As he prepared to follow the ambulance carrying Emma and Tessa, he gave his team their orders. There was no doubt that they would follow it to the letter of the law.
Everyone was praying for their fallen brother, and would give it everything they had.
He had ordered Curtis to run it, with Brynn’s help. He wanted every inch of those trees scoured. He wanted a helicopter in the air, and he wanted that maniac found.
Enough was enough.
When his team had their directive, only then did he head to Paris and Tessa’s car to pull out the man’s bag. Inside, he knew would be his work, and he couldn’t let it go to waste. As he passed it off to Brynn, he gave her more instructions.
“Go through his tablet with a fine tooth comb. That shooter took out my profiler, and almost another. We have very little time to figure out what the hell is going on here.”
She nodded and took his bag. “I’ll handle it at the office,” Brynn replied, watching the man storm away.
“He’s going to lose it,” stated Briggs, pulling on gloves as the ME pulled up.
Brynn nodded. “I can’t say I blame him.”
At the hospital, Croft found Emma and Tessa in the waiting room. One woman was covered in blood, and the other was trying to soothe her. Pulling off his pullover, Greyson carried it to Tessa before kneeling.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay. I saw the wound. It wasn’t that bad.” He lied his ass off. Even though it looked to be through and through, it was right by his spine. That was a dangerous spot.
“This is all my fault,” she whispered, as Emma helped her out of her bloody pullover and body armor.
When she got it off, it was dropped into a biohazard can nearby. “No it’s not, Tessa,” she reassured.
“She’s right,” added Greyson. “The person doing this is the one to blame. You didn't cause this.”
“He took the plates out of his vest for me the other day,” she whispered, as the tears began falling. “If he had them in, he wouldn’t have been hurt.”
Greyson pulled his fleece over her head and helped her into it. It was big enough that it covered a good deal of the blood, until they could get her into clean clothes. “Tessa, I’m your boss, and I need you to listen to me. Those plates may or may not have protected him. He’s going to be okay, but you need to think positive right now. Do it for Paris.”
She nodded and sniffled.
“Oh, God! You have to call his mother and father,” she said, suddenly sick to her stomach. She was going to have to face them, and that terrified her. Tessa had only seen pictures of them, and never met them. Now, she was going to come face to face with her boyfriend’s family.
This wasn’t how she wanted to do it.
At all.
Croft stood, letting his wife pull Tessa into her embrace. For now, Emma would offer her comfort and peace, as he called the parents of a young man whose life hung in the balance.
His heart ached.
The only thing racing through his mind was how he had ordered the agent to the scene. Maybe if he didn't, Paris wouldn’t be fighting for his legs and his life.
The anger surged. There was only one solution for all of this.
It had to end.
One way or another, this killer had to be stopped.
Greyson Croft was more than over the edge. He was in one hell of a downward spiral.
~ Chapter Seventeen ~
Standing over the ME, they waited for him to give them anything at that point. When Greyson Croft checked in, they didn't believe that he would be happy if they uttered the word, ‘nothing’ to him.
In fact, it might be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“What can you tell us, Doc?” Brynn asked, crouching beside him, like she’d seen Emma do countless times. Maybe if she played nice, he’d tell her anything to appease the boss.
“I can tell you she’s dead, Detective,” he replied. “It was one shot to the head, and it was likely the same caliber weapon as the others.”
“We need a little more, Doc. Anything?” she pushed.
“Listen, I can’t give you what doesn’t exist, okay?” he snapped, and then took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Detective Westmore. I’m just sick of standing over dead FBI agents. I didn't mean to snarl at you like that.”
She patted him on the shoulder. “Doc, I feel your pain. I’m sick of seeing them too. I think we all are.”
“How bad is Agent Archer?” he asked, looking up from his clipboard. “Did the paramedics say anything?”
She thought back to what went down. “They locked him into a brace board and carefully pulled him off Tessa. He was out cold, probably from the blood loss.”
“Poor Agent Brass,” he said sympathetically.
Brynn didn't offer anymore. If the doctor didn't know that Paris and Tessa were a couple, far be it for her to spread it around. Word was likely to spread, especially since Paris had declared his love for her in front of everyone as he lay over her body.
“It was scary. He couldn’t move his legs.”
The man shook his head and tried to focus on the deceased victim. “She’s still in her pajamas, and this is likely a broken coffee mug. I can postulate that she came out for her paper, and was shot one time in the front of the head. The bullet wound has a larger exit site out the back, so she was facing the shooter. With the way she landed, the shot came from over that way.” He pointed toward the SUV.
Brynn already knew that, but it was good to have confirmation.
Curtis stopped making notes and called over to the team processing the evidence. “I want everything. If you have to vacuum the grass to suck up fibers, get them. That handprint means someone was here. Find me something to use! We still have a Fed killer on the loose!”
Steele Bentley sighed. “I hope we stop this person soon,” he stated, going back to work.
Curtis stared down at his blue pullover and wondered which one of them had been marked to die. “Yeah, so do I.”
