, but was quickly hot on his heels as they ran across the grass. Boomer couldn’t use his training in this moment, not when his heart was on the brink of breaking, not when she was screaming and could be hurt or was being hurt. He rounded a bend in the trees and his flashlight shone on a man, straddling a body laying in the grass, blue gown shining in the light. Blonde curls lay against the dark ground like a halo. His Grace.
He could make out Smith's face, blood running down from his eyes. He had evil intent as he looked down at Grace. Boomer could see that his hand was on her throat, squeezing. Heard him call her a bitch and saw Grace's hand come up, with what appeared to be a knife in her hand. Boomer raised his gun and aimed towards Smith at the same time he watched the knife she held plunge into Smith's neck. Boomer, his aim true, shot a bullet into Smith's forehead, taking him out quickly. He saw blood spray from the bullet entering his forehead and heard Grace scream. Smith's body slumped on top of hers and he heard Grace start screaming louder. His name. She was screaming his name over and over. His heart stopped.
“Grace! Gracie, baby”. Cade caught up to Boomer and they both ran over to where Grace lay on the wet grass. Smith's body lay on top of hers, unmoving. Boomer used little strength and tossed Smith's body unceremoniously away from hers, off the side on the grass. He cared about nothing other than Grace. He saw her pale face, eyes open, but unseeing. Heard her sobs, saying his name. He didn't think twice, but pulled her up and wrapped her in his arms. At that, Grace fainted. He pushed her hair away from her face, trying to see her in the dark. Moonlight caressed her beautiful features. But they were covered in a splatter of Smith's blood. Boomer's hatred for the man only grew more.
At Cade's urging, Boomer lay Grace back down to look her over for injuries. He tapped her cheek and gently called her name. She abruptly opened her eyes and looked up at him, as if she were seeing a ghost.
“Walker? Are you really here? Am I safe? Is he dead? Walker, please, get me the hell out of here. Please Walker. All I wanted to see was you and Jaxson. Please, help me. I killed him Walker. I killed the bastard. Well I guess I helped kill him along with that bullet. And I can’t stop crying.” Grace babbled non-stop, shock setting in and keeping her from making rational statements. Boomer smoothed her hair over and over and just let her talk, making hushing noises with his mouth. He couldn't really come up with more than that at the moment.
Cade knelt down next to Grace, as Boomer held her, and leaned over her, checking her out from head to toe. "Hey there Gracie. Let me take a look at you. Do you hurt anywhere?" Grace looked up at him like he was some sort of foreign object she didn't recognize.
Boomer finally shook himself from his shock and placed a hand on either side of her face, gripping her firmly, but gently. “Baby, try to calm down. You’re rambling. Cade and I need to know where you’re hurt. I can’t move you until I know for sure I can. Are you hurt baby?”
When Grace kept crying and sobbing loudly, Walker took a different approach with her. “Grace Evelyn Puckett! You need to stop crying and calm your ass down. Now. Can you do that?” Boomer knew what would happen if he took that tone with her. And yep, it did its job.
Grace gasped and looked like she wanted to light him on fire. “You think I’m going to lay here and let you talk to me in that tone of voice? No way in hell am I going to….oh wait, I know what you’re doing. Okay, I’m drying up the tears. Fine. I won’t cry anymore.” She took large breaths to calm her down and focused everything on Walker’s face. Finally, she was calm enough to talk to them with no tears and less words and volume. “Okay, I’m better. Ask your questions.”
Cade cleared his throat and looked down at her, seeing how exhausted she was and that her pupils were still
