Amber stood in the dark hallway listening to Gage talk to his intruders. His employees. The thought that they killed the man she met the other day made her absolutely sick to her stomach. All for ninety thousand dollars? For God’s sake, she could give them that money and no one would have had to get hurt. What were they thinking? No wonder Gage had been stressed out. Having to think that your employees could be stealing from the company you treated as your own was enough to send any man over the edge.
She tried not to make any noise as she edged as close as she could to the end of the hallway so she could see where their positions were. She didn’t want the light shining on her, making her presence known. She opened her handbag and quietly took out her gun. Better safe than sorry, she supposed. Did she think she would really have to use it? Could she? As familiar as she was with the weapon and as many times she had shot paper targets, the fact remained that she had never even pointed it at someone, much less ever used it on someone! But he was threatening to kill Gage and she couldn’t let that happen. If it would even come down to that.
As nausea filled Amber’s stomach, her father’s voice sounded in her ears.
Amber Bee, don’t let the past haunt you. You have to control the situation. Believe in yourself. Believe that you are worthy of more. We want that for you.
Amber wiped the tears from her cheeks. She couldn’t mess this up. Gage needed her. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the safety button to the off position on her handgun and peeked around the corner.
She could see their backs. She could see all of Gage. He sat at the table with his legs sprawled out underneath the table, leaning back in his chair. His arms were folded across his chest, the muscles in his arms flexing.
She got away from the corner and tiptoed back down the hallway. She needed to cock her gun back so she at least had a bullet in the chamber. If she was going to go out there gangster style, she needed to be prepared. But she had to hurry. She feared she didn’t have much time and it sounded like these people were capable of murder. She went back into the bathroom, left the light off and cocked her gun. The sound echoing in the small room set her on edge. She hoped like hell no one heard that sound.
Back in the hallway she could still hear them talking. She could hear Gage’s deep baritone voice but he was talking so quiet she couldn’t make out the words. She peeked around the corner again and saw the man pointing his gun between himself and Gage as he spoke. Jesus Christ, he was going to kill someone waving it around like that. She leaned back up against the wall and dialed 911. She knew she couldn’t talk to them but she was hoping they might send someone out, as long as they could hear what was going on. She slid the phone into her back pocket. She took a deep breath and tiptoed into the kitchen, her arms outstretched in front of her.
“Put your gun down!”
It all happened fast. The minute she said that, Brian turned around and somehow his gun went off. Gage jumped out of his seat, knocking the chair to the ground tackling Echo. Amber shot Brian dead center in the chest. The force knocked him back into the table. His gun went flying to the ground. She finally registered the screaming and looked around to find Gage on top of Echo. With blood. There was a lot of blood. The bright red was seeping all over Gage’s denim jeans, turning brown and pooling underneath them. Oh God. Her shaking hands managed to put the safety back on her gun and with disgust; she set it on the counter. She stumbled past Brian laying awkwardly half on the table and half fallen into one of the chairs.
She vomited all over the floor. She tried to steady herself by putting her hands on her knees. Tears burned her eyes.
“It’s 1341 Sundance. Yes, she’s breathing but she needs help. Yes. His name is Brian Kemp. No, no pulse. He’s...he’s gone.”
Gage’s voice was loud in her ears. It sounded like he was yelling but she was too disoriented to figure it out. The police! He must be on the phone. Oh no, was he hurt, too? She glanced to the floor were Gage was kneeling over Echo. He had gotten ahold of some dishtowels and was holding them to her stomach. The towels were soaked red; Gage’s hands looked like he had dipped them in paint. She turned her head and heaved again, vomit splattering all over his hardwood floors.
She jumped at Gage’s touch, “It’s okay, deep breaths. It’s okay. It’s all over. I used your phone out of your back pocket. Amber, I know this is difficult but I need you to focus for a minute. Listen, the police will be here any second, okay? They are going to ask you a bunch of questions. You need to call your lawyer. Is the number in your phone? You need to get him out here immediately.”
She nodded her head. “Yeah. Felix Haussmann. Am I going to prison? God Gage, are you okay?”