* * *
Two Hours Later
In the waiting room, Tessa leaned heavily on Emma with a handful of tissues. It had been a long few hours as they waited for any news on Paris Archer’s surgery.
When two people rushed in, Tessa immediately tensed. “Those are his parents,” she whispered, her voice filling back up with emotion. Paris did indeed resemble his father. There were the bird egg blue eyes and same features.
Her heart ached, that she may never see him get to be that age.
Emma nodded toward them, and Greyson Croft intercepted them before they hit the main desk. They shouldn’t hear any bad news from anyone but him. After all, it was his job to take care of his people, especially if they went down in the line of duty.
“Mr. and Mrs. Archer?” he said, holding out his badge.
The woman made a strangled sound caught somewhere between a sob and a whimper, already expecting the worst.
“Yes,” said the man, reading the man’s ID. “You’re Paris’s boss,” he stated. “I've seen you on the news, and my son speaks highly of you.”
Yeah, that made him feel even worse.
“I was there when your son was shot. My wife and I came in with him,” Croft offered.
“What happened, Director?” Daphne Archer asked, wiping her eyes. “I need to know what happened to my only child. Please,” she begged.
Roger Archer placed his arm around his wife as they both stared at the large man in front of them. Their son liked, trusted, and believed him to be a good person. That was enough for them.
“We were called to a scene. You may have seen it on the news lately. Someone is taking the lives of FBI agents.”
Daphne sobbed more.
“Paris was profiling the case and while there, the killer took another shot.”
“Why would anyone want to hurt our son? He’s sweet and gentle,” Daphne said. “I don’t understand.”
This was where it could get ugly. “I don’t believe that your son was the tar
get.” The more and more he thought about it, he was pretty sure that Tessa Brass was the one marked to die in that driveway. Because of the way the bullet came at her, and the way Paris and she fell, it had to be her.
“I don’t understand. So, this was random?” she asked, getting more upset.
“No, you see, we saw a flash in the distance. It was the sun catching the scope of a rifle. Paris didn't think twice. Instead, he threw himself over his partner and saved her life.”
They both let that sink in.
“You’re son’s a hero.”
“How bad is he?” Roger asked, holding his wife up. “Give it to me straight, Director. Is my boy going to die?”
Croft didn't want to lie. “All I know is that it’s not good. The bullet entered from the side and they think it clipped his spine. He’s been in surgery for the last two hours.”
Both parents closed their eyes, getting the message without him saying a word.
It meant one thing. Paris wasn’t going to walk again.
Daphne began crying. Her heart ached for the little boy she raised. He was her whole life. There wasn’t a single moment, in his existence, where he didn't make her incredibly proud. Now, he was in pain.
It was a mother’s worst nightmare.
“Who are they?” Roger asked, seeing two women not far from them. One was a redhead, and she was offering the other soothing words. The other woman looked like she had been run through the emotional ringer.
“The woman in the FBI pullover is Tessa Brass. She’s your son’s partner.” Then, he said the words. “She’s the woman he saved.”
The Archers looked at each other, recalling their son’s last words to them. They both needed to speak to her.
As they moved toward her, Croft stopped them. “I know you’re hurting, but so is she. Please, if you want to take your anger out on someone, I’m the one who called your son to the scene. I’ll bear this one, but please, if you could have heard her as she held him, you’d understand.”
Daphne stared over at her. “Was she the one living with my boy? He mentioned that he was in love with his partner, but I never asked for her name. I didn't want to pry,” she whispered, now wishing she spent every last minute with him.
“Yes, that’s her. Right now, she’s hurting beyond belief. Your son and Tessa are in love, and this is killing her. I know I don’t deserve to ask this of you, but please give her mercy.” Since Greyson knew about her past, there was no doubt what would happen to Tessa if she lost Paris.
Roger held out his hand. “Thank you for being here, Director. I appreciate the kindness and opportunities you’ve given my son. He loves working under you. Being a profiler with the FBI is a dream come true for him. I only hope it’s not over.”
Croft watched them walk away, and his heart ached in his chest. “It won’t be the end, I promise,” he whispered, before heading off to call his boss. This was going to take a miracle.
One he planned on pulling off.
In his book, Paris Archer was nothing less than a hero. That meant he’d move heaven and earth for him.
This time, he wouldn’t fail him.
Both women could feel them approaching, and Tessa knew it was time to face the music. She was the reason that Paris was in surgery and could likely die. If they were going to tear into her, she couldn’t blame them.
She deserved it.
Standing, she braced for it as they stared at her.
Daphne noticed a few things. First, the woman was covered in blood. It had stained her jeans and was soaked into her clothes hidden beneath the large pull over. After that, it was quite obvious that the woman was mourning too. Her eyes were red, her nose was too from blowing it, and she was shaking. Lastly, there was the telltale sign that this woman was important. Around her throat sat a necklace, the one her mother had worn her entire life.
“Are you Tessa?” she asked, introducing herself. “I understand that you were with my son when he was shot.”
She nodded, unable to speak.
“You’re wearing the necklace my mother gave him.”
