Legend (Arizona Vengeance 3)

“Lida, this is not the way,” I tell her softly. “You’re going to ruin your chances of being a mom to Charlie by doing this. You understand that, right?”

This enrages her and she stomps toward me and puts the muzzle of the gun right to the middle of my forehead. My eyes squeeze shut and I grit my teeth, waiting for her to pull the trigger.

I can feel her breath on my face and it’s sour as she whispers, “You don’t know a fucking thing, Pepper. But I do know something. Want to know what I know?”

The tip of the gun leaves my forehead and I slowly open my eyes to find that Lida has moved a few feet back again. The gun is now pointed straight at my chest and my throat is so dry, I can’t speak.

“Do you want to know what I know?” she screams at me.

“Yes,” I blurt out on a sob, bracing for her to shoot me. “I want to know.”

Anything to keep her talking until I can figure something out.

“I know that you are a hindrance to me,” she says smoothly. “You have influence over Legend. You have his ear, maybe even his affection. We can never be a family if you’re in the way.”

“So you’re going to just kill me?” I ask, hating how hysterical my voice sounds. “You really think you’re going to get away with it?”

“Of course, I am,” she says confidently. “And I’ll pursue shared custody through the courts. I’ll show Legend I can be reasonable. It will all work out once you’re out of the picture.”

“Lida…no,” I plead with her. “You won’t get away with it. You’ll be caught and you’ll never see your daughter again.”

She laughs at me and it’s deranged and delighted all at the same time. When her gaze levels back onto me, the laugh dies and her smile melts away. Her expression is determined and I know I’m seconds away from getting shot.

I have to rush her.

And I prepare to do so but the front door opens behind Lida and Lucy calls as she walks through, “Pepper…I’m going to take Charlie for a walk. Want to come?”

It all happens too fast for me to really comprehend. Lucy startles Lida just enough that she looks over her shoulder. I get a glimpse of Lucy stepping over the threshold with Charlie in her arms. Her face registers shock at seeing Lida and I’m not quite sure she knows there’s a gun involved, but I know this is the only chance I’ll get.

I spring toward Lida, my eyes pinned to the gun that’s still pointed at me. She hears me and her head swings back my way. I’m still a good two feet from her when the gun goes off and I hear Lucy scream.

I stumble back several feet, feeling like I’d been sucker-punched in the stomach. Lucy screams again and Lida whips around to face her.

My mouth opens to tell Lucy to run, but nothing comes out. My legs go weak and I drop down to my knees. As my gaze watches the floor rushing up to meet me, I see a large red stain spreading out across my stomach and soaking into the yellow silk of my blouse.

I prod the center of the stain and it hurts.

Oh my God…I’ve been shot.

“Turn around,” Lida orders and I look up to find her pointing the gun at Lucy and Charlie.

“No,” I manage to rasp out but Lida is done with me.

The room starts spinning and I sink down onto one hip using the palm of my hand on the floor to stay somewhat upright. My other hand presses over the wound in my stomach, which oddly just throbs a little.

“Move,” Lida barks at Lucy, who scrambles back onto the front porch, clutching Charlie protectively in her arms.

Lida follows them out the door and then she does the most awful thing of all. She closes it behind her so I can’t see what is happening.

I look around, my mind feeling as blank as when I was trying to work on my story about Princess. I stare helplessly at my walls, my furniture, the front door, my purse.

My purse.

I dropped it near the door and it has my phone. I don’t have a landline, having ditched it years ago in favor of just a cell.

I try to push myself up to my feet, but I’m so weak that I quickly learn it’s impossible. Instead, I’m able to rock forward onto my hands and knees and make the most pitifully slow crawl into the foyer. My purse isn’t more than ten feet away and yet it feels like a mile. I try not to freak out by the amount of blood flowing out of me and wetting my hardwood floors.