Lucky Bastard by Deborah Coonts

Author:Deborah Coonts [Coonts, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance
ISBN: 9781621252061
Google: SyRiBAAAQBAJ
Amazon: 162125206X
Barnesnoble: 162125206X
Goodreads: 16059528
Publisher: Forge
Published: 2012-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

***

“I’ve never shot a man before,” I said, apropos of nothing, really. Huddled in a blanket, sitting on the fender of an ambulance, I tried to control my shaking. Cops and paramedics rushed in and out of the light cast by the headlights of the vehicles clustered around the ambulances. They’d circled Brandy and Cole before I’d had a chance to shoot them myself. The Flight for Life helicopter carrying Slurry lifted off. Quickly, its landing light dimmed as the night swallowed it. A couple of the other players, including the one I had winged, were being treated, then transported to UMC at more sedate pace, their injuries deemed non–life threatening.

Holding a cup of coffee by the rim, Romeo handed it to me. Cupping my hands around the Styrofoam, I sought comfort from the warmth steaming from the liquid. I tried to raise the cup to my lips, but my hands shook so badly I was worried about scalding myself. Of course, then I might be able to sue for a huge sum, like that lady who sued McDonald’s, and retire to some obscure island in the South Pacific. But, with my luck, I’d probably just get a burn, a scar, and bad publicity so I contented myself with absorbing the warmth rather than ingesting it.

If Romeo noticed my struggle, he kept it to himself. “The first time is the hardest, but it never gets easier. That guy had it coming for sure, but he’s someone’s child or brother, or something.”

“If you’re trying to make me feel better, please stop. You suck at it.”

“So, I’ve been told.” He scooted me over then squeezed one cheek onto my fender, propping himself there. “I’m just saying we all feel the same way. But, look at it this way, if you hadn’t shot that guy in the leg, I might not be sitting here.”

“Working so hard to improve my mood.”

Romeo nudged me with his shoulder and grinned. “You did the right thing. Even though you shot him before he could tell us what he was helping Sylvie Dane with.”

“As you said, I had one shot at saving Brandy, so I took it.”

“And a good thing you did, too.”

“Do you think he’s going to make it?” My voice came out all hushed.

“Slurry? I don’t know.” Romeo snaked an arm around my shoulders, pulling me tight. Somehow he must’ve sensed that offering platitudes would just ring hollow, so he stayed quiet.

I’d finally managed to negotiate a sip or two of coffee without scalding myself or decorating my front, when Watalsky appeared, trailed by two officers. “Detective, you gotta tell your goons I’m one of the good guys.”

“Really?” Romeo let go of my shoulders, but he didn’t move from his perch. “Convince me.”

“Me and Jerry over at the Babylon have been trying to get a bead on the cheating that was going on the other night. Those two, Slurry and Sylvie Dane had to be in cahoots, I just can’t figure out why.”

I pulled the blanket tighter around me—for some reason I couldn’t get warm.

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