Rock Chick Redemption (Rock Chick #3)(134)

Everyone went stil as we watched Bil y’s hand explode in a mist of red. He shrieked a hideous cry of pain as the gun fel free.

There was a nanosecond of silence.

Then Hank ordered, “Cal the paramedics.”

Hank moved toward Bil y and in my line of sight so I couldn’t see.

I looked to Luke, thinking he shot Bil y. Luke was shrugging off his jacket, blood was running down his arm.

The sight of it overwhelmed me. I sagged against Lee and he took my weight into his body at the same time he shoved his gun in a shoulder holster.

“Back off. Police,” Eddie was there, gun raised, badge out, danger was back in the room.

The two men who had to be from Chicago were approaching Hank, Marcus and Bil y. They moved back when they caught sight of Eddie.

“Drop your weapons and against the wal ,” Eddie continued. Without hesitation their weapons fel to the ground, their hands went up.

The other two men in suits had disappeared, vanished, as if they’d never been there.

Bil y was sitting on the floor, Hank hunched beside him, blocking my view.

“Get her out of here, Lee,” Hank ordered, not turning to us as what appeared to be an army of uniformed officers, led by Carl, came into the room.

“Let’s go, Roxie,” Lee said into my ear and my body went stiff.

“Luke –” I started.

“He’l get taken care of, honey, let’s go,” Lee’s voice was soft as he was pul ing me back.

I started to struggle and Lee’s arm went from gentle to no-nonsense. I gave up and al owed him to pul me out of the room.

* * * * *

I was sitting on a barstool in Daisy’s kitchen, being mother henned by eight women and two g*y men. Kitty Sue and Malcolm had arrived late (thank God).

Malcolm was somewhere with the men, Kitty Sue was with us.

There was so much food on the counter at my side, it could have fed the Chicago Bears, Bul s and Cubs for a week. There were four uniformed officers helping themselves to the food.

When Lee guided me into the kitchen, I noticed Dad experiencing a fleeting relief, then he detonated, cursing and blinding. Lee went to him and careful y guided him out but we heard him yel ing al the way down the hal .

Jason fol owed them; his usual good-natured expression had again disappeared.

Detective Jimmy Marker had come and gone, taking my statement while he was there. The whole time I talked to him, Mom stood beside me holding my hand. Annette stood close behind me, taking the weight of my shoulders into her torso. At that time, it was too fresh, I couldn’t have held myself up without Annette and, like any best girlfriend would, she knew it.

Detective Marker told me Luke had a flesh wound in his arm. It was superficial and he’d be fine. He went on to tel me Bil y was going to the hospital, under armed guard, but his hand looked bad. Final y, he told me that it was Vance who shot Bil y.

“Boy’s a good shot. So’s Lee and so’s Stark. Even though he used you as a shield, you were covered. If they’d fired, none of those boys would have hit you,” Detective Marker said calmly, as if, the whole time, I had nothing to worry about.

“Stark?” I asked, confused.

“Luke. Last name’s Stark. Known by that on the street though Lee’s boys cal him Luke,” Detective Marker explained.

“How do you know they’re good shots?”

Detective Marker hesitated, shuffled a bit realizing he shared too much and final y said, “Just do.” Now, with Detective Marker gone, the activity was beginning to die down and Al y was helping herself to some Brie and apple slices while Shirleen spread a wodge of pâté on some French bread.

“Wel , Sugar, you made certain sure I’m gonna get a doozy of a write-up in the society pages,” Daisy told me on a tinkling laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

“Damn straight, Daisy-girl. Never read the society pages but I sure as hel won’t miss this one,” Shirleen threw in.

Annette’s arm came around my chest and neck and she kissed the top of my head. I leaned further into her, realizing, final y, that it was over.

Over.

Thank God.

And I breathed another sigh. This wasn’t a happy one, this one was relieved.

“I’m just glad he didn’t tear her gown or get any blood on it. I don’t know if blood washes out of satin and I don’t want to know. That is a piece of laundry knowledge I’d be happy to go to my grave without. You girls are kil er on my dresses, what with bar brawls and the like. I have to go shopping weekly to keep stocked up,” Tod added.

“That’s hardly the reason you go shopping, Tod,” Stevie put in.

Tod turned to Stevie. “Excuse me but Burgundy has to have choice. She never knows which way she’s gonna go,” Tod declared then turned to Shirleen. “By the way, is the offer open to me to borrow that necklace? It… is… fine. ”

“Sho’ ‘nuff, sweet thang,” Shirleen said.

I felt a bubble of hilarity start to rise in me but caught Indy’s eye and it disappeared. She and Jet were watching me like hawks and they didn’t think any of this was funny.

“I’m okay,” I mouthed to them.

Jet sucked in her lips. Indy looked about ready to hit the roof.

“Real y,” I said out loud.

Indy nodded her head with just a hint of a sad smile on her lips. I got the feeling that she wished she had it in her power to erase my whole history with Bil y with a wave of her magic wand.