Heartless People

SEVENTEEN

To the ancient Greeks the word dikaiosini, justice, was often synonymous with ekdikisis, vengeance.

~ Sidney Sheldon

CAMILA

"Today, Mayor Cortés, the citys first mayor of Hispanic descent, announced that the manhunt for Luke Charlton, the shooter behind the murder of nine children at Pennington Academy and four more young lives at Lincoln Elementary just two weeks ago has come to an end. Charlton, who died via suicide, confessed to the murders to a family friend, who tipped off police. The Miami PD hav confiscated his rifles along with bullets they say all match the scenes of the crimes. However, the chief detective on the case says the investigation on what led up to these tragic days may take weeks. At this time, Charlton has not been linked to or ruled out of the attempted assassination of Governor Jauregui,
whom doctors say is recovering well and is due to go home today. This—"

"Hey!" I snapped at Lauren when she turned the television off and moved to make herself comfortable in the tiniest spot on the bed beside me. Resting her hand over her eyes,s he yawned.

" Its all lies, forget it and rest."

"I've been resting for almost two weeks now, Lauren—"

"Rest more."

I wanted to push her off the bed so damn badly, but instead I just lay back next to her. "Lauren if I stay in this goddamn hospital for one more day Im going
to lose my mind. Every second Im in here is a second they are fucking with our city!"

She didn't open her eyes, just took a deep breath and said, "Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth and you—ouch! Fuck, Camz."

She cried out when she rolled off the bed. She didn't fall, but she did sit up and glare down at me. Taking her advice, I took a deep annoying breath through my nose and out through my mouth.

"Happy? Now spring me from this joint."

She snorted before laughing, a grin plastered all over her face as she got up and kissed my forehead. "Are we going to drive off into the sunset like Bonnie and
Clyde?"

"Bonnie and Clyde lost. Were going to ride off like Camila and Lauren—"

"Lauren and Camila."

"GO!"

Again she laughed at me but moved to the door as I reached for my phone. It rang once before Lucy answered. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and for the first time since shed joined the family, she was wearing sweatpants in front of me.

"You look like shit," she ironically said to me.

"I was shot; whats your excuse?"

"Im taking care of seven children. Touché. Three of which ask me every hour on the hour when their mom is coming back home."

That I couldn't help but smile at that. "Where are they?"

"Musketeers!" she yelled out while pacing.

"What are you calling my children?"

She looked back into the phone. "Don't look at me like that; it was your daughter who came up with it. Ethan and Lucas don't like it but dont want to get on her bad side."

Atta girl. Elisa, no matter what, always had everyone wrapped around her fingers; it was a talent, really.

"Aunty Lucy, stop calling us that," I heard Lucas say grumpily.

"Lucas?" I called out.

"Mom!"

The phone twisted upside down and then back around as he held it right up to his face. "Mom! When are you coming back?"