Doctor Ryan Graham, Doc to everyone in Sandstone Cove, was one of the first responders along with the paramedics. Clad in his usual Birkenstock sandals and a tropical print shirt, he leaned over the man who lay sprawled on the sidewalk then instructed Kane to begin CPR. In turn, Kane pointed toward Gilda and Mick before he focused on Doc's patient.
"Is that Marvin?" Mrs. Watson asked. "I can't see very well from here."
Marion patted her hand. "If it is, I'm sure the medics will take care of him and you'll see him at the hospital in a bit. Don't worry. Are you injured?"
"No, I'm short enough I ducked down behind the front counter to get a bag for a customer when everything just blew up." The elderly lady waved a thin hand. It seemed the blast hadn't affected her hearing any. "Somebody must have planted a bomb next door."
Mick grabbed Gilda's hand and shouted, "Where'd Kane go?"
"To help everyone who was injured." She moved aside as one of the paramedics ran over and set his kit next to her.
"What?" Mick raised his voice while he reached for her arm. "Why can't I hear you?"
The paramedic winced. "I take it your friend was close to the blast."
Gilda removed his hand from her arm then clutched his hand in hers. Tears welled in her eyes. "Apparently."
"My ears are ringing," Mick squeezed her hand.
"I know." The paramedic nodded and moved Kane's blood-soaked shirt aside then cut the torn fabric away from Mick's shoulder. Blood streamed from a gash so deep Gilda was sure she saw bone, but he quickly reapplied the shirt to cover the wound as he grabbed handfuls of gauze and bandages from his kit.
Marion gagged. "I can't stand the sight of blood. That's why I answer 9-1-1 calls. It's easier for me to talk to people over the phone rather than work in the field as a paramedic and get all messy."
"Where's Marvin?" Mrs. Watson asked again, louder and more frightened.
The paramedic paused. "Were you in the store too, Mrs. Watson?"
"Yup." Her lower lip quivered.
"Are you injured?" he asked.
She blinked furiously. "I was behind the counter. A teddy bear fell on my head."
He turned away from her and smiled. "Let me patch Sensei Mick up then I'll check you for a concussion. Just in case that's not all that fell on you."
Marion snorted, then covered her mouth. "Sorry, honey, but I'm glad it was nothing heavier than a stuffed bear. Considering there's nothing left of two whole buildings, the whole bear thing really isn't so bad."
Gilda glanced to where the remains of both buildings left a gaping hole in the streetscape, like lost teeth in a child's mouth. The consignment shop was now nothing but a pit filled with two stories worth of debris. The former karate school next door hadn't fared any better.
"Did you see Marvin?" Mrs. Watson asked the paramedic again.
The paramedic hesitated. "Not yet. I'm sure he's around here somewhere."
"It's okay, Mrs. Watson." Gilda noticed a tear trickle down the elderly lady's face. "They'll find Marvin soon. Was he in the store with you?"
She frowned and shook her head. "No, I'm sure he was in his apartment playing around on that blasted computer. I called him fifteen minutes ago to remind him he needed to be at work. Of course there was no answer. Once he puts those big headphones on, the whole world could blow up around him and—" She covered her mouth. "Oh my. That was an awful thing to say."
Marion hugged Mrs. Watson as she burst into tears.
The second floor where Marvin Watson and his grandmother once lived was now enmeshed in the ruins of the first floor shop. Gilda gulped. If Marvin had been in the apartment, he wouldn't have had a chance to escape. A smothering heaviness settled on her chest.
"I need a stretcher over here stat." The paramedic working on Mick called out.
Within a minute, Kane and two attendants brought both a stretcher and a wheelchair over. As they started unhooking straps and lowering the bed toward the ground, Mick flinched and looked around wildly.
Gilda cradled his face in her hands. "It's okay, just relax. You'll need stitches."
"Why can't I hear you?" he whispered, grabbing her hand. Even thought he'd stopped flailing, his entire body shook.
She sat with her gaze locked on his, at a loss for words.
"You need to move aside, Miss. He's losing a lot of blood and going into shock," the paramedic said. "We need to get him to hospital and sedate him before he does more damage to his arm."
