Gavin shifted his own attention across the street, trying to see anything that might be in the shadows, but all he could see were a row of storefronts and a small alcove to a doorway that led to the stairwell for the apartments built above the stores. Nothing flashed, nor could he even make out a shadow of anyone, even as something nagged at him to walk over and see what had her so distracted.
He wasn’t armed, and he should grab Arlo if he was going to investigate anything. Gavin nearly said as much, asking Sera to follow him back inside to wait until they could take a look at whatever was over there, when Darius walked past them.
The man had his phone shoved to his ear and a steady stream of instructions crossing his lips about keeping a client happy, all while encouraging whomever he was speaking with to not get caught up in said client’s problems. It was good, sound advice, delivered in a measured, confident, managerial tone that belied the man’s expertise and professionalism.
If the man wasn’t so focused on work he’d have asked him to stay with Sera while Gavin went to investigate. But he wasn’t going to interrupt him now.
“The way something over there keeps distracting you, I need to go check it out.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because I’m a cop, and something has set your instincts off. I just need to go get Arlo to come with me.”
“Look, it’s fine. I’m just going to go—”
She hadn’t even finished the sentence when the rapid clip of gunfire filled the air. Gavin moved on sheer instinct, throwing himself across her and tackling them both to the ground all while her screams filled the air. He cradled her against him and twisted at the last minute, cushioning the blow of hitting the sidewalk at a dead drop.
Before he could even catch a breath, everything seemed to move at once.
The few other people milling around on the sidewalk screamed and all raced toward the opposite corner, away from the gunfire. Gavin held tight to Sera, unwilling to let go for fear another round would start.
But it was the heavy shouts and familiar faces that he recognized as he looked up from where they lay on the ground that finally had him moving.
Arlo, Kerrigan and Jayden had barreled out of the bar at the distinctive sound of gunfire. All three now stood over him and Sera, yelling orders for information.
What had happened?
Gavin kept replaying it all in his mind as his three colleagues frantically looked around, assessing the situation.
But it was Jayden’s scream that rent the air, agony layered in every syllable as he raced away from them.
“Darius!”
Chapter 9
Sera rubbed the soft material of her hospital gown and stared down at her feet. She’d been poked, prodded, given a sonogram and a physical exam and was just waiting to be cleared to go back to the waiting room and the vigil being kept by the entire Harbor team.
One of their own had been targeted. Another of their own was sitting with family and praying for the life of his husband. And no one was any closer to knowing why.
Gavin was pushed into an exam room himself, and Kerrigan had kept up a steady stream of visits to Sera when she had information to pass along, but Sera had spent much of the past hour alone. With her thoughts and a sort of liquefied, bone-deep fear that vacillated between the baby’s safety and the fact that she and Gavin had been targeted and Darius had been collateral damage.
The doctor had assured her after the sonogram that the baby was fine, which was a deep relief. But it had left the other end of the fear spectrum to consume her thoughts.
Why had someone shot at them?
“Sera!” Gavin came into her hospital room, quickly rushing to her side. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I kept at them to let me in, but no one would let me out of observation. I just kept getting the runaround.”
“The baby’s fine. I’m fine. It’s all—” Whatever else she was about to say sort of petered out against his chest as he pulled her close.
“The baby’s really okay?”
“Safe and sound.” The words were garbled against his shirt, but the sheer relief she felt shimmering off his body went a long way toward calming her own tension. She clung to him, taking solace in the comfort.
He loosened his hold, but kept contact as he settled himself on the bed beside her.
“Is there any news about Darius? Kerrigan’s been in to update me a few times, but all she knows is that he’s in surgery.”
“Nothing yet. I came straight here, but Kerr’s been texting me. Jayden’s family is here and with him, and they’re all praying in the waiting room.”
“What happened?”
“Arlo’s trying to find out. He stayed on scene and has called in half the uniforms at the 86th to help him canvass the area.”
“Anything yet?”
“Nothing. Not even a shell casing. It’s like whoever was there was a ghost.”
“Ghosts don’t leave flashes in the light. I saw him, Gavin. That had to be what kept catching my attention across the street.”
Even if saw him was a bit of a stretch. She’d seen that weird flashing and the form across the street, but she’d never seen an actual face. In fact, the more she thought about it, that had been part of what had caught her attention.
“The person was in a mask.”
“You remember something?”
“That’s just it. I kept seeing that flash under the lights in my mind, and I wasn’t paying as much attention to the person, but there was someone there. I never saw a face, but I’ve been trying to remember. And then I thought maybe I didn’t see a face because of the big hoodie they were wearing, but I realize now I never actually saw the person’s face.”
Gavin held tight to her hands, his thumbs stroking her flesh. It was such a simple gesture, but it brought so much comfort, and she didn’t feel alone anymore.