Too Far Gone

85

Detective Kennedy’s wounded leg throbbed to the rhythm of his heartbeats. It hurt like hell, but, he knew, not nearly as badly as it was going to. Bond had cut into his pant leg so he could see the tiny hole below his right knee that, thanks to the tourniquet, was merely oozing a trail of bright blood. Bond had raised Kyler’s leg using two Y-shaped limbs, with their Y’s acting as supports, their lengths forming a bipod. Kyler had set his Glock in his lap and laid the Winchester. 270 by his side.

Shortly after Bond had left to circle around to where Agent Keen and Manseur had gone, hoping to head off Leland Ticholet’s escape, several twenty-two rounds had sounded. They’d been instantly answered by two shotgun blasts.

Kyler had wanted to be a Homicide detective since joining the force, having moved up from patrol due to hard work and making the right connections.

The detective closed his eyes to better concentrate on sounds coming across the channel from the other bank. He didn’t dare use his radio, because he could give away Bond’s or Manseur’s position to Leland Ticholet. He had faith that between Bond and Manseur, things would end for Leland shortly. He knew Alexa Keen’s reputation for closing cases, but, as far as he knew, none of it involved dealing with this kind of violence.

Kyler felt a sting on his cheek and slapped the mosquito that was feeding there. He wondered why the little bloodsucker didn’t land on his leg and drink without piercing the skin. He was probably lying in poison ivy or in chigger-infested brush, and if he were being attacked by the mite-sized parasites, he’d pay a terrible price later on.

He closed his eyes and felt the cool wind on his face, and the sweat gathering underneath his clothes.

He shifted and reached for the Winchester. 270, but felt only the ground. He looked down and saw, to his horror, that his rifle had vanished. He smelled Leland Ticholet, and had the Glock in his hand a split second before the butt plate of his Winchester crashed into the side of his head, ending his panic.