“You really fucked this up,” Ki said to Lorraine.
“You were in with Dennis the whole time.”
“So was she,” Ki shrugged, snapping the clip into the handle. “She didn’t know I was in. Once she figured that out, things got … complicated. But, without her or Dennis, I won’t have to share any of the Westmorland money.”
Lorraine sneered up at him, Jeannie staring up from her lap, the faintest pulse thumping against Lorraine’s thigh.
“Just gotta finish up here and get to the airport. Sorry about this, I know you got a new kid and everything. But hey, that’s life in the big city, eh?”
Lorraine sat there, certain of her own imminent death. Her blood ran cold, hairs standing up on the backs of her arms. She clutched Jeannie's body, knowing it wouldn’t be any help to either of them.
I was afraid something like this would happen, I knew it from the start! I got lucky in Denver, but that kind of luck just can’t last. I suppose it was just a matter of time.
Lorraine’s heart froze as Ki raised the gun, point blank range. She could see into the little round hole in the front of the barrel, a dark tunnel, her conduit to the next world. Her body flinched with the memory of that indescribable pain, burning, sizzling, iron tearing flesh and shattering bone, bile running wild through her bloodstream, bacteria flooding her brain. She wouldn't survive a second shooting, she knew it; she knew it after surviving the first.
Lorraine thought of Griffin, of Ashe, of poor Kayla.
I hope they don’t suffer too terribly, was all she could think just before that gun went off.
Bam! Bam bam bam!
Lorraine’s body shuddered with the blasts, eyes clamping shut, jaws locked tight. But, a clack and a thud grabbed Lorraine's attention. Ki hit the ground, dropping his gun, chest already black with his blood.
Lorraine looked down at herself, untouched, Jeannie still staring up at her. Lorraine looked up and over to see Griffin standing at the edge of the building, a gun in his hands, face bent in a hardened grimace. Certain his adversary was down for good, Griffin pocketed the gun and fell to Lorraine’s side.
“Oh Griffin!”
He knelt next to her, wrapping his arms around Lorraine as she leaned into his embrace. “I’m so glad you’re all right, baby, so glad — ”
“We’ll always be together,” Lorraine said, “that's the deal.”
“That's right, baby, that's right. Nobody’s ever coming between us, ever.” He glanced down at Jeannie, putting two fingers against her neck.
“How is she?”
“Fading fast.”
Jeannie looked up from Lorraine’s lap, her eyes shifting. A long rattle crawled out of her throat even as the blood drained from her face. “I … I’m so … sorry … ”
Lorraine said, “Shshshsh, Jeannie, save your strength.”
Jeannie arched her brows, a sad frown bending and twisting her pretty lips. “For what?” was the only answer she could offer, and her head feel back into Lorraine’s lap, unmoving. Lorraine reached over and closed her eyelids, Jeannie still and lifeless in her lap.
Several uniformed police officers appeared from around the side of the building, their legs splayed and their guns drawn, aimed immediately at Lorraine and Griffin, huddled with Jeannie’s dead body.
“N.Y.P.D.,” one said in a commanding voice.
“Easy, boys, easy,” Griffin said, “I called you in … well, me and about a hundred other people, I'm guessing.”
The officer eyed them, then looked at Ki laying dead just a few yards away. “You do that?”
Griffin nodded.
The officer caught sight of Lorraine’s empty handgun, gesturing to it with his own deadly weapon. “What about that?”
“It’s mine,” Lorraine said. “It’s empty.”
He aimed his gun straight at Lorraine’s head, the other officers backing his play. “Get away from the gun.”
“I can’t go anywhere.”
“Get away from the gun!”
“She said the gun’s empty,” Griffin said, holding his hand out, palm flat to calm the officers. “This guy was coming after them. Look at what happened to this one, she’s dead!”
The officers glanced at each other, tension swelling, guns still pointed at Lorraine and Griffin. It would only take a split-second of misjudgment, even just a twitch of the wrong nerve, to let loose a shower of hot bullets at close range, and neither Lorraine nor Griffin would have a chance.