She continued to clutch Mick's left hand in hers while Kane helped slide Mick onto a body board then lifted him onto the bed. "Will he be okay?"
"Yeah." As he tightened the straps over Mick's body, the paramedic didn't meet her gaze.
"He'll be okay, love." Kane pulled Gilda away from the stretcher, forcing her to let go of Mick's hand. "We'll go to the hospital and make sure they take the best care of him."
Marion helped a nurse lift Mrs. Watson into the wheelchair. "Come on. We might as well get you looked at too. That teddy bear could have caused some head trauma."
"You're a good girl." Mrs. Watson patted Marion's hand, then sat back.
Kane wrapped his arms around Gilda and pressed her against his bare chest. In the chaos, she'd already forgotten he'd sacrificed his shirt to stop Mick from bleeding to death. "Are you okay, love?"
"Yeah, just great." She pushed him away, then headed for the nearest tree to vomit. Tequila and triple sec didn't go so well with blood, adrenaline, and fear.
Once she was done, Kane draped an arm around her shoulders and walked with her toward the hospital in silence, then got her a cup of water once he'd found her a seat in the waiting room. "I'll be right back, love. I've got to make a couple phone calls."
The emergency room waiting room was packed with both injured people and those waiting for family members. Between her anxiety and the alcohol, Gilda found it hard to focus on any one thing, except the memory of the warmth of Kane's arm across her back. As much as she wanted him to back off, she was grateful for his comforting presence. Suddenly, he seemed more like a big brother than whatever else it was he hoped to be.
Mrs. Watson stared off into one corner, her hands in her lap, until she finally said, "At least it's a lovely day out. This would all be so much worse in the rain."
"That it would be, dear." Marion patted Mrs. Watson's hand. "Can I get you anything?"
Kane got up and paced the room for the tenth time in the past half hour. "We should have heard something by now. Maybe I should go back there and see what's happening."
"I know." Gilda nodded. "But there are a lot of casualties. Even with his shoulder torn up, he might not be a priority right now."
"Mick's artery is nicked. That makes him a priority." He sat next to her again and leaned his elbows on his knees. "We need him at the school for classes and stuff, love. He's the boss. He's the guy who keeps us all in line."
Gilda placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned against him. "Relax, Kane. I'm sure he'll be okay. They'll tell us what's going on as soon as they can."
He snorted. "If they leave it too long, he might never fight again."
Doc Graham came around the corner, his expression grim and his eyes downcast.
"Oh crap." Kane stiffened.
"Are you folks here with Mrs. Watson?" Doc asked.
Marion nodded. "She can't find Marvin. We thought…" Her voice trailed off. "Oh."
Mrs. Watson released a slow sigh. "Marvin's dead, isn't he?"
Doc's gaze met Gilda's briefly before he looked away. "Maybe we should move to a quieter spot. Would you like to bring someone with you for support, Mrs. Watson?"
She looked from Gilda to Marion then leaned over to see Kane. Finally, she waved them all along with her. "You might as well all come along since you're here anyway. Better than sitting here waiting for your friend with nothing to do."
As he led Mrs. Watson to a small office, Marion, Gilda, and Kane followed. They crammed inside the room and closed the door. Marion stood on the far
side of the room, while Mrs. Watson took the lone seat in the middle. Gilda stood next to the chair, with Kane so close behind her that his chest rose and fell against her back.
"Take this." Doc handed Kane one of his flowery shirts. "Not that any of the nurses are complaining, but you're distracting them all."
"Thanks, mate." Stuck in the tight corner, Kane wriggled around behind Gilda, gyrating until he managed to get the shirt on.
Doc cleared his throat and took Mrs. Watson's hand in his. "The firefighters found Marvin in the rubble and rushed him here immediately. We did everything we could."
Gilda rested one hand on Mrs. Watson's shoulder while Marion clutched the elderly lady's forearm. Kane released a long, slow breath against Gilda's neck as he raked his fingers though his dreadlocks, his elbow bumping the door.
"I'm so very sorry for your loss, Dorothy," Doc went on. "I've known Marvin his entire life. If there's anything I can do to help you, I—"
Mrs. Watson remained strong and stoic, her eyes dry. "Can you bring him back to life?"
