Page 56 of Poisoned Promise
“My… friend?” My brows twitch. “Who?”
“That man… the one who came to our apartment. He crashed through the door and he shot those people, Mom. He shot them and he killed them, but it was too late, Mary was already—.” He chokes and breaks into a wail, then sags back into my arms and cries.
Felix… arrived later?
He saved Alex?
Confusion warms my gut with a small ache of nausea so I close my eyes and wrap Alex tightly up in my arms. “I’m here,” I murmur. “It’s going to be okay. You did so good, Alex. You did amazing.”
Mary.
She’s dead.
I can’t believe it.
It’s all my fault.
I should have taken her money when she offered it. I should have taken it and run with Alex and her. Then she’d be alive and we’d be safe.
“And then you came in,” Alex chokes against my shoulder. “And that man. He hit you and you fell and I thought you were dead but he told me it was to protect you. And they brought us here.”
“How long ago, Alex? Can you remember?”
He shrugs against me. “I dunno. That man, Reese he said his name was, he brought me food once.” Alex leans back from me and gazes up with red-rimmed eyes. “Mom… how did you do that?”
I meet his gaze. “Do what?”
“The… the way you attacked him just now. I didn’t know you could fight like that. I didn’t know you could fight at all.”
Cupping his face again, I caress his cheek. “It’s a mother thing,” I say softly. “And I took gymnastics as a kid.”
“Gymnastics,” he repeats softly. “Wow. It was cool. A little scary but cool.”
“Thanks. I’m sorry Alex. I’m sorry this is happening. It’s all my fault but I promise I will make it better.”
“Is this because of the car and that cop?” The terrified, haunting look in Alex’s eyes makes me shake my head immediately.
“No, honey. This is just… some huge, messy misunderstanding. But I’m going to fix it, okay? I promise.”
He nods, wiping his eyes with the heel of his good hand. “I’m scared.”
“I know honey. It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
Alex doesn’t look entirely convinced but he does sag back into my arms and cling to me so tightly it’s like he’s a toddler again.
So, Felix didn’t kill Mary.
Someone else did.
Someone else tracked my son down and tried to take him, and Mary died for it.
The same people who attacked me in my apartment?
If either of them is linked to the man who tried to run me off the road, then Felix is behind this somehow.
What the fuck am I going to do?
I have to be careful.