Gage grunted, “Amber, you saved my life. I’m fine. I’m worried about you.” He called the number in her phone and after a few rings the man answered. Gage explained a short version of what happened and gave Felix the address.
“He’s on his way.”
“Is, is that girl alive? I thought he shot you.” She bent down and placed her hands on her knees and watched the tears fall from her face on to the floor were she threw up. She thought she might puke again. She couldn’t breath and the acrid taste in her mouth was making her heave. She vowed to never have steak again.
“Echo is barely hanging in there. Here, lets get you a towel, okay?”
Just then the entourage of paramedics and police came through the front door. One paramedic went to Brian’s body while the other two attended to Echo. The police took Gage and Amber into the front of the house, away from the commotion and crime scene. Amber managed to compose herself long enough to answer basic questions but her lawyer did most of the talking. Or rather, he moderated the questions and answers between her and the investigator. Because she actually killed someone, she wasn’t allowed to retrieve her weapon. No, Felix assured her that it was already bagged and tagged. No, she wouldn’t see that baby for a long time. She watched as many men and women, some in normal clothes and some in uniforms – one wearing a black coat with the word CORONER printed on back, entered Gage’s house like they owned the place. They had a job to do. They all probably had families that they wanted to go back home and see. Finally, an officer escorted Gage to his room to pack a duffel bag with some belongings and took them to the door.
The officer handed Gage Amber’s keys, “You drive. She is in no shape to drive or be alone. We will call you both in the morning. Tomorrow she is going to have to come to the station and fill out some paperwork. This should go without saying but I’m going to say it anyway – don’t leave town. Understood?”
They both nodded.
“Most likely, someone will be here all night and into the morning. I will call you when it’s acceptable for you to come back. I assume working in your line of business you know you will need to call your insurance to get the house cleaned up, right?”
Gage put out his hand, “Yes. Thanks.”
“No problem. Try to get some rest Miss Prescott.”
Once at Amber’s house, Gage shut the door behind him and followed Amber into her bedroom. “Let me help you out of your clothes.”
“No I’m fine. I just want to sit here. You change. I will be okay.”
For the first time Gage looked down at his jeans and saw what a mess they were. “Do you mind if I take a quick shower?”
She shook her head.
Gage turned to leave but turned back to Amber, “on second thought.”
He hauled her off her bed, throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried her into her bathroom. He stood her up on the tile floor and began undressing her. With her naked, he undressed himself and turned the shower on, practically shoving her inside.
“Is this warm enough?”
“Yeah. It feels good. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Amber baby, I’m fine. If it weren’t for you, who knows where I’d be. I’m more worried about you. Are you sure you are okay?”
“I’m sure. I just got you to be mine. I don’t want to lose you, Gage.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
He pulled Amber to him, the water beating down on both of them as they stood in silence. After a while, Amber spoke first. “It’s crazy how one moment can trigger a response out of someone that nothing else has been able to do. I have been searching for answers for so long and I thought winning the dance competition would be the answer but it wasn’t. It was this.”
Gage cocked his head, wiping water away from his face, “What do you mean?”
“My parents. I know now that it wasn’t my fault that they died in that plane crash. Like, it really wasn’t my fault. Everyone makes their own decisions based on what they think is best. Just like your two employees tonight. As crazy as they both were in thinking they could get away with embezzlement and murder, they made these choices because they thought it was in their best interest. Just like my mom and dad. My mom and dad flew that day because they wanted to. They wanted to come and see the performances. It’s funny how all of these events have finally triggered me to see that and understand that.”
Gage couldn’t keep his hands off her wet body as he listened to her talk. He looked into her eyes, seeking the truth – the knowledge that she believed what she told him. “You finally get that don’t you, mi Reina? I can see it in your eyes. You really understand that their deaths were not your fault, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” She closed her eyes and tilted her head under the spray of water. Her laughter held sarcasm, “I’m an awful woman. I kill a man and I finally feel free. Very interesting how pulling the trigger can make you feel so happy, so free.”
Gage laughed, “Yup, an interesting twist to the term trigger happy.”