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Hayes had gotten the remains, and he could only hope there hadn’t been much left. He used his free hand to search his back and found the probes still embedded, wire leading from them. Pulling on one, he discovered it was still attached to the empty cartridge. As long as the probes were in place, the taser could be used multiple times. He got to his feet, his body swaying a little. “Nolan. Can you hear me?”
But the policeman was out. Hayes reached over to check the pulse in his neck. It was slow, but steady. His brain foggy, he tried to recall what he knew about the aftereffects of GHB. A dangerous party drug in small amounts. In larger doses, it worked as a sedative. Too much would kill him.
When he withdrew his hand, it grazed against something embedded in the man’s neck. Prongs. In the darkness, Hayes couldn’t make out where the wires led. So he’d been tased to incapacitate him first, giving his attacker time to jab him with the drug. He’d probably been jolted repeatedly to provide the drug time to work.
Hayes’s right hand was shackled to the door handle, so he had to use his left to stretch into the vehicle, searching for Starr’s weapon. His pistol and taser were missing. So was his body cam.Cursing, Hayes lowered his hand to the officer’s belt, trying to find the radio that should have been hooked there. Also missing.
He pounded his free fist on the door in frustration, the chain on his other wrist jangling. There’d be an emergency feature on the radio that he could have used to alert dispatch. Another thought struck him. The cuffs he wore must have come from the policeman. His fingers were strangely clumsy as he felt around the man’s duty belt. It was stripped bare. Starr’s vest was unzipped. Checking inside it, he discovered neither a cell nor keys. The pants pockets were also empty. Even his wallet was gone. Hayes checked Starr’s shirt pocket. His fingers brushed metal near the bottom seam.
Relief slammed into him. It took more time than it should have to fish the handcuff key out. His fingers felt thick. Awkward. When he retrieved it he stared, his thinking increasingly muzzy.Key. Cuffs. Some part of his brain still worked, but his thoughts seemed to come from a distance. Fitting the key into the tiny lock of the handcuffs took a dexterity he no longer possessed. Hayes found himself leaning against the cruiser for support as he worked.
Finally, he heard the tiny snick signaling success. He shoved the key in his pants pocket, released the cuffs, and fastened a bracelet to one of his belt loops.
His brain was growing increasingly fuzzy. Focus grew more difficult. Backup gun. The idea flickered through his mind and was nearly lost before he mentally lassoed it and reeled it back. Hayes hadn’t carried a BUG, but Officer Starr may have. He opened the car door and crouched down to check the man’s ankles. Found another weapon strapped above the right one. Withdrawing it, he placed it in his empty holster and then unlocked the car doors so he could climb in the back seat to look for Starr’s shotgun bag. Some officers kept their Narcan in there, and the man may well need it to avoid an overdose. But the bagwasn’t present. The glove compartment and trunk were locked. Shooting his way into the trunk would alert anyone inside the building.
Where Reese remained in danger.
Hayes backed out of the car and spent precious minutes working the probes out of his skin before stumbling for the back entry of the building. There might be a landline inside. He could alert 9-1-1. Hayes had the element of surprise.
And he was no longer unarmed.
“Put down the sculpture.”
Reese purposefully let the figurine go without lowering her hand, rejoicing at the loud clamor it made as it bounced off the tiles a couple of times before rolling.
“Now the purse.”
She let the bag slide over her arm. Drop. “Hands in the air.” Sedgewick waited until Reese had obeyed before motioning with the weapon. “Out of the stall.” The doctor backed away a bit, keeping Reese in her sights.
Without moving, she said, “Kervin needs help. His pulse is weak.”
The doctor gave a thin smile. “He’s not your concern. Move.” With a last glance at the man, Reese walked by the other woman. “Stop there. Lie down.”
Reese’s mind swirled.Delay. Buy time. “You know how unsanitary a bathroom floor is?”
“Or I can just shoot your buddy in the head.” Lisa arched a brow. “Doesn’t matter to me when he dies.”
Reese went to her knees then lay down on her stomach, hands still raised. The doctor took a radio out of her pocket.Pressed a button. “Blake. Bathroom by the arrangement room. Now.”
“Where’s Hayes?”
“Your bodyguard? Probably not dead, unfortunately. But that will be rectified soon.”
A torrent of relief rushed through her.He’s alive. The knowledge reignited her determination. She wasn’t going to die on these germ-ridden tiles. People were depending on her. Hayes. Kervin. Reese inched her arms closer to her head. Bent her knees infinitesimally.
The doctor spoke into the radio again. “Chen!”
She levered herself to her knees and sprang forward, arms outstretched. Sedgewick tried to dodge, but Reese caught her by one ankle and pulled with all her might. A shot rang out, deafening in the small space. The doctor landed heavily against the towel dispenser. Reese wrapped both hands around the woman’s ankles and tried to yank her off-balance. A voice sounded through the radio. “What the hell’s going on in there?”
The doctor re-leveled the weapon at Reese’s head. “You have no idea what that will cost you.” To Chen, she said, “Get in here!”
The door burst open. Reese didn’t dare look behind her but clung to a gossamer thread of hope that help had somehow arrived. That snapped a moment later when she recognized Chen’s voice. “You.”
Hard hands yanked her up, spun her around and delivered a solid punch to her stomach. The air whooshed out of her. Reese doubled over, struggling to breathe. Felt herself pulled upward again.
“That’s enough.”
She was dimly aware that the man’s fist remained cocked above her. Ready to fly.