Again, just a nod. Tessa couldn’t even begin to put a sentence together. When her fingers touched the cold gold necklace, her eyes filled with tears.
Daphne wanted to rage at the pain that was brewing, but she knew this poor woman wasn’t to blame. She’d wait to place the anger in the right place.
“I’m sorry he’s in this situation. I let him get hurt. Your son is a brave and a sweet man, and he’s in pain because of me,” she whispered.
Daphne didn't want her to hurt more. It was obvious that the woman was carrying so much on her shoulders. It proved how much she loved her son.
Mothering instincts kicked in. Daphne opened her arms and hugged her. “It’s okay, honey. My son’s tough. He’ll pull through this. Just think positive for him. Right now, he’s alive and that’s all that matters. We’ll deal with the rest later.”
Tessa sobbed at the realization that he might not be coming back the way he went in. Paris was going to be changed, and if he didn't forgive her, she’d be the one who would die.
Her heart wouldn’t recover if she lost the love of her life. After everything in her life, none of it compared to the loss she was feeling now.
It killed her that their chance for happiness was ebbing away, and Tessa would do anything to get it back.
What wouldn’t she do for one more chance?
If it came down to it, she’d even offer up her own life in his place.
* * *
Sunday Night
They were all sitting there, drinking horrible hospital coffee. It wasn’t like it was offering them any kind of relief. It was mostly to help focus on anything but the ticking of the clock.
It was maddening.
For now, all their thoughts and energies were focused on the two doors which Paris had been wheeled through so many hours ago.
When they heard footsteps and the door automatically opened, they all jumped up. Daphne and Roger Archer headed toward the doctor when he said Paris’s name.
Tessa stood there waiting, praying that the doctor wasn’t going to tell them he succumbed to death. If he uttered those words, surely she’d die right then and there too.
“I have good news and bad news. I’m a firm believer in the good, so let’s go with that first,” he began. “Your son was shot here,” he said, pointing to his own side. “The bullet travelled through his body, and luckily didn't hit any major blood vessels or organs. In fact, that’s a miracle. We’ve stitched him back up, and he’s ready for a room. Now, for the bad news,” he said.
Daphne reached back and Tessa took her hand. “We’re ready.”
“The bullet hit a lower vertebra, and it caused a compression fracture. Right now, it’s not likely that he’s going to feel anything from his waist down, but with time there’s a possibility of feeling retuning. We have his entire body immobilized and he’s in recovery in a halo. The less we play with it, until the swelling is down and he heals, the better off we are.”
Tessa put her hand over her mouth as the tears began to fall. Her poor Paris!
“He can’t move, but you can see him in the ICU shortly. I wouldn’t bet that he’s going to wake any time soon, but just having you there may be helpful.”
“So, he’s paralyzed?” Tessa asked, her heart heavy like a lead balloon.
“We won’t know for a while, but think positive. With physical therapy and care, he may have a chance. I’ve seen this injury before in a few cops. They’ve healed.”
Roger Archer needed to know. “Fully healed?”
The man paused. “Enough to lead productive lives and carry on with their careers, with modification.”
Tessa knew his field days were officially over.
“Now, if you’ll follow me,” he said to Daphne and Roger. When Tessa went to join them, he stopped her. “I’m sorry, but you’re not permitted back. It’s for family only.”
The knife was shoved through her
heart and Tessa wanted to weep even more. Now, she really did wish they were married. Then, she could be at his side.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Tell him I love him so much,” she pleaded, big fat tears rolling down her already burning cheeks. “Tell him that I’ll always love him and I’ll sit here until I can see him again, even if it takes days. I won’t leave.”
Daphne couldn’t do it to her. “Please, she’s important in his life. If he wakes up and his girlfriend isn't there, it’ll mentally damage him.”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, it’s hospital policy.”
Tessa returned to the chair and dejectedly dropped her head into her hands. She wished that she could rewind time and go back to last night.
In fact, she’d give her legs to do it.
Greyson couldn’t watch her hurt anymore. “Doctor, my name is Director Greyson Croft. I’m Paris’s boss, and head of the FBI here in Vegas. He’s going to be in danger yet, so we need to station an agent at his bedside for the duration.”
The man could have fought, but he didn't, since the woman did have a badge and gun on her hip.
“Head to the nurse’s station when you’re ready, and I’ll warn them that you’re coming,” he said.
Daphne crossed to the woman weeping in the chair. She got down on her knees so she could stare her in the eyes. “Tessa,” she said, her heart aching for her. If this wasn’t love, she didn't know what was. Obviously, her son had found someone who truly was dedicated to him.
“I did this. My poor Paris is here because of me,” she whispered. “I can’t even be by his side, because I’m nothing to him.”
Daphne touched her cheek. “Let me tell you a little story, sweetheart,” she murmured, stroking her face. “The necklace you wear is very special to our family. When my mother was dying, she took it off and gave it to Paris. You see, he’s an only child and was her only grandchild. When she died, my mom wanted him to have it to remember.”
Love is Bleeding (A Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 4) Page 39
