Chapter 21

Of course he had come for her, her cranky white knight with his battered but not broken K9 partner in tow. She didn’t know why she’d doubted it, when he’d been there every other time her life had been in danger—and even when it hadn’t—over the crazy past few weeks.

He helped her to her feet, which had gone shaky from fear and cold. When Jules swayed, catching his shoulder to keep her balance, Theo frowned and bent as if to lift her in his arms.

“No,” she said. He gave her an appraising look, and she knew any hint of weakness on her part would lead to him scooping her up and carrying her from the building. “I’ve been too much of a damsel in distress already today. I want to walk out of here.”

Although he frowned, the lines on his forehead predicting an onset of stubbornness, he didn’t push the issue. Instead, he stepped back, allowing her to take her first, admittedly shaky, steps out of the cooler. As soon as she got her legs under control, she moved quickly toward the back door, wanting to leave the place as fast as possible from the closest exit.

Behind her, Theo spoke, making her jump. She twisted her head toward him, but once she realized he was talking on his portable radio, she resumed her quick almost-run to the door.

“Let the bomb guys know I removed two blasting caps, but the explosives are still live. I have Jules, and we’re exiting through the north side of the building.”

The smooth release bar was under Jules’s hands again, and she shuddered as she remembered her first escape attempt of the morning. This time, though, nothing was going to stop her. She shoved the bar down, letting her weight carry her forward into the new morning sun.

“Wait! Jules!”

She tried to turn, but all her momentum was carrying her forward, and she stumbled farther into the alley instead.

“What is it?” she started to ask, but her words trailed away as she saw the look on his face. Her gaze followed his, and her stomach cramped at the sight of Sherry stepping out from behind a dumpster only ten feet away.

She held a cell phone in one hand and a matte-black gun in the other—a gun pointed right at Jules for the second time that morning. “It didn’t work,” she said in a strangely conversational tone. “Gordon promised me it would work, but it didn’t.”

With horror, Jules realized the cell phone was some sort of remote-control device for setting off the bomb. If Theo hadn’t disarmed it, they would all be in pieces.

Theo took a step toward Jules. “Sherry—”

“No!” She raised the gun another inch, keeping it aimed at Jules’s chest. Looking grim, Theo stopped advancing on Sherry, his gaze shifting between Jules and the gun. She was having a hard time believing the whole situation was real. They’d been so close to safety, so close to being okay, but then Sherry had yanked the rug out from under them yet again. “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say, Theo Bosco! If you hadn’t been such a selfish prick, my dad would still be alive.”

Flinching, as if her words had been one of the bullets from the gun, Theo went silent.

“You’re going to pay now.” Smiling, a vacant, eerie look in her eyes, Sherry slowly unzipped her rain jacket. “They heard you were in danger, so everyone came running. Otto, Hugh, your lieutenant, all the cops who have your back. Your family.” She almost spit out the word. “Everyone’s going to die. And it’ll be your fault. Just like it was your fault my dad is dead.”

Her jacket flapped open, revealing an odd vest strapped around her middle, wires linking cylindrical objects, each tucked in its own pocket. It looked like some kind of twisted fanny pack, but Jules knew right away what it was.

Sherry was wearing a bomb.

“Like it?” Slipping the gun into a pocket of her open jacket, Sherry turned slightly from side to side, as if modeling the explosives. “It was almost impossible to get Gordon to make it for me. He’s developed a bit of a crush. Bailing him out of jail just made it worse. I finally convinced him by telling him it would be my plan B, just in case the other bomb failed. It is in a way. I meant for the first blast to bring everyone running to help, and then I would take all of your buddies out. This way is better, though. Now you know what your selfish actions have caused.”

Jules sent a frantic glance at Theo. His face was an expressionless mask, but she could almost see his mind working, coming up with possible ways to save her. The thought rang a discordant note. Why did he have to keep saving her? Maybe it was Jules’s turn to save him this time. Viggy gave a low whine as he sat, his attention locked on Sherry—and the bomb strapped to her body. The sound made Sherry’s gaze flicker from Theo to the dog for a fraction of a second, and Jules knew that was what she needed to do. She had to distract Sherry long enough for Theo to act. Jules tried to come up with a more specific plan, but her mind was racing, her thoughts bouncing around like her brain was a trampoline. Still, she had to do something.

