Read She Can Kill (She Can Series) for Free Online Page B

line behind an elderly man buying lottery tickets.
    “Hi,” she smiled. “You’re Lucia’s father, right?”
    “Yes,” he said, trying to place her. She was in her mid to late twenties, pretty, with short dark hair. The little girl in her arms was all dark hair and eyes, like Lucia had been at the same age.
    “I’m Kenzie Newell. This is Delaney.” The toddler smiled at him. Kenzie continued, “I also have a daughter in kindergarten. We met at the school Christmas bake sale. You probably don’t remember.”
    “Yes. I remember that day.” Cristan had a clear remembrance of a gymnasium full of children and young mothers. A few fathers had been scattered in the crowd. Lucia had signed him up for the event. His daughter thought he spent too much time alone.
    “I’m looking for a babysitter. Mine went away to college this year. You have no idea how hard it is to find a good sitter. Sarah Mitchell is my neighbor. She says Lucia is terrific.”
    “She is,” he agreed with a smile.
    Kenzie juggled her daughter and the milk to dig a business card from her coat pocket. “Here’s my card. I’d love it if Lucia called me, if it’s all right with you, of course. My husband and I haven’t been out together since school started last September.”
    “Yes, I remember those days.” Cristan stopped himself. He had almost shared a memory of his life with Eva. He was letting his guard down. Discomfort crawled over him. Standing apart, maintaining his vigilance, those were the factors that had kept Lucia safe, and he would do well to keep that in mind. Only one of them could live a normal life, and Lucia deserved the privilege. He hadn’t done nearly enough penance for his multitude of sins.
    The elderly man took his stack of lottery tickets and left the store. Another customer joined the line, a man in a dark-blue hooded sweatshirt. He was turned away, his hand over his face as he coughed. Cristan set the coffee and bread on the counter at the same moment the new customer stepped clear of the line and pulled a handgun from his pocket.
    Adrenaline jolted Cristan’s heart and shot through his veins. The shock sharpened his focus and reminded him how he no longer expected violence to be part of his life—and how much work it had taken him to find peace. Peace that this young thug had just destroyed.
    Thank God Lucia was not with him.
    Kenzie gasped. The oblivious child repeated a rhyme in a singsong voice, the innocent voice stirring Cristan’s anger.
    The young man held the 9mm with a steady hand. Staring through the gap between his hood and a bandana tied around the lower half of his face, the eyes that focused over the barrel were pale blue and cold and empty.
    Cristan knew that look well. He used to see it in the mirror every morning.
    Those were the eyes of a killer.
    “Put your hands where I can see them.” The robber gestured with the gun. A thin pair of black leather gloves covered his hands.
    Moving slowly and avoiding the challenge of direct eye contact, Cristan raised both hands in front of his chest, palms facing outward. A feminine sob sounded behind him. He shifted his weight slightly to better shield Kenzie and her child.
    The gunman moved behind the register. “Open the register and put the cash in a bag.”
    The skinny young clerk complied, his breath coming in short wheezes that would no doubt lead to hyperventilation in a few moments. The robber scanned the tops of the aisles, clearly looking for someone.
    Who else was in the store? Cristan listened for voices or footsteps. A shoe scraped on tile behind him. He glanced at the round security mirror mounted in the corner. Two figures marched toward them. A second robber, dressed in a dark-red sweatshirt and jeans, dragged a bald, aproned man by the crook of his elbow. Red Shirt pressed a gun to the bald man’s temple. A gold pin affixed to the green Quickie-Mart apron read Manager.
    “OK, Mr. Manager. Open that other register drawer.” Red Shirt