Page 33 of Andrew’s Outback Love

“I’m from Dubbo, I’ve only known him for a couple of weeks and I wasn’t aware he already had a girlfriend.”

She moved closer, waving the gun around as she approached. I had no idea if she was going to shoot me as well.

“I didn’t know, Candy. I don’t steal other women’s lovers.”

“I don’t believe you.”

A knock sounded on the frame of the door and Candy spun around. It was a young man pushing a trolley, I assumed it was our dinner. I watched as his eyes widened at the sight of the gun and he reached for a device at his waist. When he pushed the button, an alarm sounded.

“Ma’am, I have alerted the front desk. Please put the gun down.”

The young man certainly had balls, but they didn’t do him much good. Candy screamed in frustration before pulling the trigger again. The young man dropped to the floor. When the elevator bell dinged, she spun around to face me.

She aimed the gun at my chest and as if in slow motion, I watched as she squeezed her finger on the trigger. I closed my eyes and waited for the bullet to pierce my skin, saying a quiet prayer to my maker who I was sure I was about to meet face to face.

I waited for the pain, the burn, like I’d felt when Blane had shot me in the shoulder. It didn’t come. The gun must have jammed. Candy fled the room and for now I was safe.

I rushed to Drew’s side and rolled him onto his back, blood poured from the wound in his shoulder. I then checked the young man who was holding his side and pulling himself into a sitting position.

“It’s only a graze, Miss. Please, take care of your friend. He looks pretty bad.”

“Thank you.”

I raced to the bathroom, grabbed towels from where they hung on the rack and rushed back to Drew. Dropping to my knees, I bunched up a towel and held it with pressure to his wound. Seconds later, the cavalry arrived in the form of two hotel staff and a security guard. The guard has his gun drawn and the staff members crouched to check on their colleague.

“Call an ambulance, please,” I pleaded. “I’m a nurse, this man has a serious gunshot wound.”

One of the men crossed the room, picked up the phone and dialed. I heard him giving information to someone who was obviously in emergency services before replacing the phone and coming closer.

“Are you hurt, Miss?”

“No, I’m fine. The gun jammed when she tried to fire again.”

“Do you know your assailant?”

“I do. Her name is Candy Wilson, a reporter with Channel Nine.”

“On it,” the security guard said before she left in a hurry.

“Is there anything we can do?” the man who was closest to me asked.

The other man stood by the door, waving off curious hotel patrons who were congregating outside our room.

“No, he needs to get to a hospital.”

I hoped the ambulance would arrive soon, Drew’s pulse was thready and faint, he was losing far too much blood.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Linda

I kept pressure on Drew’s wound until the Paramedics arrived and stepped back when they took over. I was surprised to find myself shaking as I stood by watching them work on the man I’d come to care deeply about.

Within moments, an IV was in place in Drew’s arm, a breathing tube inserted and oxygen flowing. He was out cold, pale and his skin had felt clammy. Even with all my experience in crisis situations, I found myself feeling scared to death.

“Miss? Patients name?” the male paramedic asked.

“Dr. Andrew Lowman.”