Free Quick Fix by Linda Grimes Page B

consciousness. “His ego is big enough without letting him think he was actually right about something. You just hang on, and when you’re better I’ll help you come up with a reason he wasn’t right. I’m good at reasons. Reasons are my specialty.”
    She didn’t respond.
    “Laura? Laura? ”
    I heard the door behind me open, and then Billy was there. He pushed me aside and checked under the throw, setting his mouth grimly at the bloody sight.
    “Jesus,” he said.
    “The ambulance is almost here. Police, too, I imagine. I heard the siren,” I said.
    “What?” Billy avoided police like kids avoid brussels sprouts. His aversion was instinctive and strong.
    “I had to call for help. Look at her—she could die.” I whispered the last part, and hoped she couldn’t hear me.
    He gathered himself. “Right. You did the right thing. Let me think for a second.”
    His eyes went someplace far away; the sirens got louder. They were almost here.
    “Billy, what’s going on? Who shot Laura? Why does she look different? Is she on assignment? With you? Is she the one you had to meet?”
    He ignored my questions. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to take Molly and get the hell out of here. Take her back to the lab. Or, if you can’t get in there, take her to James’s apartment. Come on, hurry!”
    He took my elbow and lifted me away from Laura.
    “But I’m wearing a towel!”
    “So throw some clothes on, and do it fast. Where’s Molly?”
    “I don’t know. She was there a second ago. Molly—where are you?”
    “Never mind. I’ll find her—you get dressed. Molly! Get your furry little butt over here.”
    *   *   *
    Billy put Molly in the stroller while I dressed in record time. No underwear, no bra—couldn’t take the time. Just jeans, T-shirt, and flip-flops. Trust me, going commando isn’t as liberating as you might think. I didn’t want to contemplate the places I was likely to get chafed.
    I left the building just as the cops and medics were arriving. One of the officers—a young guy, maybe a rookie—held the door for me, and took a second to ask me if I’d heard any gunfire. Fortunately, he didn’t look too closely at my well-bundled baby, partially hidden by the stroller top.
    “You mean a little while ago? I think I heard something, but I’m not sure it was a gunshot. I just thought it was a car backfiring. Nothing’s wrong, is it?”
    “Could be, ma’am. Stay alert.”
    “I’ll do that.”
    I pretended to hail a taxi, but waved the driver on as soon as the police were in Billy’s building. After crossing the street at the nearest corner (didn’t want to risk getting picked up for jaywalking with Molly in tow), I eased into the shadows between two buildings and waited. I had to see if Laura was okay, if she was still alive when they brought her out.
    The medics came out first, pushing Laura on a rolling stretcher. She had a mask on her face—oxygen, I supposed—and an IV in her arm. They loaded her efficiently, turned the siren back on, and were gone in a matter of seconds. I sagged with relief. Worried though I was, at least I knew she was now where she had the best chance at survival.
    My relief was short-lived. As the ambulance neared the end of the block, two policemen walked Billy out of the building, his hands cuffed behind him.

 
    Chapter 9
     
    Thomas met me at the police station. After the cops drove off with Billy, I’d called him and told him everything I knew, which wasn’t much. He’d caught the first shuttle out.
    I’d left Molly with James—he was back at the lab, still working hard to solve her problem. He’d been shocked about the shooting, but figured it was better for him to focus on what he could fix and leave the legal maneuvering to our big brother.
    Thomas and I were going to try to bail Billy out, but it wasn’t going to be easy. He was being held on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder. Thank God it