Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Vienna had used the time to make up several sterilized gauze pads so she could pack the wound front and back to try to stem the bleeding. Thankful Elsa was unconscious, she did her best to stabilize the shoulder so if she did wake while they were still on the water, the bones might not grind together so horribly.
“That’s the best I can do for her, Verma. I’m going to try to go to the other kayak and see how bad those boys were wounded. You want her to remain unconscious. This wound is serious and would hurt like hell if she woke. Paddle and help Clay as much as possible. We’re not that far out now and they’ll have ambulances waiting.”
Vienna signaled to Zahra and they pulled away from Elsa’s kayak and stalled to wait for Harlow and Stella, who were towing Burt and Blane.
“How bad is she?” Zahra asked.
“I don’t know,” Vienna answered honestly. “Who would shoot at a bunch of innocent kayakers?” She tried to push away the nagging thought that she’d switched hats with Elsa and it was entirely possible that someone had shot the older woman thinking she was Vienna. That didn’t explain the two brothers being shot, but she still couldn’t push the thought away entirely.
Both brothers had been wounded. Neither could paddle, leaving Harlow and Stella to do the work of towing them against the wind. Fortunately, they were closing in on the marina. It looked to Vienna as if the two boys had been clipped and little damage had been done. She frowned as she assessed the damage. How had they escaped with minor injuries from what was obviously a high-powered rifle? Probably a sniper rifle of some sort. Yet Elsa had nearly been killed. Most likely she would have been killed, but the kayak was on rough water and had fortunately lurched, saving her life—at least Vienna guessed that was what happened.
Had the brothers been wounded just so it appeared as if Elsa was a random target, not the central one? And why hadn’t anyone heard the shots? They were on open water. The shots from a rifle should have been loud. Even suppressors were somewhat loud. The back of her neck tingled.
“Zahra, you don’t have that feeling, do you? The one that told you I was in trouble?”
Zahra gave her a look over her shoulder as they swept into the Willow Beach Marina and what looked like a military operation. There were men with guns on the beach. There was a helicopter in the distance. Ambulances. Clay looked haggard as he dragged Elsa’s kayak onto the shore with Verma’s help.
Vienna and Zahra raced to help him, but instantly they were surrounded by grim-faced men with guns.
“Vienna Mortenson?” one man said. “Zahra Metcalf? You both need to come with me now.”
“I need to see to my patient.” Vienna indicated Elsa.
Two EMTs had raced down to the kayak. Shabina and Raine pulled their kayak onto the shore and immediately they were surrounded by the armed men as well, almost before they could take a step. The moment Harlow and Stella had gotten the two brothers in close, the men with guns waded into the water to help pull the kayak onto the beach.
Stella protested the order to go with the men. “I have to take the shuttle to my 4Runner.”
“No, ma’am. You have to come with us now.”
Vienna continued to protest as well until a hard hand gripped her arm. She looked up to see Zale. He’d never looked so dangerous or grim-faced in his life. He appeared—terrifying.
“Get in the helicopter now, Vienna. All of you.”
It was a clear order. Stella looked from him to the others and she marched to the helicopter, leading the way.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Pack fast,” Zale said. “Your flight leaves in two hours.”
“My 4Runner . . .” Stella protested.
“Will be driven back to your home. Sam’s got it covered. You can text him,” Rainier replied. “We’re not taking chances with any of you.”
“You think whoever shot Elsa was really trying to kill me,” Vienna said. “That’s why you were so fast to come after us.”
“I don’t know, Vienna,” Zale admitted. “But I’m not willing to take chances with your life. It’s best you’re back home, where this nutcase has to come onto your turf if he’s really after you.”
“Why would he be after Vienna?” Raine asked.
“Get packed,” Rainier interrupted. “We need everything out of here. For once, Raine, your people and my people agree. They want you gone and we’ll divide the cleaning work.”
Vienna had brought very little with her in the way of personal items, so it wasn’t that difficult to put everything into her pack when it came to clothes. Gear was another matter altogether. She’d brought hiking, climbing, kayaking, and biking gear. The women piled their packs near the front entrance in record time, going over their lists to ensure they didn’t leave anything behind.