Page 85 of In the Line of Ire

I endedthe video and slid the phone into my pocket. If their business wasconcluded, I had to get out of there before Charlaine walked backto her car or the mystery woman drove past me. I stepped backwards,wheeling around before I almost collided with someone. "What?" Igasped, but the word stuck in my throat when a hand came down hardon me and something very heavy struck my head. My knees buckled, myeyes swam, and then I crashed to the cold, hard, ground beforeeverything went dark.

Chapter Nineteen

"Lexi?"The voice came from somewhere near the sun umbrella. I blinked andgroaned.

"I musthave fallen asleep," I sighed as I languorously stretched. My bodyfelt drowsy with the heat. "Is it cocktail time? I'll take a peachBellini. Thank you so much."

"Lexi?"

"And abag of chips. I'm hungry. Then I'm going to take a quick dip in thepool." I wriggled and closed my eyes again. My eyes refused toopen. "Maybe another nap first," I sighed.

"Lexi!"

Thistime, my eyes fluttered open at the loud voice calling my name."What?" I grumbled.

"Are youokay?"

"Bestvacation ever. So relaxed." Except my head hurt. Perhaps I neededto buy a sun hat or maybe just lay off the booze?

"You'renot on vacation, sweetheart. You're in a parking lot on CenturyStreet." Solomon gazed down at me, his forehead furrowed withconcern.

"Butyou're here! I love you," I sighed as I reached for Solomon's hand."You're so pretty," I giggled.

Solomonglanced over his shoulder. "I think she could have aconcussion."

"Is thata new cocktail with gin?" I asked dozily. "I would love to try aGin Concussion. That sounds so nice!"

"She's really out of it," said a second voice.Delgado.Why is Delgado on my vacation?"We should take her to the hospital."

"Nooo,"I wailed. "I'm not finished sunbathing! And I want a GinConcussion!"

Solomonstroked my face. "No, you're not sunbathing, Lexi. You're lying onthe ground in a parking lot. Someone hit you over the head and I’mafraid you could have a real concussion."

Iblinked and this time, forced my eyes to open. The urgency inSolomon's voice told me this wasn't just another terrible hangover.I looked around cautiously, carefully trying to avoid any motion tomy throbbing head. There wasn't any sun umbrella. There wasn't evenany sun. Never mind the austere absence of a pool or a pool bar.Plus, my head was starting to hurt a lot. "People suck," I mutteredwhen Solomon helped me sit upright. He supported my back againstthe building I was slumped against. "What's that smell?" I asked asI sniffed the air.

Solomonglanced toward his left and I followed the look. A huge ball offlames blazed at one corner of the parking lot. "My car!" I yelled,when I realized that was exactly where I left it. "I just got itdetailed last week! It cost me twenty bucks!" I gulped as the bleakreality of the situation hit me. Tentatively, I touched my head andwhen I pulled my fingers back, they were wet with blood. "Someonemust’ve hit me. Please tell me you caught whoever didthis?"

Delgadocrouched down closer to me. "You were completely on your own whenwe got here. We thought you were dead."

Igulped.

"Onlyfor a second or two," said Solomon, his jaw stiffening.

"Theywere here. Charlaine and someone else. They were right here!" Isaid, scrambling to my feet. The world turned upside down so I shutmy eyes briefly and reached for the wall for support. A wave ofnausea also suddenly heaved through me. Solomon grabbed my arm,stabilizing me as I staggered toward the corner. The car and themystery woman at the back of the building were both gone. I turnedaround, feeling more than a little dejected. Charlaine's car wasgone too, only an empty space next to the minivan.

"DidCharlaine do this to you?" asked Solomon.

"No." Ishook my head and gulped as the nausea overcame me again. Thistime, I feared I’d hurl into my shoes. "She was standing overthere. Someone was waiting for her with bags that she took withher. She checked all of them first and was about to leave so Iprepared to get out of the way when I bumped into someone andthen... nothing!"

"Youdidn't see who did it?" asked Delgado.

I triedto remember more but my mind went blank. I only recalled someonebeing in front of me, but I didn’t have enough time to see who itwas before they hit me. "No."

"Man ora woman? Anyone you know?" pressed Delgado.

"I can’tsay for sure. I got hit with something really hard. And now mycar's on fire!" Bursting into tears, I nearly crumpled when Solomonpulled me against him in the warmest, most comforting bear hug Iever had. Behind me, Delgado wrapped his arms around metoo.

"Whatare you?" asked Solomon.

---