He was going to shoot her. Kill her. In what seemed like slow motion, his finger pulled back on the trigger.
“Move, Reggie.” Dylan yelled.
She scrambled to her knees and crawled.
Shots and more shots.
Reggie choked back her scream. Her gaze found the gunman. He lay crumpled on the floor. Dylan walked over and kicked the gun away from him. Then his arms were around her on the floor.
“Reggie, it’s OK. You’re safe.” Dylan’s voice penetrated the fog of fear. She felt safe—finally safe. This is where she belonged—in Dylan’s arms. She wanted to stay there forever, never move again, but Jeffrey’s moans brought her back to reality. She needed to help him.
“Jeffrey.” Reggie whispered.
Dylan released her and she crawled over to her friend.
Before she reached him, the police burst in. A blur of blue. Screaming. Yelling. Guns pointed at her. Then at Dylan. Dylan tackled to the ground. She was yanked up and handcuffed. Paramedics rushed in. Jeffrey on a gurney. The gunman on a gurney.
Chaos reigned, but slowly order was restored.
Robin took control of the situation vouching for Reggie.
Reggie vouched for Dylan. They were both uncuffed.
Reggie sat on the edge of Jeffrey’s chair staring at the pool of blood on the floor. No one else seemed to notice it. Jeffrey would be furious. Such a clean freak. The cup of coffee in her hand shook. Where had the coffee come from? Robin must have given it to her, but Reggie couldn’t remember.
Had she thanked her? Reggie didn’t think so. Tears flowed once again. She was sure she hadn’t thanked Robin for the coffee.
Reggie searched the room.
Robin stood talking with an officer. Her hands moved through the air as she talked. She’d only celebrated her twentieth birthday a few months before. She must be terrified.
Reggie set down the coffee and walked over to Robin, wrapping the young college student in her arms. Tears. Whispers. More hugs.
****
Dylan watched Reggie comforting Jeffrey’s young employee. She was the target of a killer, but there she stood comforting Robin, more interested in taking care of others than herself.
Reggie had told him she was selfish and self-centered, but he’d only seen the opposite since he’d met her. She had a heart. A big heart.
A policeman walked up and held out his hand to shake Dylan’s. “Don’t know if you remember me. Ray Davis from Alexis’s condo the other day.”
Officer Ray as Alexis and Reggie called him. Dylan nodded. “Sure. Is this part of your precinct?”
“Nah. My supervisor gave me permission to come here.”
“Good to see you.”
“We just got word. The gunman died on the operating table. We weren’t able to get any information from him.”
“Do you know who he was?”
“Gerard Hochs. He’s wanted for several murders. His specialty is killing for hire. He mostly spends time between Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia.”
Philadelphia. Where Stanley Federer lived. Dylan debated briefly whether to tell the officer about the Philadelphia connection, but decided to talk with Billy Clyde first.
“Just because he’s dead doesn’t mean Reggie is safe. We still don’t know who he was working for.”
“Yeah, I know. I didn’t want to kill him but I had no choice.”
Ray clasped him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. There shouldn’t be any legal complications. It was a justified shooting.”
“Good to hear.”
“Reggie’s going to need a safe place. The FBI’s involved, now. They can find her a—”
“Not necessary, I’ll handle it.”
Reggie walked up to them and laid her hand on Dylan’s arm. He smiled at her and put his arm around her waist pulling her close. She moved closer.
“Officer Davis was telling—”
“From the other day at Alexis’s apartment.”
“That’s me.” Davis nodded. “Reggie, I’m sorry you had to go through all this. I shouldn’t have told you to come back until we had a confession. Dylan will tell you what’s going on. You’re both free to go.”
“Really?” Reggie asked. “Dylan shouldn’t get in any trouble. He was only protecting me.”
“He’s not in trouble. He may have to come for a hearing, but it will be a formality. Again, I’m sorry for what happened.” Ray walked away.
“You OK?” Dylan’s arm was still around Reggie’s waist.
“We got an update on Jeffrey. He’s going to be fine. Robin’s amazing. She’s refusing to close down the gallery while Jeffrey’s in the hospital.”
“You’re amazing.”
“Me.” Reggie shook her head, running hands through her hair. “I’m a mess. You’re the one who’s amazing. If you hadn’t been—”
“Not true, Reggie. You’re the one that hauled off and slugged him. You should have seen the look on his face. You did good.”
“You did good. You came charging in like a cowboy on a white horse. That was awfully brave of you.” She nudged him in the side. “You must like me.”
She had no idea.
“Just a little.”