“All right,” the officer in charge said, “okay, let’s get an ambulance here. But, we’re all going downtown, get this straightened out.”
“Sure, officer,” Griffin said, “of course. Thank you, officer.”
The cops lowered their guns as a pair of paramedics wheeled a gurney up and lifted Jeannie off of Lorraine’s lap. She could stand, and that’s what the officers expected of her, but Lorraine’s legs were useless, numb from fear and relief, from running and crouching, from having given up to despair and abandoned the notion of ever moving again.
Griffin stood and his hand wrapped gently but firmly around her arm and her waist, pulling her up with him. Lorraine focused all her strength into simply standing up. Once she did, Lorraine knew she’d be okay. By Griffin’s side, clinging to him, drawing his strength, she could walk anywhere, do anything, face anyone.
She’d grown a lot since meeting Griffin, developed strengths and sensitivities she didn’t know she had. Lorraine still needed him, still relied upon him, and she still wanted to. She needed to know that he’d be there, and he always would be. Their family would be together again that night. Lorraine would be looking into the loving eyes of her sensitive stepson, feel the grasping hands of her little daughter. She would sleep in her loving husband’s arms and wake the next day to do it all over again, every day for the rest of her life. Nothing else mattered, and nothing ever would.
Chapter 19
Lorraine looked over the crowd gathered in front of the new PEEC project learning center. It was a much smaller crowd than the library rally of almost four years before, but the memories were still fresh in Lorraine’s mind. She couldn’t help but wonder who might be out there, what bizarre logic would propel them toward some public display. Last time it was Donal, Lorraine silently reviewed as she scanned the crowd, who will it be this time? Some faces seemed familiar, others entirely new. The grim expressions that greeted her at Albert's funeral were plentiful among the otherwise smiling citizenry. Griffin had hired extra security for the dedication, with armed guards at both sides of the podium in front of the learning center entrance.
Ashe, at thirteen, was looking even older and more mature, scanning the crowd with a discerning eye, looking more like his father every day.
This time, Larry and Sally Devonshire were standing with Lorraine and the others at the podium, Kayla with Jeremy in the crowd. Jeremy was also looking shrewdly around the mass of people around him. He’d come against his own better judgment, insisting on holding Kayla and staying in the crowd in case he needed to run her to safety.
Neither Lorraine nor Griffin could argue with his logic or question his commitment.
A familiar sweaty, balding man in a red flannel led a second man carrying a camera, taking pictures of everything and everyone.
Lorraine said, “Dorian Gale, the Denver Post, and your photographer, Stu Jeffers.”
Dorian smiled. “You remembered me.”
“Of course,” Lorraine smiled, “you were there from the beginning.”
“The interview in the library, that’s right. You’ve been keeping busy, I see. Any words for our readers?”
Lorraine gave it a little thought. “Honestly, Dorian, most of what I have to say, I’ll say to the crowd. But, specifically for your readers, I would say that they should all keep subscribing to The Denver Post, and to subscribe to any reputable news agencies they can. Now more than ever we need honest reporting from real news reporters. The Post was instrumental in our campaign to save the public libra
ries, in fact, without The Post there wouldn’t have been any campaign at all. We have to save the free press the same way we had to save the libraries; urgently. We can't rely on our government to take care of us anymore, we have to take care of ourselves … and each other.”
“Awesome,” Dorian said, lowering his mic. “You’re really good, Mrs. Phoenix. Ever thought about running for public office?”
“No, actually, I haven’t. I’m too busy getting things done.” They all shared a chuckle.
Lorraine spotted Jeremy nearby and crossed the crowd to him, cooing with little Kayla. “How’re you holding up, Jer?”
“Fine, I’m good, I’m … it’s all good.” he mumbled.
“It’ll be okay, Jeremy, really.” Lorraine said trying to persuade him.
“Well, that is what you said the last time.”
“Jeremy … ”
“Okay, you’re right, you’re right, I guess I’m just jumpy. Where’s my husband?”
Lorraine looked around. “I don't know.” He wasn't a hard figure to spot, tall and dark with long, black dreadlocks and a colorful knit cap. He strode toward them, waving with big, flat hands at the ends of long, black arms. “Here he comes.”