“It seems like you’re the selfish one.” Jules forced out the shaky words. Despite her fear, she felt a tiny ripple of pleasure at Sherry’s startled expression.

“What?” she almost shrieked. “How can you say that? I lost my dad because of him!”

“So you’re going to kill all of these people, these good, innocent cops, these heroes, to get back at Theo? For something he couldn’t have prevented?” The more she talked, the less scared and more furious Jules got. “You’re going to take me away from my family, my brothers and sister who depend on me? I’m the only parent they’ve got!” By the time she finished, she was yelling.

“He needs to suffer!” There was no empathy, no guilt in Sherry’s expression. All that Jules could see was self-righteous rage. “He needs to feel what I did!”

There were shouts at the end of the alley where the entrance had been cordoned off. Otto and several officers Jules didn’t recognize were running toward them, until Sherry turned slightly toward the oncoming cops.

“Hold up!” Theo shouted, and the group skidded to a halt. “She’s wearing a bomb!”

“Everyone back!” Otto shouted. “Back!”

“Showtime.” Sherry smiled. It was her usual sweet and gentle smile, and that made it even more horrifying. Dramatically, she raised the hand holding the cell phone.

The rough—very rough—beginnings of a plan coalesced in Jules’s mind. Although she didn’t want to look away, she forced her gaze to focus over Sherry’s shoulder. “Too bad that vest isn’t going to work.”

“What?” Sherry’s smile faltered, her hand lowering slightly.

“Gordon gave you a dud.” Forcing a mocking smile, Jules met Sherry’s gaze. “The first bomb didn’t go off. Why would you think this one will? Besides”—Jules nodded at something behind Sherry—“if Gordon thought the bomb was going to explode, would he be here right now?”

Sherry’s entire body jerked in shock, and her hand holding the cell phone dropped to her side. She twisted around to look behind her. Jules started to launch herself forward. At that point, she wasn’t sure what her plan entailed—maybe something fuzzy about tackling Sherry and muffling the blast with her body, but Theo’s quiet command brought Jules to a stumbling halt.

“Viggy, hold.”

In a flash of fawn and black, Viggy shot forward, latching his jaws around Sherry’s right forearm. Yelping, she dropped the phone. As it skittered across the wet pavement, Theo rushed to grab it, and Viggy pulled Sherry to the ground.

“No!” Sherry yelled. “Viggy, stop! What are you doing? You’re our dog!”

“Not anymore,” Theo said, carefully placing the phone into his BDU pocket before heading for Sherry. “He’s my partner now.”

With a wordless scream of rage, Sherry twisted toward Viggy, snatching something from her pocket. The gun! Jules screamed in her head. She’d been so focused on the bomb that she’d forgotten about the gun.

“Don’t shoot!” Theo shouted, sprinting toward Sherry and Viggy. It felt like the world slowed down as Jules realized Theo wasn’t going to reach them in time. He was too far away.

The barrel was pointed at Viggy’s vulnerable head as he kept his jaws closed around Sherry’s arm. Jules lunged toward the pair, her gaze fixed on the handgun. She didn’t think about getting shot or whether the bomb would detonate or anything except that Viggy was about to get shot, and she had to stop it. Her body plowed into Sherry’s at the exact moment the gun fired with a cracking boom.

Just like after the barn exploded, everything went quiet. Dazed, Jules saw the gun spin away from them, skidding across the pavement. She ripped her gaze away from the gun just in time to see Sherry’s fist swinging toward her face. There wasn’t enough time to push away from Sherry or even to cover her face and protect herself. All she could do was watch as the fist got closer and closer. Cringing, she braced for the blow.

It never came. Opening her eyes, Jules saw that Theo was there, that he’d caught Sherry’s arm before she could connect. His lips were moving, but Jules could hear only a roaring sound in her ears.

Viggy! The gun had gone off. Had Jules been too late to save him? Dreading to look, so terrified of what she’d see, she twisted her head to the side. Viggy was standing next to them, no bullet wound in sight, his tail wagging madly, his tongue lolling out in the happiest of doggy grins. A wave of utter relief crashed over Jules, and she burst into tears.

