Free Crime Seen by Victoria Laurie Page A

and I rolled right off the bench onto the floor. ‘‘Shit!’’ I said when I hit the floor.
    ‘‘Ohmigod!’’ Candice said as she bent down next to me. ‘‘Abby! What happened?’’
    Every breath I took sent ripples of pain through my chest. ‘‘I think I tore something,’’ I said through gritted teeth.
    ‘‘Can you stand?’’ she asked me.
    ‘‘Give me a sec,’’ I said, holding up a finger. ‘‘Just give me a sec.’’
    ‘‘Is she okay?’’ I heard a male voice say above us. Squinting up, I saw some sort of Greek god hovering over us, wearing a skintight T-shirt with STAFF in big white letters on the front.
    ‘‘I don’t know,’’ Candice said. ‘‘She was shot in the chest a few months ago, and I think I may have reopened her wound!’’
    ‘‘I’m fine,’’ I said as I moved to a sitting position. ‘‘Really, I’m okay,’’ I added when the two of them didn’t look convinced.
    ‘‘Maybe we should call an ambulance,’’ Candice said, her eyes pinched with worry.
    ‘‘No!’’ I barked. There was no way I wanted to ride in another damn ambulance—not for a long, long time. ‘‘I’m fine, really,’’ I added, realizing that the seizing pain in my chest had subsided substantially. ‘‘I think it’s just the scar tissue. My physical therapist warned me it would be tight.’’
    ‘‘She was really shot?’’ Staff Guy wanted to know.
    ‘‘Yes. In the heart,’’ Candice said dramatically as she swept her hair demurely behind her ear.
    ‘‘Is she a cop or something?’’
    ‘‘No, but I’m a PI.’’
    ‘‘Get out of here! My brother’s a PI.’’
    ‘‘Really? Here in town?’’
    I glanced up at Romeo and Juliet, who had completely forgotten about their friend Mercutio, lying on the floor, holding her chest. ‘‘I’ll be over at the water fountain,’’ I said, as I got to my feet.
    Candice turned back to me, ‘‘Oh, God, Abs, I’m sorry. Do you want some help?’’
    ‘‘No, no,’’ I said, wagging my finger at her. ‘‘I’m fine. You two continue your conversation. I’m going to rest over there.’’
    A little while later, Candice came trotting over, a piece of paper in her hand. ‘‘How you feeling?’’ she asked me.
    ‘‘I’m fine,’’ I said and meant it. ‘‘I have a session with Lori, my physical therapist, later today. She can take a look at it, but I really think it’s just the scar tissue.’’
    ‘‘I never should have started you out on butterflies,’’ she said. ‘‘I’m really sorry.’’
    ‘‘Maybe something in the bicep or triceps area would be better until I can stretch this out.’’
    ‘‘No problem. Let’s wait until tomorrow after your therapist okays it, though.’’
    ‘‘Deal. So did you get his number?’’
    ‘‘I did,’’ she said with a big grin. ‘‘His name is Simon.’’
    ‘‘When are you two going out?’’
    ‘‘Tomorrow night. You and Dutch want to double with us?’’
    ‘‘Can’t,’’ I said, smiling. ‘‘I’ve got appointments.’’
    Candice clapped her hands. ‘‘You called my friends!’’ she exclaimed.
    I nodded, feeling a teensy bit of pride. ‘‘Yep. Working my way back into my old life.’’
    ‘‘Good for you,’’ Candice said. Then she stood up. ‘‘Come on, Abs. Let’s treat you to some breakfast, and after that I’m going to head to the office and see what I can start digging up on Walter McDaniel’s murder.’’
    ‘‘Oh!’’ I said, slapping my forehead. ‘‘I totally forgot to tell you. There’s been an update that you should know about.’’
    While we retrieved our things from the locker room, I filled her in on Lutz’s stabbing, including the bit about my radar hinting that Wolfe was behind it. ‘‘Why would Wolfe want Lutz dead now?’’ she asked me. ‘‘I mean, if he was going to blab, wouldn’t he have done it by now?’’
    ‘‘I’m not sure,’’ I said as we made our way to the front and Candice