Read Online Simply the Best by Wendi Zwaduk - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Wendi Zwaduk
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cream to the do-not-eat list.
“Here you go.” She handed him four ones and a quarter. “Keep the change for the penny box.” She picked up her ice cream and exited the store.
A shiver ran the length of her spine. She quickened her pace and headed for the car. Footsteps on the asphalt behind her caught her attention. She rounded her hood and tossed the ice cream box onto the passenger seat. Whatever was spooking her, she wanted the hell out of there. She engaged the engine and threw the car into reverse.
“Hands up.” A man with his face in the shadows of his hoodie pointed a gun in her direction. When he stepped into the beam of light from the parking lot lights, she saw his face. Diego Morales.
“Oh my God,” she screamed. With the car in reverse, she couldn’t do as he asked. She reached down to shift into drive. Get out of there, her mind bellowed.
“I run this neighborhood, bitches.” The man whipped around and shot at the store. The windows splintered and bits of the soda bottle display ricocheted into the parking lot. Emma ducked and put her foot on the gas. Screw this. Her heart raced and she gripped the steering wheel tight. Just go. Just go, she told herself.
For a reason she wasn’t sure of, she glanced at the storefront. People lay strewn on the ground. Time stood still. She gasped for breath as she watched the elderly woman fall to the sidewalk in slow motion. She needed to get the hell out of there before she became the next victim. She wanted her baby and the life she’d earned. She fixed her attention on the man with the gun. He stared at her car and her blood ran cold. She recognized Diego Morales from the television news. The man ran the east side of Cleveland with an iron fist and an arsenal of semiautomatic assault rifles.
The words eluded her, but his lips didn’t lie. “No witnesses.” He shot at the car. “I will kill you,” Her tires screeched as she peeled out of the lot. How he managed not to hit her as he shot at her was beyond her comprehension. She sped across town to the police department. She’d be safe there. Shaking, she bolted from the car into the department.
“I need to report a robbery and shooting.” She gripped the counter. “At the Pack and Save convenience store. Fifth and Main. Right now.” Her knees shook and she wobbled. Her side ached.
The dispatcher shouted over the intercom. She gave the details of the incident, along with Emma’s name. Not like everyone at the department didn’t know her.
Within moments, patrol cars whipped out of the parking lot. Officer Reynolds ran through the double doors. He helped her to the bench.
“Emma, honey, you’re bleeding. I need a medic.” He knelt in front of her and lifted her shirt. When she looked down, blood streaked all over her T-shirt.
“The baby.” She shook. Tears welled in her eyes. The bastard, whoever he was, somehow shot her in the side. She gripped her stomach. “Call Sam.”
The paramedic assigned to the station nudged Quint out of the way, but the fierce grip Quint had on Emma’s hand left little room for the paramedic.
“It’s a through and through. She’s shocky .” The EMT placed a bandage on her. “She needs to go to the ER. Reynolds?”
“I’ve got it.” Quint nodded. He helped her to her feet and then walked her to his cruiser.
The ride to the ER went by in a blur. Nothing mattered but seeing Sam and knowing what happened to the baby. She stared at the ceiling of the emergency room while the doctors and nurses cleaned her wound and bandaged her.
Sam burst from somewhere behind the curtain, grabbing her attention. “That’s my wife.”
Quint let go of her hand and stopped Sam from barging any more into the room. “Give it a moment.” He placed his palm on Sam’s chest. “She’ll be okay.” He said something she couldn’t hear.
Emma resumed staring at the ceiling. In an hour, her life changed beyond belief. After what seemed like an eternity, Sam appeared at
“Here you go.” She handed him four ones and a quarter. “Keep the change for the penny box.” She picked up her ice cream and exited the store.
A shiver ran the length of her spine. She quickened her pace and headed for the car. Footsteps on the asphalt behind her caught her attention. She rounded her hood and tossed the ice cream box onto the passenger seat. Whatever was spooking her, she wanted the hell out of there. She engaged the engine and threw the car into reverse.
“Hands up.” A man with his face in the shadows of his hoodie pointed a gun in her direction. When he stepped into the beam of light from the parking lot lights, she saw his face. Diego Morales.
“Oh my God,” she screamed. With the car in reverse, she couldn’t do as he asked. She reached down to shift into drive. Get out of there, her mind bellowed.
“I run this neighborhood, bitches.” The man whipped around and shot at the store. The windows splintered and bits of the soda bottle display ricocheted into the parking lot. Emma ducked and put her foot on the gas. Screw this. Her heart raced and she gripped the steering wheel tight. Just go. Just go, she told herself.
For a reason she wasn’t sure of, she glanced at the storefront. People lay strewn on the ground. Time stood still. She gasped for breath as she watched the elderly woman fall to the sidewalk in slow motion. She needed to get the hell out of there before she became the next victim. She wanted her baby and the life she’d earned. She fixed her attention on the man with the gun. He stared at her car and her blood ran cold. She recognized Diego Morales from the television news. The man ran the east side of Cleveland with an iron fist and an arsenal of semiautomatic assault rifles.
The words eluded her, but his lips didn’t lie. “No witnesses.” He shot at the car. “I will kill you,” Her tires screeched as she peeled out of the lot. How he managed not to hit her as he shot at her was beyond her comprehension. She sped across town to the police department. She’d be safe there. Shaking, she bolted from the car into the department.
“I need to report a robbery and shooting.” She gripped the counter. “At the Pack and Save convenience store. Fifth and Main. Right now.” Her knees shook and she wobbled. Her side ached.
The dispatcher shouted over the intercom. She gave the details of the incident, along with Emma’s name. Not like everyone at the department didn’t know her.
Within moments, patrol cars whipped out of the parking lot. Officer Reynolds ran through the double doors. He helped her to the bench.
“Emma, honey, you’re bleeding. I need a medic.” He knelt in front of her and lifted her shirt. When she looked down, blood streaked all over her T-shirt.
“The baby.” She shook. Tears welled in her eyes. The bastard, whoever he was, somehow shot her in the side. She gripped her stomach. “Call Sam.”
The paramedic assigned to the station nudged Quint out of the way, but the fierce grip Quint had on Emma’s hand left little room for the paramedic.
“It’s a through and through. She’s shocky .” The EMT placed a bandage on her. “She needs to go to the ER. Reynolds?”
“I’ve got it.” Quint nodded. He helped her to her feet and then walked her to his cruiser.
The ride to the ER went by in a blur. Nothing mattered but seeing Sam and knowing what happened to the baby. She stared at the ceiling of the emergency room while the doctors and nurses cleaned her wound and bandaged her.
Sam burst from somewhere behind the curtain, grabbing her attention. “That’s my wife.”
Quint let go of her hand and stopped Sam from barging any more into the room. “Give it a moment.” He placed his palm on Sam’s chest. “She’ll be okay.” He said something she couldn’t hear.
Emma resumed staring at the ceiling. In an hour, her life changed beyond belief. After what seemed like an eternity, Sam appeared at
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