"No." Doc shook his head. "I'm sorry, Dorothy, I don't have that power."
She waived a frail hand. "What good are you then? Go tend to your other patients. I'll be fine. I've lost family before and I've always gotten by on my own."
They all shifted so Doc could leave the tiny office. Once he'd gone, Marion moved to fill the void he'd left behind.
"You're not alone, Mrs. Watson," Marion said. "We'll all be here for you and help with whatever you need."
Mrs. Watson sniffled. "My grandson is dead and my home and business are gone. What do you possibly think you could do for me now?"
"I have a guest bedroom." Marion met Gilda's gaze as she spoke. "You're welcome to stay there until you get back on your feet."
"Right." Mrs. Watson's chin quivered. "Then when I become a burden you'll ship me off to an old folks' home just like my son did." She frowned. "Poor Marvin only moved here to rescue me. We bought that building and the business together so he'd have something to inherit when I die."
The air in the office became thick and stifling. Gilda reached for the tissue box and handed one to Mrs. Watson. "Marvin was a nice guy. Every time I was in the shop, he went out of his way to help me."
"He was a lazy schmuck who was only nice because he had a crush on you." Mrs. Watson toyed with the tissue. "He only moved here for my money, you know. While he lived with me, he did nothing but play video games and eat junk every day. Whenever I needed him at the shop, he'd only answer the phone the third time I'd call."
"But he did rescue you from the seniors' home, love." Kane shuffled around Gilda to stand next to Marion.
"Yup. Rescued me like an old dog from the shelter so he could get at my money and antique furniture. I would have died in that place years ago." She blotted her eyes with the tissue. "He should've just left me there. Lord knows his life would have been far better without me."
Marion shifted her weight. "Is there anyone else we can call for you, Mrs. Watson? There has to be someone who can help you with funeral arrangements and the like."
Mrs. Watson blew her nose, then handed Gilda the soggy tissue as she reached for a new one. "Just Gary."
"Is Gary your son?" Gilda winced and dropped the tissue in the trash. "Do you have a number where we can reach him?"
"No, my son's a louse. Call Gary del Garda, the bookie," Mrs. Watson said. "I know you know him. I've seen you hanging around town with him before. Anyway, he'll take care of things for me. He always has."
Gilda's stomach fluttered. What did she mean by that? Gary, despite being a criminal in the eyes of the law, was a good guy who'd taken Gilda under his wing after her father died. It wasn't a stretch to think he'd done the same for Mrs. Watson.
Kane raised his eyebrows. "Really? Is he an old friend of yours, love?"
"A lady never tells." Mrs. Watson stood up, leaning on Marion for support. She seemed to have aged ten years in the past five minutes. "And a true gentleman never asks."
Marion snorted. "Kane's not a true gentleman."
Gilda wasn't as sure. She opened the door. "I'll call Gary. I know he won't be far away."
Doc stood in the hallway waiting, his grim expression still in place. "I assume you're all here for news about Mick as well."
"Yeah, we are." Gilda's heart fluttered when Kane placed both his hands on her shoulders from behind. "Have you seen him yet?"
"We're taking him into surgery now to repair his damaged shoulder. I'd let you see him, but he's already sedated." Doc rubbed one hand over his jaw. "You may want to call his family to let them know what happened."
"I already took care of that earlier." Kane kneaded Gilda's shoulders and pulled her against him. "His folks are on their way."
With her knees about to buckle, she was grateful for his warmth and ability to speak coherently, especially since she could no longer think straight. Marvin Watson was dead and Mick was in surgery, prognosis unknown, with his parents on the way from Detroit. A warm tear trickled down her cheek.
Marion pushed around them to give Gilda a hug. "I'm taking Mrs. W to my house. Give me a call if you need anything, okay?"
"Okay." Gilda nodded. "I'll let you know when we hear more about Mick."
Mrs. Watson shuffled past, head bowed. "I think I should go take a rest now. I'm not feeling so well. Do let me know when you talk to Gary, will you?"
Marion tucked Mrs. Watson under her arm. "He and Gilda are good friends. She'll talk to him. He can call you at my house, okay?"
"Okay." The elderly lady's shoulders slumped as they walked away. "I need to lie down."
