Baltimore 03 - Did You Miss Me?

the verdict. They planned this.’
    Joseph thought of the dead cop in the alley and Ford and Kimberly. This and more . ‘ I need to get you out of here,’ he said. ‘They might have other surprises in store.’
    He tugged her arm, but she didn’t move. Eyes wide, she was viewing the scene, not realizing that, for her, the worst part was still to come.
    ‘Oh my God,’ she whispered, flinching when she saw the dead shooter.
    A lot of shots had been fired in those final few seconds. There was a lot of blood. He expected her to look away, but she shifted to her hands and knees, crawling down one of the steps by the time he’d recovered from his surprise.
    He grasped her shoulders. ‘Stop. She’s dead. There’s nothing you can do.’
    ‘But what about the baby?’ Daphne grabbed his arm. ‘Her baby might be saved.’
    Baby? Joseph whipped around to stare at the dead shooter. ‘She was pregnant?’
    ‘You didn’t notice?’ she asked, dumbfounded. ‘She was due any day.’
    ‘I was busy noticing the modified Glock she was using to shoot people.’ It had been more than five minutes. If by some miracle the baby had survived all the bullets shot at its mother at the end, it would almost certainly be dead or suffering brain damage by now. He almost told Daphne this, but her eyes were pleading with him.
    ‘We don’t have much more time,’ he told her instead. ‘Another minute or two at the most.’ Pulling on a pair of latex gloves, he turned the shooter on her back. And sighed. ‘Aw hell. She’s just a kid.’
    ‘She’s sixteen. Reggie Millhouse is the baby’s father.’
    Joseph rapidly unbuttoned the girl’s coat. ‘What was her name?’
    ‘Marina Craig,’ Daphne said. She crawled closer, grimacing. ‘Good God. How many times did you shoot her?’
    ‘Me? None. The others shot six times. After you threw the camera bag, she lost focus and wasn’t aiming at anyone. That’s when everyone got a clear shot.’ With his pocket knife, he sliced the girl’s shirt open and did a double take. ‘What the hell?’
    ‘Is the baby dead?’ Daphne asked, peering over his shoulder. ‘Please say no.’
    ‘No.’ He lifted the pad she wore, designed to look like a nine-month-pregnant belly.
    Daphne’s mouth fell open. ‘She faked being pregnant?’
    Underneath the pad the girl’s belly was soft and fleshy. ‘I think she was pregnant, and recently. But not today.’
    ‘But why?’ she asked, bewildered. ‘Why would she do that?’
    ‘So people wouldn’t consider her a threat or they wouldn’t shoot to kill. Which most of the cops didn’t. There are no bullet holes in her torso, only in her legs and arms.’
    ‘And her head. Who shot her there?’
    ‘Stevie did,’ Joseph said, waiting for her to look appalled.
    Instead her lips firmed, her eyes hardening. ‘Good. She saved a lot of lives.’
    EMTs were everywhere, but he could now see there weren’t enough ambulances for the wounded. He’d take her to the ER himself. ‘Do you think you can walk?’
    ‘Yes.’ She said it defiantly, as if trying to convince herself.
    He gently pulled her to her feet. ‘Come on. Let’s get your head taken care of.’ She leaned into him, resting her forehead against his chest.
    ‘Give me a second. The world is spinning and . . . God. I’d really like to not throw up in front of all these people.’
    He indulged himself, wrapping one arm around her protectively, keeping his free hand on his weapon. Just in case.
    ‘Hey, Carter, wait one second.’
    Joseph checked over his shoulder, relieved to see JD Fitzpatrick approaching. Joseph had known Stevie Mazzetti for years, as she’d been among his brother’s circle of friends. JD had quickly joined that circle the year before. JD was a damn good cop.
    ‘I’m taking her to the ER,’ Joseph said.
    ‘Good.’ JD met his eyes and Joseph knew that he’d had been apprised of their situation, that Ford was missing. ‘I’ll find you at the ER to take your statement.’
    Joseph glanced down at Daphne. Her eyes were tightly closed and she clutched his coat like a lifeline. He mouthed his next words to JD, not wanting her to hear. ‘Send someone to get her mother. Take her to Daphne’s house. Set up a guard. I’ll call you.’
    ‘Got it,’ JD mouthed back, then said aloud, ‘You okay, there, Daph? You’re looking a little green around the gills.’
    ‘Mostly,’ she muttered. ‘What are you two are talking about over my head?’
    ‘Joseph just