Chapter 25

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The noonday traffic on Lombard Street slowed their trip to Vavoom's from the storage Unit. Clara looked in the rearview mirror. Paxton followed her and Gracie at Wayne's request to stick by them. If their cook-slash-escort were any closer, Paxton's truck would rear end them.

"I'm going to make myself scarce when we get home after work. Use that time to talk to Wayne." Gracie pulled the lid off her lipstick and applied it to her lips. "I tried to keep myself busy with laundry this morning to give you the chance to talk with him."

"I know." Clara took the lipstick her sister offered and quickly lined her lips. "I'm starting to think the Universe is telling me not to tell Wayne about everything or ask him to find our mother's killer."

"The Universe?" Gracie zipped her purse and set it on the floor. "More like Lieutenant Gomez. It's hard to move forward with the threat of him being close to Wayne."

"I know, right?" The light turned green, and Clara pressed the accelerator and entered the intersection. "If Wayne's involvement with law enforcement isn't a sign we're going about this the wrong way, we've completely lost our minds."

"A little late now." Gracie flipped down the visor. "We moved here because mom and dad are buried in the St. John's Cemetery. We bought the bar to get close to Wayne if he took the job. We never dreamed mom's killer would still be in St. John's and he'd break into our house."

"We don't know if that was him," she whispered, feeling sick to her stomach.

The intensity of Gracie's stare heated Clara's neck. The coincidences couldn't be ignored.

"Gracie?" Clara squeezed the steering wheel and stopped at the intersection. "What if the man who killed our mother also murdered those two young girls?"

"That's highly unlikely," said Gracie.

"So is mom's killer breaking into our house, but we're thinking that way."

Gracie leaned her head back on the seat and looked out the front windshield. "It's speculation. It might be totally different people behind each crime."

"But, what if it isn't?" Clara glanced over at Gracie.

"We're not responsible for what others do."

If that was true, why was she having trouble with what she was about to ask Wayne to do for them?

The light turned green. Clara pressed the gas pedal. She wished her dad was still alive to support her and give her answers only he could—

BOOM.

The car jerked and spun. Clara's head hit the window. She screamed Gracie's name in shock before the airbag crushed her chest. The crunch of metal filling the car from the impact stopped instantly, and her heartbeat filled her ears.

Blinded in darkness, she couldn't move. Clara moaned trying to open her eyes. It hurt.

Gracie?

Tired, so tired. Why wasn't her sister answering her?

"Clara," said a male voice.

Her body moved under duress. She groaned, unable to lift her hands to stop.

"Stay still. I called an ambulance."

Wetness ran over her upper lip. She licked, sputtering at the odd metal taste. Blood?

"Can you hear me, Clara? It's Paxton. I'm right beside you."

"Paxton?" She opened one eye. "Wh-where's my sister?"

"She's right beside you in the passenger seat. Help is on the way," said Paxton. "Hey, what are you doing? Don't move her."

"There's gas leaking under the car," said an unfamiliar male voice. "We need to get them away from the vehicle. Help the driver. I'll carry this one away from the wreck."

"Holy, Mother of Mary," whispered Paxton. "Clara, I'm going to take off your seat belt. Does your neck or back hurt?"

She couldn't even feel her body, only the vibrations, and pressure. She pried her tongue off the roof of her mouth. "My head. Hurts."

"You've got a cut. I'm going to try and carry you out of the car. Let me move you. Just stay relaxed and let me do everything." Paxton pulled her legs to the side.

Why wasn't Gracie talking? Clara lifted her hand, blindly reaching for her sister and grasped air. "Gracie?"

"She's already out of the car. Hang on to me." Paxton slid his arm behind her back and then she was in his arms.

Clara let her head fall to his shoulder and blinked through the stinging in her eyes. The pounding in her head intensified. Impossible to keep her eyes open, she closed them as noise pushed in on her from all sides. Strange voices talked, yelled, whispered, and she couldn't understand what they were all saying.

Sirens split the air. Why wasn't Gracie talking to her?

She rocked in Paxton's arms, and he said, "I'm putting you on the ground."

Clara reached out to her side and tried to push up when the hard surface pressed into her. Gentle hands kept her down. She couldn't breathe. Gracie left her. Why couldn't she feel her sister with her?

"G-Gracie. I need to..." She grabbed a fistful of shirt and blinked rapidly to see flashes of Paxton's face in front of her. "Find my sister."

"Clara, you're hurt and bleeding," said Paxton.

"Help Gracie. Something is wrong." She let go of him and grabbed her head. "God, it hurts."

"The paramedics are here," said Paxton.

"Go." She slapped out, hitting Paxton. "I need Gracie."

"Sh...calm down. I'll go."

Clara inhaled. Her chest ached, and she quickly exhaled. Dazed, she tried to piece together what'd happened. She was driving and then a car was right there. Everything happened so fast.

"My name is Adam, I work for Metropolis County Ambulance. I'm going to immobilize your head. Please don't try to move. Let me do the lifting, and then we'll see what's going on with you." Hands touched both sides of her neck. "Can you open your eyes?"

A bright light flashed in front of her, and she squinted. Her stomach rolled, and she moaned.

"Nauseous?" asked Adam.

She tried to nod, and when she couldn't move, she said, "Yeah."

"That's to be expected. You've hit your head, but we'll get you secured and transported to the hospital." Adam touched her leg. "Any pain coming from your extremities? Your legs? Your arms?"

She moistened her lips. "No. Can you find my sister? I think she might be hurt."

"Your sister?" said Adam.

"Yes. Her name's Gracie Nelson." She forced her eyes open and peered through the slits she'd made. "Please. Will you go help her?"

Adam swung his gaze around and looked back down at her. "Ma'am, you're our only patient here."

Clara tried to sit up and strained against the brace keeping her immobile. "No, she's here. She was in the —"

"Somebody help me," yelled Paxton. "Gracie's missing."

The air left Clara's lungs. Her vision went black. "Gracie!"