“That’s okay, Lash. I’ll tell Chuy that you’ll be a few minutes late,” Naomi said as she opened the door.
Lash had a torn look on his face as he looked at her and glared at Dantan. “Let’s make this quick, doc,” he snapped. Turning to Naomi, he said, “I’ll be right behind you.”
For the first time in weeks, Naomi felt happy—more like her normal self. Being with Lash did have something to do with it, and she debated whether or not it would be wise to take their relationship further than the growing friendship. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to even if he wanted. If Dantan was right, Lash wasn’t capable of being close to someone.
Who am I kidding? She couldn’t be in a relationship. She had Welita to watch over and needed to get a better paying job to help Chuy with the bills. Her stint in the hospital had only grown their debt.
Half a block from the community center, Naomi saw Deborah and Nathan outside the entrance.
“Tie your shoelaces, dear. We don’t want you tripping over them again.”
Nathan looked down. “Dad-burned laces. These suckers keep getting undone.”
“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor,” Naomi said as she neared them.
“Hey there, Naomi. Where’s your boyfriend?” Nathan grunted as he kneeled down.
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
Deborah patted her arm. “Give it some time, dear.”
“I don’t know about that,” Naomi mumbled.
Nathan looked up and flashed a smile. “If Deborah says it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen.”
In that moment, everything moved in slow motion. Naomi turned at the sound of a loud engine. A black pickup rounded the corner and rolled down the street. She caught a glimpse of a shadow shaped like a cowboy hat, and she blinked curiously. Black metal edged out of dark tinted windows, and she froze as the gun drew closer to them.
Gunshots broke through the still air, one after another, after another.
The first and second bullet hit Deborah in the chest. Nathan leaped up in his attempt to block her from the gunfire. He was a second too late and the third bullet flew through his head.
Naomi screamed and another bullet whistled beside her forehead. A sharp sting followed by warm liquid slid down the side of her face, and she crumpled to the ground.
***
Lash looked at the clock on the wall. He couldn’t believe he was still in Dantan’s office. He’d spent the last five minutes watching Dantan click through Excel files in his computer. Then he’d heard it—a series of cracks coming from the direction of the community center.
“That sounded quite near.” Dantan looked up from his computer at Lash. “I hope no one was injured.”
Lash’s heart fell to the pit of his stomach. Naomi!
He tore out of the building at full speed, not caring who saw him. Please don’t let it be her.
From a block away, he saw Chuy yelling into his cell phone. People were lined up and down the street, talking to each other and pointing at the circle of people huddled around three bodies.
No, no, no! Lash felt as if someone punched him in the gut, and he struggled to breath. He ran as fast as he could to the scene trying not to draw attention.
As he neared the scene, Lash began to push people out of the way. He had to get to her.
“Hold it right there,” said a familiar voice.
Jeremy appeared in the center of the crowd dressed in a black suit. The light from the streetlight danced on his golden hair, forming a glow behind his head. He seemed out of place among the montage of bodies that swarmed around him, pushing and shoving, trying to get a look. No one noticed him. Instead, everyone had their phones pointed at the ground, snapping picture of the bodies.
Then Lash noticed he could see through Jeremy. He was not in his earthly body, and Lash understood what that meant.
“Don’t do it, Jeremy. Please.” Lash took a step forward and in an instant Jeremy appeared by his side.
“Stay back, Lash. I’m here to do my job.”
“No, you can’t. You can’t take her. You can’t take her from me.” His eyes were wild.
“You have feelings for her,” Jeremy said, surprised.
He glanced at the growing crowd. It took every ounce of his strength to keep from plowing through them to get to her.
“Yes,” he croaked. Jeremy still had use of his gifts. Maybe he could heal her injuries. He would do anything Jeremy asked in return. Jeremy would help her. This couldn’t be the end for Naomi. He couldn’t have been sent here to watch over her, just to have her be killed on the street. “Please help her.”
Then he heard Naomi calling out Deborah’s name. “Wait, she’s alive? Naomi’s alive?” For a brief moment, he was filled with relief. Then he felt a stab of guilt that he was glad it was someone else, anyone but her.
Lash looked at Jeremy, confused. “Why are you here?”
A squad car pulled up, and two uniformed officers pushed their way through the crowd. As the people moved out of the way, Lash caught a glimpse of Naomi with Deborah in her arms. Nathan lay motionless next to them.