Sweat Equity (24 page)

"Jack?"

He smiled, kissed her nose, the cloying odor of blood and fear clogging his brain. "No honey. It's Craig. Try to relax. I think there are some people here to take you to the hospital." The next few minutes passed like hours. Sara faded in and out of consciousness and the ogling crowd grew larger.

"Oh God it hurts…." Her loud moan ripped through his gut. When a hand touched his shoulder he jerked it away trying to focus on her.

"Sir, sir, please, let us handle this."

He started, then let the paramedic pull Sara off his lap. "Are you hurt?" The woman's eyes traveled up and down him as her partner laid Sara back and started taking her vital signs. He looked down at the apparent carnage reflected on his clothes. Her blood. So much of it. He swallowed hard.

"No, no, it's not me. I found her here like this, sat down and…." His brain focused. "Take her to U of M. I'll meet you there."

"Okay dad, calm down. We need to get her stabilized first." The woman patted his arm. By now the entire office had collected in the hallway, staring at the bloody scene. Craig struggled to comprehend what she said to him.

"Oh, no, I'm not," he looked up as Jack Gordon came barreling through the door separating the public from the private part of their sales office. "I mean, is she okay? She seized on me, about a minute."

"Yeah, her blood pressure is through the roof, pulse thready. She's lost way too much blood already. Let's get her out of here." The medics bustled around. "Excuse me sir, you need to move aside." Jack stood, staring at the room, mouth agape, eyes wild. Craig took in what the man saw: the floor darkened with Sara's blood and her back arched, feet kicking against the carpet as another seizure gripped her. He watched the man's face go utterly white, as he gripped the door knob. "Sir!" The medic shoved Jack out of the way and rolled the gurney in. Once she had stilled the two EMTs lifted her up and hustled her out into the waiting ambulance.

"You okay?" Craig narrowed his eyes at Jack.

"No." The other man turned, pushed his way through the gathered crowd and ran outside. Craig grabbed his helmet and rushed out behind Jack. Following the ambulance through midday streets, taking deep breaths to calm his heart, he forced himself to focus on the traffic while long forgotten prayers raced through his brain.

About
Liz Crowe

Microbrewery owner, multi-published author, beer blogger and journalist, mom of three teenagers, and soccer fan, Liz brings years of real-world experience to her life as author. Working in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as an ex-pat trailing spouse PLUS making her way in a world of men (i.e. the beer industry) has given her all the "what if?" moments she needs for many books.

When she isn't sweating inventory and sales figures for the brewery, she can be found writing, editing or sweating promotional efforts for her latest publications. When free time presents itself you are likely to find her walking her standard poodles or doing Bikram yoga.

Her beer blog is nationally recognized for its insider yet outsider views on the craft beer industry. Her books are set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch and in high powered real estate offices. Don't ask her for anything "like" a Budweiser or risk painful injury.  If you want an education on all things beer related, follow her beer blog:
www.a2beerwench.com

Liz Crowe's official website can be found at
www.lizcrowe.com
  All writing-related topics (including backlist titles, latest release updates, interviews, tour dates, and more) can be found at her
blog
.

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Twitter: 
@beerwencha2
 

Current publishers include:

Tri Destiny Publishing
Ellora's Cave
Decadent Publishing
Breathless Press