The Hard Way by Duncan Brockwell (most popular ebook readers txt) 📕

Hayes stood with her mouth slightly open as Vodicka drew her last breaths. By the time she noticed Marlowe punching Sarge, Vodicka was on her back, staring up at Miller.

Vodicka died lying next to Walker.

“Give up, Sarge, it’s over!” Hayes pointed her gun at him.

Marlowe’s fight with Sarge took on momentum.

Before she could intervene, they were wrestling for Sarge’s Glock. “I mean it, Sarge. It’s over. Give it up before you get yourself killed.”

A gunshot reverberated around the large room, making Hayes jump.

Sarge lay on his back with a chest wound. Hayes heard him struggling to breathe. She stepped up to him and watched as his breathing stopped.

Before she could say anything, Marlowe grabbed the Glock and stood up, pointing it at Hayes. “Marlowe, what are you doing? It’s over!”

“For you, maybe. But not for me. What’ve I got to look forward to, huh? What, a lifetime in prison? No fucking way that’s happening.”

“You bastard!” Charlotte snapped. “Prison’s too good for you, you piece of shit!”

Hayes glared at Charlotte. “You’re not helping. Shut up!”

“Yeah, listen to Hayes, and shut the fuck up. While you’re at it, give me that rucksack, now.” He pointed the pistol at Charlotte, then back at Hayes.

“Wait! Marlowe, please don’t do this.” She pointed her gun at him, glanced at Miller, who stood with her hands up. “That battery’s too important. The world needs it.”

“Not as much as I do. That little battery’s my insurance policy. All the while I have it, and promise not to expose it, the colonel won’t come after me. Come on! Bring it over here, now, or I’ll shoot you in the face and walk over there and get it myself.”

Over a tannoy a police officer ordered everyone inside to exit the building with their hands up.

Hayes couldn’t have him take the battery.

When her finger moved, Marlowe lowered his gun and fired at her leg.

The pain was indescribable. Hayes fell to the floor, clutching the wound, which was already bleeding profusely. All thoughts of using her gun fell away at the excruciating pain. “You bastard!” were the only words she managed.

“Hayes!” Miller rushed over to her, placing her hands over the wound.

Marlowe accepted the bag from Charlotte and put it on. “Looks like no one will be coming after me now, huh? If Miller leaves you, you’ll die of blood loss. Anyway, I’ll be off. See you both around.” He smiled, then fled the room.

Hayes was already woozy from blood loss. “Go… after… him.”

Miller shook her head. “Are you mad? No way! If I leave, you might die. The battery’s not that important. Charlotte, go outside, explain the situation. Tell them we need an ambulance now.”

An armed police officer burst into the room with three colleagues. “Identify yourselves!” He stepped up to Miller, his carbine trained on her.

“Detective Sergeant Rachel Miller, my ID’s in my pocket,” she said, still pressing down on Hayes’ leg wound. “We need a paramedic in here, now. And there’s a suspect carrying a rucksack out the back. We need the contents of that bag, do you understand?”

“Go after the bag, please,” Hayes said, shivering.

Sweat rolled down Hayes’ face. She lay back, staring up at the ceiling, which was getting darker by the second. Miller kept telling her to stay awake, but she couldn’t keep her eyes open. So tired.

The last thing she heard were gunshots, followed by voices.

Day 9

Wednesday, June 20th

76

Miller looked up from the hospital floor to find a doctor in a white coat walking towards them. She stood with Inspector Gillan, and Travis, waiting for the doctor to tell them if Hayes was okay. “And?” Anxious, she studied his reaction.

“It was touch and go there for a while, I’ll be honest. The surgeon said she lost a lot of blood. Luckily the bullet missed her femoral artery, but embedded itself so close, it took her a while to free it. Although Hayes’ heart stopped twice on the operating table, she was revived on both occasions, and I hope she’ll make a full recovery.” He smiled at her. “She’s one brave lady, I’ll give her that. You should all take better care of her.”

“Oh we will, and thank you so much. You don’t know how relieved I am.” Miller went to shake his hand, and a touch emotional, hugged him instead.

“I think I can tell.” The doctor’s voice was strained. “You’re strangling me.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Miller relinquished him. “Is she awake? Can I see her?”

“Yes. She’s in her room and she asked for you, Detective Miller. I’m sorry! I would allow you all in, except she’s still groggy from the anaesthetic. I’ll give you ten minutes with her, then she must get some rest.”

Miller glanced at the clock on the wall. 04:30. She’d been waiting here for hours, which actually felt like days. The not knowing was over; she could breathe. “Is it down the hall?”

The doctor caught the attention of a nurse, asked her to show Miller to the recovery wing, and Miller followed the portly woman along a corridor. “Thank you!” Miller ran to the end room the nurse pointed to.

Opening the door, Miller saw that Hayes had her eyes closed, and her leg raised, bandaged. Miller thought she looked awful. Her usually lovely brown skin had a pale hue to it. “Are you awake?” Her whisper was met with a smile.

“Sure, come in, Rachel,” Hayes replied.

Miller closed the door, then walked to the side of Hayes’ bed, picking up a plastic chair as she did so. “How are you feeling? You gave me the biggest scare.” Ordinarily, she would hate Hayes calling her Rachel, but it seemed right somehow. All she was trying to do was stop herself from bursting into tears thinking about Luke.

Ignoring her question, Hayes’ smile faded. “Marlowe?”

Shaking her head, Miller gave Hayes the bad news. “In hospital. He was shot twice in the legs trying to run away. We have the battery stashed in the station. Since all