Cindy's Sin - Chapter 7
Paramedics wheeled Charlie out of the club through the mess of wires, broken glass, and water. A medic taped gauze on Cindy’s arm where a bullet broke the skin leaving a bleeding gash. Cuts and scratches covered her legs. “He’s going to live,” Wallace said. “How he didn’t die is anybody’s guess.”
How they all survived, nobody could tell. A flash of gunpowder played again in Cindy’s mind as the bullet sent a cascade of water over Bill’s head. Then the bullet came toward her and she froze in fear. The bullet threw up bits of cushion and wood behind her. She thought it had missed. However, a shock wave climbed her arm, and she found the bullet had hit her.
“You’ll need stitches,” a medic said. “I still can’t believe the gunfight happened,” Cindy said. “I might have died.” Cindy smoothed out her dress and tried to cover up her scratches. “I’ll wrap those too.”
The medic squirted out some cream and moved his fingers over the cuts. His cold hands sent another shock through Cindy. She shivered. He paused. She waved him on and closed her eyes. On this trip, she planned to find the man responsible for her dad’s death, kill him, and escape the desert. Instead, she landed in a shootout and a robbery.
This pickle couldn’t taste any sourer. Cindy sighed. She had two choices; either give up or figure this out. Walking away took little effort. Staying until she finished the job meant starting over. The whole thing seemed too much to think about.
Cindy opened her eyes. The club appeared a mess. Tubes of neon glass littered the stage and a blanket lay over Bill’s body. Cindy spotted his right hand before a guy in white coveralls covered all of Bill.
A ruby ring went around Bill’s thumb. She wondered why she had not picked it out before. She then thought about the leather book and realized Wallace must have hidden the book in his jacket.
The medic finished her legs. “We should take you to the hospital,” he said. Cindy tried to stand but fell backward into the seat.
“I think I need to rest more.” Cindy felt faint. She forced a smile. The medic touched her arm. “Let me go get a wheelchair.” He rushed off leaving Cindy alone.
Wallace and another man stood in the far corner talking. The stranger was bigger than Wallace and wore a black suit that looked tailored. Cindy saw the outline of a revolver hanging beneath his jacket. He poked Wallace on the chest with a big index finger. The man glowered straight into Wallace’s face.
Wallace turned toward Cindy. He smiled and rolled his eyes. He turned back to the man and moved his arm away. The stranger stepped back waving both hands behind him. Wallace reached into his jacket and handed the man the black book. Cindy jumped forward. He was handing over the key to her world.
The stranger smiled and placed the book into his jacket. He put out his hand and Wallace gave it a firm shake. The man turned and went out the back door.
“Your traitor?” Cindy screamed.
Wallace focused on her face until the medic returned with her wheelchair. She slid into the chair and sat fuming. “That was Loudin’s bodyguard,” Wallace said. “And he wanted the book.”
Cindy knew Wallace would help her find Todd Loudin, but she said it anyway. “It doesn’t matter,” she shouted. “I will find Mr. Loudin with or without you.”
© 2018 – 2024, Michael Shawn Sommermeyer. All rights reserved.
