clothes and weary steps, and he was almost at the janitor’s closet when he heard a commotion in the back, toward the kitchen.
People were standing up near their cots to see what was happening, while others began running to get their children. He saw Judd Allen—the police on his heels—make a run for the front door, shoving people out of his way as he raced through the gym.
When people began screaming and running, Hershel didn’t know whether to follow through with his plan, or wait for a better time. But when Nola Landry came out of the ladies’ restroom, he had his answer. His target had just been delivered straight into his arms.
* * *
Nola was in the bathroom when she heard the uproar, and when people began screaming, she ran out to see what was going on. She could see the police, and someone running, and she got a glimpse of Tate before the crowd moved in front of her. She was debating whether to stay where she was or try to get back to her cot, when a masculine arm suddenly snaked around her neck and yanked her backward. She saw the knife from the corner of her eye, and without thinking, she rammed an elbow in her attacker’s belly, then stomped hard on the top of his foot.
When her assailant grunted in pain, she leaped forward, trying to twist out of his grasp. Just as she broke free, the back of her arm began to burn. She ran out of the gym screaming Tate’s name, and didn’t look back.
* * *
Beaudry and his deputies had Allen in handcuffs and were taking him to the patrol car when Nola came running out of the gym, screaming.
Tate spun toward the sound, saw her running and covered the distance between them in seconds. As soon as he caught her up in his arms, he saw the blood.
She was shaking, both from the shock and the pain.
“Behind me. He was behind me,” she gasped.
Tate’s heart sank. She’d just given them confirmation that Bell wasn’t their killer.
Cameron was already running back into the gym, trying to get past the people who were spilling out in panic.
Tate grabbed his cell phone.
“Wade! He just attacked Nola. He’s in the gym.” Then he thrust her into a deputy’s arms. “Call an ambulance. Put her in a squad car ASAP, and don’t leave her alone.”
“Yes, sir,” the deputy said.
Nola couldn’t stop shaking, and watching Tate running into the gym with his gun drawn only added to her panic.
Another deputy appeared with some towels and wrapped them around her arm before they put her into the squad car.
* * *
By the time Tate got into the gym, Wade and Cameron were coming to meet him.
“There’s no one here!” Wade shouted. “He ran out with the crowd.”
They did a one-eighty and flew out the door, but there was nothing to see, no one to chase, just a huge crowd of anxious parents and crying children.
Furious, Tate turned and headed around the building to the patrol car. Nola was in the backseat, in obvious pain.
“Where’s the ambulance?” he asked.
“Already on a run outside of town, and something’s wrong at the hospital. They lost power and are having trouble getting the backup generator going,” the deputy said.
Tate opened the door of the squad car, picked Nola up in his arms and headed for the government SUV. Wade was already behind the wheel, and Cameron was holding the door open for them to get in.
Cameron looked back. Laura was trying to quell the panicked crowd. He felt sick. It was their presence that had caused this. They couldn’t stay here again.
Tate could tell Nola was in shock and made a decision he hoped he wouldn’t regret.
“Power is out at the hospital and the backup generator isn’t working. Drive to the police station,” he said.
“But what about her arm?” Wade asked.
“Just drive,” Tate said, and pulled out his phone. He punched in a number and waited for it to ring.
* * *
Don Benton had fallen asleep in his recliner watching the late-night news, and when his phone began to ring, he jumped. It had been a lot
People were standing up near their cots to see what was happening, while others began running to get their children. He saw Judd Allen—the police on his heels—make a run for the front door, shoving people out of his way as he raced through the gym.
When people began screaming and running, Hershel didn’t know whether to follow through with his plan, or wait for a better time. But when Nola Landry came out of the ladies’ restroom, he had his answer. His target had just been delivered straight into his arms.
* * *
Nola was in the bathroom when she heard the uproar, and when people began screaming, she ran out to see what was going on. She could see the police, and someone running, and she got a glimpse of Tate before the crowd moved in front of her. She was debating whether to stay where she was or try to get back to her cot, when a masculine arm suddenly snaked around her neck and yanked her backward. She saw the knife from the corner of her eye, and without thinking, she rammed an elbow in her attacker’s belly, then stomped hard on the top of his foot.
When her assailant grunted in pain, she leaped forward, trying to twist out of his grasp. Just as she broke free, the back of her arm began to burn. She ran out of the gym screaming Tate’s name, and didn’t look back.
* * *
Beaudry and his deputies had Allen in handcuffs and were taking him to the patrol car when Nola came running out of the gym, screaming.
Tate spun toward the sound, saw her running and covered the distance between them in seconds. As soon as he caught her up in his arms, he saw the blood.
She was shaking, both from the shock and the pain.
“Behind me. He was behind me,” she gasped.
Tate’s heart sank. She’d just given them confirmation that Bell wasn’t their killer.
Cameron was already running back into the gym, trying to get past the people who were spilling out in panic.
Tate grabbed his cell phone.
“Wade! He just attacked Nola. He’s in the gym.” Then he thrust her into a deputy’s arms. “Call an ambulance. Put her in a squad car ASAP, and don’t leave her alone.”
“Yes, sir,” the deputy said.
Nola couldn’t stop shaking, and watching Tate running into the gym with his gun drawn only added to her panic.
Another deputy appeared with some towels and wrapped them around her arm before they put her into the squad car.
* * *
By the time Tate got into the gym, Wade and Cameron were coming to meet him.
“There’s no one here!” Wade shouted. “He ran out with the crowd.”
They did a one-eighty and flew out the door, but there was nothing to see, no one to chase, just a huge crowd of anxious parents and crying children.
Furious, Tate turned and headed around the building to the patrol car. Nola was in the backseat, in obvious pain.
“Where’s the ambulance?” he asked.
“Already on a run outside of town, and something’s wrong at the hospital. They lost power and are having trouble getting the backup generator going,” the deputy said.
Tate opened the door of the squad car, picked Nola up in his arms and headed for the government SUV. Wade was already behind the wheel, and Cameron was holding the door open for them to get in.
Cameron looked back. Laura was trying to quell the panicked crowd. He felt sick. It was their presence that had caused this. They couldn’t stay here again.
Tate could tell Nola was in shock and made a decision he hoped he wouldn’t regret.
“Power is out at the hospital and the backup generator isn’t working. Drive to the police station,” he said.
“But what about her arm?” Wade asked.
“Just drive,” Tate said, and pulled out his phone. He punched in a number and waited for it to ring.
* * *
Don Benton had fallen asleep in his recliner watching the late-night news, and when his phone began to ring, he jumped. It had been a lot
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