Three Libras - BLACKBIRD book 4

12. snap

Brock, Banks, Ron and Hank hurried back to the street, where Fred joined them. Banks called in a medic for Brock. Ledger's shot had barely scratched his left arm, but it was bleeding, making it look worse than it was.

Then they heard Russell say on the radio, "Reg, let me take'im away."

"IS HE OKAY!?"

Fred and Ron rushed to the alley when Gillian's voice thundered over the radio. Plain to see she wasn't worried about Ledger. Brock tried to follow. Hank's hand flat on his chest stopped him. The medic was already there, and he had to let the man take care of the bleeding, eyes on the end of the alley, past a low fence.

Behind that fence, Russell holstered his gun, softening his voice as he approached Gillian carefully. She still held her Glock to Ledger's head, and he could tell her agitation had nothing to do with the sprint. In twenty years, he'd never seen them like this. "Easy, Reg. Just lower your gun..."

But she didn't. "AGENT BROCKNER!?"

Brock looked up and tried to get rid of the medic. Once more, Hank stood on his way and stopped him.

Banks got it right away. "He's fine, Reg. Just a scratch in his arm."

Brock turned to him with a puzzled scowl. What the hell was going on? She wasn't calling him, but asking about him? Why?

At Banks' words, Gillian lowered her Glock and stepped back, still fighting her urge to shoot Ledger all the same. Russell hurried to cuff him and yank him away from the wall.

But as he pushed Ledger away from Gillian, the young man said, "That was Brockner? If I had only known..."

A shot hit the ground right by Ledger's foot, and he jumped aside with a jolt. Russell grabbed the collar of his T-shirt and turned around, to find Gillian pointing her Glock at the young man's head again.

Her voice was a dangerous growl. "Say it again, you piece of shit."

Russell saw Fred and Ron a few steps away and pushed Ledger toward them. "Take'im away! Now!"

When they got a grip on Ledger, Russell stood between them and Gillian. She was breathing heavily, her Glock still up.

"Reg...?"

She didn't seem to listen. The worst death glare he'd ever seen in her eyes seemed to pierce right through him, trying to reach Ledger.

Russell turned off his radio so nobody else would listen, his voice smooth and warm. "Talk to me, babe. It's me, Russ..."

She took a deep, shaky breath and holstered her Glock, still glaring past him at Ledger's back, away down the alley.

Russell exhaled and came closer to her, blocking her view again. When she finally faced him, he was completely taken aback by the furious tears she was fighting back.

She turned off her radio too, her voice but a thread. "For a moment I thought..." She trailed off and looked away, shaking her head.

He frowned, studying her as everything finally made sense for him. He reached out to touch her arm. "Jeez, babe," he muttered. "I... I didn't know..."

Gillian avoided his touch and brushed past him. Russell closed his eyes with a heartfelt grimace.

* * *

Ron and Fred dragged Ledger to a cruiser. They left him in custody with some uniforms and hurried back to the corner of the alley. They were almost there when Banks' phone buzzed. He checked it and picked up, looking at the alley.

"Yes...?" he said, cautious.

Halfway to the street, Gillian sounded still very upset, and dry in her attempt to fight it back. "Bob, send the lads home. Tell them I'll take care of everything back at the office."

Banks could tell the last thing she needed was questions, so he only replied, "Okay..."

To everybody's surprise, she stalked out of the alley, phone still to her ear. She waved goodbye at them on her way to her car. "Sat noon at my place, Bob."

"Okay..."

Banks disconnected, and watched with the others how she got in her car, slammed the door shut and hit the gas, rocketing away. Fred and Ron turned to Russell, who came out of the alley to join them.

"What was that, Russ?" Ron asked in a worried whisper.

Russell shook his head. "She'll be fine. She just needs a break."

SWAT, the ambulance and the cruisers drove away then. Russell headed to his car and found Brock in his way.

"What did just happen, Coleman?" he asked.

Russell held his eyes. "You really don't know?"

Brock scowled at his bitterness, but Russell dodged him and walked away.

Still digesting Russell's answer, Brock didn't even notice the others went back to their cars as well. He had a very good theory about what had happened. But it was just too wild to take it for granted without any kind of confirmation.