Gilda's hands shook as she pulled out her phone. "I forgot I need to call Gary."
"Hold that thought." Kane took Gilda's hand and led her out the back exit into the sunshine, then sat next to her on the concrete stairs while the sunshine warmed away her shock. "Mick's going to be okay, love. We can't do anything more for him for a couple hours anyway, we might as well make some phone calls, then grab some lunch."
"I suppose. So what are we doing out here?"
"I hate hospitals." Kane squeezed her hand like she was a life preserver. The vein in his neck throbbed at an alarming rate. "I've spent too much time in them."
Gilda rested her head on his shoulder and dialed Gary's number. A stubborn shiver slid down her neck. What exactly did Gary del Garda have to do with Marvin and Mrs. Watson that made him closer than her own son?
CHAPTER TWO
Gilda's conversation with Gary lasted less than a minute. After she blurted out Marvin was dead and Mrs. Watson was at Marion's house, all he'd said was, "I'm on it. I'll call you later." She stuck her phone in the back pocket of her denim shorts and sighed.
"I wonder how long it'll take before they figure out what caused the explosion?" Kane turned his face upward to the sky. "My guess is Marvin was up to no good."
Gilda shook her head. "What was Mick doing there, anyway? We didn't leave anything in the old school but dust, and he's not the kind of guy who'd go to a consignment shop."
"Maybe he was just passing by on his way to your house when the place blew up?" Kane raised his eyebrows. "The guy does seem to like you. Did he know you'd be at Marion's today?"
She closed her eyes and tried to recall her earlier conversation with Mick when they'd both been fresh out of the shower that morning. Her face warmed at the thought. Being Friday before the long weekend, he'd told her to take the day off and have some fun. He planned to return after classes that night and they'd spend the weekend lounging around his condo.
"I know it's none of my business, love, but just how serious are things?"
"You mean with me and Mick?" she asked. "Serious enough that you don't stand a chance."
"Ouch." Kane chuckled. "Believe me, love, I'd never think of stealing a mate's girl, not when he couldn't defend her honor anyway. I'd at least wait until he's out of hospital and sniffling on the couch for sympathy first."
"Isn't he your sensei too?"
Gilda smiled. "I don't think he'd appreciate hearing you talk that way."
"Lady, you're not the first pretty girl he and I have fought over," he said. "You are by far the most interesting, though." He licked his lips. "Is that a bikini under your clothes?"
She averted her gaze. "We should go check on Mick. He'll need me."
"He's still in surgery." Kane brushed a strand of hair off her neck.
"Then we should go check on Mrs. Watson."
He leaned closer. "She's with Marion. She'll be fine, love."
Gilda jumped to her feet. "You're making me very uncomfortable, right now."
Kane shut his eyes and winced. "Am I coming on too strong?"
"Yes."
He stood and placed his hands on her shoulders, then kissed her forehead and gazed into her eyes. "I'm sorry, love. I only meant to distract you, not scare you. Let's go check in with the nurses and I'll take you to Marion's house. But only if you'll share some of that lemonade. I could use a shot right now."
Gilda nodded. "Deal."
When they went back inside the air-conditioned hospital, she texted Marion while Kane flirted with a blonde nurse. They arrived at Marion's house less than fifteen minutes later.
Marion met them on the front porch with a full pitcher of lemonade. "Mrs. Watson's sleeping. All it took was one glass of my lemonade and she passed right out. Poor lady can't stop talking about Marvin."
Understandably. Gilda couldn't stop thinking about Mick. "Did Gary stop by?"
"Funny thing about that." Marion started to pour lemonade into a glass, but her hands shook too much. "He was already here waiting on the front porch when we got back."
"That's good." Kane poured out three full glasses and added extra ice to the one he handed to Gilda.
"Yeah, good but weird. Drink it slowly this time, Gilda." Marion held up a finger. "Gary talked to Mrs. Watson for a few minutes then handed her some cash and gave her a hug before he left. He did ask her something about a computer."
Gilda sat on the porch swing next to Marion and several feet away from Kane. She hadn't even swallowed her first sip before Deputy Jason Thayer, one of Sandstone Cove's finest and Gilda's ex-boyfriend, strode up the sidewalk.
Killer Beach Reads Page 18