Jeremy said, “Where you been, Anton?”
“Breathe easy, level,” he said in a heavy Jamaican accent as he approached. “A yasso nice.” Anton arrived with a hot dog in one hand, wrapping the other arm around Jeremy and giving him a kiss.
“Glad you’re having fun,” Jeremy said. “It’s impressive, right? My Lo’ knows how to throw it down!”
“Big tings,” Anton said, “naah mean?”
“No,” Jeremy said, “but I really don’t care.” The two shared a kiss, Lorraine and Griffin shared a hug.
“Guess it’s time,” Griffin said to Lorraine. “You ready?”
Lorraine looked around, took a deep breath and sighed, nodding. “Yeah, let’s do it.” She looked down at Ashe. “You’ll wait here, help look after your kid sister?”
Ashe nodded. “I will, Lorraine.”
“Thanks,” she said, turning to walk toward the podium.
“Lorraine?” Lorraine turned, Ashe taking the few steps required to reach her. “Would it be okay if … if I called you Mom from now on?”
Lorraine’s smile twisted on her face, brows arching, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She was almost afraid to speak, lest she break out in tears. She gathered her strength, brushed a lock of Ashe’s blond hair from his forehead. “That would be wonderful, Ashe.” They shared a smile and she gave him a little kiss on the forehead before turning to join Griffin on their trip to the podium.
The crowd clapped as they took the podium, news crews gathered, cameras and microphones fixed on them.
Lorraine cleared her throat. “Welcome to the grand opening of the pilot location of the Phoenix Enterprises Educational Center project, or PEEC,” she said, pronouncing it peace and inspiring another spattering of applause.
“I’m so proud of my parents,” Lorraine went on, “Laurence and Sally Devonshire, who were responsible for finding the location, brokering the deal and handling the accounting. And I’m so glad to say that they’re both staying on to manage the place, keep it staffed and running smoothly.”
The crowd applauded as Larry and Sally waved to the crowd and shared a pair of proud, beaming smiles.
Someone in the crowd caught Lorraine’s eye, stunning her silent and sending a bolt of fear through her body. His cocksure stride, a mean smile on his scarred face, he was instantly recognizable.
Tony Gardner?
But in the blink of an eye, he’d faded back into the crowd. Lorraine scanned the faces but couldn’t find him, until she wasn’t even sure if he’d been there at all.
“I also have to say a few words about my friend, my former boss, Carmen Mendez Jenkins. She’s given so much to the people of Colorado, particularly here in Denver. She was the rock of the Hadley branch of the public library. She gave me my job there. She loved her husband so much, the late Albert Jenkins, and I know she’s suffering so much from his loss. I wish she could have been here today, but I wish her a speedy recovery, and a quick return to public service. Though her late husband Albert’s career has been cut short, her career will go on to be, I think, one of the greatest examples of democracy in action that Denver, or Colorado, or any state in the nation has ever produced.”
Half the crowd clapped.
Feeling the stares of everyone around her, Lorraine shook it off and pressed a smile. “The Albert Jenkins Branch will demonstrate how effective a society can be when we serve each other, when we care for each other, when we love each other. When we put aside the color of our skin, the size of our bank accounts, how straight our teeth or our posture are, how thin or how fat; we’re all part of the same family. And a family that spends time together, grows closer; the family that spends less time together inevitably grows apart. Thanks to our public libraries, we as a family have more places to spend together, more time to share. And thanks to these new learning centers, we’ll be able to do more than share our time. We can share our knowledge, our skills and our talents, our sympathy and our empathy. With this learning center, we the people of the United States of America declare for the whole world to see; we care about each other, we look after each other, we educate and raise and protect each other. By our example, I know others will follow, and the world will be a better place for our children … ” Lorraine gazed at her kids, gathered with Jeremy and Anton near the stage. “ … Our friends, our family, all of the members of our entire family. That means you, me, all of us, working together for a better world, a better future. When we work together, we cannot fail and we will not fail!”
