Until the Very End

Chapter 30

"DDDOOONNN!" Meryl screamed as she was trying to break free of Larry's hold. "DON!"

Larry looked back at the police. "Grab Raymore...NOW!"

"It wasn't me." Don said as he dropped the gun and backed away from Raymore. "I wasn't hit."

Meryl flew into Don's arms. "Thank God! Are you sure, baby? You're bleeding."

"It's not mine." Don said holding Meryl close, but wincing at the pain due to his recent surgeries. He noticed that Meryl tried to back away, realizing that she hurt him. "Don't you dare go anywhere."

Larry looked at one of the police officers who was leaned over Raymore's body, an obvious gunshot wound to his stomach. "Is he alive?"

"Barely." The officer said as he got on his radio. "We need an ambulance to The Greenwich Hotel. Gunshot victim."

Don scoffed as he continued to hold Meryl close. "Victim my ass."

"We want him alive, Don." Larry said as he could tell Don was about to explode. "He is going to fucking pay for what happened here."

Don nodded as he kissed the top of Meryl's head. "Babies safe?"

"With the police." Larry cupped Meryl's head in his hands. "Thank God you're okay, M."

Meryl hadn't stopped crying, as she wrapped her arms tighter around her husband. "Thanks to this one."

"He put it together pretty quickly." Larry smiled then looked at the other officers walking in. "We need another ambulance for Mrs. Gummer."

Meryl shook her head as Don moved away just enough to look at her. "No, I'm fine."

"Like hell." Don said as he shrugged out of his sweatshirt and put it up to her head wound, making her wince. "I'm sorry, baby."

Officer Datillo walked up to them. "I was in the room when the gun went off, but I need to ask you some questions, Mr. Gummer."

"You can't arrest him." Meryl said as she held onto Don for dear life. "Raymore fucking broke out of jail and came after us. Don saved me and our babies. I was trying to get away, Raymore dropped the gun and Don tried to grab it before Raymore did so we weren't hurt. But Raymore grabbed it at the same time. Don was trying to get it away."

Officer Datillo shook his head. "We aren't going to arrest him. I saw it. It was self-defense."

"I will show you all the paperwork for the past 33 years showing how Raymore has been after the Gummers." Larry chimed in. "It WAS self-defense."

Datillo nodded his head. "I will go on record as saying that. However, Mr. and Mrs. Gummer, we need your statements."

"My wife's head is gushing with blood." Don said impatiently as the paramedics rushed in to work on Raymore. "Our babies have been traumatized, AGAIN, and are out with the police. Surely this can wait."

Larry shot the officers a look. "I think you have other things you can do around here in the meantime."

"Yes, of course." Datillo knew not to mess with the DA. "I will be in contact."

Don shook his head as he saw the medics working on Raymore. "They should be working on you and not that fucker."

"I'm so sorry, Don." Meryl cried. "I had no idea. I put the babies and you in dang...."

Don crushed his lips to hers, then carefully pressing his forehead to hers so as not to hurt or anymore. "It is NOT your fault. He targeted you. We can talk more later, I just need to get you to the hospital and we need to see..."