Be Mine Forever (Detectives Kane and Alton)

Horrified by the blood that had pooled around Kane in the last few seconds, Jenna scrambled over to him. “You’re not okay, Dave.” She reached for her phone. “I’ll call the paramedics.”

“Not yet.” Kane’s voice came out on a whisper.

Heart thumping, Jenna swallowed hard, wishing she had more experience in field medicine. “Let me take a look at you.”

“Don’t touch the knife.” Kane winced and his face turned sheet-white. “The vest took most of it but I’m light-headed. She had two knives and I figure she caught me in the gap in the vest. Left side under my arm.” He took a labored breath. “Before you call the paramedics, you’ll need to stop the bleeding. Find something to press against the wound and use Duke’s leash to secure it tight. Then call the paramedics.”

“Okay.” Without, a second thought, Jenna stripped off her jacket, Kevlar vest, and T-shirt. Balling up her T-shirt, she packed it hard against the small puncture wound pouring blood. “Hold your elbow in to keep the pressure for a minute.”

They’d left Duke at the barn door. “Duke, come here boy.”

When the dog bounded in, Jenna grabbed his leash, looped it around Kane and pulled it tight against her T-shirt. The stream of blood eased. She sighed with relief. “That will hold it.”

Duke let out a long whine, dropped to his stomach, crawled up beside Kane, and licked his hand. Jenna swallowed hard. The dog had sensed something was terribly wrong. The light caught the sheen of sweat on Kane’s brow and her stomach dropped. She’d seen him badly hurt but never like this before. Grabbing her phone, she called the paramedics and discovered they were attending a multiple vehicle pileup on the highway to Blackwater. Panic gripped her, dammit, Kane needed help now. She called Carter. “We have Vicky but Kane’s down. We need a medic now and the paramedics are delayed. Can you go and grab Wolfe, he’s at work? Where are you?”

“Heading back to the office. We found the suspects at home. How bad is he?”

Jenna flicked a look at Kane. “Very.”

“Copy that.” Carter sounded concerned. “The chopper is on the ME’s roof and ready to go. I’ll get Wolfe and send Rio by road. We’ll need a light out there. Headlights and blinkers would do. Call Wolfe and tell him I’m on my way.” He disconnected.

Jenna made the call to Wolfe and he wanted details. “He has a stab wound to upper left of his chest. The knife is in situ. Wound to left side upper ribs, bleeding heavily. I have pressure on it.”

“On my way. Don’t move him and keep him awake.” Wolfe disconnected.

Worry consumed her. She’d been with Kane when he’d suffered far worse injuries than this but he looked so pale. His labored, rapid breathing was becoming shallower by the minute but she tried to act as if everything was fine. “Carter is bringing Wolfe in the chopper and Zac can take the prisoners down and book them.” She looked at Kane’s glazed expression. “You’re going to be okay. I’ll go and get the truck. Carter will need the lights to find us.”

“Later.” Kane’s fingers barely moved as he tried to pat the floor beside him. “Sit with me. There’s something I need to say to you.”

Anxious, Jenna dropped to her knees and took his hand. It was cold and damp. “I’m here, what is it?”

“I—” Kane’s head dropped to his chest and his eyes rolled up in his head.

Oh, Jesus. Fear gripped her. “Dave, Dave come on now.” She patted his face and then felt for his pulse, it was rapid and missing beats. “Dave, wake up.”

She couldn’t rouse him and he was slipping deeper into unconsciousness. As she searched his pockets for the keys to the truck, she could hardly hear him breathing. Not wanting to leave him, she turned to Vicky. “Look after him. Keep trying to wake him. I won’t be long. We left our truck near the road.”

“I’ll watch over him but you don’t need to go for your truck.” Vicky looked at her. “Dale’s pickup is just outside and he’ll have the keys in his pocket.”

Jenna pushed the keys to the Beast inside her jeans and ran to Collins. “Where are your keys?”

“Jacket pocket.” Collins looked at her forlorn. “I didn’t mean for the deputy to get hurt.”

“Best you keep your mouth shut.” Jenna searched his pockets and found the keys. She snatched up her jacket and a flashlight and ran outside. It didn’t take long to start the engine and turn on the headlights and hazard flashers. She dropped her flashlight on the seat and pulled on her jacket. The light spilled over a few bottles of water and she collected them, sighing with relief. Dave would need water if she could wake him. Glancing at the sky, she pushed back the tears threatening to spill and jumped out the pickup. Rushing back in the stall, she handed Vicky a bottle of water and then checked Kane, but there was no change. Her T-shirt was soaked with blood and she had no option but to tighten the leash a little more. When finished, she turned to Vicky. “How did Dale get you to come here with him?”

“He asked me to have supper with him at Aunt Betty’s Café and then called and lied about having a new foal.” Vicky stared daggers at Collins. “He thinks he’s all that but he smells like he hasn’t bathed in a year.”

“You smell like a pig.” Marlene laughed.

“I told you to zip it.” Reluctantly Jenna turned to Vicky. “Keep talking to Deputy Kane, his name is Dave. We need him awake.”

“Okay.” Vicky moved closer and started to tap Kane’s face. “Dave. Can you hear me?”

Jenna straightened. The chopper was on its way and she could do nothing more for Kane but wanted to throw the book at these kids. They wouldn’t get away with their crimes, not on her watch. She went to her prisoners and read them their rights. “As you’re over sixteen you can waive your rights and answer our questions without having your parents present. You’ll be taken back to the sheriff’s department and held in the cells. We’ll inform your parents but you won’t be released and will go before a judge in the morning and likely be taken to a youth correctional facility.”

“No parents.” Collins looked alarmed. “I don’t want my ma coming down and screaming at me and my pa won’t be in the same room as her. I’ll waive my rights.”

“I will too.” Marlene laughed. “You don’t scare me.”