“Okay fine. I realize I’ve only known you for three days but trust me, it’s plenty long enough to know you’re trying to get me out of your hair so you can go back to The Sand Bucket and do your own poking around. Well hear this Mr. Russell; you aren’t getting away with it. You even said it earlier; we’re partners so now you’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.”
Damn, he really hated when she was right. However, being stuck with Alix definitely didn’t qualify as a burden.
“Now Alix, I really only had your best interests at heart. I don’t know what I’ll find there. Actually, I hope I don’t find anything but things just don’t add up and Mr. Howard, well, he’s a bit on the eccentric side if you ask me; done his job for a few too many years now. I’m not saying he’s not accurate but I’d just feel better if I took a look and if I run into any trouble, I don’t want you in the middle of it.”
“Well like you said, you don’t have a choice. I’m going. End of story.”
“Women are impossible” Kody mumbled mostly to himself.
“Excuse me?” He knew if anybody would hear a mumble, it’d be her. Man if this dating thing continued, he’d have to remember he’d never get away with anything.
“Uh, yeah…I just started to say we should probably walk toward The Sand Bucket if you’re ready?” Talk about having to save his ass.
***
Alix gave him one of those knowing smirks that said you’re so full of shit. She never voiced it but after only a few days of knowing each other, they were both starting to pick up on each other’s nuances. She fell into step beside him as they walked on, thinking that he’d never know how much comfort the feel of her hand in his, gave her.
She didn’t normally go back to the shop after hours, especially in the dark. Walking alone at night wasn’t one of her favorite things anyway but it was weird to see the shop in the dark. It looked hugely out of place with yellow DO NOT CROSS tape roped out in front of her part of the building. Kody didn’t stop at the front door though; he kept walking, giving her a tug with his hand for her to keep up.
“I have keys with me if you want to go in?” Alix was digging in her pocket for the shop key praying they wouldn’t really need to since there was no electric service.
“No, I don’t want to go in, at least not right now. I’m taking us around the back to check out the alley and the back-door area. Maybe we’ll find something Mr. Personality missed this morning.”
Alix chuckled at the description Kody gave of the fire inspector but she completely agreed.
They edged around the end of the building beside the little ice cream shop toward the back alley way lit by the street lamp that didn’t always want to work. The closer they got to the back of The Sand Bucket, the darker it got and the more scared Alix felt. She was now extremely sure in her decision not to be open at night.
“Are you alright” Kody whispered close to Alix’s ear?
“No, not really; do we have to be back here? It’s really creepy.” She hated the alley. It seemed like a different world at night. It also looked like there was a big shadow beside the dumpster.
“Kody, look over there” she motioned to the mass, not sure if it was moving. “What is that?”
He pushed her against the wall of the shop next door and stood blocking her view.
“Hey, I can’t seea…”
“Shush will ya, and give me a minute?” He turned around to face her, their bodies barely a hair from touching. She could feel his breath on her face, his cologne assaulted her senses and his body heat was extraordinary.
“I’m trying to figure out if it’s actually a person; I don’t wantusto scare him off.” He was whispering so soft she could barely hear him. Or maybe it was because her heart was beating so loud in her ears she couldn’t concentrate on any other sounds. If she hadn’t known any better with their current situation, she could have thought he meant to kiss her. Would she welcome it? You better believe she would!
Instead, Kody placed his finger over her lips and whispered for her to be quiet, then turned back toward the dumpster, creeping closer with each step. What the heck was he doing? Should she follow him? The smart thing to do would be to call the police.
Any decision she had been contemplating was crushed when she heard her screen door slam open, crashing so hard against the wall the hinges broke leaving the door hanging by a thread. A dark figure bolted from the building followed by that mass from the dumpster, she now knew to be another person. They both disappeared so fast she couldn’t tell which way they’d gone after they left the alley.
A split second later Kody had rushed up, prepared to creep around the door frame to look in the kitchen, when an explosion occurred, knocking him on his butt as flames shot out the door. Alix screamed then made her way to where Kody lie lifeless on the ground.
“Oh God Kody, are you alright? Please be okay.” Alix didn’t hesitate to let the worry show as she ran her fingers over his newly trimmed crew cut looking for any bumps or road rash from hitting the ground so hard. She moved back to his face where she found charcoal marks from the fire. His elbow was bleeding and she’d already checked his pulse, but she didn’t know much about that sort of thing. Instinct told her to rest her head on his chest to feel the movement of his breathing.
Thank god, she could feel his chest moving up and down. He was still alive. The blast must have just knocked him out. She softly ran her fingers over his brow, then used her t-shirt to wipe his face off.
“Kody please wake up. Come on.” She lowered her cheek to his, worrying that there was a chance he wouldn’t wake up. Should she do CPR? It’d been a very long time since learning the technique, she wasn’t sure she’d even do it right. Looking into his lifeless face again, she moved her hands to his shoulders, shaking him ever so slightly.
“I only just found you, I can’t lose you now.” She couldn’t bear to say goodbye, even after only knowing him a few days. He’d burrowed into her heart already.
Chapter Ten
Kody felt like he’d been hit head on with a ton of bricks and his back hurt like hell. No way could he explain what just happened, he must have passed out. He’d been able to hear Alix’s poetic voice oozing with worry as he felt her hands run all over him, presumably making sure he was okay. Was he? Things were pretty dark but then he hadn’t yet tried to open his eyes.