Suddenly the world snapped back into place, and Jules could hear again—Viggy barking excitedly and the distant sound of sirens and Theo snapping out orders to a silent Sherry. Theo hauled Jules to her feet and then reached for Sherry, who kicked out, catching Theo on the side of the leg. He staggered, stumbling into Jules and grabbing onto her arms to keep her from toppling over and bringing them both to the ground.

As they regained their balance, Sherry scrambled to her feet and ran toward the diner. Theo pivoted around to chase after her, but Viggy was there, eager to help, and Theo had to come to an abrupt halt to keep from plowing over the dog. By the time he’d disentangled himself from Viggy, Sherry had disappeared through the back door of the diner.

Theo spun around and sprinted back toward Jules, grabbing the end of Viggy’s leash as he came. “Go! Go!”

It clicked then, clarity erasing the last traces of Jules’s daze. Sherry was in the diner…with two bombs and nothing left to lose. Turning, Jules ran.

Within just a few strides, Theo caught up to her and grabbed her hand. She tried to speed up, but she was already sprinting as fast as she could go. The barriers marking the end of the alley and the beginning of the safe zone looked miles away, rather than just blocks.

“Go ahead!” Jules said between panting breaths. She’d never run so fast in her life, but she knew Theo’s long legs could get him to safety much sooner if he wasn’t keeping pace with her. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“I’m not leaving you.” There was no give in his tone, no room for doubt, and Jules knew there was absolutely no chance of him leaving her side. Jules pushed her legs to move more quickly. Despite the terror and the uncertainty and the horribleness of everything that had happened, it helped having Theo and Viggy next to her, supporting her.

The orange-and-white barricades were visible up ahead, and she flew toward them, air sawing in and out of her lungs. Everything seemed too quiet. The only sounds were rough breathing and shoes slapping the pavement.

There was a boom that seemed to fill the entire space between her ears. The sound echoed through her body, so deep and loud that it took over everything. The early morning dimness suddenly turned incredibly bright, too bright, and the ground shook beneath them. Jules stumbled, almost going down to her knees. Theo used his grip on her hand to haul her upright, and they were running again. The barricades drew closer and closer, and then they were there, in front of her, and Jules had to stop abruptly so she didn’t crash into them. A roaring cheer broke the silence as everyone waiting behind the barricades celebrated their little group’s safe arrival.

Only then did she turn to look behind her. A tower of flame and black smoke had taken the place of the diner. As she watched, another explosion rocked the ground, and she flinched back, instinct making her cover her head with her arms. Debris rained down around the diner, the clatter and crashes barely audible over the roar of the fire. Shouts and curses and barking surrounded her, adding to the chaos, as a fresh plume of flame rose from the remains.

She’d just been in there. Theo and Viggy had just been in there.

The scene went a little hazy, and she swayed. Theo stepped in front of her, and she welcomed the sight of him. He was beautiful…and so alive. Ignoring the fire blackening the sky behind him, Jules gave him a wobbly smile. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Although he didn’t respond in words, his actions were clear enough. Wrapping his arms around her, he squeezed her tightly, lifting her feet off the ground and tucking his face against her neck. His heart was still beating fast. She could feel it where her chest was pressed against his, just like she felt his relieved exhale against the skin below her ear.

A hand dropped onto the back of her neck at the same time another one squeezed Theo’s shoulder. Looking up, Jules saw that the hands belonged to Otto.

“Quit scaring us like that,” Otto said.

“Bosco! You and Jules get over to Med to get checked out!” one of the cops ordered, an older man whose beaky nose and heavy eyebrows made Jules think of the eagle character on the Muppets.

Theo wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her tightly against him as they walked toward an ambulance. It made moving a little awkward, but it was worth it to feel his warmth and strength. Different first responders darted around them, looking stressed but focused. There was a line of fire trucks at the barrier, the firefighters clustered around, waiting for the signal that it was safe to get closer. Steve, the firefighter who’d been so kind to Dee, lifted his hand in greeting. When she returned the wave, the cuff around her wrist gleamed.

“Ouch,” Jules muttered. Now that the numbing adrenaline was wearing off, the throbbing in her wrists and hands was returning with a painful vengeance.

