Page 46 of Destined Chaos
“It was a dream, right?” I asked.
“Sure. Let’s go with that,” Dexter said, looking over my chart. “You know you were lucky you got shot.”
“That’s a first,” I said, trying to reach the water sitting bedside.
Hugh held it close for me to sip from the straw.
“Dinky saved your life when he shot you.”
“You’re talking in riddles, Doc,” I said, swiping at the water left on my lips.
“Hugh told me about the curse and only having five more years to live. You were only half right. It wasn’t a curse that was going to kill you; it was hardened arteries and an irregular heartbeat.”
“Is it fixable?” I asked.
“It is if it’s caught early, and you’re going to be fine. I fixed you up when I had you on the table. You’re going to live to a ripe old age. Well, if my brother doesn’t drive you insane first.”
“Neither my mother or aunt had to die?”
“Hugh told me about your mom, and Dinky filled in the rest. I’m sorry. Neither had to die, it could have been prevented.”
“Dinky,” I said, trying to sit up farther. The machines in the room increased in beeps. “Where is he?”
“He’s at the police station being booked for arson and attempted murder.”
“He didn’t mean to shoot me.” She shook her head, and the machines tripled in beeps. “I have to go tell them it was all an accident.”
“The house is gone,” Hugh said, pulling my attention. “It burned down to the studs.”
“I don’t care about that damn house. I need to make sure Dinky is okay.”
“Libby, he shot you.”
“I scared him when I tackled him. It was an accident. You heard him. He didn’t even know we were still inside the house, and besides, I’m the only family he’s got, Hugh. He needs me. I should have seen the signs. I should have figured out his investor was nothing but trouble, but the fog… Being around the house brought the fog. I couldn’t see when it mattered most.”
“Okay, no arguing. Libby needs to rest, and I think you should go home and change. You smell like smoke.”
“Give us a minute,” Hugh said.
Dexter put the chart back and walked out the door.
Hugh leaned over me and pressed a tender kiss to my lips. It was soft and full of promise without the words. “I thought I lost you.”
I cupped his cheek. “I’ve apparently been gifted a new lifetime, and besides, I’m not that easy to kill.”
He sighed. “Dinky deserves the consequences. He said he didn’t have a choice, that he was in too deep with no way out.”
“He has a bad gambling habit and he must have owed Johnson a debt.” I shook my head, “But you heard him. He didn’t mean to harm me. He didn’t know we were in there.”
“He shot you,” Hugh said with a stern look on his face.
“It was an accident. He was under duress. Johnson wants the property, and there is no way in hell he’s going to get it. Dinky is in trouble, and he needs me. I wasn’t there for him then, but I will be now.”
I kissed her head again. “He had a gun, Libby. He pulled the trigger. Not Johnson, not me, not anyone else. Dinky did all that.”
“Hugh, please. Help me help him. I’ll give you the property. You can rebuild.”
Hugh’s brows pulled down as he frowned. “Me being here has nothing to do with the property, Libby. I care about you.”
