Lily wriggled slightly in her arms. Her lashes fluttered open. No, no, no.
Baby girl, don’t wake up.
If Lily started crying or talking, it would attract attention. Emma gently rocked her and the baby’s eyes closed again. She sighed back into sleep.
Reed jerked his head to the side and gently tugged on Emma with his free hand. He wanted her to move toward the door right above them. She eased out from between Reed and the wall, careful to keep her footsteps light.
Something whistled past her ear. Concrete exploded behind her. Someone was shooting at them! Fear drove Emma to quicken her steps, no longer concerned with staying quiet. All she wanted was safety.
“I know you’re there.” A man’s voice from below echoed through the stairwell. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
Another shot whizzed past her. Emma nearly screamed.
“Go, Emma,” Reed encouraged. “Faster.”
She increased her pace up the stairs. Reed was right behind her, keeping her body covered with his own. Emma shoved open the door and launched herself into the hospital hallway. Pounding footsteps were coming up the stairwell. Reed slammed the door shut. It provided some protection from the shooter and bought them precious seconds.
Emma ran down the hall. Her chest was tight and her head throbbed. There was no way they could outrun this guy. The hospital was devoid of people. The minute he came up the stairs, he would spot them. Reed grabbed her arm, stopping her momentum. “In here.”
He pushed Emma and Lily inside an open supply closet before shutting the door behind them. Racks of medical supplies towered above her. It smelled of bleach and laundry detergent. She turned, the metallic taste of fear filling her mouth when she realized Reed wasn’t with them. He’d stayed in the hall to confront the shooter.
A man shouted, voice muffled through the door, “Where is she? The dog lady?”
Dog lady. There was no doubt these guys were looking for her. And anyone around her was immediately put at risk. The patients and their families. Reed.
Lily.
Fresh adrenaline raced through her veins. Lily couldn’t be found with her. Emma searched for a place to stash her daughter. She scrambled to the back of the closet, grabbing some towels along the way. The bottom rack held rolls of toilet paper. She shoved them out of the way and spread the towels on the shelf like a makeshift bed. She quickly pressed a kiss to her daughter’s face before laying her down.
“Stay sleeping, pretty girl. Mommy will be right back.”
She rapidly restacked the toilet paper in front of the baby to hide her. Emma scanned the room again, this time looking for any kind of weapon. Not that much could be used against a gun. Still, something had to be better than nothing.
A mop caught her eye. She removed the stick. Keeping it gripped in her hands, she moved back to the door.
“I’m with the Heyworth County Sheriff’s Department. Put your gun on the ground and your hands in the air.”
Reed’s tone was authoritative and strong. For the second time in two days, he was negotiating with a man holding a gun while innocent civilians were within range.
“Where is she?” the other man screamed. “I will tear this floor apart looking for her, shooting everyone along the way, Sheriff. Have no doubt. You have thirty seconds to produce her. Now!”
No. Emma wouldn’t allow that to happen. She couldn’t. Her hand reached for the door handle. It was cold against her skin. She paused. Waiting.
Please, Lord. Have him put down the gun.
Shots rang out. Emma jumped.
Had Reed been shot? Her breath caught in her throat and she strained to hear something beyond the door. Nothing. Tears pricked her eyes. She forced them back. It wasn’t time to fall apart. Not yet—
The doorknob rattled under her hand and she shrieked.
“Emma, open up. It’s Reed.”
She flung the door open. He stood in front of her, whole and unharmed. Her relief and panic must’ve shown in her expression because Reed gathered her into his arms.
“It’s over. The man who attacked us is dead.”
Her body shook as tears swept over her cheeks. She couldn’t bring herself to pull it together. Voices rose up behind Reed. A radio crackled.
“Building secure...”
His hand rubbed up and down on her back. When her sobs subsided, she pulled back a bit. “I’m always crying on you.”
“I don’t mind.” His thumb wiped away a straggling tear. “Where’s Lily?”
“I hid her behind the toilet paper.” Emma realized she was still holding the mop stick. “I didn’t want him to find her...” Her voice trailed off. She couldn’t finish the thought.
“Good thinking, Em.” Reed passed her and crouched down. He uncovered Lily in record time. The baby giggled when he lifted her. It nearly set off Emma’s tears again.
She swallowed hard. “Vivian?”
“She’s safe. They’ll meet us at the car.”
Emma let out a whoosh of air. “What happened?”
“The attacker wanted to find you,” Reed said. “He needed me to tell him where you were. When I didn’t, he shot toward the nursing station. There were some people hiding there. I had to shoot him.”
His words were flat. Harsh even. But Emma didn’t have to be told why. He was keeping his own emotions bottled up tight. He’d saved lives, but Emma was under no illusions that it didn’t come at a cost.
“The man who attacked us wasn’t alone,” Reed continued. “Someone else was helping Vernon escape.”
Two men. Just like in the woods. Emma’s throat tightened. “Did they get away? Was anyone hurt?”
“Vernon was shot, but his accomplice escaped.” Reed held her daughter tenderly and took Emma’s hand. “The building’s secure, but we need to get you out of here. We’re going back down the stairs, this time escorted by some of my men.”
She nodded, and they stepped out. The hospital floor was crawling with deputies. Emma focused on the
