Sniper Fire (Love in the Crosshairs) Read Online Free PDF Page B

to need more than flashlights. Can we turn on the overhead?” She looked up in time to catch Joshua exchange glances with his men. Finally, he moved to the light switch.
    “We’ll risk it.”
    Farrah closed her eyes briefly as the bright lights flickered on. When she could see, she pointed to a small placard hanging from a nail beside the door that read, QUARANTINED. “Put that on the door. No one will come in without knocking.” She heard the door open and close as she moved to the sink. Both Gage and Sam had finished washing up and were helping each other into gloves. The young man with the quiet voice moved to the side to make room for her.
    “My name’s Jeff, by the way,” he said.
    “Nice to meet you, Jeff. Don’t forget to scrub under your nails.”
    He dutifully obeyed as she soaped up her arms. “Do you really think you can save him, Ms. Hastings?”
    “That’s Dr. Hastings,” she corrected gently, “and I’m going to try my best.”
    When she was done washing, her hands gloved, she moved back to the table. Gage, she saw, did indeed know a little about medicine. He’d set up the anesthesia, the mask ready to go over Kyle’s face, and changed the saline bag. Sam, stethoscope now dangling from his ears, pulled up a rolling chair with his foot and made himself comfortable. He held the end of the scope to Kyle’s inner arm, then began pumping the blood-pressure cuff with his good hand. Air hissed. A few seconds later, he said, “Seventy over forty.”
    Good enough. Farrah pointed to the belt cinched tightly around Kyle’s upper thigh. “That artery is going to be the deciding factor. If it’s too damaged to fix, there’s no use working on the knee. I’ll have to amputate.” She said it quickly, dispassionately, but still couldn’t keep from cringing inside. She’d only assisted in a handful of amputations in her short career, and those had been bad enough. This? Taking the leg of one of her best friends? This would stay with her forever. If it came down to it, she’d have to shove all her doubts aside and work fast. And hope she could control the bleeding.
    “No.”
    She and Josh both stepped to the head of the table at the whispered word. Kyle’s eyelids flickered and opened. His pain-filled gaze seemed to roll around the room unseeing until it landed on Joshua. He raised his hand, reaching, the weak tremble of his muscles making her want to cry. She’d never seen him so vulnerable before.
    “Kyle, what—”
    “No amputation, Josh…swear.”
    Joshua frowned. “A lost limb against your life, brother. Think about it.”
    “Have. Can’t work…rather be dead.”
    Anger rose in Farrah at the ridiculous words. She’d have shaken him if her hands weren’t already gloved. Instead, she jostled his shoulder with her elbow and leaned over him so he could see her. “Hey. Kyle Fagan. You are not going to lay there on my table and spout that melodramatic garbage. I won’t allow it.”
    His head rolled until he faced her. He blinked those dark eyes of his slowly. His brows drew down, eyes narrowing. Then they widened in alarm. With a strength that surprised her, he jerked his hand free of Joshua, pulled back, and punched his friend in the stomach. The angle was awkward and the force almost non-existent, but Joshua still took a step back. “What the hell was that for?”
    “Lost your…fuckin’ mind?” Kyle gasped and closed his eyes, as if the punch had taken the last of his strength. “Can’t believe…you brought me to her. Such an idiot.”
    Torn between laughing at the offended look on Joshua’s face and being offended herself, Farrah said, “Well, you’re here now, so we’re just going to make the best of it. Now, no more talk about dying. Let’s get started, shall we?” She nodded for Sam to turn on the anesthesia. Gage lifted the mask.
    “No.” Kyle turned his head, dodging the mask with an urgency she didn’t understand. Not until he spoke again. “No. Not her. Someone