Free Protective Custody by Lynette Eason

her ankle. Wishing she had boots on, she didn’t dare look down. Would the pounding of her heart cause the snake to strike? Could it feel the blood surging through her veins? Then she spotted the one in front of the desk moving across the floor toward Nicholas.
    â€œNick,” she whispered, desperate to warn him but not do anything to set off the snake by her leg, “over there. Watch out.”
    Mason had grabbed a towel from the rack and closed the bathroom door. He stuffed the towel into the crack at the bottom of the door while Nick moved toward Carly, a respectful eye on the snake headed toward the file cabinet.
    â€œStay away,” she whispered. “Don’t get any closer to it. They’re attracted to movement.” With willpower she didn’t realize she possessed, she ignored the fear crampingher stomach and reasoned that if she was bitten, she was only a few blocks from the hospital, where a few vials of antivenom would fix her right up.
    A rattle sounded, and Carly sucked in a deep breath. Something had triggered the alarm of the one across the floor. Probably the vibrations of Nick’s footsteps. It now lay coiled and ready to strike.
    The one cozying up to her foot was still there. She closed her eyes. Don’t look, don’t look .
    â€œI’m here. I’m not going to let him bite you.”
    â€œNick, these were meant for you. Get away.” She kept her voice low, barely pushing the words past lips that didn’t want to move.
    â€œNot a chance.”
    A knock sounded on the door. “Animal Control.”
    The coiled snake in the middle of the floor twitched and curled tighter, its tail shaking ferociously.
    Nick grabbed the nearest trash can and moved toward the snake on the floor. “Everyone just stay still.” Carly watched him focus on the snake, knowing his timing had to be perfect. She looked at the snake’s eyes. For some reason she remembered that science lesson on how to tell a poisonous snake from a nonpoisonous.
    By their eyes. Round equaled nonpoisonous. Slanted equaled poisonous.
    This snake definitely had slanted eyes. It was poisonous. Of course, the rattle had been the big clue.
    Nick moved closer.
    â€œBe careful, Nick,” Carly whispered to his back.
    Closer.
    The snake reared its head back, and Nick dropped the trash can. The sound of its head striking the metal reverberated through the room. On silent feet, he moved to the door and opened it.
    Two men in protective gear entered. Nick said, “Get the one away from her first.”
    They took in the scenario, and the one on the right said, “So this is the emergency. Wow.” Sucking in a deep breath, he said, “I’m Brad. This is Joe. How many?”
    Nick exchanged a look with Mason, who whispered, “Two in the bathroom. Two—that we know of—out here. One of the two is under the trash can. The other is right by her leg.”
    Joe approached Carly. He held a tool in his right hand. “Ma’am, just keep still.”
    She flashed him a just-shut-up-and-hurry look. He got the message and held the tool out in front of him. In a soft voice, he explained, “These are snake tongs, ma’am. Basically, I’m going to use the clamp on the end to grab him, all right?”
    â€œFine,” she whispered. “Just do it.”
    â€œJust stay still. If you move…”
    Carly glared at him and sucked in a breath. “Right.”
    The tongs reached out toward the head of the snake as it bobbed. The tongue flickered as the man made a gentle motion away from Carly’s leg and the snake turned its attention toward the tongs.
    Everyone stood statue still.
    The tongs opened, operated by the squeeze handle. Then Joe pulled back. “I…I’m sorry. I can’t do it. I’m new, and I’m afraid…” Sweat poured down his face and into his eyes as he licked his lips, gaze darting between Carly and the