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“Your honesty is refreshing,” Aaron said. “Who belongs to the china and crystal?”
Cindy laughed out loud as she led him into the dining room. Jeez, she felt a little like Bridget Jones.
“Believe it or not, the china and crystal is all mine. My mother has been giving me prewedding gifts since I was eighteen. I thought Wedgwood and Waterford would be perfect for our special night. The grub is ready. Let’s do it.”
“May I help you serve the feast?” Aaron asked.
“That would be just perfect. Like everything else tonight.”
Everything was, actually, and a few minutes later they were seated at the dining table with the delicious-looking food in front of them.
Cindy tapped her wineglass. “I want to make a toast,” she said.
Just then, Aaron saw a reflection moving in the mirror over the sideboard behind Cindy. His heart fell. Not again; not here.
“Cindy, no!” he screamed. Suddenly he was out of his chair and he dove headfirst across the dining table. He only hoped he was in time.
He took Cindy and most of her china and crystal down. Everything hit the floor with a crash just as the first shot shattered the dining room window. Several more shots followed in quick succession. Trailer fire. Chimera was here. He was coming for them now.
Cindy had the presence of mind to grab the cord and pull the phone off the console in the hallway. She pressed the number four on her quick dial, then speaker, and she heard Lindsay’s voice.
“He’s here at my apartment. He’s shooting at Aaron and me!” she screamed over the phone. “Chimera is here and he’s still shooting!”
Chapter 109
THIS COULDN’T BE HAPPENING, but it was.
I called for all available units, then I rushed to Cindy’s apartment. I got there as fast as humanly possible. Maybe a little faster. I saw Cindy and Aaron standing on the front porch. Half a dozen patrol cars were parked all around the house. But they were still targets, weren’t they?
My hands were clutched tightly as I ran to her. I hugged Cindy, and she was still trembling badly. I’d never seen her look so vulnerable, so afraid and lost.
“Thank God a patrol car was here in minutes, Lindsay. It either scared him off or he was gone already.”
“Are you all right?” I turned my attention to Aaron. He and Cindy both had stains all over their clothes. It looked as if they’d had a food fight. What the hell had happened here?
“Aaron saved me,” Cindy said in a whisper. He just shook his head and held Cindy’s hand. There was a tenderness between them that touched me a great deal.
“He’s losing it,” I muttered, more to myself than to either of them. Whoever Chimera was, he was in a rage. Obviously, he wanted to hurt me, or anyone I was close to. Or maybe he was
offended by the idea of Aaron Winslow and Cindy. That could be part of it. He wasn’t planning his hits as carefully now; he was reckless and rattled, but still very dangerous.
And he was out there somewhere. Maybe even watching us right now.
“C’mon, let’s go back inside,” I said.
“Why, Lindsay?” asked Cindy. “That’s where he shot at us. Who the hell is this guy? What does he want?”
“I don’t know, Cindy. Please go inside, sweetie.”
Inspectors were already checking where the shots had come from. CSU was after the caliber of the weapon. But I knew. And I knew that it was him: Chimera.
I’m still here, he was telling us. Telling me.
Warren Jacobi’s blue Ford pulled up, and I watched him get out and hurry over to me. “The two of them okay?”
“Yeah. They’re inside now. Jesus, Warren. This has something to do with me. It has to.”
I rested my head on his shoulder for a second. Tears welled in my eyes, and I felt them come. They ran down my cheeks, hot and stinging.
