I had two options. I could try to make it to the med room and lock myself in or go out the side door that led to the lobby. I didn’t think these guys were the sharpest tools in the shed. They wouldn’t figure out I had come out one of the doors along the wall. I needed to get them as far from Lucas as I could. Locking myself in the med room solved nothing. They would find Lucas.
That left me one option. I bolted down the hall and took a sharp turn. One of them grabbed my ponytail and jerked back. I didn’t stop running. I just kept going. He released my hair. I grabbed the door handle and rushed into the lobby. The front door was begging for me to escape. I couldn’t. I would not leave Lucas in the shelter. I couldn’t outrun them. My last resort was to talk them down.
Someone shoved me hard from behind. I stumbled forward and lost my footing. I went down on my hands and knees. I felt pain in my palm. Glass was scattered all over the floor. I barely noticed the pain and saw an opportunity. I grabbed a large shard and jumped to my feet. The man that pushed me was rushing toward me.
“Don’t you dare come near me!” I waved the glass. “I will cut your throat.”
The guy had long stringy hair. He didn’t look like one of the tweakers we often saw around the area. Instead of being afraid, he laughed. “Where’d you come from?” he asked.
“Get out of here before the cops get here,” I warned.
Two more men came from the back. I hoped it was just the three of them. If I kept them distracted, they wouldn’t go looking for Lucas. “Anyone else back there?” the man standing in front of me asked.
“No. Just me. But I’ve already called the cops. You need to go before you all land in jail.”
The two guys walking toward me were stumbling. They were clearly drunk. Or high. But I was leaning toward drunk. “Where’s the money?” The guy in the back had a nasty beard and a balding head.
“There is no money, assholes,” I snapped. “This is a shelter. An animal shelter. We don’t make money.”
“Bullshit,” the one in front of me barked. “Where is it?”
“There isn’t any! You’re on camera. You are so fucking busted. You should probably run now before they get here.”
They all three laughed. I didn’t get the feeling they were necessarily dangerous. They were stupid and drunk. That made me feel a little better. There was a standoff with my back to the door and them in front of me. They were closer to Lucas than I was. I needed to put myself between them and the kid. I took a step to the side while wielding my glass.
“I’m leaving,” I said calmly. “You can stay here and do whatever, but I’m leaving.”
They all laughed again. The guy in back walked behind the desk. He picked up my purse and waved it. “This yours?”
“You won’t find money in there either,” I told him.
I took another step to the side. My glass seemed to be working. They were being held at bay. I kept moving.
“Go,” I said again. “Get the hell out of here!”
“Do you think that little piece of glass is going to stop anyone?” one said.
“That glass might not, but this will,” I heard Lucas say.
My eyes widened. Lucas had gone through the door and was now standing in the doorway I had just run through. I heard the growl before Kona rushed out. She barked and snarled with her front paws wide. She was in attack stance. Her snarling was enough to make the men take pause.
“She will rip you to shreds,” I warned.
Kona barked and lunged forward. One of the guys at the desk picked up a paperweight and threw it at Kona.
“Stop it!” I screamed at them.
Kona barked wildly. The asshole grabbed the pen holder and chucked it at her. It hit her in the side of the head. “Stop!” I shouted again.
They were going to hurt her. Kona went after the man closest to her. He kicked out, landing a hard blow to her chest.
“No!” I screamed. My little piece of glass felt ridiculous. “Kona, down! Kona, stop!”
The dog stopped her attack but continued to bark and snarl.
“Get your dog, or I’ll kill her,” the man said in a deep, threatening voice.
I watched in horror as he reached behind him. I didn’t know if he was going to pull a gun or a knife. Clearly, he was retrieving a weapon.