I heard her cry and gasp and then the clicking of her heels pounded the floor as she escaped.
“Get the fuck off me!” Ricky snarled, and he got his foot on my chest and shoved hard.
I flew backward and landed on the floor. Ricky appeared over me with the hammer. He reached down, grabbed the front of my jacket in one hand, and lifted me toward him. I fought and tried to shove him, but he had a better position and I couldn’t reach his arm when he pulled the hammer back.
Man… I was one shitty warrior. Save the girl, get bludgeoned for my efforts.
Ricky brought the hammer down. I struggled and fought violently, managing to miss being smashed over the head. Instead he got me in the side. It was enough to make me gasp and lose my hold on him. I fought to catch my breath, and Ricky raised the hammer again.
A deafening shot pierced the room.
My ears rang.
Ricky stumbled, dropped the hammer, and crashed to the floor.
My breath was heavy sounding, muted, and weird. I collapsed onto my back and tilted my head to look at the door upside down.
Calvin lowered his SIG P226.
CHAPTER NINE
“I WASsupposed to buy Max some death cake.”
“What?”
“Murder cake, I mean.”
Calvin let out a long sigh.
I was sitting at one of the tables in the front of Ricky’s club. There were police everywhere, and paramedics were bringing him out on a stretcher from the back hall. The fuck was damn lucky Calvin was a good cop and had given him a not-too-serious wound. I turned to watch Ricky get wheeled by. He flipped me the finger.
I raised my hand to shoot the gesture right back at him, but Calvin put his hand firmly over my own, stopping me.
“Sebastian. I can’t decide if you’re purposefully trying to get yourself killed, or if you’re only trying to put me in an early grave.”
“You caught me. Am I in your will so I benefit from your riches?”
Calvin pushed his coat open to rest his hands on his hips. “Yes. You get my dirty laundry and PlayStation.”
“Score.”
“What the hell are you doing here?” he asked next, staring down at me.
“Sleuthing.”
“No shit.”
“I found the hammer,” I pointed out. “Meredith must have given it to Ricky after she killed her daughter. He kept it in a safe. Do you think there are still fingerprints or DNA?”
Calvin clenched his jaw, but after a moment of mental counting to ensure he didn’t strangle his idiot boyfriend, he said, “There’s old blood and fingerprints on it. It’ll match Meredith and her daughter, Wendy, no doubt.”
I nodded. “So… case closed.”
“Why did you come here?” Calvin asked again.
“I talked to the old boyfriend,” I said, looking up. “He’s the one who knew about the safe.” I offered Calvin an awkward smile. “Want me to tell a convincing story? I came by to ask about their Valentine’s Day show. I got lost looking for an employee, walked in on Ricky getting ready to beat the shit out of that girl—” I pointed over toward Gracie, who was being questioned by Quinn. “And then… you know.”
“Real believable.”
