Page 95 of Every Last One

Sandra looked back to where Megan was sitting and now saw there was a bullet hole in the wall behind her. The CEO had merely been grazed.

What the hell just happened?Sandra put a hand on her stomach and stared down at Mindy’s lifeless body. All those hours, all the patience had amounted to what? Exactly what she didn’t want. And this unfortunate woman’s husband. Sandra had made a promise to him and failed to deliver.

She was aware that the rest of the people who were in there were now leaving, and that the two ERT officers moved in. Sheheard their chatter, the sound of their footsteps on the thin carpet of the room.

Sandra couldn’t take her eyes off Mindy. It never should have ended this way. But as she replayed Mindy’s final moments, she understood how the situation might have looked through a sniper’s lens. When Mindy raised her gun to hand it to Sandra, it could have been interpreted as her aiming at Sandra.

Son of a bitch…Her heart ached for Mindy Ashmore, despite all the hurt and damage she had caused today. She’d been a regular person tested beyond her limits. And while Sandra always aimed for zero casualties, she’d failed today.

FIFTY-TWO

8:05 PM

“She was in the process of surrendering.” Sandra was muttering, but she couldn’t help herself.It didn’t have to end this way.

“Come on, time for you to go,” ERT Officer Willis said to Sandra.

One of the board members returned, likely a doctor, to tend to Beal and escorted her out.

Sandra gave one more look at Mindy’s body before leaving. He was right, and there was nothing more to do in this room. Crime Scene would come in and process the scene, collect the cash, and return it to the FBI. None of this was her problem or concern. She’d done her job. Or at least she tried to do it.

The loss of life hit hard. Down the hall, she snatched the tissue box from Pamela’s desk and wiped her face.

The metallic flavor of blood coated her tongue. Death. She was wearing Mindy Ashmore’s life force. Her poor husband was going to be destroyed. And after all this, he’d still have debt from the hospital. There was no way they’d ever write it off now. If word got out they had, it would only encourage more events like today.

“Where did you put everyone?” Sandra knew that until all the gunmen were cleared from the building, the hospital was still in lockdown.

“Beal’s office. It’s the largest on the floor.” He pointed to the right. The blinds in the room were now open.

Sandra saw Janie DeSilva and went inside to her. “Janie?”

“Yes?”

“I’m Sandra with the FBI. We spoke on the phone.”

Janie nodded, but appeared somewhat distracted by Sandra’s appearance, which must have been hideous. She’d still have Mindy’s blood all over her.

Sandra continued. “I wanted to thank you for all your help and to also tell you I met your sister this morning at the cordon line.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” Janie put a hand to her forehead. “I was afraid she was inside the hospital too.”

“She was running late.”

Janie smiled. “She’s always running late. Today, that was a good thing.”

“It was. When you get out of here, call her right away, okay? Tell her I told you.”

Janie bobbed her head. “I will.”

Sandra searched the room, seeking out Dr. Cowan. They might still be able to get Phoebe Chapman that heart. She’d seen Valerie Cowan’s photo before the breach. She spotted her at the same time as the doctor was making her way to Sandra.

“You’re with the FBI.”

“I am. Sandra Vos.” The doctor didn’t blink twice at Sandra’s appearance.

“I’m Dr. Cowan. I’m scheduled to perform a heart transplant on a little girl at eleven o’clock.”

“Phoebe Chapman.”