managed to get out of the way?
Tommy sniffed as they neared the area, the acrid smell from the explosion causing people to cough. The backpack had been incinerated. Gone. A black hole covered the spot where the blanket still burned. Searching for the wheelchair, Gavin also looked for Brianne and Stella. The last time he’d seen them they were coming back toward the tree.
The smoke settled enough that he saw the old man sitting on the ground by the wheelchair, his forehead bleeding. He and the woman held hands. Both safe and sound and looking at each other.
Gavin headed toward them to make sure they were okay. “You folks all right?”
The man nodded, still holding his wife’s hand. “Forty-eight years together. We’re tougher than we look, son.”
Gavin talked to them in a calm voice, making sure they were both okay and telling them help was on the way. Their love for each other was evident—like a punch to the gut but in a good way.
Then he glanced up and saw Brianne and Stella coming from the other direction, Brianne limping. But she gave him a thumps-up.
“Lost the suspect when someone in the crowd accidentally knocked me to the ground. Heading back,” she reported over the radio. Brianne turned toward Gavin, Stella dancing at her feet. Shrugging, she held up her hands in defeat.
They’d lost the bomber. But the entire NYPD now had his description from Gavin. The man could easily detonate another bomb at any minute, though. But Gavin had to wonder if he’d planned the attack to hit when the fireworks started going off. Worst-case scenario. Yet the bomb hadn’t done a lot of damage. Someone out for kicks? Or sending a warning to the city?
He let out a breath of relief but knew it would be short-lived. He had to go over this bomb scene and do a search for the man they’d spotted. What if he’d planted more bombs?
“Are you okay?” he asked through the radio.
Brianne hurried toward where he stood and nodded to him, her expression intense as she allowed Stella to do her job.
He hadn’t realized until that moment that he really wanted Brianne to be okay.
Glancing back at the old couple, he wondered what it would be like to hold someone’s hand at that age and still be in love.
Knowing he needed to search for more bombs, he hurried to meet Brianne, his mind still on that strong, courageous couple.
Off in the distance and after a long delay, the fireworks finally started. The areas on both sides of the river were now being heavily patrolled by the NYPD and several other law enforcement personnel from various agencies. But thankfully no other devices had been found along the river or in any of the parks, and most of the people on both sides were never aware that they’d searched for bombs. The fireworks barge had been cleared. The show would go on, but the search for the suspect would intensify. Reporters hovered near the cordoned-off areas, wanting the scoop. A few brave people stood behind the police lines, determined to see the fireworks now that the area had technically been cleared. But most of the people who’d been crammed into this area had either gone home or moved to another safer location.
Not a good situation, Brianne thought as they walked the perimeters that had been marked with police tape. The bomb fragments were being gathered, piece by piece, by the bomb squad and so far no other explosive devices had been found. The lab would go over every shred to find clues or markers. No word on the suspect they’d seen earlier.
Random? Or deliberate? She hoped they’d find the suspect somewhere in the city.
Brianne still shuddered each time she thought about the device that had exploded less than two hours ago in the haze of the coming dusk. If Stella and Tommy hadn’t alerted...
But that was the job. Taking care of this city. New trainee Stella had done her part and she’d been rewarded with her treat, which involved a ball and a few minutes of playtime, followed by a doggie treat. They’d have more playtime when they got home. Aggravated that she’d let the suspect get by her, Brianne looked up and found Gavin and Tommy heading toward her. Glad that they were still alive, she tried not to think about how Gavin made her feel.
“What a night,” he said, fatigue darkening his eyes.
“And it’s not over,” she replied. “We don’t leave until everyone else does.”
“Could be a while.”
Brianne had not been happy to be partnered with this man. He had a reputation around headquarters for being an overly ambitious hothead. But she had to admit that today he’d been professional and courageous. And caring. He’d personally made sure the elderly couple that had been nearest to the explosion had both been checked over by the paramedics and cleared. Then he’d seen to it that they had an escort home, not a taxi but a cruiser.
Now Brianne wondered if a big teddy bear hid behind that gruff, fierce exterior. Gavin was good-looking in a don’t-mess-with-me way, his hair a rich tousled brown, his eyes almost black, his attitude tough and untouchable. Maybe she’d misjudged her coworker, but then her last boyfriend had explained to her that she needed to work on her trust issues.
Even though she’d caught him cheating with her now-ex-best friend. Yeah, she had a few trust issues. But more than that, her determination and ambition matched that of the man walking with her right now. And that meant no love life. Too messy.
“You might need some downtime later tonight,” he said. “It’s always rough when things get this heavy.”
Whirling to face him, Brianne scoffed. “You don’t think I have the mettle to handle this, Gavin?”
“I didn’t say that,” he replied, clearly confused. “We had an intense situation, but you handled it like a pro.”
Anger gaining strength, she glared up at him. “I am a pro. I haven’t gotten my official graduation certificate yet, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do the job.”
“I said all of that wrong,” he replied, looking adorably sheepish. “You’re tough, Bree. We can all see that. You work harder than any of us in training and on the streets.”
“You mean, for a woman, right?”
“I hadn’t noticed,” he retorted, with a trace of a smile.
“Are you laughing at me, Sutherland?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Now you’re calling me ma’am?”
“Look, I’m headed for coffee and something to eat once we’re off duty. I’m bushed and I’m starving and my adrenaline has about run its course. You’re welcome to come with.” Checking his watch, he added, “Our shift should have ended an hour ago.”
Feeling contrite and a bit embarrassed, Brianne again wondered about Gavin Sutherland. She hesitated for her own reasons, but he took it the wrong way.
“Okay, I get it,” he said, walking ahead of her. “You obviously don’t
