Rory (Hope City #7) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,29

and forth.

Maeve walked over and stood next to Sandy. “She was sitting close to you at the bar. Damn, she only had one drink.”

A snake of unease began to slither through Sandy, and she could feel her breathing shallow. “Get her glass. Don’t wash it…”

“Huh?” Maeve asked, her hands now helping to hold the woman upright. “Why?”

“I think she… she may have…” Sandy sucked in a deep breath, panic threatening to claw up her throat. “Been roofied.” She reached out and grabbed the woman as she slumped against the wall again.

“Shit!” Maeve yelled, causing both Sandy and the woman to jump. Maeve whirled around and ran back to the bar, grabbing a glass from the tub near the sink while calling out to the small group of first responders. “Need help, boys!”

Sandy glanced over her shoulder and watched as Torin moved close to Maeve and the two whispered. His jaw grew tight, but he grabbed a plastic bag from under the bar and helped Maeve put the glass inside before zipping it closed. Sandy was immediately surrounded and gently pushed to the side as several of the first responders moved in.

Just before she slipped out of the way, she could hear Rory’s voice talking to the woman, “Stay with me, lady. Can you tell me your name?”

Sandy’s feet moved of their own volition and she grabbed onto the bar for support. Her vision was dimming and so was her hearing. She thought Torin was on the phone and it sounded as though he’d called 9-1-1. I need to leave. I need to get home and get away from this. As more people crowded toward the bathroom hall, she bumped and pushed her way toward the front. The door opened and several police officers stalked into the bar. Trying to get out of the way, she slipped to the side, plopping onto the padded leather seat of the booth in the front corner as her legs no longer supported her. There, she pushed her body into the corner, drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around her shins.

Sounds of people talking, exclamations, even shouts of instructions were heard, but for Sandy, pressed tightly into the corner of the bar, she closed her eyes, and her mind slipped into the past.

10

Rory grabbed the woman and eased her to the floor. “Stay with me, lady. Can you tell me your name?” She mumbled incoherently, and he noticed her purse next to her. Glancing over his shoulder, he spied James, one of the other paramedics. “Soon as the police get here, give them her purse.”

Taking her pulse, he called out, “Heart rate forty. Call it in!”

“Already done, ETA two minutes,” someone next to him said.

“See if anyone can identify her drink,” he ordered.

“Already done, too. Torin’s got it bagged for the police.”

“That was quick thinking on someone’s part…” The woman moaned again, forcing his thoughts back to her and off the confusing blonde that too often invaded his mind. Continuing to monitor her vital signs, the hall soon became crowded as the on-duty paramedics arrived with their equipment. Rory stepped back but stayed in the hall, offering assistance and giving what information he had before they placed her onto the gurney.

As they rolled her out, he swiped his hand over his face. It hadn’t escaped his attention that her blouse was disheveled. If she had been roofied… Christ, my sisters come to this bar to drink. A clap on his shoulder had him swing his head to the side, seeing James.

“You okay, man?”

Nodding, he replied, “Yeah. Just can’t believe that happened here. I mean, fuck, here! Fuckin’ police and rescue workers right here!”

“I know, it’s crazy. The police are out there, a couple of detectives, too. They’re gonna want to talk to you.”

The words were barely out of James’ mouth before a detective Rory knew stepped over. “Rory, is this a good time?”

Sucking in a deep breath, he let it out slowly. “Yeah, yeah.” He answered the questions, first as a paramedic, and then as a pub patron. Shaking his head, he admitted, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I didn’t notice anything. I mean, I walked over to the bar earlier to get a beer. Talked to a… an acquaintance for a moment, but there wasn’t anyone else around. Someone else came over and started talking to me. It was just a moment later when I heard the commotion in the hall and saw Maeve rush back into the bar, calling