Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Aftermath
JAMIE
When Jamie finally got her bearings in the dining room after the blast and came back to her senses, she realized three things: the food critic was definitely dead, she wanted her phone, and Cliff had put his entire body over hers to protect her. If that doesn’t say “I like you,” nothing does.
Say what you will about crisis situations, but they have a clarifying effect.
In the chaos of the room, with tables overturned, roasted duck sadly strewn across the floor, and a constant ringing in her ears from the blast, Jamie knew she was smitten.
She was glad to be alive, but in a hurry to start living.
She scanned the room to see where Cliff had gone, but then immediately saw that Shannon was out cold. Kyle was bent over her doing mouth-to-mouth, although Jamie thought he lingered there a tad too long, which made it look more like a kiss than a lifesaving procedure.
Jamie rushed over. “Don’t move her too much, she might have a neck or back injury.
” Kyle nodded and helped Jamie secure Shannon’s neck with rolled-up dinner napkins that they placed around her head and shoulders.
Jamie listened for and heard a heartbeat and saw Shannon breathing and began to relax a little.
She lightly smacked Shannon’s cheeks. “Looks like she just got the wind knocked out of her.”
Shannon coughed twice and came to. She looked around and saw Jamie and Kyle kneeling over her. She smiled at Kyle and then cast a suspicious eye toward Jamie. “Were you slapping me?”
“Just lightly, to wake you up.”
Shannon batted Jamie’s hands away.
“Does anything hurt?” Kyle asked gently. “No sudden moves, you may have hurt your lovely swan-like neck.”
Shannon closed her eyes and smiled. “Mmm. Swan-like, you’re so sweet.” She reached up and touched the side of his face and Kyle leaned into it. She moved her legs and then twisted her neck gently from side-to-side. “I think I’m good.” She sat up with Kyle’s help. “Where’s my shoe?”
Jamie pointed behind her. Shannon’s bootie had launched itself to the bar. “I’ll get it.”
Jamie scooted over and picked up the errant shoe. Rick and Holly were crouched down behind the bar, doing a shot.
“Getting your party on?” Jamie accused.
“This is stressful!” Rick poured another from an upscale tequila bottle.
Holly nodded that she wanted another one, too. “Nights at the museum don’t hold a candle to this.”
Rick chuckled and looked at Holly. “God, you’re so weird.”
Jamie noticed that Holly looked at Rick as if that was the best compliment she had ever received. Nothing brings people together like shared trauma.
Cliff had shown valor and courage by placing himself in harm’s way to protect her.
She hadn’t felt that rush of mortal gratitude since her dad went missing so many years ago.
His last act was to protect her before the FBI hauled him away.
Several months later, they learned Hal Frisco had escaped custody.
He was never heard from again. So, this sense of protection that Cliff had offered in a moment that tested it created an overwhelming sense of joy that welled up inside her.
Speaking of Cliff, Jamie looked around the room. “Where’s Cliff?” she asked to no one in particular.
At the table by the wall, she saw the body of Nigel Spokes. Across the table sat his wife, who was so clearly in a state of shock that she had not moved a muscle. Jamie couldn’t help but shiver. She surmised that the bomb blast likely caused a heart attack for poor Nigel.
She spotted a small pile of cell phones and decided to grab them all and deliver them to their owners so they could get the hell out of here. Shannon and Kyle grabbed theirs. As did Rick and Holly.
She tried to text Rip and Derick. But it wouldn’t go through. She tried to call. The call immediately ended.
Their phones weren’t working.
This was not good. Panic rose.
She’d just had a thought. Mel Ott was out now. Was this about her?
Jamie rushed toward the front door of the restaurant. When she swung the door open, the barrel of an assault rifle was pointed directly at her forehead.