weapon with so many innocents around. The last thing he wanted was to get into a heated exchange of gunfire.
He holstered his gun. The minute the perp’s gun was no longer aimed at Spence, or anyone else for that matter, Nate would make his move. He’d take the guy down, hopefully before he could get a shot off.
“She’s bleeding, can’t you see that?” the guy said.
“I can’t tell from this vantage point. How about we get her into a room?”
There were only three rooms: the receptionist was in one, an emergency patient in another, and Cassie in the third.
And hers was the closest.
“How did this happen?” Spence asked.
“Stop asking so many questions!” To drive home his point, the shooter pointed his weapon at the ceiling to fire off another shot.
Nate charged the guy from behind, the force making him release the injured woman. Distressed about letting her go, the guy lost his focus. Nate slammed the shooter’s fist against the wall and the gun sprang free, dropping to the floor. Nate swung the guy to the ground, pinned him with a knee to his back and zip-tied his wrists.
“You’ve gotta help her,” the man groaned.
Nate glanced at Aiden. “Help Dr. Spencer get the female victim into a room.”
Aiden got up off the floor and assisted Spence.
“Ladies hiding beneath the desk?” Nate said.
Their heads popped out.
“Call 911. I need backup.”
“I already did,” Cassie said from the doorway of her examining room.
On cue, the wail of sirens echoed from the parking lot.
“You okay?” Nate asked Cassie.
“Yep.”
Aiden approached Nate. “Doc says she’ll need to be transported to the hospital. It’s a gunshot wound.”
“It was an accident,” the perp said.
“You’re under arrest for reckless conduct and aggravated assault,” Nate said.
Red rushed into the examining area, gun drawn.
“Don’t need the weapon.” Nate stood, pulling the perp to his feet. “Take this guy to lockup.”
“Yes, sir.” Red led him away.
“Good job, Chief,” Aiden said.
“Thanks.” He glanced at Cassie. “Ready to go home?”
“Beyond ready.”
“I’ll take her to Mom’s,” Aiden offered.
“I don’t think she wants to stay at the farm,” Nate countered.
“It’s okay. I’ll go,” Cassie said.
Nate guessed that after what just happened, she was upset and could use the support of family.
“But...” Cassie hesitated. “Can you drive me, Chief?”
“Come on, Cassie,” Aiden said. “Nate has more important stuff to do.”
“It’s fine,” Nate said. “I’ll take her.”
* * *
When she’d asked him to drive her to Mom’s farm, she hadn’t expected the chief to hang around as long as he did. He’d been here over an hour.
Mom, who lived alone since Dad’s passing more than ten years ago, kept hammering him with questions about the dead woman, but he explained he couldn’t discuss an ongoing investigation. She’d even bribed him with food, but he declined, opting for coffee instead.
He had a long night ahead of him. Not only had Cassie found a dead body, but then she wouldn’t go back into the hospital, and ended up in the urgent care, where a man went nutty and shot up the place.
Her mom politely asked another question and Cassie jumped in for the save. “I think he needs a refill.”
Mom glanced at his mug. “Oh, of course.” She went into the kitchen to get the pot.
“I’m sorry,” Cassie said to Nate.
Nate glanced up from his mug. “For what?”
“I feel like I’m a trouble magnet.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The dead woman in the cabin, having to rescue me, Jesse James in the urgent care. You wouldn’t have been there at all if not for my fear of the hospital.”
“It was a good thing I was there or more people might have been seriously injured.”
She shrugged. Her mind still spun about everything that had happened...and in one night!
“Here we go,” her mom said, returning with the coffee. “We’re so glad you could stay and chat for a bit. I’m sure it makes Cassie feel less anxious to have the chief of police here. It’s important to keep her anxiety at a minimum.”
“It’s important to keep everyone’s anxiety at a minimum,” Cassie said.
“True, but we don’t want yours triggering an episode.”
Cassie shook her head, mortified. To have her illness mentioned in front of Nate made her feel broken and pitiful.
“Could I get some cream?” Nate asked Mom.
Not what kind of episode? Or how bad is Cassie’s issue with anxiety?
Her big brother had probably told Nate the whole ugly story.
“Of course.” Mom went back into the kitchen.
“I’m okay,” Cassie said to Nate. “You don’t have to stay.”
“But your mom said—”
“I’m fine.” She stood and paced to the front window. “I’m not going to freak out if you leave, and I haven’t had an episode since I was a teenager.”
“Oh, okay.”
She turned to him. He was staring into his coffee.
“Go ahead, ask,” she said.
He glanced up. “Ask what?”
“About my anxiety, my—” she made quote marks with her fingers “—episodes.”
“It’s none of my business.”
“You
