Liberty and Hamburgers for all.” With a note of humor in her voice, she asked, “Is it time to put the burgers on yet, sweetheart?”
Eyes twinkling, David said, “Why, I believe it is.” He strolled back to the barbeque grill and picked up the plate.
Alex looked over to see CJ pushing Charlie on a swing in the warm afternoon, the sunlight bouncing from her red hair like a flame. Then a loud noise penetrated Alex’s consciousness, and she looked around for the source.
There was a sedan driving recklessly across the grass of the park, scattering pedestrians and picnickers. The car was heading toward them. A drunk driver?
From the driver’s side open window, she saw a sudden flash. Alex had time for one scream.
“CJ! Gun!”
As adrenaline flooded her, the scene unfolded for a moment in slow motion. CJ grabbed Charlie from the swing and rolled them both beneath the metal slide, curling herself around Charlie entirely.
Alex heard the first gunshot as she grabbed for Nicole, shoving her under the concrete picnic table, and trying to wedge herself under as well. Nicole was screaming for Charlie, for David, and Alex gripped her tightly as bullets seemed to pour around them like hail. Alex felt something hit her back, a spray of dirt or a chip of concrete, but it didn’t hurt enough to be a bullet. She tried to count the gunshots but there were too many. More than one gun , she thought.
Time had slowed so much it seemed like forever before the firing stopped, although it was probably less than a minute. She heard the engine roar away, and she rolled out, trying to spot a license plate, but it had been carefully mud-splattered to be unreadable.
Alex scrambled to her feet, looking desperately for CJ. She was still curled motionless beneath the slide, Charlie wrapped in her arms.
“CJ!” Alex yelled frantically. “Are you hurt?”
No, God, please, I can’t take that again.
She watched CJ unfold herself and get to her feet, saw her lift Charlie into her arms and speak briefly to him, her hands touching him slightly.
“Okay! We’re okay!” CJ called, beginning to move back toward them.
The next moment, Alex became aware of Nicole screaming behind her, and she turned.
David was on the ground, the white apron bloodied and torn. Nicole was bending over him, hysterical and trying to get him to talk to her.
Alex whirled back to CJ and said, “Take Charlie away.”
CJ’s green eyes went wide, then she grasped Charlie firmly with one arm against her shoulder and turned away again, groping with her free hand for her cell phone.
Alex went to Nicole and said, “Honey, please, let me look at him.”
“No, no,” Nicole was moaning loudly.
“Nic, please. Let me help.”
“David, talk to me! Honey, please…”
Alex said, “Here, move here.” Nicole shifted, reaching for David’s hand.
Jesus, her brother-in-law was mess. She tried to see where he was hit, but it looked like he’d been used for target practice—chest, abdomen, arm. So much blood.
Far away, she could hear sirens beginning their journey, and she mentally blessed CJ for calling and knowing what to say. She knew CJ had what little description they had on the car already on broadcast. With any luck, a patrol unit would spot it in a minute or two.
Alex was afraid to feel for a pulse, but she did anyway, putting two fingers against his neck, feeling for his carotid artery. She thought she felt a flutter, but the harder she pressed, the less there was to feel. She moved to the other side, but there was nothing.
Nicole was sobbing against her, still holding David’s lifeless hand.
The rest of the memories always came in pieces: the useless ambulance ride, after which David was solemnly pronounced dead on arrival. Nicole’s incoherent grief, Charlie crying. Alex took them home, while CJ went back to help with the investigation. Alex called Frank Morelli and Chris Andersen, her best team, to take the case, and they left their holiday
Eyes twinkling, David said, “Why, I believe it is.” He strolled back to the barbeque grill and picked up the plate.
Alex looked over to see CJ pushing Charlie on a swing in the warm afternoon, the sunlight bouncing from her red hair like a flame. Then a loud noise penetrated Alex’s consciousness, and she looked around for the source.
There was a sedan driving recklessly across the grass of the park, scattering pedestrians and picnickers. The car was heading toward them. A drunk driver?
From the driver’s side open window, she saw a sudden flash. Alex had time for one scream.
“CJ! Gun!”
As adrenaline flooded her, the scene unfolded for a moment in slow motion. CJ grabbed Charlie from the swing and rolled them both beneath the metal slide, curling herself around Charlie entirely.
Alex heard the first gunshot as she grabbed for Nicole, shoving her under the concrete picnic table, and trying to wedge herself under as well. Nicole was screaming for Charlie, for David, and Alex gripped her tightly as bullets seemed to pour around them like hail. Alex felt something hit her back, a spray of dirt or a chip of concrete, but it didn’t hurt enough to be a bullet. She tried to count the gunshots but there were too many. More than one gun , she thought.
Time had slowed so much it seemed like forever before the firing stopped, although it was probably less than a minute. She heard the engine roar away, and she rolled out, trying to spot a license plate, but it had been carefully mud-splattered to be unreadable.
Alex scrambled to her feet, looking desperately for CJ. She was still curled motionless beneath the slide, Charlie wrapped in her arms.
“CJ!” Alex yelled frantically. “Are you hurt?”
No, God, please, I can’t take that again.
She watched CJ unfold herself and get to her feet, saw her lift Charlie into her arms and speak briefly to him, her hands touching him slightly.
“Okay! We’re okay!” CJ called, beginning to move back toward them.
The next moment, Alex became aware of Nicole screaming behind her, and she turned.
David was on the ground, the white apron bloodied and torn. Nicole was bending over him, hysterical and trying to get him to talk to her.
Alex whirled back to CJ and said, “Take Charlie away.”
CJ’s green eyes went wide, then she grasped Charlie firmly with one arm against her shoulder and turned away again, groping with her free hand for her cell phone.
Alex went to Nicole and said, “Honey, please, let me look at him.”
“No, no,” Nicole was moaning loudly.
“Nic, please. Let me help.”
“David, talk to me! Honey, please…”
Alex said, “Here, move here.” Nicole shifted, reaching for David’s hand.
Jesus, her brother-in-law was mess. She tried to see where he was hit, but it looked like he’d been used for target practice—chest, abdomen, arm. So much blood.
Far away, she could hear sirens beginning their journey, and she mentally blessed CJ for calling and knowing what to say. She knew CJ had what little description they had on the car already on broadcast. With any luck, a patrol unit would spot it in a minute or two.
Alex was afraid to feel for a pulse, but she did anyway, putting two fingers against his neck, feeling for his carotid artery. She thought she felt a flutter, but the harder she pressed, the less there was to feel. She moved to the other side, but there was nothing.
Nicole was sobbing against her, still holding David’s lifeless hand.
The rest of the memories always came in pieces: the useless ambulance ride, after which David was solemnly pronounced dead on arrival. Nicole’s incoherent grief, Charlie crying. Alex took them home, while CJ went back to help with the investigation. Alex called Frank Morelli and Chris Andersen, her best team, to take the case, and they left their holiday
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