Chapter 25 The Attempt On Greg #5
“Veronica,” Greg said softly as he turned her to him.
“I’ve wanted to have you alone all night.
” Before she knew it, he was kissing her deeply.
“That’s what I wanted to tell you. I know that you have touched my heart in such a special way.
I couldn’t kiss you in front of Carry, so I had to hold you back just for that. ”
“It was worth it Greg. Very much worth it,” Veronica said smiling brightly.
Greg sat in the single chair at the end of the coffee table close to the front door, which he’d moved toward the door so the announcements could be done near the base of the stairs.
Billy and Carry were on the couch beside him on the other side of the little stand.
The rest of the crowd had taken the seats in the rows that had been set up earlier by Ellen and Anna.
James went up to the front with the door to his left.
“Alright everyone, if I can have your attention please. It’s time to award some very hard working people at Veronique.
I’m honored to introduce our founder and owner – Miss Veronica LaFayette! ”
The applause filled the room as Veronica stepped over to take place.
“I’m pleased to be here tonight,” she said with a short bow.
“As James said in his introduction, we are here to recognize some exemplary employees at Veronique. But before I do, I just want to thank all of you for everything you’ve given this year as we’ve launched Veronique and have made it highly successful. ”
“Greg!” Keith said as he stepped in the door.
Greg got up and stepped over to the door. “Yea?”
“We’ve had two drive-by vehicles in the last five minutes. We might want to think about moving this to your basement.”
“Hmmm. Veronica, what do you think?”
“Is there a threat?” Veronica asked seriously.
“I don’t know, but that’s unusual activity.” He nodded as he saw Danny and Brick appear from the dining room. “Back’s clear?”
“Yes sir,” Danny said. “Like a whistle.” Jeff and Randy stepped in from the bedroom.
“North side’s clear, and the patio was checked,” Randy said. They leaned in on the rails of the stairs at the hall entrance.
“Maybe we’re just over reacting,” Greg said. “If there’s something more, then we’ll move it,” he said as he heard the roar of a car engine out front. “What was that?”
Before anyone could move, the front door was blown off its hinges by a shotgun. The powerful silhouette of a dark figure was exposed as the door was kicked in.
“WHAT THE HELL?” Greg said and turned in front of Veronica. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Billy threw his body over the top of Carry to shield her. The sound of gunfire out on the grounds started to echo in the house.
“GET DOWN!” Keith yelled. “GUN!”
Bullets were flying everywhere, but when everything was over, only one person was on the ground.
Wendy shrieked and screamed, running forward and falling on top of his crumpled body.
“DAAAAADY!’ she howled. “NOOOOOOOO! DADDY GET UP!” she screamed.
She sobbed for a moment then turned around.
“WHAT’D YOU DO!” she vilely propelled at Keith with anger flushing her face.
“What we all did,” Keith admitted. He looked down at the weapon in his hand, the slide locked back, smoke rising from the barrel and empty chamber.
As he looked around it was the same for Jeff, Randy, Danny and Brick.
Not a single weapon had a round left in it, and all of them were still pointing down at the lifeless body of Millard ‘The Enforcer’ Calput.
“WHY!” she screamed. “WHY’D YOU KILL MY FATHER!
” she got up and started beating Keith with closed fists against his chest, the sound of the thuds against his body armor echoing.
Aarie stood frozen in horror as everything that happened hit him, watching his girlfriend reacting.
“You didn’t have to kill him,” she said as she started crying profusely.
She dropped to her knees then turned and crawled back over and shook his body.
“Please daddy, stop pretending. Get up,” she begged, “Please daddy,” she said as her body started to heave and the sobs and wails filled the room.
Greg turned and pulled Veronica close to him.
“It’s over now,” he whispered. For a moment it was pure silence, then he felt everything hit him at once, making his body shake in place.
His grip weakened as the trembling increased.
Feeling the warm liquid now covering her left breast, Veronica looked down.
She brought her hands up to the area that was getting saturated now.
She felt the wetness and lifted them up in between her and Greg.
The maroon color nearly matched her fingernails.
Both of them looked at those hands for a moment almost in disbelief.
“AAAAAAH!” she screamed. “BLOOD!” Greg’s eyes rolled back, his arms dropped, and seconds later he was on the ground.
“I’ve been shot,” barely escaped her lips as she fell backwards, passing out.
Nobody moved as shock went through the room again.
Veronica’s dress ruffling as she crumpled to the floor beside Greg was the only sound apart from Wendy’s muffled sobbing heard in the house.