as soon as she opened the door. She fought off another spasm of coughing and almost turned back for a wet towel…almost…but if Mitch were still conscious…if he’d gone after the gun.
Nope, couldn’t chance it.
Stepping into the hall, she let the door slam shut behind her and turned to the right, skimming her fingers across the wall for balance and positioning.
And prayed she could make it down the stairs without passing out.
Chapter Twenty-One
With ground glass and acid clawing at his chest, Devlin watched the battle taking place in front of him as the paramedics threaded needles, hung drips, and set up oxygen in their fight to keep Tag breathing. There was nothing he could do for his lieutenant now. He’d have to trust the professionals. Trust that they could keep Tag alive long enough to get him to the ER.
He took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, followed that up with a couple more lungfuls until the knot in his chest loosened and his breathing stabilized. Once he was back in control, he turned his attention to the other life on the line.
“Madeline said Mitch took Sarah into the motel. It will take forever for the yellow suits to reach the fourth floor. And they aren’t prepared to handle Armstrong. We need to get into that building. Get her out.” Dev leaned toward Trammel and lowered his voice.
Assuming Sarah was still in the damn place. Mitch could have fled and took her with him.
“Madeline?” Tram’s voice was equally low.
Dev turned slightly, located the petite brunette, and indicated her with a lift of his chin.
Tram’s gaze fell to her blood-stained hands before turning to stare back down at Tag. The paramedics had their lines in now, their drips going, their oxygen mask strapped to his face.
“She the one who stopped the bleeding?” Tram’s voice was tight, more than a bit guilty.
Dev shrugged, fighting the urge to look at her again. “She tried.”
Tram nodded, then wiped both his palms down his tense face. After a second, he squared his shoulders and turned to scan the building behind them. “It won’t be easy getting in.”
Neither of them looked toward the side door and the cop stationed there. All the entrances to the motel were probably under guard now. Although why bother? Only crazy would want to access the damn place. Dev scoffed beneath his breath. Which made them what, exactly?
Heroes or motherfucking morons?
While the cops on guard duty made entry to the motel more difficult, they didn’t make it impossible.
Tram, the cops, and the paramedics had all arrived at about the same time, Tram just a minute or so behind. Half the officers had canvassed the crowd, taking statements, and instructing the rubberneckers to stick around until the detectives arrived. The other half had taken up guard duty.
“The smoke’s gonna be a bitch.” Devlin glanced upwards at the motel’s gray, smoke slicked windows. “We’ll need to sweep the fire trucks, see if we can lift any of their SCBA gear. They must carry extras.”
They needed those breathing apparatuses and the air tanks. Heading into that building would do Sarah no good if the smoke took them out before they could reach her.
“I’ll distract the truck guard. You snatch what we need. Tag has a flashlight in his truck. I’ve got one in mine. We’ll grab those before heading in.” He turned slightly to look down the length of the building. “Too many eyes over here. If we get separated, meet me around back. We’ll bypass the doors and insert through a window.”
As his gaze returned to the crowd of vultures watching the tug-o-war for Tag’s life, his gaze fell on Madeline. Her blood-stained hands were almost the same shade as her bra.
His chest, which had started to loosen, tightened again.
You’d think someone would have given the woman a shirt by now. But no, that would interfere with the motherfucking peep show. Which, judging by the ogling of the bastards surrounding her, was of even more interest than the life and death struggle taking place on the ground.
Assholes.
“Hold up a minute.” His hand snapped out, clamping on Tram’s wrist as his lieutenant started to turn. “Give me your shirt.”
Yeah, they needed to get moving, but this would only take a few seconds. No way was he leaving the woman who’d saved Tag’s life exposed to every male eye in the parking lot. She deserved better than that.
He grabbed the t-shirt Trammel yanked over his head and stalked over to Madeline. The closer he got, the