DEADEYE

Chapter 16

As Claire finished treating the most dangerous and immediate wound—the bullet hole in Lamar's leg—she moved on to cleaning and wrapping the injuries he had received from the bullets grazing him. Her hands moved quickly and efficiently, her years of experience as an ER nurse guiding her through the procedure.

She glanced up at her daughter, who seemed lost and in a daze as she continued to hold the makeshift tourniquet around Lamar's leg. "Ava. Ava! Ava!!" Claire shouted, trying to snap her daughter back to reality.

Ava blinked and looked at her mother, her eyes wide and filled with worry. "What, Mom?"

"You can stop now," Claire said gently.

Ava looked down and realized that the wound had already been stitched up and wrapped with gauze and padding to soak up the blood. She let go of the blanket, her hands shaking and covered in blood. She stared at them for a moment, as if not fully comprehending what had just happened.

"It's okay, Ava," Claire said, her voice soothing. "You did great. Now go wash your hands and get some rest. I'll stay with Lamar."

Ava nodded, standing up on unsteady legs. She took one last look at Lamar, who was breathing more evenly now, though he was still pale and unconscious. She gave her mother a small, grateful smile before heading to the bathroom to clean up.

Claire watched her go, her heart aching for both her daughter and Lamar. She knew they had all been through a lot tonight, and the road to recovery was going to be difficult. But for now, Lamar was stable, and that was what mattered most.

James returned downstairs, looking worried. "Is he going to be okay?"

Claire nodded. "He'll be fine, but he needs rest. We all do. Go check on Maria and make sure she's alright."

James nodded and headed back upstairs, leaving Claire alone with Lamar. She took a deep breath, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. "Hang in there, Lamar," she whispered. "You're safe now."

The next morning, Lamar woke up, sitting up quickly and looking around, not realizing where he was for a moment. He looked down and saw Maria lying next to him, and on the other side, Ava was sitting on a chair, asleep and leaning over the bed, holding his hand. Her hands were still stained red from his blood.

Lamar slowly got up, carefully prying Maria off of him, making sure not to wake her up. He gently let go of Ava's hand and limped his way down the hallway and then down the stairs, wincing with each step. When he reached the kitchen, he saw James sitting at the dining table.

James looked up, surprise and concern flashing across his face. "Lamar, you should be resting," he said, standing up and approaching him. "You're in no condition to be up and moving around."

Lamar shook his head, determined. "I needed to move a bit, clear my head. And I didn't want to wake them."

James sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Well, at least let me help you sit down. You shouldn't be putting pressure on that leg."

With James' help, Lamar sat down at the table. He took a deep breath, the events of the previous night replaying in his mind. "Thank you, Mr. Walker. For everything."

James nodded, a stern expression on his face. "We did what we had to do. But you need to tell me, Lamar, who did this to you? And are they going to come looking for you here?"

Lamar hesitated, glancing down at the table. "I don't think they'll find me here. I made sure to cover my tracks. But it was... it was a rough night."

James sat back down, his expression softening slightly. "Look, Lamar, I may not know all the details, but I know you're in deep with something dangerous. You need to stay low and heal. Claire and I will do what we can to keep you safe, but you need to be honest with us. We can't help you if we don't know what's going on."

Lamar nodded, appreciating the concern and support. "I understand. I'll tell you what I can, but some things... it's safer if you don't know. Just for now."

Lamar nodded, appreciating the concern and support. "I understand. I'll tell you what I can, but some things... it's safer if you don't know. Just for now."

James looked at Lamar with a stern look. "Listen, my wife went out to get you more medical supplies. My daughter stayed up all night watching over you. I don't know when she went to sleep. I didn't go to work today. I need to stay home to protect the two most important people in my life, now three including Maria. You coming here all shot up and injured, with whoever's chasing you, put those girls at risk. My carpet is stained with your blood, and you have the nerve to tell me it's safer if I don't know?" His voice was tense with anger.

Lamar felt his own anger rising at James' words. He wanted to protect Maria, Ava, and Mrs. Walker too, but he also understood where James was coming from. He had put them at risk by rushing over here last night, but he wasn't just angry with James—he was angry with himself.

"Look, I get it," Lamar said, his voice strained. "I know I put you all in danger, and I'm sorry for that. But I didn't have anywhere else to go. I was out of options. I just... I couldn't go to the hospital. They ask too many questions, and I needed help fast."