Chapter 19: Evie

19

EVIE

A week had passed since the Mad Dogs left town, and it had been almost three weeks since anyone heard from Marcy. I briefly wondered if there was any connection between the two, but I couldn't figure out how. The police hadn't returned to the diner, but Byte found an update on her case, which remained open with no new developments.

I groaned when I rolled out of bed. I'd been back at the diner for three days and had worked open to close. The tips were great, but I was beyond exhausted. I knew Edge and the other guys were, too. They'd been working sixteen-hour days longer than I had.

After rushing through my morning routine, I found Edge in the kitchen with two travel mugs of coffee ready to go. "Morning, Sunshine."

"Morning," I mumbled and reached for my mug. I needed a few more minutes to myself before I would be ready to socialize. Thankfully, he understood and let me be.

We got into his truck and drove the short distance to Irene's house. She was standing on her front porch waiting for us.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were eager to get back to work," Edge said.

"Anything will be better than sitting around the house. I've been bored as hell all week," she said. I helped her into the back seat while Edge got the bag she had sitting by her feet. Her arm was still in a sling, but she was moving around much better than she had been.

When we arrived at the diner, Irene was greeted with cheers and applause from the guys who were already there. "Oh, stop," she said. "I should be clapping and cheering for you. Y'all stepped in and kept this place running. I can't thank you enough."

Byte smiled softly. "You're family. It's what we do."

"Yeah, yeah. You love me. I love you," she said and wrinkled her nose. "Emotions. Yuck."

Irene went to the office to catch up on paperwork while the rest of us got started on opening the diner. I was in the middle of rolling silverware when a strange feeling washed over me. I looked up and froze when my eyes landed on Snarl staring at me through the front window.

I stood frozen for several beats before my brain came back online. "Edge!" I shouted without taking my eyes off Snarl. He glared at me, mouthed something, and disappeared.

Edge was at my side seconds later. "What's wrong?"

"Snarl's outside. I just saw him looking through the window."

He pulled his gun from his holster and started toward the front door.

"You can't go out there!" I shouted.

"Go to the office with Irene," he said calmly.

Instead of following his instructions, I went to the kitchen to get Byte and Ranger. I had just told them what was going on when Snarl burst through the back door with a gun in each hand. Before anyone could react, he opened fire.

I tried to run but didn't make it very far before a burning pain ripped through my torso and stole the air from my lungs. Clutching my chest, I fell to the floor as gunfire and shouts of pain continued around me.