Cut & Run (Cut & Run #1)(109)
Author: Abigail Roux

“A local wouldn’t do that!” Ty interrupted in frustration.

“What if that son of a bitch comes back after … what the hell?” Zane stood up in a rush and his head snapped around as the EMT stepped back, pulling an empty syringe from the IV feed line.

Ty pointed at her and gave a triumphant little, “Ha!”

“Now, Special Agent Garrett, you’re exhibiting strong symptoms of shock,” she said soothingly, laying her hand over the IV shunt in his arm, making sure he didn’t yank it out. Her eyes shifted from Zane’s badly broken arm again over to Ty. “You need to sit down right now. I’ve given you a sedative and something to help with the pain.”

Zane took two steps right up into Ty’s face. “You can’t do this to a partner and expect there to be any lev … level of tr—trus….” His knees started to give out as he blinked slowly.

Ty took him by his good arm and eased him toward the stretcher he had refused to use before. “We’ll talk about trust later, Special Agent Garrett,” he cooed as he forced Zane down.

Wobbling as he sat back down, Zane’s eyes glazed. “Ty,” he said pleadingly as he sagged against the stretcher, laying out flat as Ty and the paramedic moved his nearly limp body. “Don’t.”

Ty held him down until he was certain Zane wouldn’t thrash around when released. “I’m sorry,” he murmured as his hands slipped away once Zane’s eyes closed. He looked up at the EMT and sighed dejectedly. “Thank you.”

The woman smiled, but looked nonplussed. “I can’t believe he’s not out cold. We should take him to the hospital.”

“Can’t do the hospital,” Ty told her softly. “Not safe there.”

She nodded as if she understood, then looked between them thoughtfully. “So he’s your partner?” she asked carefully.

Ty nodded as he looked back down at Zane, not even catching that there was more than one meaning to the question. “We’re working a case,” he answered distractedly as he pulled out his badge and showed it to her. The action was completely habitual. “Been a bad one,” he murmured quietly.

The EMT glanced at the badge. “So he’s your partner at work,” she clarified.

Ty looked over at her and blinked stupidly. “What?” he asked in confusion.

The woman smiled a little. “I asked if he’s your partner at work.

You’re looking a little wobbly yourself. Why don’t you sit down, Special Agent….”

“Grady,” Ty supplied as he frowned. “Yes, he’s my partner at work,”

he echoed, still confused by her interest. “I don’t need to sit down,” he added stubbornly.

“Okay,” she said. “I just thought you might want to stick around. He should be out for about thirty minutes. He’s still going to hurt when he wakes up, though. He told me about why he didn’t want the drugs.” She gave him an even look. “Who are you to him to countermand his decision?”

“I’m his partner,” Ty answered defensively, beginning to bristle a little under the scrutiny. “You knew as well as I did that he wouldn’t be able to take it. Common sense trumps alcoholism every day of the week, Sunshine.

He’ll thank us later.”

“But you know it’s more than alcoholism, right?” she asked as she instructed another EMT to set Zane’s arm and wrap it up while he was out.

“That’s why you’re so protective,” she continued as she took Ty’s arm and pulled him gently away. “Of your partner.”

Ty was getting annoyed and beginning to suspect that she could tell he hadn’t exactly made it out of the car without injuries either. He could feel the urge to bark at the woman and he stamped it down, just hoping to get away without being doctored. “What’s your point, Princess?” he asked.

The woman’s eyes flashed. “Honestly? I’m trying to decide if you care enough about him to take care of him after this. He’s going to be a mess for a couple days, at least. Broken bones all over, the sedative and his reactions to it. Seemed to me you were worried enough that he might be more than just a partner. Maybe a friend?” She stood and straightened, not bothered at all that she was more than a foot shorter than Ty. “Now. Tell me what I want to hear, or I’m shipping him off to Lenox Hill. And unbutton your shirt; I see bruising,” she demanded as she pointed at his neck.

“What do you want to hear?” Ty asked as he pulled the top of his shirt together to hide the bruising from his seat belt, his frustrated voice going slightly higher than it normally did.

“Grady?” a soft voice called from amidst the crowd of police, firemen, and EMTs. Ty turned distractedly to see Henninger making his way precariously through the crowd.

“Hold on,” he said to the man with a dismissive wave of his hand, looking back at the woman.

“Are you going to take care of him?” she asked bluntly. “Or do I need to find someone else?”

“How about a f**king doctor? That’s what he needs, right?” Ty asked in exasperation.

“What the hell happened?” Henninger asked as he jogged up to them.

“Jesus. Is he dead?” he asked as he looked down at Zane.

The woman shook her head, face hardening. “Go take care of your business, Special Agent Grady.” She turned away and joined the other paramedic in tending to Zane’s more severe wounds. They worked on the arm, one holding a preformed brace as the other wrapped his now-set arm into it.

Ty fought back the urge to reach out and throttle the infuriating woman. He looked down at Zane and his features softened unconsciously as he watched them lift him carefully to wrap his ribs tightly. “How long is he going to hurt?” he asked as Henninger stepped closer and peered down at Zane as well.

Zane was jostled as the stretcher was moved around, wheeling him toward the back of the waiting ambulance. The agent didn’t even protest as they moved him, just sluggishly stared into nothing when he should have been unconscious. “He’s going to hurt for a while. A week, at least. Two is more likely. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s three or four. He’s dislocated his shoulder, broken two bones in his forearm, cracked four ribs, had his brain rattled around in his skull, and his hip is badly bruised,” she said grimly.

“Looks like his knee may be out, too. He’s a mess. I don’t know how he expects to operate without painkillers.”