Page 31 of Special Agent Raven
When she reacted to Noah’s request with such keenness, before Cane could smack it down, that little green fucker showed his head again.
Chapter Twenty-four
Raven stopped the jeep in front of the Sheriff’s office and noticed the lights were off and the place was dark. That fact sent such a frisson of worry across her skin that it made her reach for her gun.
Cane, who’s senses seemed aligned with hers, quietly removed his from the glove compartment also. Then he pulled Noah behind the jeep where the three met to discuss the situation.
“What’s wrong?” Perplexed, Noah demanded a reason for their weird actions.
Raven spoke low. “The power returned just before we left. There should be lights on in the office. I don’t like it… something’s not right.”
“You left Dwayne in charge you said. He’s a competent guy. Maybe he just decided to grab a snooze.”
“Nah. We didn’t tell you much about Dale, the killer we had locked up in the cell… and another prisoner besides him. No way Dwayne would be sleeping.”
As if being back on the job had finally registered, Noah took charge, his tone nonnegotiable. “Cane, maybe check the back and see if there’s anything out of place there. Raven give me your gun and wait here.”
Raven looked at Cane and they both chuckled at the same time before she spoke. “Noah, I’m an FBI agent. I don’t give my weapon to anyone, nor do I stand back. Look, there’s a rifle in the trunk here you can borrow. But I’m your backup, pal, and don’t you forget it.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Noah grinned his regret at talking down to her and waited for her to retrieve a weapon for him. Once they were all armed, Cane slipped away like a shadow in the night, and Noah headed to the front of the building that housed the police office.
Both he and Raven slunk low until they got to the window. Then they peeked inside, and Raven’s blood ran cold. Outrage consumed her, making her livid. Son of a bitch! Dwayne lay on the floor in a pool of blood.
Noah reached for the door handle but found it locked from the inside. Having lost his keys, he stood back and aimed his booted foot at the exact spot where the door would give way. One hard kick and it flew open.
While Noah headed for the back room that housed the cell, Raven crouched beside Dwayne to search for a pulse. At first, she didn’t find one but after a few seconds, she felt it, very slow and weak.
Careful not to make things worse, Raven zipped around to where she could lean closer to his face to find his breathing erratic but happening. Not wanting to make any more noise than possible until she knew the situation in the back better, she lifted her gun and went to quickly provide backup for Noah, to protect him in case of danger.
Once there, she saw Cane meet up with Noah at the open cell door saying, “All clear back there,” his thumb pointing behind him.
Raven instantly dialed 911 for a medical emergency and waited until someone finally answered. Once she explained Dwayne’s injury, the harassed-sounding woman on the other line instructed her to bring Dwayne to the hospital. “I’m sorry, Ma’am. All our ambulances are out on other calls. It’s a madhouse in here.”
Before she could share her findings with the men, they’d turned on the lights and found their other criminal, Sonny, perched on his cot, his hands still handcuffed to the bars and a piece of duct tape placed across his face.
Cane got to him first and ripped off the cover.
“Ow. Jesus Christ, man, that hurt.”
“What happened?”
The player hesitated until Cane glared at him, and then he grudgingly talked. “Your killer persuaded Dwayne’s son, Brody, into taking him to the bathroom, and he played him, man. Played him like a fiddle. Stupidest thing I ever saw. Brody didn’t know what hit to him. One minute he’s got his gun on the dude, and seconds later, he’s getting a knee in his nuts. Oopsie daisy, the asshole had his weapon. Dumbest Goddamn thing I ever saw. Don’t you guys train your deputies around here? Fucking joke.”
Before he could say more, Cane slapped the bandage back over his mouth. “You gonna yap off or shut up and listen to our questions?”
Bitching through the barrier, he kicked his feet and wriggled for a few seconds before slumping back and nodding nicely. Cane again ripped off the tape, and Raven had to admit to a certain pleasure when the asshole grunted in pain, but he stopped whining.
This time, Noah questioned the perp. “Did this Dale asshole say anything about what he planned to do? And where’s Brody now?”
Spitting the tape goop from his mouth, the loser admitted he wasn’t sure where Brody ended up. “Hell if I know. All’s I do know is that Dale took him along cause he needed his truck. Don’t know what happened to Dwayne either. Haven’t seen him, but I never heard a shot.”
While Noah explained what they found in the front office, Raven started back toward where the older man still lay in a pool of blood.
“Hey, guys, it looks like we have to take Dwayne into the hospital ourselves. Who knows the most first-aid to stop the bleeding before we get him into the jeep? I only have a few basics.”
Cane and Noah both went to crouch by the old man to assess the damage. After calling his name a few times with no response, Noah went to the cabinet behind his desk and returned with a first aid kit. Soon, Cane had a pressure dressing on the wound and wrapped more bandages around Dwayne’s head to hold it in place.
In seconds, both men lifted Dwayne carefully to put him in the jeep’s backseat, making sure to keep his head protected while Cane slid in to balance the man’s body and keep it from being too jostled.