A Time to Die

“Lexie, are you sure you’re all right?” Deke called through the closed door.

“I’m fine.” Even to her own ears, she didn’t sound convincing. “I just need a couple more minutes.”

The first time she had been marked for death, it had been the result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. To the man who had shot her, it had been nothing personal. He hadn’t meant for his bullet to hit her; she had simply been caught in the crossfire. This time, danger had come to her, spoken her name and claimed her. To the man who had threatened her and Cara and Helping Hands, it was personal.

DEKE HAD LEFT LEXIE alone in the powder room for the past twenty minutes, checking on her twice and being told both times that she was fine. He knew better. She wasn’t fine. Although she probably hadn’t vomited again, she was sick. Sick with worry. And, no doubt, memories from a long-ago day, half a world away, were plaguing her. Was she reliving the moment her cameraman went down? Or the moment she took a bullet in the back? A bullet from his Colt M4A1 carbine. Was she asking herself why this was happening to her now, after she had finally put her life back together and was happy?

Or was she happy? Really happy?

Okay, so maybe it was chauvinistic of him, but he couldn’t help what he was thinking, could he? Lexie Murrough was a beautiful, intelligent woman, and yet at thirty-four, she didn’t have a man in her life. Unless you counted Bain Desmond, whom she said was only a friend. Yes, a woman could have a successful, satisfying life without being in a long-term relationship, but…

The doorbell rang, jerking Deke out of his thoughts. He trekked across the room, paused in front of the door and peered through the peephole, then unlocked the door and opened it to allow Lieutenant Desmond, Cara Bedell and Geoff Monday entrance.

“How’s Lexie?” Desmond and Cara asked simultaneously.

“A little shaken up but okay.”

“Where is she?” Cara charged into the loft, searching for her friend.

The powder-room door opened and Lexie emerged, her face pale, her makeup partially washed off and her shoulders bravely squared. “Y’all made it here in record time,” she said.

Cara ran to Lexie and grabbed her by the arms, then looked her over from head to toe. “Thank God you’re all in one piece.” She glanced back at the detective. “Geoff and I followed Bain the whole way. People get out of the way for a policemen’s flashing light.”

Desmond came up behind Cara, reached around her and took Lexie’s free hand. He gave it a squeeze. “I need to go downstairs and play ringleader to the circus out there. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible, and I’ll need you to answer a few questions.”

“Go. Do what you need to do,” Lexie told him. “Deke will take care of things here.”

Desmond glanced at Deke. “Actually, I need Mr. Bronson to go with me and fill me in on what he saw. But Mr. Monday will stay here with you and Cara.”

Cara pulled Lexie toward the sofa. The two women sat side by side and began talking softly, almost whispering.

When Desmond left the apartment, Deke went with him. As they waited at the elevator, Desmond asked, “Were there any people in those cars that blew up out back?”