He reached beneath his jacket to draw his Glock, but it was already too late. The bullet blasted through the window.
Clayton felt the sharp pain in the side of his head, and even over the blast, he heard Lenora yell. He tried to move. Tried to return fire and protect her, but he felt himself falling.
And everything around him turned cold and gray.
Chapter Two
Lenoras heart slammed against her chest, and she snatched up the Glock that dropped from Claytons hand and onto the table. She saw the blood, no way to miss that.
No way to avoid that punch of adrenaline, either.
That fear.
Oh, God.
Clayton had been shot.
That was her first thought, quickly followed by the realization that this could all be her fault. But she shoved those things aside because every second counted now.
Call an ambulance! Lenora yelled out to no one in particular.
She couldnt let this guy get off another shot. She had to stop him, or he could kill Clayton, her and anyone who was unlucky enough to be near them.
Lenora took aim at the truck.
And she fired.
The shot blistered through the air, but it was practically drowned out by the screams and shouts from the other diners. Lenora couldnt be sure, but she thought she managed to shoot the guy in the arm. She took aim again, but the driver hit the accelerator, and with the tires squealing against the wet asphalt, he fishtailed away.
She scrambled across the table,
catching Clayton as he slumped to the side. There was even more blood now. And it wasnt in a good place, either.
Hed been shot in the head.
No. This couldnt be happening.
With her heartbeat pounding in her ears and her hands shaking, Lenora kept watch to make sure the shooter didnt return for a second round. She couldnt risk that.
She jerked the scarf from around her neck and lightly pressed it to Claytons wound. She couldnt add too much pressure, because it might embed the bullet even deeper. It might even kill him.
If he wasnt dead already.
Clayton? She choked back a sob and tilted back his head a little. No response, so she pressed her fingers to his neck.
He was alive.
Thank God.
But he needed a doctor immediately.
Get that ambulance here, she shouted, though she figured it was already on the way. Still, it couldnt arrive soon enough, because every second counted now.
A dozen thoughts went through her mind. None of them good. It had only been two months since her friend Jill had been gunned down just like this. Right in front of her. In front of Clayton, too. This had to have a different ending than that shooting.
Somehow, someway, Clayton had to survive this.
Clayton? she repeated. Can you hear me?
He turned his head toward her, and his lips moved, too. He mumbled something that Lenora couldnt understand, so she put her ear closer to his mouth.
Im so sorry, she whispered.
That seemed to get his attention, and he tried to open his eyes. The baby. The two words didnt have any sound, but she was pretty sure thats what he was trying to say.
The baby.
The reason for this visit. Lenora had dreaded coming here. Telling him. And had braced herself for his reaction. But now she had a different reason to dread why shed decided to tell him.
If she hadnt come here, this might not have happened.
From the corner of her eye, she saw the movement of the man approaching and nearly lifted the gun again before she realized it was Marshal Harlan McKinney. With his own gun drawn and holding his cell to his ear, he raced across the street toward the diner and had to dodge a car that nearly plowed right into him.
Get here now! Harlan shouted into his phone.
The driver of that black truck, Lenora managed to say. He shot Clayton.
I saw it from the window, Harlan mumbled, and he practically pushed her aside so he could take hold of his foster brother. The fear was right there, in his eyes and in every part of his body.
Hold on, Clayton, Harlan said. The ambulance should be here any minute. His gaze flashed to her. Whyd this happen?
Im not sure.
Then guess! Harlan insisted. Because I want to know why my brother was shot.
But Lenora didnt even get a chance to speculate.
Or lie.
She heard a welcome sound. The ambulance sirens wailed from up the street, and it didnt take long for the vehicle to screech to a stop directly in front of the diner. Two medics got out and came rushing toward them.
Harlan and she stepped back out of the way, and Lenora watched. Prayed. And tried to keep it together. In addition to the flashbacks and the fear crawling through her, she thought she might throw up.
Bad timing.
Shed had few symptoms of the pregnancy, and she didnt want to be queasy now when so much was at stake.
Marshal Caldwell? one of the medics said to Clayton.
Still no response.
Clayton? Harlan tried.
And this time Lenora saw his eyelids flutter and open just slightly. Claytons coffee-colored eyes were unfocused, glazed, but he turned them in his brothers direction.
Youll be okay, Harlan assured him.
Lenora prayed that was true.
Clayton mumbled something. Or rather he tried, but like before Lenora couldnt hear what he said. The medics moved in front of her, easing Clayton onto the gurney, and they hurried to the ambulance with him.