Page 9 of Last Chance Christmas

“Catch something good.” Olivia steered Junior toward the end of the street so they could head to the car. He really didn’t need her help to walk, but she wasn’t interested in letting him go right now. When they were out of earshot of anyone else, she said, “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Junior could’ve been killed.

That guy probably thought he had killed her partner.

“Guess you feel like…maybe you should get me an awesome Christmas present right now. Since I might’ve died.”

Olivia would’ve shoved him away if he wasn’t injured. “Who says I didn’t already get you an awesome Christmas present?”

“Sweet.” He moved his arm and groaned. “Ouch.”

“Come on, hero.”

She knew as soon as he was patched up, he’d want to get back to work.

They had escaped criminals to find.

Four

Izan watched the Life Flight helicopter take off, lifting from the highway into the sky, where raindrops started to fall. A thick bank of clouds obscured any stars that would’ve been visible. His helmet started to slip back on his head, so he quit watching the chopper and turned back to the scene.

Two cops climbed over the concrete barrier that separated the highway from the street beside it and all those townhomes.

Olivia.

She had Junior with her—and he was injured.

Izan jogged over. “You guys okay?” He pulled back the shirt on Junior’s shoulder. “Through and through?”

The cop nodded, his lips pressed together tight.

“Let’s get you to the hospital.”

Olivia had a pinched expression on her face. Worry for her partner. “Got a seat on an ambulance?”

“Trace and Kianna are just about to leave again. Life Flight took the officer from the van and a civilian caught up in all this who was the driver of one of the other cars. Both are critical.” Izan wasn’t sure if either would make it, but they had to try. “We’ll get Officer Ramble here on a bus so he can get patched up.”

Junior leaned against the back of their squad car, looking tired and uncomfortable. He’d lost blood, but not so much that the situation was dangerous.

Izan called out across the first responders and vehicles. “Medic!”

When Trace glanced over out the back of his ambulance, Izan waved an arm and pointed at Junior. Izan had been an EMT for years and still held the qualification. But with Junior being his best friend, he technically couldn’t treat him. Thankfully his friend was getting top-quality care.

“I can walk.” Junior pushed off the car and headed that direction. Amelia caught him as he passed her and helped him stay steady the rest of the way.

Izan turned from watching Junior to check on Olivia. “Are you okay?”

She might not have been injured, but she could still be hurt.

“The people. The situation. Then me.”

Her order of priority? He could agree with that, as a first responder. But as a guy who cared about her and didn’t like that worried expression on her face? He wanted to tell her to flip her order. “Rescuer safety first.”

She frowned at him. “What?”

“If you aren’t okay, you’re no help to anyone.” He knew he was standing close, talking low so she had to lean in to hear him. He took her hand, strategically holding her wrist in a way that he could feel her pulse.

But maybe she needed to hear it from the top once again so she could get her head on straight. “We got all the victims out, treated, and off to the hospital if that’s what they needed. Two were critical: the driver of one of the cars and the corrections officer, Richard Brighten. The guy looked like he’d been pistol-whipped, because Brighten didn’t get those injuries from the crash.”