So now Cowly was in the trunk, furious, and fighting down the pain. She wasn’t stupid and didn’t intend to be a victim, on this day or any other.
The plasticuffs cut down to the bone. She lost a deep flap of meat on her hand, but she twisted free. She found the trunk release, and let herself out. Blood ran from her hand like water from a faucet.
Ian and Stan had parked behind the warehouse. Her gun and phone were gone, so Cowly tried to get into their cars, but both were locked. She found a lug wrench in Ian’s trunk.
Cowly was still blinking at the harsh California light when she heard gunfire within the warehouse. She could have run down the street for help, but she knew Ian had used her phone to text Scott. Ian planned to kill them that day, and he might be killing Scott now.
Cowly ran toward the building, leaving a blood trail in the dust.
Maggie sprinted into the dim room and reached the end of the cone. The intruder loomed tall and large, with his scent burning as brightly as if he was on fire. Maggie knew the second man’s scent, but ignored him even though he spoke.
“Watch out! The dog!”
The intruder turned, but was slow and heavy.
Maggie snarled as she charged, and the man threw up his arms.
Maggie caught him below the elbow. She bit deep, snarling and growling as she savagely shook her head. The taste of his blood was her reward.
The man stumbled back, screaming.
“Get it off! Get it!”
The other man moved, but was only a shadow.
Maggie twisted, trying to pull down the intruder. He stumbled backwards into a wall, flailing, screaming, but stayed on his feet.
The other man shouted.
“I can’t get a shot! Shoot it yourself, damnit! Kill it!”
Their words were meaningless noise, as Maggie fought hard to pull him down.
“Kill it!”
Scott ran harder, afraid for his dog. She was trained to enter houses without him, and face danger alone, but she did not understand what she faced. Scott knew, and was scared for both of them.
“Maggie, OUT! Wait for me, damnit!”
Scott heard Maggie snarling as he reached the door, and found himself in a short hall. A man screamed.
A gunshot boomed behind him, and a bullet snapped into the wall. Scott glanced back. The man in the sport coat was chasing him.
Scott steadied his pistol against the door, and squeezed off one shot even as the snarls and screaming grew louder.
The man in the sport coat went down, and Scott turned toward the snarls.
Ian Mills shouted.
“I can’t get a shot! Shoot it yourself, damnit! Kill it!”
Scott thought,
The hall opened into a large, barren utility room with dirty windows. Ian Mills was on the far side of the room, waving a gun. George Evers was stumbling sideways along the wall with Maggie hanging from his arm. Evers was big, a big strong man with a big belly, maybe even bigger than Scott remembered, but he couldn’t escape her. Then Scott saw his pistol, and the pistol swung toward Maggie.
The muzzle kissed her shoulder.
A voice in Scott’s head screamed, or maybe the voice was his own, or maybe Stephanie’s.
A man does not let his partner die.
Scott slammed into the gun, and felt it go off. He did not feel the bullet, or his ribs break when the bullet punched through him. He felt only the pressure of hot gas blow into his skin.
Scott shot George Evers as he fell. He saw Evers wince, and clutch at his side. Scott bounced on the concrete floor as Evers stumbled sideways. The I-Man was in the shadows, but was swept by light when an outside door opened. Joyce Cowly may have come in, but Scott was not sure. Maggie stood over him, and begged him not to die.
He said, “You’re a good girl, baby. The best dog ever.”
She was the last thing he saw as the world faded to black.
The gunshots were loud, so loud Cowly knew they were on the other side of the door. She pushed into the warehouse, and found Ian Mills in front of her. Scott was on the floor, Evers was down on a knee, and the dog was going crazy.
Mills turned at the sound of the door, and looked surprised to see her. He was holding a gun, but it was pointed the wrong way.
Cowly swung hard, and split his forehead with the lug wrench. He staggered sideways and dropped the gun. Cowly hit him again, above the right ear, and this time he fell. She scooped up his gun, checked him for other weapons, and scored his cell phone.
The dog stood over Scott, barking and snapping in a frenzy as Evers crabbed past, trying to reach the far door.
Cowly pointed her gun at him, but the damned dog was in the way.
“Evers! Put it down. Lower it, man. You’re done.”
“Fuck you.”
The dog was acting like she wanted to gut Evers, but she wouldn’t leave Scott to do it.
“You’re shot. I’ll get an ambulance.”
“Fuck you.”
Evers fired a single wide shot and scrambled into the warehouse.
Cowly called the Central Station’s emergency number, recited her name and badge number, told them she had an officer down, and requested assistance.
She checked Mills again, then ran to help Scott, but the dog lunged at her and stopped Cowly cold.
Maggie’s eyes were crazy and wild. She barked and snarled, showing her fangs, but Scott lay in a pool of blood, and the red pool was growing.
“Maggie? You know me. That’s a good girl, Maggie. He’s bleeding to death. Let me help him.”
Cowly edged closer, but Maggie lunged again. She ripped Cowly’s sleeve, and once more stood over Scott. Her paws were wet with his blood.
Cowly gripped the gun, and felt her eyes fill.
“You gotta move, dog. He’s going to die if you don’t move.”
The dog kept barking, snarling, snapping. She was wild with an insane fury.
Cowly checked the pistol. She made sure the safety was off as tears spilled from her eyes.
“Don’t make me do this, dog, okay? Please don’t.”
The dog didn’t move. She wouldn’t get off him. She wouldn’t leave.
“Dog, please. He’s dying.”
Maggie lunged at her again.
Cowly aimed, crying harder, but that’s when Scott raised a hand.
Scott was floating in darkness when he heard her call.
