Authors: T. E. Woods
Dead End Fix (27 page)
“Would you have done it?” he asked.
“Done what?”
“Killed her. If it really came down to it, would you have killed my daughter?”
“Would you?”
He'd thought about little else since the night Allie died. Would he have raised his gun to kill his own child in order to save Lydia? To save himself?
“Maybe I'm done too,” he said.
“What's that mean?”
“I need some time. Away.”
Lydia's face clouded. “Any idea how long?”
He shook his head.
“Know where you'll go?”
He shook his head again.
“Will you be coming back?”
Mort looked up. It was full evening now. Clouds hung low in a starless sky. He strained to see the hole where his daughter lay. He stepped over to the floral spray one last time. He pulled three roses free. He kissed one and tossed it into Allie's grave, listening for the hollow tap as it hit her casket. He tucked the second rose into the inside pocket of his parka.
Then he stepped to Lydia.
“How about you?” he asked, handing her the third. “What's next?”
She leveled a gaze that made the frigid night even colder. “I'm going back to work.”
He was too shattered to ask for details. “I'm sorry for what my girl did to you.”
“She did it. Not you.”
His devastation kept him from arguing the point. He bowed his head, pulled his collar tight against the cold, and walked out of the garden of death.
This book is for Julie. “Will you just hurry up and finish the damn thing? I'm not going to live forever, you know.” Thank you for never being afraid to tell it like it is. For reminding us there was nothing life could throw our way that couldn't be handled with love, laughter, and Korbel and Coke. Wednesdays aren't the same. Just so you know, we've switched tables. None of us could bear to sit at “our” table without you. Catch you later, Jules. Till then, know the Smarties love you so strong not even death can crush it.
Thanksâ¦forever and alwaysâ¦to the two glittering stars in my literary heaven: my agent, Victoria Skurnik, and my editor, Kate Miciak. Busy, busy, busy women who always find time to urge me on or walk me back. You are forever on my list of favorite people. Thanks to The Fictionistas for listening to my ceaseless yammer about what this character might say or how this one should dieâ¦and for pulling ideas out of me when my well was so dry it served only dust. Thanks so
very
much to my readers. My smile widens with every contact. I have a lot of words, but not nearly enough to tell you how much your support means to me. A special thanks to Shenetia Henderson. When she suggested “D'Loco” I stopped looking for a name for my bad guy. It was just too perfect. I'm grateful for Judy and Barbie, who cheer me on like it's their job. And if everybody had a sister like my Micki, well, then, we'd all be living our dreams.
And then there's Lance. Aren't we having fun?
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The Fixer
The Red Hot Fix
The Unforgivable Fix
Fixed in Blood
Fixed in Fear
Dead End Fix
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OODS
is a clinical psychologist and author living in Madison, Wisconsin. For random insight into how her strange mind works, follow her at:
by T. E. Woods
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