King and Maxwell (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 6)

“I didn’t die, Sean. I’m still here,” she said, obviously reading his look.

“But you don’t realize how close you came to not being here,” he replied, turning his gaze to her.

“I actually do know. I could see it in your face when I finally woke up. And don’t forget that I’ve stood over your hospital bed and wondered the very same thing.”

He looked away again. “I guess it’s what we signed up for.”

“Never doubted that for a second. Now let’s focus on Tyler Wingo.”

“I’ll get my ex on it.”

“I think I need to be doing something too.”

“Michelle, we’ve been warned off. At least you have.”

“We have a gun to return, Sean.”

“So you want to go to their house?”

“We don’t have to be that direct, do we?”

He considered this. “No. You have an idea?”

“I think I have an idea,” she replied. “But it’ll be better if I go alone.”

CHAPTER

13

TYLER WINGO CUT THROUGH THE WATER as fast as he could. He was at swim practice at a local aquatic facility that his school used. The facility had multiple pools, but since this one was the largest the adult members also used it. Tyler touched the tile wall and came up for air. He slipped his goggles off, cleared them of condensation, and put them back on.

In the lane next to him a female swimmer wearing a swim cap and goggles was just about ready to push off. Tyler grinned and timed it so he pushed off at the same time. He was feeling the need to rip through the water like a dolphin. And it didn’t hurt that the woman was tall and lean and attractive, at least the glimpse he had gotten of her. Despite all his troubles, he was sixteen with hormones about ready to explode and he suddenly felt the urge to show off.

As he cut through the water he wondered how far ahead of her he would be at the end. He contemplated what he might do when she broke the surface of the water and saw him already there. Could he come up with something clever? In reality, he was terribly shy and would be unlikely to muster the courage to say anything. But still, she would at least see him.

Then as he looked to his right the only thing visible were her long feet. Stunned, he redoubled his efforts, swimming as he never had before. He gave it every ounce of stamina he had—and still she was actually pulling away from him.

When he touched the wall and stood, she was leaning on the lane divider rope. Her cap was off, her goggles on her forehead. And she was staring directly at him.

“Wow. What a coincidence seeing you here,” said Michelle.

“You’re not even breathing hard,” said Tyler, who was gasping. “I thought you said you didn’t swim?” he added in a hurt tone.

“I said I preferred keeping above it and dry. I didn’t say I couldn’t swim.”

“You’re really fast for your age.”

“I’ll take that as a mixed compliment.”

Tyler looked around. “Where’s your partner?”

“He doesn’t like the water nearly as much as I do.”

“I know it’s not a coincidence you’re here. What do you want? I’d thought we had, you know, finished stuff.”

“I still have your dad’s Mauser.”

“Oh, crap, that’s right.”