“I never fucking touched those girls!” he insisted as though that made it all right.
“You’re touching her right now. Manhandling her after what she’s been through. Save your hero story for the jury because I’m not buying it.”
Vehicles sounded in the distance and he turned, giving me the perfect opportunity to motion to Jessica. “Looks like we’ve got company.” He grinned with confidence, thinking he had the upper hand but I knew Jag would have warned the guys before they hit the curve that led to the parking lot. “And having Cross see you laid out and lifeless will be the perfect end to this.”
I held my breath at his words, keeping my breathing steady and calm when he aimed his black service weapon right at my head. Nothing could calm me down in that moment. Nothing except Jessica with wide, scared eyes. “It’ll be worth it, knowing you’ll be treated like one of those young girls when you get to prison.”
My heart raced in anticipation of what was to come, the unimaginable pain of a bullet tearing through me. The thought of never seeing or holding my little boy again and then I froze.
Why was I giving up?
“It’s cute you think any of this will make it to the light of day. That’s the problem with you hippies, you’re so fucking naïve.”
“See Detective, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m not fucking naïve. In fact, I’m pretty fucking awesome.” My heart pounded in my ears and I had to do all I could to get this guy to talk. Stall for time. “You and your dirty cops should have done your homework, because if you had, you’d know I’m not a dirty hippie.”
His eyes flashed surprise and I knew it was wrong to enjoy it so much, but I did. “My name isn’t even Moon. It’s Carolina Collinswood, which probably means nothing to you.”
“Less than nothing,” he snorted.
“Of course it wouldn’t, but my father is Les Collinswood.” In addition to marrying my blue blood mother, my father had served as Governor of Connecticut and currently worked for the Director of National Intelligence.
“Oh and Mom is Marseille Hampton-Collinswood.” Her father had worked as the ambassador to China while her mother had been a model and then a linguist. I had what some people would call an impeccable pedigree.
“Bullshit.”
“Believe it or not, you’ll learn the truth soon enough.” We didn’t get along, but I knew Daddy loved me in his own overbearing way. What I also knew was that in his eyes, only family could make you feel bad about your life choices. No one else.
“I’ll take my chances.”
His finger curled around the trigger. One shot sounded, maybe two, I couldn’t tell as I jumped out of the way. Well, I tried but it turned out bullets traveled fast. Really fast. One grazed my side as I turned away from the gun and I fell to the ground. I didn’t know where the other one landed and I didn’t care all that much, not with the warmth seeping from my side.
Beau. All I could think about was Beau.
“Oh, please be okay lady! Please!” Jessica’s long blonde hair hung over me like a curtain, shielding my view which made me panic.
“Jessica, get down!” I pulled her down and held her close.
“Lady, it’s okay. He was shot too,” she said and squirmed out of my grasp to point at Haynes, lying motionless about fifteen feet away. “You gonna be okay?”
“Probably. Don’t worry about me, how are you?”
“Alive. Free.”
I smiled and stroked her hair. “Cordell will be so happy to see you.” Shock set in even though my wound wasn’t that severe and blood loss was minimal, but the pain was a solid nine.
“You know my brother?”
“Just a little,” I winced when I tried to sit up and she helped me. “I know he’s been looking for you for a long time.”
The sound of dozens of motorcycles drowned out my words and I fell backwards, letting my eyes fall closed because I was too tired, too weak to do more. “You should find him.”
The last thing I heard was Cross calling out my name.
***
“Moon, wake up!” Despite his gruff voice, Cross’s hands were gentle as they brushed my hair from my face. “Moon, please open your eyes.” His voice was more tortured than I’d ever heard it. I struggled to open my eyes, not even sure where I was only that my back was no longer pressed against the hard concrete outside the clubhouse.
“Cross.” My words came easily though my mouth was a little dry. “Beau. Where’s Beau?”