But blood was still flowing copiously from his shoulder. Rina took her jacket, wrapped it around his shoulder, and, using all her weight, pressed down.

“Good…” Decker whispered. “That’s…good.”

Slowly, Rina eased the pressure. Blood came gushing out again. Once more she pressed down, desperately trying to stanch the flow. Counting to sixty, then one hundred twenty. Again she eased pressure.

The wound still oozed blood, but the red river had turned into a rivulet.

“You’re starting to clot,” Rina said. Either that or shock was shutting down his system. Oh, God, don’t You dare let this man die!

“My arm’s…” Decker bit his lips and tried to control the shakes. “Try…loosen the tourniquet.”

Rina untwisted the knot a few turns.

“Better,” Decker’s entire body was caught in a frenzy of palsy. “How’s…Noam?”

Rina glanced at the teenager, who was also shaking, and ordered him to lie down and put his knees up. He was in shock, but his condition was from fear rather than blood loss.

“He’s okay, Peter.” She took his hand and rubbed it hard. It was as if she was rubbing a dead lizard. “He’s okay.”

In the background, the wail of sirens.

“Help’s coming, Peter. I called in as soon as you told me to. I heard you on the radio, honey, but I couldn’t figure out how to answer you. I blew it. I was nervous. I wouldn’t even have come except I heard the shots.”

Decker didn’t answer.

“I had your spare key ring, you know, the big heavy one…” Rina was babbling now. “It had all your keys on it, including a copy of your handcuff keys. That’s how I got out. I know you told me not to.” She tried unsuccessfully to blink back tears. “I’m sorry, Peter. Please don’t be mad at me.”

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you, too.” She wiped her cheek. “Help’s coming, honey. You’re going to be fine.”

Decker continued to shiver.

“You’re going to be fine, honey, just fine. The ambulance is getting closer, Peter. I’ve got to flag down the paramedics. They don’t know where we are. You have a blanket in the car?”

“Trunk.”

“I’ll get it for you. Just hang in.”

Rina ran to the unmarked.

Decker moaned, still trembling, his feet and legs as inert as logs. His vision was completely blurred, so he closed his eyes. He could feel his arm throbbing, his shoulder engulfed in pain, and welcomed the sensations. It was a sign that blood was flowing through all of his body, down to his fingertips. He prayed there was enough plasma in him to keep him alive, enough circulation in his arm to keep it from developing gangrene. Even with minimal blood flow, his arm should be okay.