Instead of dropping the weapon, the man lunged toward Tansy with the knife.
Sam fired his gun, and the man dropped with a roar, clutching his ruined hand to his chest.
Sam hurried to put himself between Tansy and the bastard on the ground, then angled so he could keep an eye on him while checking the rest of the room.
Joe and Troy held guns pointed at a man dressed in a suit who stood with his hands out to the side and a bored look on his face.
Bernard Howard.
Knowing the others had the situation under control, Sam turned his attention back to the man on the ground. The idiot was trying to use his foot to pull the knife toward him. Sam kicked it away and then knelt down with the gun aimed squarely at the man’s face. “You want to try for the bat?”
The guy spat at Sam, but it was easy to avoid.
Sam rose and kicked the bat away.
“Keene PD.”
“FBI. Stand down.”
With the backup cops and agents piling in, Sam backed away until another officer had the thug under his watch. Then he lowered his gun and moved to Tansy.
She sat in the chair, trying to yank the zip ties off of her ankles. Sam’s heart ached. His fault. She’d been tied up and tortured and it was his fault.
“Tansy.” That’s all he could manage before he knelt in front of her and just pulled her into his arms.
“Sam. I knew you’d come. I knew.”
The conviction in her voice floored him. “Thanks to you and that tracking device. I’m so sorry I didn’t stop them, Tans. I’m so sorry you were taken.”
She wrapped her arms around him and burrowed in. “Not your fault. I knew you’d find me. Thank you.”
Her voice started to shake, and she pulled in a deep gulp of air. He didn’t move while they both battled for their composure.
Then Joe joined in the group hug, and they all just held each other.
When he had his voice under control, Sam leaned back. That bastard had two weapons, and he’s used them at least once because they’d heard Tansy cry out.
“Where did he hurt you?”
Joe immediately leaned back as well.
It took no time at all to see the slices in her leggings and her t-shirt.
He growled as he and Joe shot to their feet, then turned to the man on the ground.
“Tansy? Where is she? Tansy! Are you okay?” Nico’s voice distracted them both from their quarry.
Their buddy rushed over to hug Tansy and whispered something in her ear.
By the time they turned back, several officers were hauling the bastard to his feet and escorting him out of the storage unit, potentially saving him from any more injuries. They’d all sworn to uphold the law, but that asshole had cut up Tansy.
Part of Sam was thankful he wasn’t alone with the prick. The other part of him desperately wanted to be alone with him.
With a mental yank, Sam turned his attention back to Tansy. Her leggings were black, but he could feel the blood seeping through in multiple places. “We need an ambulance.”
One of the PD officers nodded at him. “Four minutes out.”
Sam squatted down in front of Tansy. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide. Probably shock and pain.