The audience cheered, Griffin wrapping his arm around Lorraine and pulling her close. Jeremy, Anton, Ashe, and Kayla looked up from the crowd, smiles beaming.
Griffin whispered into her ear, “My God, I love you so much.”
Lorraine turned, gently smiling as her lips neared Griffin’s, a long and beautiful kiss lingering between them. It was a promise, an oath renewed, a pledge before the entire world. The Phoenix family stood proud, together, bound together in love, no matter what or who would come against them next.
THE END
PART 3
Chapter 1
Lorraine Phoenix crept slowly down that dark hall, the gun in her hands, aimed at the ceiling but ready to lower and fire. Her heart was steady, blood pulsing through her veins. She’d lost track of both Griffin and Ashe, but she sensed that they were close.
And they weren't alone.
Thank God Kayla’s not here, Lorraine thought, imaging her little red-haired toddler, a miniature picture of her mother. Gotta get back to her! But first …
A green light flashed at the end of the hall, neon cutting through the darkness. Okay, take it easy, Lorraine told herself, you can do this.
But, images of terrible days from her past kept flashing in her memory: The good people of Denver, Colorado, scrambling for safety while Lorraine and her beloved, Griffin Phoenix, were bombarded with gunfire that very nearly took her life. She could still sense her organs shutting down, heart beating out its last few pulses as the sirens got louder, a clamor of activity around her.
No, don’t get distracted, Lorraine told herself, and don’t be afraid!
Lorraine stepped down the hall. She could hear activity close by, footsteps and cackling. But, not being able to see anybody gave her a chill, a feeling of isolation that brought her back to the library, before she and Griffin even met.
Lorraine had come a long way from there, and now she was once again keeping her head down, gun in her hands, dodging bloodthirsty assassins and trying to find her family before all three were eliminated.
Should have stuck together, Lorraine silently admonished herself, never should have let Ashe run off on his own.
It was too late for regrets, too late to second-guess herself. The sounds got louder as Lorraine approached the end of th
e hall, glancing behind her to see that she wasn’t being followed.
So far, so good. But, my luck won’t hold out forever.
Only a few yards from the end of the hall, where it turned in a sharp ninety-degree angle, The footsteps got louder, Lorraine’s fingers craning around the gun, slippery in her palm.
The screams of the terrified crowd in Central Park just a year before crept up on Lorraine from behind. She could still see poor Jeannie’s face as she bled out, the cold glare of Ki Fong as he readied the kill shot that would put Lorraine and poor Jeannie Gallagher both out of his misery.
Take it easy, Lorraine told herself, Ki’s dead, Dennis Douglass, Jeannie, they’re not a threat to anybody anymore.
But Lorraine knew she wasn’t facing any of those three former Phoenix Enterprises executives. Her adversary this time was a whole other animal, and survival this time seemed all the more unlikely.
Lorraine reached the end of the hall, squinting to see the figures running down that stretch. She could almost make out their most vulnerable points, pointing her gun, one eye closed.
“Sorry, sweetheart!”
Lorraine turned with a snap, facing the hall she’d just crossed. She was no longer alone. He didn’t give her time to shoot either, two quick shots finding the center of her ribcage.
It was all over.
Ashe jumped out of the hallway from the second stretch, pointing his own gun and firing several times. The man who’d shot Lorraine, barely twenty years old, took three shots in the gut, the red lights on his plastic disk flashing.
“That’s what you get for messing with the Phoenix family,” Ashe said, the fellow turning to shuffle off toward the laser tag range exit. Ashe turned to Lorraine as Griffin approached from the outer hall. Very seriously, Ashe asked, “Are you okay?”
Lorraine looked down at the plastic disk strapped to her chest, red light flashing. “Actually, I think I’m dead.”
Lorraine, Griffin, and Ashe went to Tom’s Restaurant, made famous in the sitcom Seinfeld. It was crowded with tourists, and the coffee shop atmosphere wasn't what the elegant and wealthy Griffin was used to or preferred. Ashe got a kick out of it and that was good enough for both Griffin and Lorraine. Reruns of the show was one of Ashe’s favorites, and it had been a positive influence on his burgeoning career as a writer and director.
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