Tactical Deception: Silent Warrior, Book 2 by J.L. Saint Read Free Book Online Page A

lifted an eyebrow.
    DT looked pointedly at Mari then turned around and left. Roger frowned. What the hell did that mean?

Chapter Seven
     
    Atlanta, Georgia
    Angie watched Rico maneuver away and swallowed hard, but her heart remained lodged in her throat. She turned back and focused on Franz’s wounds. With the stage shielding them from the sniper, she had enough room to give first aid.
    Liz Freemont ran from a copse of trees to the left.
    “Franz! Dear God. How bad is he?”
    “Mom. Get down and stay there,” Angie yelled even though she knew her mother wouldn’t listen. At least her mother kept low and mostly within the cover the stage provided. Another person to help came as a relief.
    “Hide while you’re exposed? You’re asking the impossible.” Liz brushed her fingers to Angie’s cheek, her gaze full of love, worry and relief to see her daughter all right. Angie shifted her chin to return the love. Then Liz bent down and kissed Franz’s cheek. “How is he? Can we move him?”
    “From the direction Franz was hit, Rico is sure we’re safe here. Still, keep your head lower than the stage and elevate Franz’s feet for me.” Franz didn’t respond to Liz’s touch, adding to Angie’s growing worry.
    Minutes ago, before Rico left, she really thought Franz would be all right. Now she wasn’t so sure. His loss of consciousness, rapid pulse and clammy skin screamed shock. Yet with the pressure to his wounds, he wasn’t losing a lot of visible blood, but he could be bleeding internally. Franz lay on his stomach with a rigged pressure bandage to his chest while she applied direct pressure to the bullet’s exit wound in his back.
    Liz moved to Franz’s feet and put them in her lap then massaged his calves in an upward motion, returning blood to his heart and head. He moaned after about a minute.
    Angie took his pulse again, still rapid, but stronger. “Franz, can you hear me?”
    “Yes.”
    “Thank God,” Liz said and Franz tried to turn his face to see her.
    “Stay still.” Angie adjusted her pressure hold.
    “Liz?” Franz called out.
    Liz tapped his legs then kept rubbing. “Right here.”
    “Damn, if I’d known getting shot would get your hands on me, I would have done it a long time ago.”
    Liz rolled her eyes. “Best friends are sacred and forever. Lovers come and go, luv.”
    Angie knew Franz had developed a thing for her mother after his divorce a couple of years ago. She also knew her mother would never commit herself to anyone or give up her independence. Angie’s father had abandoned them, and though her mother had had lovers over the years, she never committed herself to anyone. Angie loved them both and hoped Franz would win her mother over.
    “We’ll see,” Franz said.
    The original panic among those at the MetroSouthern gathering had eased and folks were now focused on helping each other, adults calling out, checking on others and reassuring crying children. Several men plotted to go after the sniper.
    As much as she wanted Rico to have help, she knew why he’d gone alone and spoke up. “Everybody, Rico’s in the military. He wants you all to stay here and hidden until help arrives.”
    A rifle shot ripped the air and Angie jumped. Her heart and mind reeled with worry for Rico. “Dear God. I am so glad Matt, Mitch and Lauren aren’t here.”
    “You and me both,” Liz said. “I wish you and Franz weren’t either. Seeing him shot and then you up here on the stage too—” Liz’s eyes filled with tears.
    Angie leaned over and pressed a kiss to her mother’s cheek. “We’re all going to be all right, okay?”
    Liz nodded.
    Franz groaned again. “Right now I’m wishing Caesar was here. He could have gone with your man to get the bastard.”
    “Rico went alone after the gunman?” Liz asked.
    Angie sighed. “Stopping him would have been like making the earth stand still. As for Caesar, he may look and sound badass, but that wolfhound is nothing but an attention-needy