down at her blood-stiffened running shirt. The head wound had bled a lot before they stitched it.
“So tell me what happened.”
“I already told you. It hasn’t changed since the last time, ten minutes ago.”
“I want to hear it again.”
“Police harassment,” she said, with an attempt at a smile. Perhaps that wasn’t reassuring, because he looked away abruptly.
The hospital wasn’t far from their house, so it wasn’t long before they had to go through the ordeal of getting her inside. She didn’t want to go to bed, so after helping her with a brief shower and then wrapping her in her favorite kimono, Stevens set her up on the nice leather couch they’d sprung for when they moved in. He propped her up with pillows and covered her with the crocheted afghan Aunty Rosario had made so long ago.
Keiki sat beside Lei. The big dog wouldn’t leave her side, and Lei found it comforting to breathe her doggy smell. She trailed her fingers through the dog’s ruff and down to scratch her chest. Keiki set her big square head on Lei’s tummy and gazed at her with soulful brown eyes. Heroine of the hour, the dog had run back and forth on the road, barking nonstop, until she attracted a passerby.
Stevens poured Lei a glass of water. “They said to stay hydrated.”
She groaned but took the glass and sipped. “Wish those pain meds would work.”
“Tell me again.”
“Oh God.” She handed him the glass. “The guy was gunning for me, no question about it. Ran me off the road; I knew the park was a dead end and he’d have to come back. So I followed him, wanted to wave him down and do a citizen’s arrest, at least get a look at the plates.”
Stevens shot up with the coiled grace that was a part of everything he did.
“That’s where I’m having a problem with this. It never occurred to you someone wanted to kill your ass? I mean, you’re well known. Who knows who might have tracked us since the Cult Killer case? You should have gotten yourself straight home! You were close to the house at that point—you should have gotten your weapon and called me!”
“I know that now. I thought it was just a reckless driver that needed to be stopped. I mean, he almost hit Keiki.”
The blow to the head had knocked the sass out of her, and her voice was small. This felt like the repeat of old arguments.
Stevens sat back down. “Yeah, and he actually did hit you, in case you didn’t notice. I know I shouldn’t be yelling. But you could have been killed, and I don’t. . .” He got up and paced again. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost you like that.”
He went to the kitchen, leaned against the sink, and looked out at the mountain behind the house, rising green and bright with full day. He turned back.
“So you didn’t ever see the car?”
“No. Nothing. It came from behind the first time, and I jumped out of the way. Second time, he ambushed me from the side and hit me here. I barely had room to go anywhere.” She touched the hip where the bumper had made contact, a purple-black bruise under the robe. “I’m actually lucky.”
“Don’t you think I know it?” Stevens banged some pots around. “Let me fix you something to eat.”
“I don’t know. Kinda nauseous.” She rested her bandaged head against the couch cushions. “Just gonna rest a minute.”
Approaching night was turning the air blue when she woke up. Stevens watched a ball game from the armchair, and a plate of omelet congealed beside her on the coffee table. He must have been watching for signs of life, because he rose at once and came to sit beside her. Keiki lifted her head off her paws and licked Lei’s dangling hand.
“How’re you feeling?”
“Better, actually. Think I need the bathroom.” She was able to totter in and do her business on her own. He’d given the omelet to Keiki and was back in the kitchen.
“Hungry?”
“Yeah.” Lei had been dreaming—and in the dream a beautiful red-haired girl pointed
“So tell me what happened.”
“I already told you. It hasn’t changed since the last time, ten minutes ago.”
“I want to hear it again.”
“Police harassment,” she said, with an attempt at a smile. Perhaps that wasn’t reassuring, because he looked away abruptly.
The hospital wasn’t far from their house, so it wasn’t long before they had to go through the ordeal of getting her inside. She didn’t want to go to bed, so after helping her with a brief shower and then wrapping her in her favorite kimono, Stevens set her up on the nice leather couch they’d sprung for when they moved in. He propped her up with pillows and covered her with the crocheted afghan Aunty Rosario had made so long ago.
Keiki sat beside Lei. The big dog wouldn’t leave her side, and Lei found it comforting to breathe her doggy smell. She trailed her fingers through the dog’s ruff and down to scratch her chest. Keiki set her big square head on Lei’s tummy and gazed at her with soulful brown eyes. Heroine of the hour, the dog had run back and forth on the road, barking nonstop, until she attracted a passerby.
Stevens poured Lei a glass of water. “They said to stay hydrated.”
She groaned but took the glass and sipped. “Wish those pain meds would work.”
“Tell me again.”
“Oh God.” She handed him the glass. “The guy was gunning for me, no question about it. Ran me off the road; I knew the park was a dead end and he’d have to come back. So I followed him, wanted to wave him down and do a citizen’s arrest, at least get a look at the plates.”
Stevens shot up with the coiled grace that was a part of everything he did.
“That’s where I’m having a problem with this. It never occurred to you someone wanted to kill your ass? I mean, you’re well known. Who knows who might have tracked us since the Cult Killer case? You should have gotten yourself straight home! You were close to the house at that point—you should have gotten your weapon and called me!”
“I know that now. I thought it was just a reckless driver that needed to be stopped. I mean, he almost hit Keiki.”
The blow to the head had knocked the sass out of her, and her voice was small. This felt like the repeat of old arguments.
Stevens sat back down. “Yeah, and he actually did hit you, in case you didn’t notice. I know I shouldn’t be yelling. But you could have been killed, and I don’t. . .” He got up and paced again. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost you like that.”
He went to the kitchen, leaned against the sink, and looked out at the mountain behind the house, rising green and bright with full day. He turned back.
“So you didn’t ever see the car?”
“No. Nothing. It came from behind the first time, and I jumped out of the way. Second time, he ambushed me from the side and hit me here. I barely had room to go anywhere.” She touched the hip where the bumper had made contact, a purple-black bruise under the robe. “I’m actually lucky.”
“Don’t you think I know it?” Stevens banged some pots around. “Let me fix you something to eat.”
“I don’t know. Kinda nauseous.” She rested her bandaged head against the couch cushions. “Just gonna rest a minute.”
Approaching night was turning the air blue when she woke up. Stevens watched a ball game from the armchair, and a plate of omelet congealed beside her on the coffee table. He must have been watching for signs of life, because he rose at once and came to sit beside her. Keiki lifted her head off her paws and licked Lei’s dangling hand.
“How’re you feeling?”
“Better, actually. Think I need the bathroom.” She was able to totter in and do her business on her own. He’d given the omelet to Keiki and was back in the kitchen.
“Hungry?”
“Yeah.” Lei had been dreaming—and in the dream a beautiful red-haired girl pointed
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