“I’m fine, baby. Are you?”
“Still breathing because of you. What about Brandon and Justin?” she asked as her heart continued to pound fast in her chest.
“We’re both okay,” Brandon said.
“Not Lily, though,” Justin added.
She heard a groan from the bed, which she knew had to come from Norma. The poor woman had suffered so much. “Please, Alex, let me up. You’ve got to help Norma.”
He stood and lifted her to her feet. “Where are your towels, Shelby?”
She
rushed to Norma’s side, glancing for a moment at the unmoving body on the floor, Lily’s body. Clearly, her gun had gone off when the guys tackled her to the floor. Thank God they hadn’t been shot. “In the bathroom. Down the hall.” She grabbed her hand. “It’s going to be okay, Norma. Alex is a doctor.”
“Justin, go get them. Get a big bowl from the kitchen and fill it up with water.” Alex went to the other side of the bed and looked down at Norma.
“I’ll call for an ambulance,” Brandon stated, pulling out his cell phone.
God, she wished that Charly’s hospital was built already. By the look in Alex’s eyes, she knew Elko was too far away for Norma to be saved.
Norma turned to her. “I–I’m…” Her breathing was labored.
Tears rolled down Shelby’s cheeks. “Shh. Don’t talk. Just rest.”
Norma shook her head. “I have to get this out before it’s too late.”
“Okay.” She felt Norma squeeze her hand back.
“I’m so sorry, Shelby. My girls were so ill. You have to believe that.”
“I do,” she told her. “You’re going to be okay, Norma.”
“No, Shelby. I won’t. I want to go. I need to be with my girls. They need—” Norma coughed up more blood as Justin came in with the water and towels. Off in the distance, Shelby heard the sirens of the ambulance that would come too late.
She put her arms around Norma as Alex tried his best to help her. It wasn’t enough.
Sobbing, she prayed that there would be a better place for Norma on the other side.
Less than a minute passed before Norma died in her arms.
* * * *
Norma and Lily’s funeral was beautiful. Reverend Pete did an amazing job. The whole town turned out to say good-bye to one of their most beloved women and her troubled daughter.
After the service, Shelby went to Norma’s Diner with her three guys and everyone else. Carlotta put out quite the spread in honor of the lady who had once owned the place.
Seeing Emma, Norma’s only living daughter, sitting alone in one of the booths broke Shelby’s heart. “I need to talk to someone, guys.”
Brandon glanced over at Emma and then to her. “You think that’s a good idea, sweetheart?”
“I’ll be okay, counselor. I just need to pay my respects.” She got up from their table, leaving the three Champion brothers behind. Every step she took toward Emma brought up another memory of what had happened that day at her house. Byrd hadn’t backed down until a clean fingerprint of Lily’s was pulled from her nana’s gun. With the bloody jeans added to that evidence, Shelby had been cleared of all charges. No doubt remained for anyone, including Sheriff Byrd. Lily was the killer.
When she got to Emma’s booth, the woman looked up at her with tearstained eyes. “Would you like to sit down?”
She nodded and slid into the booth opposite her. “I’m so sorry, Em. I don’t know what else to say.”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about, Shelby. I’m the one to blame.”