Read Online Her Risk To Take by Toni Anderson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Toni Anderson
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son.” And Tabitha.
What sort of world did they live in where a man could beat his wife, then threaten anyone who objected with a gun? The echo of footsteps below them had them running faster.
* * *
Cal handed over his insurance and registration.
Talbot was grinning at him like a man who’d won a full million on the lottery.
“Surely you have better things to do on Christmas Eve?” Cal asked the guy.
“Despite what you may think, I don’t sit around waiting for you to screw up, Landon.” The sheriff’s expression grew grim. “There was an accident on the sixty-eight, and I was just heading back to town when I saw someone speeding. Not my fault you were breaking the law.”
“Was the accident bad?” Cal asked. Shit. What a thing to happen on Christmas Eve.
The sheriff looked down at his feet. “Three teenagers driving too fast, ran off the road and rolled a bunch of times.” He hitched up his equipment belt.
Cal winced. The guy was a dick, but Cal didn’t envy him his job. “Well, I hope they’re okay.”
The radio went off, and the sheriff froze in the act of writing out his ticket. He reached down. “Repeat dispatch.”
Cal heard “man with a gun” and “shots fired” and then the location, “County Hospital.” A very bad feeling came over him.
“Ten-four. I’m en route.” Talbot threw Cal’s documents back at him through the open window. “Consider this a warning.” He jogged back to his car, put on the sirens and cherry lights, and took off.
What the hell? Cal frowned. A shooter at County ?
He put his truck in gear and pressed his foot down to the floor. He tried to call Sarah on her cell, but she didn’t answer. Dammit. He called Nat instead. “Something’s going on at County. Meet me there soon as you can.”
He turned on the radio, and a chill rushed over his body. Reports of an armed intruder and shots fired inside the hospital. He called Ryan, but despite Eliza’s high-tech upgrades, cell reception was always spotty and inconsistent on the ranch. He left a message.
Seconds seemed to last forever as he drove the remaining miles to the hospital, foot pressed to the boards most of the way. The sight of Sarah’s Explorer in the parking lot sent a fresh bolt of panic through his veins, as did the sight of black-clad cops surrounding the front entrance. Sarah was in there somewhere. And Tabitha.
A tap on his shoulder had him whirling.
“Is Sarah here?” It was Eliza. Nat stood behind her, eyes scanning the milling crowd that the cops were trying to force back.
Cal swallowed his fear. Shook his head. “Radio said an armed intruder was in the building.”
“Sarah texted me to come get Tabitha.” Even as Nat spoke Cal saw a stream of children being led to safety off to the right. “Eliza, would you please go find Tabitha and look after her until Ryan arrives, please ?” The inflection in his voice begged her to do as he asked.
She nodded. Then she slipped something into Nat’s hand and pulled his jacket closed to hide it. Her Glock. “I’m going to make sure Tabitha is safe and see what else I can find out. I don’t want either of you to get hurt, but I have about as much faith in the local cops as in a group of high school students paintballing.”
Nat’s cell beeped again. He checked it. “Sarah’s headed to the roof.”
Eliza nodded. She’d spent weeks here in the spring. “There’s a fire escape around the back of the building that leads from the roof to the ground floor. Go get her to safety, but don’t get shot.” Her gaze was fierce as she kissed her husband full on the lips. Then she cupped Cal’s jaw and gave him a quick smile. “And if you don’t treat her right when we get her out of there, I’m going to shoot you myself.” She shook her head at him and walked away.
Cal watched her leave. If anyone understood exactly what was going on inside his brain, it was Eliza. And he had the sudden realization that running away
What sort of world did they live in where a man could beat his wife, then threaten anyone who objected with a gun? The echo of footsteps below them had them running faster.
* * *
Cal handed over his insurance and registration.
Talbot was grinning at him like a man who’d won a full million on the lottery.
“Surely you have better things to do on Christmas Eve?” Cal asked the guy.
“Despite what you may think, I don’t sit around waiting for you to screw up, Landon.” The sheriff’s expression grew grim. “There was an accident on the sixty-eight, and I was just heading back to town when I saw someone speeding. Not my fault you were breaking the law.”
“Was the accident bad?” Cal asked. Shit. What a thing to happen on Christmas Eve.
The sheriff looked down at his feet. “Three teenagers driving too fast, ran off the road and rolled a bunch of times.” He hitched up his equipment belt.
Cal winced. The guy was a dick, but Cal didn’t envy him his job. “Well, I hope they’re okay.”
The radio went off, and the sheriff froze in the act of writing out his ticket. He reached down. “Repeat dispatch.”
Cal heard “man with a gun” and “shots fired” and then the location, “County Hospital.” A very bad feeling came over him.
“Ten-four. I’m en route.” Talbot threw Cal’s documents back at him through the open window. “Consider this a warning.” He jogged back to his car, put on the sirens and cherry lights, and took off.
What the hell? Cal frowned. A shooter at County ?
He put his truck in gear and pressed his foot down to the floor. He tried to call Sarah on her cell, but she didn’t answer. Dammit. He called Nat instead. “Something’s going on at County. Meet me there soon as you can.”
He turned on the radio, and a chill rushed over his body. Reports of an armed intruder and shots fired inside the hospital. He called Ryan, but despite Eliza’s high-tech upgrades, cell reception was always spotty and inconsistent on the ranch. He left a message.
Seconds seemed to last forever as he drove the remaining miles to the hospital, foot pressed to the boards most of the way. The sight of Sarah’s Explorer in the parking lot sent a fresh bolt of panic through his veins, as did the sight of black-clad cops surrounding the front entrance. Sarah was in there somewhere. And Tabitha.
A tap on his shoulder had him whirling.
“Is Sarah here?” It was Eliza. Nat stood behind her, eyes scanning the milling crowd that the cops were trying to force back.
Cal swallowed his fear. Shook his head. “Radio said an armed intruder was in the building.”
“Sarah texted me to come get Tabitha.” Even as Nat spoke Cal saw a stream of children being led to safety off to the right. “Eliza, would you please go find Tabitha and look after her until Ryan arrives, please ?” The inflection in his voice begged her to do as he asked.
She nodded. Then she slipped something into Nat’s hand and pulled his jacket closed to hide it. Her Glock. “I’m going to make sure Tabitha is safe and see what else I can find out. I don’t want either of you to get hurt, but I have about as much faith in the local cops as in a group of high school students paintballing.”
Nat’s cell beeped again. He checked it. “Sarah’s headed to the roof.”
Eliza nodded. She’d spent weeks here in the spring. “There’s a fire escape around the back of the building that leads from the roof to the ground floor. Go get her to safety, but don’t get shot.” Her gaze was fierce as she kissed her husband full on the lips. Then she cupped Cal’s jaw and gave him a quick smile. “And if you don’t treat her right when we get her out of there, I’m going to shoot you myself.” She shook her head at him and walked away.
Cal watched her leave. If anyone understood exactly what was going on inside his brain, it was Eliza. And he had the sudden realization that running away
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