It's a Gift (11/13)
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Shawn had lost all feeling in his hands and feet and Lynch was not participating in the conversation. Shawn knew that if he kept Lynch talking, it would delay the shooting part of the evening. He just had to stay calm until the others found him--and he knew they would-like they did last time.
He ran through a number of escape scenarios and none of them ended well. Then he heard the sirens and the red and blue police lights began to flash like some patriotic ball.
“Lynch, we know you’re up there!” Lassiter had a very commanding way with the bullhorn. “Come out with your hands above your head with Mr. Spencer unharmed and we can end this peacefully without involving anyone else!”
Shawn saw Lynch stuff something into his pocket before grabbing his gun and tickets. He then came over to Shawn and began to untie him. “C’mon, Shawn, we’re leaving.”
He pushed Shawn out the loft door ahead of him then down the backstairs. On the first floor, they headed for the old freight entrance in the back. Lynch cracked open the door and Shawn saw the police watching and waiting. With his escape route gone, Lynch yanked Shawn by the arm and shoved him towards the front. It seemed he was going to face this head on.
“You know,” Shawn said as he was pushed along, “I don’t really make a good shield when it comes to Lassie. He really wouldn’t mind shooting me.”
“I’m hoping his police morality will override that.”
Shawn snorted. “A thieving lawyer talking morality, that’s new.” Lynch pressed the gun into his ribs. “Do that and you lose your shield.”
“Only if I kill you. Wounded will still work.”
At the front door, Lynch moved the gun to Shawn’s temple where it could be easily seen before opening the door.
After blinking in the bright light, Shawn could make out Gus, his dad, Jules, the Chief and Lassiter with the megaphone. Everyone was here for him. He couldn’t help but smile.
“Call them back, Lassiter! If I see any officer too close, Spencer gets it!”
With a quick look at the Chief, who nodded in confirmation, Lassiter called the officers back. Oh, you do care, Lassie! Lynch eased the pressure a little bit, but Shawn knew he was still tense. Chances were very slim that it would end in Lynch’s favor.
“There won’t be any negotiation here, Lynch! It’s late and I’m tired! I might as well just shoot you and save the taxpayers’ money!”
“In front of all these witnesses? You’d be suspended pending an investigation!” Shawn could hear the slight tremor in his voice.
“Lynch, this is Chief Karen Vick.” She must’ve taken the megaphone to free Lassie’s hands. “You know what police are like when one of their own is threatened. I believe Detective Lassiter completely justified in his actions and no charges would be filed.”
“If you shoot at me, you’ll hit Spencer!”
Shawn saw the Chief hold the bullhorn in front of Lassiter. “No. I. Won’t.”
There was a tense standoff as the two men waited to see what the other would do. Shawn knew this was beyond his control. Any attempts to talk his way out of it could make things worse. He could only wait and hope he didn’t end up with another hole in his body.
Shawn wasn’t sure how much time had passed-probably not much at all-before he felt Lynch’s grip tighten on his right wrist as it was held behind his back. Something must have spooked him in the shadows but he would never know what. He closed his eyes as he felt the muzzle press into his temple. A number of regrets went through his head; chief among them was not telling Jules how he really felt. Gus will let her know.
He was knocked to the ground almost at the same the gun went off. The breath left his lungs but at least he was able to draw in more.
“Shawn, you okay?” It was Alan, who was lying on the ground beside him. “I didn’t make the concussion worse, did I?”
“No, I’m good. How did you know about the concussion? No, wait, don’t tell me, it’s a gift.”
“Now you’re catching on.”
Without his hostage, Lynch knew that he had lost any advantage and surrendered, hands on his head. Jules and Lassie, along with uniforms, approached him slowly.
“Are you all right?”Jules asked, giving him a quick glance.
“Nothing a bottle of Advil can’t handle.” Shawn watched as Lassie took great pleasure as he put the handcuffs on Lynch and read him his rights. “Oh, check his right pocket!” he called as Lynch was led away.
Gus and his dad ran up followed by the Chief. His dad knelt in front of him, studying his face. “Are you all right?”
Was that actual concern? “Yeah, Dad, I’m fine. Just a concussion. I’ve had plenty of those before.”
“If you say so.”
Ah, wait for it.
“How could you be so stupid as to go after a suspected murderer without telling anyone?!”
“Alan, that was just amazing!” gushed Gus quickly to change the subject. “It was like something out of a movie. You couldn’t have timed it better.”
“I could have, actually.”
“Dude, did you just take a bullet for me?” Shawn had never known anyone to do that before. “That is so cool!”
“Colonel, we’d better have a medic take a look at that,” said the Chief as Shawn and Gus helped him stand. “The same goes for you, Mr. Spencer. I believe I heard the word concussion. You can give your statement tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Chief.” Shawn waved as she walked away to check on her officers. “Okay, let’s go.”
“The ambulance is the other way, Shawn.” His dad put an arm about his shoulder and “guided” him in the right direction.
