The Spellbinder by Iris Johansen Page A

Now,
that
was a good—
Damn
what …!”
    The glass of the window next to Sacha exploded and then shattered. She froze, staring at the small hole in the glass.
    “Get down!” Brody shouted. He hurled himself across the seat, covering her body with his own. The glass shattered again and there was a sickeningly solid thunk. Brody’s body stiffened against her.
    A bullet! That had been a bullet, she thought in panic. Someone was shooting at her, and Brody had— She could hear Harris cursing, she felt the sudden cool rush of air as the door beside her was jerked open. Something warm was flowing down her breast. Blood! Had she been shot?
    “Are you both all right?” It was Levine’s voice. “It was a sniper from the hotel across the street. My partner’s on his trail right now and— Merciful God!”
    “Is it safe to leave her?” Brody asked tersely. “Damn you, Barry, this wasn’t suppose to happen. What the hell is the use of having security if you can’t even keep one woman safe?”
    “You’re shot,” Levine said, dazed. “God, I’m sorry, Mr. Devlin. We never expected a sniper. I’ll call an ambulance.”
    It was Brody who was shot! “Get off me,” Sacha whispered. “Brody, why did—”
    He looked down at her. “Are you hurt?”
    She nodded. “No, but you are. Oh, Brody. “Tearsstung her eyes, and she couldn’t seem to get more words past the tightness of her throat.
    “I’m okay.” He moved off her and collapsed on the seat beside her. His face was pale and taut as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Blood. Blood on the sleeve of his white shirt, blood dripping down his arm. “Harris, take me to the nearest emergency room.”
    “I’ll call an ambulance.” Levine started to turn away. “It shouldn’t take long for them to get here. There’s a hospital about eight blocks away.”
    “No!” Brody said sharply, opening his eyes. “That nut may still be around. We’re not staying here. Follow us to the hospital and see if you can manage to prevent Sacha from getting murdered on the way.” Then, when Levine continued to stand there undecided, he shouted “Get going, dammit!”
    Levine stepped back and slammed the door. “The hospital is on the next street over. Take a left at the corner and then head north.”
    Harris started the car and stomped on the accelerator, skidding recklessly out into the traffic. “Just hold on,” he said huskily over his shoulder. “I’ll get you to that hospital double quick, Mr. Devlin.”
    Sacha moved across the seat. “The blood,” she said numbly. “I’ve got to stop the blood. Where were you shot?”
    “Only in the left arm.”
    “Only,” she echoed. What if he was dying? What if the bullet had severed an artery and he was bleeding to death? The thought jarred her out ofthe chill of horror that had paralyzed her. “I don’t have anything to cut your sleeve away but you need a pressure bandage or a tourniquet or something. Harris, do you—”
    Harris tossed her a white cotton towel. “I use this to clean the windows. Don’t put it on the wound, but it might do as a tourniquet.”
    She swiftly tied the towel tightly around Brody’s arm above the source of blood on his sleeve. “Hurry, Harris, please hurry.”
    “It should be the next block,” he said. “It will only be a few minutes.”
    She anxiously studied the primitive tourniquet. Oh, Lord, why couldn’t she remember more about first aid? You were supposed to loosen tourniquets, but she couldn’t remember how many minutes before they began to endanger the circulation. “Harris, do you know how—”
    “Here we are.” The limousine turned onto the hospital emergency lot and up to a ramp leading to a double door. Harris jumped out and came around to open her door. “If you want to run in and get some help, I’ll stay with him.”
    She didn’t want to leave Brody. He hadn’t moved since they had started the journey and she didn’t know whether he was unconscious or