Free A Randall Returns by Judy Christenberry

said, indicating a woman who’d stepped out of the shadows against the building. Then Caroline rushed to get out the words. “Mike, she has a gun!”
    Even as she spoke, Mike leaped from his chair and rushed outside to the young woman. But he was too late to save Eric Williams. Holly had fired the gun frompoint-blank range. But she wasn’t finished. She turned to his companion and raised the weapon to fire again. By that time Mike had reached her and knocked the gun from her hand. It went off, but instead of her heart, the bullet struck the young woman’s shoulder.
    Caroline grabbed her keys and thrust them at a nearby waiter. “I’m a doctor. My bag is in the gray SUV parked in the first row. Unlock it and get my bag. Hurry.”
    The shocked waiter ran out the back door, and Caroline went out to the woman on the ground. Blood flowed from the wound in her shoulder and she collapsed into unconsciousness.
    “I’m a doctor,” Caroline announced again, and the few people who’d run out backed away. “Get me some clean napkins,” she ordered as she began staunching the blood.
    In the meantime, Mike had disarmed Holly and used his cell phone to call the local police, along with an ambulance. Chaos began to dissipate as Caroline worked on her patient and Mike held the shooter still. Holly was sobbing and babbling, but her words made no sense.
    When the police arrived, Mike turned her over with a brief description of what had happened. He handed the gun over, as well. “We think it’s a crime of passion. She was engaged to this man. Both of them are from Rawhide.”
    “And the wounded one?”
    “We don’t know her.”
    He’d shown them his badge, and after the first policeman put Holly in handcuffs and led her away, theother one, obviously the senior of the two, asked, “You new to Rawhide? What happened to Bill Metzger?”
    “He retired.”
    “Oh. I hadn’t heard. Did he—”
    “Excuse me,” Mike interrupted. “I want to check on the doc.” He stepped to Caroline’s side and squatted down. “You doing all right?”
    “I’m all right. But I’m not so sure about her.” She looked at the two ambulance drivers.
    “I’ll ride with you guys. Mike, can you follow with my car?”
    “Sure, honey. Will you be all right?”
    She looked surprised at his question. “Of course.”
    “I assume Eric is dead?”
    “Yes.”
    Mike stood and then helped Caroline to her feet as the two men put the woman on the stretcher. Caroline immediately pressed the wound, stopping the flow, which had resumed. She walked alongside the stretcher.
    Mike was about to follow when a waiter handed him a set of keys. “These are the lady doctor’s.”
    “Oh, yes, thank you.”
    Their own waiter was standing there, ringing his hands. “But what about your dinner? The roast beef is ready.”
    Mike stared at him. “Tell you what. Put it in some to-go boxes and I’ll take it with me.”
    Relieved, the waiter hurried away. The maître d’ told him to add two desserts. Then he announced to all the diners that everyone was entitled to free desserts.After all, they’d be detained there for a while so the cops could question any potential witnesses.
    Mike reached for his wallet to pay for the dinner, but the maître d’ stopped him.
    “ Monsieur, you owe nothing. Thank you for ending the distress at once. You and your lady were very helpful. Your dinner is on the house.”
    “That’s not necessary,” he protested.
    “Please, monsieur. It is my pleasure. We hope you will try us again on a quieter night.”
    Mike put away his money. To insist would hurt the man’s pride. “Thanks, we will.”
    They shook hands just as the waiter came out with several large sacks. “Could you carry them to the car for me? I think my hands may be dirty.”
    “Of course, sir.”
    That way Mike could reward him out of sight of his boss.
    When he reached the hospital, he found Caroline in the ER, talking to another doctor, Mike assumed, judging by the