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Shawn had lost all feeling in his hands and feet and Lynch was not participating in the conversation. Shawn knew that if he kept Lynch talking, it would delay the shooting part of the evening. He just had to stay calm until the others found him--and he knew they would-like they did last time.
He ran through a number of escape scenarios and none of them ended well. Then he heard the sirens and the red and blue police lights began to flash like some patriotic ball.
“Lynch, we know you’re up there!” Lassiter had a very commanding way with the bullhorn. “Come out with your hands above your head with Mr. Spencer unharmed and we can end this peacefully without involving anyone else!”
Shawn saw Lynch stuff something into his pocket before grabbing his gun and tickets. He then came over to Shawn and began to untie him. “C’mon, Shawn, we’re leaving.”
He pushed Shawn out the loft door ahead of him then down the backstairs. On the first floor, they headed for the old freight entrance in the back. Lynch cracked open the door and Shawn saw the police watching and waiting. With his escape route gone, Lynch yanked Shawn by the arm and shoved him towards the front. It seemed he was going to face this head on.
“You know,” Shawn said as he was pushed along, “I don’t really make a good shield when it comes to Lassie. He really wouldn’t mind shooting me.”
“I’m hoping his police morality will override that.”
Shawn snorted. “A thieving lawyer talking morality, that’s new.” Lynch pressed the gun into his ribs. “Do that and you lose your shield.”
“Only if I kill you. Wounded will still work.”
At the front door, Lynch moved the gun to Shawn’s temple where it could be easily seen before opening the door.
After blinking in the bright light, Shawn could make out Gus, his dad, Jules, the Chief and Lassiter with the megaphone. Everyone was here for him. He couldn’t help but smile.
“Call them back, Lassiter! If I see any officer too close, Spencer gets it!”
With a quick look at the Chief, who nodded in confirmation, Lassiter called the officers back. Oh, you do care, Lassie! Lynch eased the pressure a little bit, but Shawn knew he was still tense. Chances were very slim that it would end in Lynch’s favor.
“There won’t be any negotiation here, Lynch! It’s late and I’m tired! I might as well just shoot you and save the taxpayers’ money!”
“In front of all these witnesses? You’d be suspended pending an investigation!” Shawn could hear the slight tremor in his voice.
“Lynch, this is Chief Karen Vick.” She must’ve taken the megaphone to free Lassie’s hands. “You know what police are like when one of their own is threatened. I believe Detective Lassiter completely justified in his actions and no charges would be filed.”
“If you shoot at me, you’ll hit Spencer!”
Shawn saw the Chief hold the bullhorn in front of Lassiter. “No. I. Won’t.”
There was a tense standoff as the two men waited to see what the other would do. Shawn knew this was beyond his control. Any attempts to talk his way out of it could make things worse. He could only wait and hope he didn’t end up with another hole in his body.
Shawn wasn’t sure how much time had passed-probably not much at all-before he felt Lynch’s grip tighten on his right wrist as it was held behind his back. Something must have spooked him in the shadows but he would never know what. He closed his eyes as he felt the muzzle press into his temple. A number of regrets went through his head; chief among them was not telling Jules how he really felt. Gus will let her know.
He was knocked to the ground almost at the same the gun went off. The breath left his lungs but at least he was able to draw in more.
“Shawn, you okay?” It was Alan, who was lying on the ground beside him. “I didn’t make the concussion worse, did I?”
“No, I’m good. How did you know about the concussion? No, wait, don’t tell me, it’s a gift.”
“Now you’re catching on.”
Without his hostage, Lynch knew that he had lost any advantage and surrendered, hands on his head. Jules and Lassie, along with uniforms, approached him slowly.
“Are you all right?”Jules asked, giving him a quick glance.
“Nothing a bottle of Advil can’t handle.” Shawn watched as Lassie took great pleasure as he put the handcuffs on Lynch and read him his rights. “Oh, check his right pocket!” he called as Lynch was led away.
Gus and his dad ran up followed by the Chief. His dad knelt in front of him, studying his face. “Are you all right?”
Was that actual concern? “Yeah, Dad, I’m fine. Just a concussion. I’ve had plenty of those before.”
“If you say so.”
Ah, wait for it.
“How could you be so stupid as to go after a suspected murderer without telling anyone?!”
“Alan, that was just amazing!” gushed Gus quickly to change the subject. “It was like something out of a movie. You couldn’t have timed it better.”
“I could have, actually.”
“Dude, did you just take a bullet for me?” Shawn had never known anyone to do that before. “That is so cool!”
“Colonel, we’d better have a medic take a look at that,” said the Chief as Shawn and Gus helped him stand. “The same goes for you, Mr. Spencer. I believe I heard the word concussion. You can give your statement tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Chief.” Shawn waved as she walked away to check on her officers. “Okay, let’s go.”
“The ambulance is the other way, Shawn.” His dad put an arm about his shoulder and “guided” him in the right direction.