"Dennis, standdown and come around the front, now!" Stevie held his stance, his glarereserved for Stubbs alone.
Rooney closed her eyes.He was going to get away with it, taking her away and hurting her in return forwhat she did to him. There was so much more she wanted to do. She wanted towatch Tam grow up into a young woman and fall in love. She wanted to giveStevie a chance to change her mind and sweep her off her feet. Now her futurewas disappearing in front of her eyes. All she had worked for was going to beswept away with the stroke of a blade at her throat. That was if he didn't makeher suffer before he got that far.
She opened her eyes andtried to read something, anything, on Stevie's face, but he was intent on MrStubbs. Dennis walked in behind him, holding his hands up to show he had puthis weapon down.
"Don't even thinkof following us or she's dead."
Tears ran down her faceas Stubbs dragged her out through the back of the surgery. He held her in frontof him and dragged her backwards until they reached his car. Mr Stubbs took hishand off her arm and reached for the handle, pulling the door open. Rooneylooked toward the front door and saw Dennis standing inside watching, his handsdown at his side.
A crunch of footstepssounded on stone and the blade dug into Rooney's throat, slicing deeper as ascream rose in her throat. A shot rang out and she fell to the ground, thewarmth of blood covering her face and running down her throat.
The last thing sheheard was Stevie calling for an ambulance.
Chapter Thirty
"I guess that wasmoney well spent then," Russ cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear,listening to Tory give the report regarding his soon to be ex-wife Paula."I can't wait to call and tell her what I know."
"Would you ratherI did it through her solicitor, might carry a bit more weight that way."
"Makes me seem abit weak doesn't it? But I guess you're right."
"I'll send afollow up letter to her and her solicitor as well. I'm sorry about this, Russ.I thought everything would go through without any hassles."
"Wasn't yourproblem Tory. It was my fault for using someone I didn't know. Thanksagain." Russ hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair. It was only amatter of time before Paula came back into the hospital to see him. So far hehad avoided her phone calls and invitations to dinner to 'discuss' their futureas she saw it.
His pager beeped and hefrowned looking at it. With reflexes a quarterback would be proud of, he boltedfrom his office and ran down the hallway to the emergency room as the ambulancepulled in. Lizzie was already there, directing staff as the door burst open andStevie rushed in, blood over his hands and on his shirt followed by theambulance attendants pushing the stretcher.
"It's Rooney.Looks terrible but the ambo's say it’s superficial. They think she collapsedfrom shock."
Russ hurried to herside, letting the nurses do their job while taking her vitals and making surefor himself she wasn't in any danger. When he saw everything was under control,he grabbed Stevie and took him to one side. "What happened?"
Stevie shook his head,his hands on his hips. "We got a call from Rhian, screaming that Stubbswas at the surgery with a knife. Rooney had pushed her out the back door whenthey saw him approaching. He got her, Russ. When we arrived he was standingwith the knife at her throat and taking his time slicing her bit by bit untilwe backed off, giving him a chance to escape. Christ, he could have killedher." He dropped his head, a look of defeat crossing over his eyes.
"Tell me therest." Russ folded his arms and waited for Stevie to get himself together.
"I had no choice.I shot him when he dragged her out to make his getaway. He'd cut her twice bythem and, shit, it's my own damned fault. He heard me creeping up behind himand cut her again."
"You couldn't havetasered him earlier? I thought that’s what you did these days."
"Are you accusingme of not following regulations, Russ?" Stevie lifted his head and glared.
"Not at all. Ijust don't understand why you went in with your gun if there was anotherway."
"There wasn't. Hewas holding her too close and in cases like this, it’s up to the officer’sdiscretion. Stubbs was ready to kill her, make no bones about that. I'll face acommittee about this, without doubt but I have no qualms about killing the manwho was going to kill my future wife."
"Sure of yourself,aren't you?" Russ walked over to the bed and glanced down at his sister,who was starting to come too.
She waved her hands inthe air and screamed, a sound that ripped straight to his gut.
Stevie was beside herin seconds, wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed.
Russ pulled the curtainblocking out the staff and other patients. Lizzie stepped away and tried towalk out too. "I need your help, if you don't mind, Nurse Stanley."
She nodded her head andstood at the end of the bed waiting for direction. Russ gave them anothercouple of minutes before tapping Stevie on the shoulder. "We need to sortthis out." He took his sister’s hand. "Honey, it's okay, you’re safeand not in any danger. I need to check out your throat. Okay?"
He watched the tears runningdown her cheeks and the way she gripped onto Stevie as she nodded. "He…hetried to…kill me…Russ." Her lips quivered as she tried to get the wordsout.
"I know, babe, buthe can't hurt you anymore. Now, let's get you sorted out." Russ reachedfor the trolley and Lizzie pushed it forward. She tore open a sterilizing packwhile he pulled on gloves and looked at the cuts on Rooney's throat. Withgentle fingers he probed and inspected the knife wounds.
Russ asked for a suturekit while he cleaned blood from her throat exposing the slashes along one thatran from just below her ear to her collar bone.
Stevie
