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“No, Daddy. I do it,” Arielle insisted when Laz started to buckle her up. She could do it herself, but it usually took longer than he had time for. “I do it,” she said again with authority, pushing his hand away.
“Okay, but if you don’t have it fastened by the time I get in the truck, I’m going to fasten it. So, hurry up.” Laz kept her door open to keep an eye on her while he and Nazir talked for a few more minutes.
The kid sounded proud of himself, as he should. Kicking a bad habit with the support of family and friends was hard, but it was even harder when you had to rely mostly on yourself.
“Daddy, almost,” Arielle said, still fiddling with the buckle.
Shaking his head, Laz smiled, and Nazir chuckled.
“Little Miss Independent is not giving up,” Nazir cracked.
“No, and she won’t. She’s a determined kid.” Laz moved to the door opening to see Arielle’s progress. She must’ve thought he was going to take over because she quickly told him she could do it. “Okay, but remember, if you’re not done by the time I get in, I will do it.”
“’kay,” she said, still struggling to latch the buckle.
Laz closed the door, and he and Nazir continued talking as they moved around the back of the vehicle to the driver’s side.
“Do you need a ride?” Laz asked as an afterthought as he pulled open the front door of the truck.
“No, but thanks. I work at the Greek restaurant across the street.” Nazir nodded toward the large building at the other end of the corner. “My shift starts in a little while, so I should probably get going, but I’m glad I ran into you. It gives me a chance to say thanks. If it weren’t for you, I probably would still be living on the street or worse.”
“I’m glad I could help, and I….” Laz’s words trailed off when he spotted a dark sedan with tinted windows pull out of a parking spot down the street. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if the car wasn’t creeping along at a snail’s pace.
Nazir turned to see what he was looking at, then turned back to Laz. “Same ol’ Laz. Some things never change. You’re always on guard,” the kid was saying, but Laz’s focus was on the vehicle.
The car hadn’t sped up. Maybe the driver was looking for an address, but Laz’s intuition had never failed him, and right now, his gut was starting to swirl. He suddenly wanted to get the hell out of there.
His gaze took in every nearby person, which wasn’t many. The two-lane road wasn’t that busy, but there were a few people out and about, coming and going from some of the storefront businesses across the street.
Still, something felt off.
“Nazir, it was great seeing you,” Laz said but kept his attention on the car. “You probably should get going so you don’t be late.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right.” Nazir glanced at the watch on his left wrist. “I better get going.”
Tires squealed, and Laz whipped his head to the right, just in time to see the same car flying up the street. Then it slowed down a few yards away, and unease clawed through him.
His body moved without thought. He bent down and pulled his pistol from his ankle holster before taking a couple of cautious steps back to where he had left his car door open.
This could be nothing, but….
“Arielle, get on the floor!”
“Daddy….”
“Fall on the floor, now, Ari! Hurry! Nazir, get out of here. No, get down!”
“Laz, man….”
The sedan’s tinted windows rolled down, and the moment Laz spotted a gun barrel, he dove to the ground. Before he could form his next thought, gunshots blasted through the air, hitting nearby vehicles and his truck.
Shit!
Screams rang out, and he heard feet pounding the pavement, but there was only one voice that penetrated Laz’s brain.
Arielle.
“Daddy!” she screamed over and over. “Daddy!”
