INSIDE THE STORE
The Commissioner felt like his heart was in his throat.
He could barely breathe as he entered the store.
His mind raced to the worst scenario. But he had to push it out of his mind and find Abigail.
His eyes searched behind the counter and no one was there.
Odd. But where would they be if not…?
Suddenly he heard a choked gasp and saw the female clerk bent over a figure slumped on the floor.
Abigail.
He quickly knelt down to her.
She was bleeding.
"Jim!" he cried out hoarsely.
Jim burst into the store his gun drawn.
Seeing Baker on the floor and a puddle of blood under her, his face drained. He grabbed for his radio again.
"Officer down, I repeat officer down…"
Frank zoned him out and he looked up at the female clerk.
"What happened? Where did he go?"
The clerk was crying and trying to compose herself.
"The guy was trying to rob me…and…and he had a gun," she sobbed. "She, she said she was police." the clerk pointed down at Abigail.
"It must have just freaked the robber out. He just fired at her…"
Frank looked down at Baker. Her eyes were fluttering.
"Hey, hey" he cradled her head but was careful not to move her.
"Jim, check the back exit," he called out commandingly and brought his attention back to Baker.
"On it, Boss," Jim hurried to the back of the store.
"It's just a surface wound…" she murmured her eyes not focusing.
Frank looked more closely at Baker. Her left shoulder was covered in blood but he didn't see a hole.
"Lie still," he muttered as he wrenched off his tux jacket for the second time that night and put pressure on her wound.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she protested propping her right elbow up and actually trying to get up.
"Baker," he said sternly in his commanding voice. "QUIT moving."
Her right elbow collapsed against the hard ground. "Yes Sir. You're so cranky right now," she sighed as her eyes closed.
"Hey! Stay with me." he growled at her.
Her eyes opened again and the glassy blue stared up at him. "God, you look so hot in that tux…"
The Commissioner shook his head. She must be losing quite a bit of blood. She was getting delirious.
The clerk had overheard Abigail's comment and snickered despite having just been sobbing moments before.
"Hey, what did the guy look like?" Frank asked the clerk.
"Um, he had dark hoodie on…um…blond hair, yea. About average height. Younger?"
Jim had returned to hear the description. "I'll let the officers out front know. And sorry Boss, no one in the alley behind the store."
Finally the "bus" arrived and the paramedics were coming in with a stretcher for Abigail.
Frank moved back to allow them room and felt the pain in his heart.
She had gotten hurt. On his watch.
He'd never forgive himself for not going in that bodega with her.
Abigail was mumbling again as they laid her on the stretcher.
"Commissioner…" she was calling out weakly.
He rushed over, towering over her on the stretcher.
He hated seeing her like this. This was all his fault.
Suddenly she grabbed his arm and said in a low voice,
"You owe me drinks, Sir." And with that her eyes were closing again.
Frank shook his head again. This side of her was completely unexpected.
The paramedics rushed her outside and then Jim was at his side.
"To the hospital, Boss?"
"Yes Jim."