A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram #2) - Darynda Jones Page 0,110

said, talking about Cruz’s dad.

“Quincy, what happened?” Sun asked, staying him with a hand on his arm.

He sank into a chair. She followed. “As far as we can tell, the kids walked in on a robbery.”

Sun blinked in confusion. “A robbery? At Mrs. Fairborn’s?”

“I’m getting the footage from Salazar. She was first on the scene.” Quincy’s eyes were red-rimmed and Sun could tell he was barely holding it together as well. “It looks like Auri ran right into the middle of it. She tried to stop the suspect from hitting Mrs. Fairborn, so he hit her instead.”

Sun’s stomach clenched around shards of glass in response.

“All we know for certain is that Cruz and the suspect fought. Cruz won but he took one hell of a beating. According to Mrs. Fairborn, Cruz had the upper hand until the perp found a knife on the floor. He’d been tearing through her drawers. Clearing off her shelves. He was looking for something.”

“Do we know what?”

“Not yet.”

Sun nodded. “Have Zee go through Auri’s cell phone and laptop. I want to know if anyone has threatened her in any way.”

“You got it.”

“Quincy,” she said as he stood. He sank beside her again. “Thank you. For my parents. For everything.”

“Of course, boss. I’m going to make some calls. Text me if they come out with an update.” He squeezed her hand and took off.

They were in Pres, the same hospital as Seabright.

Levi scrubbed his face. He seemed to be in as much shock as she was, but he was also angry. With everyone and everything, including Sun. “Why would she rush into the middle of a robbery?” The accusing glare he cast her way knocked the breath from her lungs. “Haven’t you taught her better?”

“Yes, I have.” Her vision blurred. “At least, I thought I had. She’s so hardheaded.”

“She’s you, Shine. You incarnate.” He stood and stalked out the sliding glass doors, leaving her dumbfounded. Leaving her bereft. Leaving her. His words stung far more than she would’ve liked, and she fought a telltale quivering of her chin.

“Sun,” her dad said, “if this is anyone’s fault—”

“No, Dad. No.” She held up an index finger to stop him. “This is not your fault.”

Her mom shook her head. “No, it is.”

“Mom, if that little redhead wants to do something, there is apparently nothing you or I can do about it. Once her mind is set, there’s no stopping her.”

“Levi is right,” her dad said. “She is you incarnate. God help us all.”

Sun sat stewing in all the ways she raised her daughter wrong. She wanted her to be independent, but not too independent. She wanted her to be strong and powerful and ready to take on the world, but had Sun given her too much freedom? She’d never had to worry about Auri. She got good grades. She had tons of friends. She was outgoing but not overbearing. She’d had some rough patches, like when she’d contemplated taking her own life when she was seven. But their lives had been so full since then.

Auri was bright, her intelligence off the charts, but Levi was right. Why would she rush into the middle of a robbery? Especially after everything Sun had taught her. Unless she didn’t know Mrs. Fairborn was being robbed, which led to the inevitable question: why was she there in the first place?

So many unknowns her head hurt. Her dad brought her a sandwich from vending and took one out to Levi. Sun was surprised. She thought Levi had left her there. Not the least bit hungry, she ended up devouring the whole sandwich nevertheless. Levi came back in, sat right beside her, and ate as well.

His eye was healing, but it almost looked worse than it had the day before. The bruises had spread and covered half his face. She reached up and touched the stubble on his jaw. He looked at her just as Quincy walked in.

“Salazar uploaded the dashcam and bodycam footage. She’s sending it now.” He handed her the laptop from her cruiser and sat on her other side.

Sun logged in and they first watched the dashcam footage. Salazar was responding to a call about suspicious activity in the area when something in the distance came into view. “What is that?” Sun asked, leaning closer.

As Salazar pulled forward, the image became clearer. It was Cruz, walking down the middle of the highway that turned into Main. Clearly in shock, he was carrying Auri in his arms. She lay draped over them, her