"Okay. But you wait for the sheriff's deputies.” She couldn't bear to think about something bad happening to him.
"I'll be fine. Don't you worry about me. Are you okay?"
"I think so.” She thought she heard a noise and scrambled to her knees and turned off the light. She didn't think it could be seen from the kitchen, but she didn't want to take any chances.
"What's going on?” he barked.
"I thought I heard something."
"Where are you?"
She lowered her voice to a whisper as she crawled to the far corner of the room and put her back to the wall. “I'm hiding in the pantry off the kitchen."
"Stay there until I come for you. I don't want you moving around the house and maybe getting shot by accident from either the shooter or the cops.” The calmness of his voice settled her nerves slightly. Shamus was on the way.
"Okay,” she readily agreed, listening to his voice as he continued to talk to her. She wasn't keen on going out there until she knew that whoever was outside was gone.
Finally, she could hear a familiar sound in the distance. “I can hear the sirens."
"Everything will be okay, Cyndi. I'm just pulling into the yard now. I have to hang up, but you sit tight."
She didn't want to lose the contact with him, but now that she was calmer, she knew he was right. “Okay. Just wait for the deputies and be careful.” She forced herself to end the call.
Laying her phone to one side, she wrapped her arms tight around her legs and waited.
Chapter Seven
Shamus kept his voice calm because that was what Cyndi needed. What he really wanted to do was howl in fury. Someone had attacked his woman.
He might have only met her a day ago, but deep in his very being, he knew she was his. Sheer terror filled him as he recognized her voice on the phone and her story had come pouring out. Someone had shot at her. Then the anger followed, hot and deep. Whoever did this had made a grave mistake. Cyndi was his woman and he would protect her with his very life.
Common sense had little to do with the emotions coursing through his veins at the moment. They were primal and volatile. He'd never felt anything like it in his life. The only thing keeping him steady was the fact that it was what she needed right now. She was alive and unhurt. That was all that mattered.
His fingers clenched the steering wheel so hard he was surprised the damn thing hadn't broken. The normally short ride had seemed endless, but finally he was pulling into the driveway. It was hard to hang up the phone and cut off his only connection to Cyndi, but he needed both hands free.
Red and blue lights flashed behind him as a sheriff's cruiser pulled up. Shamus opened his door and climbed out of his truck. Two more official vehicles pulled up and his brother jumped out of one of them. He stalked toward Shamus. “What the hell is going on?"
Shamus motioned to the house. “Someone shot out several of the windows. Cyndi said she was in the study at the time. They cut the phone lines too."
The sheriff's deputies were gathering around Patrick, awaiting their instructions. “Spread out and search the grounds. Be careful. We may have a shooter out there. I imagine he's long gone, but don't take any chances.” The men and women dispersed and set to work.
Patrick waited until they were all gone before he turned back to Shamus. “Why the hell didn't she call the cops? Why did she call you?"
Shamus stared his brother straight in the eyes. “She wasn't sure you'd come fast enough."
Patrick swore and shook his head as he drew his weapon. In his other hand, he carried a heavy flashlight. “You stay behind me. Do you know where she is?"
"She's hiding in the pantry off the kitchen. I told her to stay put until I came for her."
Patrick nodded and started up the walkway. He tried the front door, but it was locked. “Stand back.” Using the handle of the flashlight, he beat out a small window just to the side of the door. When the glass was all pushed aside, he reached in and found the locks. In seconds, the door was open.
Easing inside the front door, Patrick kept his back to the wall as he turned on the light in the foyer. “You wait here.” He then proceeded to check each room in the hallway, leaving the lights on behind him as he moved deeper into the house.
Ignoring his brother's order, Shamus was tight on his heels. He wanted to race into the kitchen to Cyndi but he knew this was the safest way for all of them. Still, impatience ate at him.
Patrick glanced over his shoulder, a frown on his face. “I told you to wait outside."
"So arrest me. But do it after we find Cindy.” Both of them kept their voices to just above a whisper.
Patrick swore under his breath, but turned back to continue his search. He stopped just inside the study and whistled long and low. “I'll say someone shot out the windows."
Shamus peered over his brother's shoulder and saw the carnage. Glass covered everything. Shards of wood had been chipped off the walls and several shelves.
His brother flicked on the light and Shamus froze when he saw the smear of blood on the wall beside it. “She's hurt."
Whirling, he raced down the hallway, ignoring his brother's instructions to stop. He heard swearing and footsteps and knew Patrick was right behind him.
Shamus burst into the kitchen and raced to the door at the far end. Patrick turned on the light in the kitchen as he entered the room. Shamus ripped open the pantry door and peered inside. At first he didn't see her and panic filled him. “Cyndi,” he called her name, his voice was hoarse with fear.
"Right here.” He almost didn't hear her; her words were little more than a whisper. Then he saw her huddled against the far wall. Relief hit him with the force of a sledgehammer.
His hand shook as he hit the switch and the light came on in the small room. Her face was pale and smeared with blood. There was more blood on her hands and some on her arms where small shard of glass had hit her. “Oh, Cyndi,” he murmured as he moved forward to kneel beside her, pushing aside what seemed to be the entire contents of her purse.
Patrick filled the doorway, staring at Cyndi. “Are you all right?"
She didn't even look at the sheriff as she nodded her head. “I think so."
"Let's get you out of here.” Shamus wrapped one arm around her shoulders and slid another one under her knees. Lifting her easily, he stood and carried her out of the pantry and into the kitchen. “She needs to go to the hospital."
"I need to get a statement.” Patrick stood with his hands on his hips, watching Shamus with Cyndi clutched tight in his arms.
"She needs to see a doctor first. We don't know if there are any shards of glass embedded in her skin.” Shamus was furious at his brother for the way he was treating Cyndi. If it had been any other woman, or a man for that fact, his brother would have worried about their well-being first and foremost. He glared at Patrick. “I'm taking her. If you want to stop me, arrest me."
Cyndi stirred in his arms, struggling to be put down. “Don't fight with your brother. I'm fine. I should never have called you. I knew this would happen."
He just tightened his grip as he stared at his brother. Patrick dragged his hand through is hair, his agitation plain. “Fine. As soon as I finish here, I'll head over to the hospital."
"You do that.” Shamus's frosty tone seemed to irritate his brother even more, but he didn't care. The only thing that mattered was getting the woman in his arms to the hospital where she could be taken care of. He could feel her shivering in his arms. He turned back to Patrick. “Do you have a blanket in your car? I think she's going into shock."