Chanel was walking up the darker side of the path keeping Kirion in her sights when she felt the attacker behind her. She threw herself to the side with a scream but a foot caught her in the stomach and the wind left her lungs. She yanked her gun out but it was slapped away and spun off up the path into the darkness.
She jumped back as best she could with no breath in her lungs and a knife plunged into her chest up near her right shoulder then a fist caught her on the cheekbone knocking her flat onto her back. Her head hit the ground hard and stars exploded in her vision. When they cleared she looked up and finally saw her assailant. A beam of street light cut across his face. Dark curly short hair, dark complexion, square face with dark eyes, a crooked nose, thin cruel lips now turned up in a sneering grin. A big man but not as big as the man she’d followed.
Then she saw the scar.
It crossed both cheeks bisecting his nose. Not as straight as the one on the man she’d been following.
“Kirion,” she wheezed quietly, eyes wide with shock.
“I hear you’ve been looking for me, Babineaux,” he growled.
“How did-”
“I pay attention to those who hunt me. Besides that cunt Isabelle called out your name as I gutted her.”
Chanel snarled and struggled to get back up but he kicked her in the chest and she went down hard again. She was looking at the stars as a streak flew over her body. There was a loud grunt and the sound of thumps, skin striking skin and hisses of pain. She tilted her head up and saw the man she’d been following fighting with Kirion. They seemed evenly matched but Kirion had a knife and had scored a number of slashes on his opponent’s arms and one on his chin.
Kirions left eye was swollen shut and his nose was smashed flat and bleeding but that deadly knife kept flashing this way and that and the man was struggling to avoid it.
Then he stepped on a discarded wine bottle and fell backwards, going down with a thump.
Before Kirion could take advantage there was a loud noise.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Three rapid shots rang out.
Kirion staggered back and dropped the knife. He was looking up the path and his eyes went wide as his mouth dropped opened like he was trying to say something. Then the life faded in his eyes and he fell, dead before he hit the ground.
Chanel looked over her shoulder and the blond woman was walking towards her carrying her gun. She handed it back to Chanel then hustled over to the big man who was just now sitting up.
“Are you ok?” she asked him. He nodded then looked over at Chanel. “You ok?” he asked.
Chanel was stunned. He sounded genuinely concerned. “Yes, uh, he stabbed me but it’s not bleeding too much. Listen, when the police get here, tell them I shot Kirion Rapava. It will prevent a lot of legal headaches if it was me and not a civilian.” The woman nodded. Chanel wiped her gun down and put it back in her holster.
“Where did you learn to shoot like that?” the man said to the blond.
“My dad. He was a sergeant in the army and made sure mom and I knew how to use a gun, just in case.”
Lights began to flash and sirens approached. Soon they were surrounded by police. Ambulances were called and they were whisked off to the hospital under police guard. The doctors stitched the larger gashes closed and taped the smaller ones. All told Ben had eight more small scars including the one on his chin. Nothing major but they gave him something for the pain and it made Ben very woozy. They moved him to a bed in a semi private room for the night as the hospital was busy.
They were met in the room by Inspector Boucher.
“Mr. Shepherd! You have a knack for being in the wrong place at the right time!” he joked. “Good evening Catherine. That is a most lovely dress!”
“Good evening, Inspector! Thank you!” she said.
“Please, call me Antoine. Now I understand our Detective Babineaux has you to thank for her life,” he said.
“As we have her to thank for ours. Kirion Rapava was going to kill Ben when he fell during the fight but she stopped him.” Catherine said.
“There is still a question of why the detective was there,” he said.
“She believed Ben was Rapava and couldn’t be convinced otherwise. She must have been following us all week.” Cat replied.
“And Rapava was following her. She was damned lucky. The wound she received just missed a major artery. She’ll be coming out of surgery soon. It’s been a very busy night. Please enjoy the rest of your stay in Paris. Hopefully it will be less eventful.” He smiled and left them.
“Catherine, you saved my life tonight! Detective Babineaux may be getting the credit for it but we both know it was you. I don’t know how to express my gratitude for that!” Ben said with a serious expression on his face. His words were slightly slurred but his sincerity was clear.
She smiled down at the man. She leaned over him and they kissed tenderly and her toes tingled. From her dad’s training she knew her reaction to the shooting would set in later. She’d call him when she got back to the hotel then call on Gabriella to talk it out. She didn’t want Ben to worry about it so she deflected.
“This wasn’t exactly the bed I was hoping to get you in tonight,” Cat teased Ben who smiled sleepily.
The door opened and a gurney was wheeled into the room and placed next to the empty bed beside Ben’s. The orderlies moved the patient over onto the bed and pulled the sheets over her. The nurse confirmed her IV was still connected and working then left in a rush.
It was the detective. “They put her in here with me?” Ben asked groggily.
“The Inspector said the hospital was very busy. You wouldn’t put a police officer in a ward as there may be criminals there that might recognize her.” Catherine explained.
“You watch too many cop dramas on TV,” he mumbled.
“Why don’t you catch some sleep? I’ll come back in the morning to pick you up,” she suggested.
“I love you Catherine,” he said with a smile.
“I love you too Ben.”
And he was out.