Luc almost didn’t catch her wording. A person she’d discussed earlier with who? He would have to figure out what she meant later, when he wasn’t winded from running from an active shooter. His left arm pulsated with pain as the adrenaline started to ebb.
For now, he kept his attention on Priscilla. Her breath hitched as she held the phone to her ear with a hand that shook.
Then a couple with two puppies straining at their leashes rounded the corner. Luc immediately moved to shield Priscilla from the strangers.
One of the puppies stopped to sniff Luc’s shoe. The man laughed as he tugged on the leash. “Sorry, he’s the overly friendly one.”
From the couple’s calm demeanor, they must not have heard the shots as they approached the shopping center from the rear path. Luc wasn’t about to enlighten them and murmured, “That’s okay,” as the man attempted to move the dog away from Luc.
The woman gasped as the puppy’s nose came up from the ground red. “You’re bleeding!”
Luc glanced at his upper arm. Blood he hadn’t noticed until now dripped down his sleeve and splashed onto the ground by his foot. He clamped his right hand over the wound. Sudden light-headedness washed over him, and he concentrated on breathing evenly to avoid passing out.
“Honey, call 911. That’s an awful lot of blood,” the woman said to her companion, who immediately whipped out his phone and punched in the numbers.
Luc started to agree, but one look at Priscilla’s face told him that she was not going to wait for an ambulance. She had already started to edge away to the right from the couple on the path, her voice low as she continued her conversation on the phone.
Although his arm ached and probably needed medical attention, Luc didn’t want to let her out of his sight again. Why hadn’t Priscilla panicked when the bullets started flying?
Now he had more questions that needed answers.
TWO
Priscilla had to tamp down her fear if she was to get out of this situation alive. She paced a few steps away from the couple and Mr. Long to talk quietly with Mac on her phone, her nerves jangling. She concentrated on slowing down her inhalation and exhalation.
“Was anyone hurt?” Mac snapped out the question. He had moved into crisis mode and she wasn’t about to let his briskness hurt her feelings.
“Yes, a bullet hit the upper left arm of Mr. Long. I don’t think it’s bleeding too bad. I don’t know if anyone was hit in the salon because I got out of there as fast as I could.” She sneaked a glance at Mr. Long, who had his right hand clamped on the wound.
“We need to get you out of there pronto. Your safety is top priority.” Mac’s reminder of the danger that still permeated the very air around her didn’t settle her nerves.
“Unfortunately,” Mac continued, “it could take me about thirty minutes to get to Fairfax. You can’t wait where you are. Still too close to the salon for my peace of mind.”
“My car’s in the parking lot near the salon.” Priscilla breathed in and out to the count of ten. Her brain kicked back into gear. “I only have my wallet.” She voiced her thoughts as she took in her surroundings. “And I have my phone. There’s a bus stop farther along this path. Hold on a minute.” She consulted the Next Bus app on her phone, then clicked back to Mac. “The Gold 1 Cue bus is due to arrive in less than ten minutes. Why don’t you text me where to get off once I board at the Daniels Run/Lee Highway stop?”
“Yes, got it.”
“See you soon.” She disconnected the call and eased a look over her shoulder. The woman handed her leash to her companion and drew out a bandanna from her back pocket to wrap around Mr. Long’s arm. It was time for Priscilla to move.
Priscilla stepped away without the group noticing. She didn’t want to abandon the man who had been shot on her account, but she also didn’t want to endanger him further, which she would if she stayed with him. The man who was after her would have no bones about shooting her and whoever she was with—of that she had no doubt. Priscilla took a bigger step and crunched a dry twig with her shoe.
“Hey, don’t leave!” Mr. Long extracted himself amid the woman’s protest that they had called for an ambulance.