Page 53 of The Artist

“Yes, operator.We’ve had an assault at the Armstrong Gallery.Please send the police right away.”He listened.“Yes, we’ll wait.We’re by the black Chevy Tahoe out back.”

Suddenly, the gallery door flew open, and Horace ran out.His eyes were wild as he jerked around looking for her.He stopped when he saw them and raised his arm a gun in his hand.

“Down!”Peter dropped to a squat with Alexis in his arms.“Stay down.”He walked, with his knees bent, staying low, to the driver’s side of the SUV.He opened the door and leaned in to open the console.He grabbed his nine millimeter Glock pistol.”

Peter held the weapon with both hands, stood and glanced around.

Alexis looked behind her and saw Horace in between two of the parked cars.He had a clear shot to her.He raised his weapon and aimed.

A shot rang out.

Alexis fell face-first to the ground.

A second shot sounded.

Then silence reigned for a moment.

“Alexis!”Peter ran toward her.

Shouldn’t she feel pain?Did he miss her?No, pain seared her shoulder, in a delayed response, and she knew she was in shock.

Peter reached her.“Where do you hurt?”

“My shoulder,” She turned over to her back and raised her right hand to her left shoulder.It came away bloody.Her stomach lurched.“Horace?”

“Dead.”Peter didn’t say anything else, but what was there to say?

“I’m glad.Is that wrong?”asked Alexis.

“No, sweetheart.It’s not.I feel the same way.”

Sirens sounded getting closer.Finally, the flashing lights were seen coming down the street that ran behind the building.

The sheriff’s vehicle parked in back of the gallery and killed the siren but not the lights.Sheriff Taylor jumped out of the car, went around to the front, and bent down.He stood and called out.“It’s okay folks.The danger is past.”Then he walked down the aisle toward them.

“We need an ambulance, Sheriff,” Peter called out to him.

The sheriff spoke into the radio at his shoulder.“Send an ambulance to the Armstrong Gallery.Lights and siren.”Then he continued toward them.“Who’s injured?What is the injury?”

“It’s Alexis.She’s got a wound to the shoulder, and she’s going into shock.She’s shivering and turning blue around her mouth.I’m putting pressure on the wound, but she’s still bleeding pretty bad.”

“Okay,” the sheriff got on one knee next to Alexis.“We’ve got an ambulance on the way, sweetie.You just hang in there.”

“Thanks, Bob.”Suddenly, she grabbed his shirt.“You need to stop McNubbin.He’s part of this and murdered Heather.You have to arrest him.”

“Shh.It’s okay.He’s in my jail as we speak.I arrested him as soon as he showed up for work.You should’ve heard him.Hollering to beat the band.Threatening to take my badge for false imprisonment.Then I told him I knew about Heather.He sputtered a bit and then clammed up.The only thing he said after that waslawyer.” He used finger quotes around lawyer.

“I hope he rots in Hell.”Alexis felt no remorse for her feelings toward McNubbin.She believed he’d killed her friend in cold blood.Knowing Heather as she did, she’d probably thought he’d been her friend until he killed her.She turned her head away.No, she felt no remorse.

“Hey, how are you feeling?”Peter knelt beside her.

“Not so good.”If I could just get something for my nausea, I think I could handle the pain.

“The bleeding is stopped and the ambulance just pulled up.”

She nodded and then closed her eyes.All she really wanted to do was sleep.

“Honey.”He patted her cheek.“I don’t think you should close your eyes right now.I don’t know for sure but they always say not to let the victim fall asleep in the movies.”