He glanced at the separated cuffs that still circled her wrists. “We’ll get those off.” As they reached the cluster of emergency vehicles just beyond the perimeter, Theo called out, “Hugh!”

Whirling around, Hugh crutched over to them quicker than Jules thought he could move. Dropping both crutches, he threw his arms around them, yanking them into a three-way hug. “Fuck! Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

There was a snort from Otto behind them. “You’re sounding like our grandma again.”

Theo thumped Hugh a few times on the back and then asked, “You still have your lock-picking skills?”

Surprise made Hugh draw away and then hop on his good leg to keep his balance. Otto offered the crutches he’d retrieved from the ground, and Hugh accepted with a grimace, fitting the padded portions under his arms. “Of course. Where do you want to break in? Can we do it tomorrow? I’m kind of done with drama today.”

In answer, Theo ran a hand down Jules’s arm so he could lift it and show the remains of the handcuffs. “Can’t wait. Can you get these off?”

“Handcuffs are easy.” Hugh leaned closer for a better look, wincing in sympathy when he saw how they were digging into her wrists. “But why don’t you just use a key?”

“I would,” Theo answered, sounding crabby, “if I had a key to Rough Rider brand cuffs.”

“Yo!” Otto shouted suddenly, making Jules jump and all the cops in the immediate area look in his direction. “Anyone have a Rough Rider handcuff key?”

The blank expressions on all the cops around them answered the question.

“Guess I’m picking them,” Hugh sighed in mock-resignation, leaning on one crutch so he could dig in his pocket. “Come here, little sister.”

Using one crutch and leaving the other one for Otto to retrieve—which he did with a long-suffering sigh, Hugh pulled Jules over to sit on the bumper of a fire truck. He waved away a couple of EMTs who were heading toward Jules with medical kits and purposeful strides. “You’ll get her in a second. Let me get the shackles off first.”

The Muppet eagle appeared next to them. “Bosco. A minute?” The question turned out to be more of an order, and he pulled a reluctant Theo out of earshot to talk. Theo kept shooting glances in Jules’s direction, the eagle evidently not holding his attention.

“Oh! How’s Norman Rounds?” The sight of the EMTs had reminded her, and the immediate mental image of his bloody, fallen body made bile rise in the back of her throat. “Is he…dead?”

“No,” Hugh said. “He’s in surgery now, but the doctors are pretty optimistic he’ll pull through. He’s a tough little bomb nut. What the hell happened in there?”

The idea of telling the story, of reliving every terrifying moment, made Jules start to shake. She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again. If she tried to talk about Sherry or Norman or the gun or the bombs or Theo and Viggy almost getting killed, Jules knew the only thing that would come out would be howling sobs.

“Never mind,” Hugh said hastily. He must’ve seen the signs of impending breakdown in her expression. “That can wait. Let me get these cuffs off.”

Grateful for the reprieve, Jules held out a hand to Hugh.

“I thought you didn’t like me,” she said after swallowing several times. Her voice still sounded rusty. “And why do you carry a bobby pin around with you?”

“For my man bun,” he said absently, working on the cuff around her right wrist. Jules glanced at his shaved head and frowned. “And it wasn’t that I didn’t like you. I just didn’t trust you.”

“Okay.” Although that stung a little, Jules couldn’t blame him. After all, she had committed multiple felonies. He was right not to trust her. “So what changed?”

“You brought my boy back to life.” As the cuff clicked open, he met her eyes. “Don’t screw him over. We’re kind of related now, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make your life a living hell.” He started fiddling with the lock on the second cuff.

“Kind of related?” she echoed, feeling dazed and wondering if this whole conversation was a product of her traumatized brain.

“Yep. You want Theo? Otto and I come with him. We’re a package deal.”

Next to them, Otto snorted a laugh. “Lucky you.”

The idea warmed Jules, even as it terrified her. Not only was she opening her life to a cop, but, it appeared, to the entire K9 unit. Her attempts at staying away from law enforcement officers had failed dramatically. She didn’t know if this would help keep her family safe or if it would bring their new lives crashing down.

“Yeah.” Even she wasn’t sure if her words were true—not yet. “Lucky me.”