Seth nodded. “They’ve taken your marshal to surgery, but Dan is okay.” He glanced at Callie. “This is Rob Grant. He’s the U.S. Marshal for our district. Rob, this is Callie Lattimer, Dan’s niece.”
Rob reached for Callie’s hand. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am about this, Miss Lattimer. Hospital security tells me you saved your uncle’s life. You never should have been put in that position. Can you tell me more about what occurred?”
She quickly related what had happened. “I’m sorry about Marshal White, though. I hope he’s going to be all right.”
Rob exhaled a long breath. “I hope so, too. He’s new to our office, and he made an error in judgment. I’m so sorry it almost ended in tragedy. That won’t happen again. I’m going to stay until another marshal comes to take over, and you can be assured we won’t let your uncle out of our sight again.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your help.”
Rob glanced at Seth. “I’m sure Miss Lattimer is tired. There’s nothing else she can do here tonight. Why don’t you take her on home?”
“I think I’ll do that,” Seth said. “Are you ready to go, Callie?”
A tired smile pulled at her lips. “I am.”
She glanced at her uncle once more before she turned and walked out of the Critical Care Unit. They stopped at the elevator and pushed the button, but when the door opened, Captain Wilson of the Memphis Police Department and two officers stepped off.
Callie’s eyes lit up when she saw her uncle’s best friend and former partner. She threw her arms around his neck, and he pulled her close. “Anthony,” Callie said, “it’s so good to see you.”
He pulled back and stared down into her face. “I’ve been trying to get over here ever since I was notified about Dan being shot, but I’m on duty all night. It’s been one of the busiest nights I’ve had in a long time. But when the call about Dan’s attack in the ICU came in, I broke all speed records getting here. What happened?”
He shook his head in dismay as Callie told what had happened when she walked into her uncle’s room. “I didn’t think before I jumped on the man’s back. He was twice as big as me, but I knew I had to stop him,” she said.
Captain Wilson’s gaze raked her body. “Are you okay? Did he injure you in any way?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Then what can you tell me about the man? Was there anything that would help you identify him if you saw him again?”
She nodded. “When I wrapped my arms around his neck, the medical face mask he was wearing slipped to the side. He had a jagged scar that ran down the right side of his face from about the bottom of his ear to his chin. And he had a star tattooed on his neck.”
“Was there anything else? Was he short? Tall? Skinny? What was his coloring?”
Callie thought for a moment before she responded. “Dark hair and tan skin—maybe Latino, but I can’t be sure. He was about Seth’s height, and he was very muscular. He had broad shoulders, and I felt his muscles flex when he threw me off. He reminded me of the guys you see constantly working out in a gym.”
Captain Wilson nodded. “Good. That ought to help us.” He smiled at her. “You’ve done well tonight, Callie. You survived two shootings and you fought someone who seemed intent on killing your uncle. It’s good to see that it’s not only the men in the Lattimer family who can hold their own with the bad guys. You can, too.”