Chapter 32:

Sharon reached for her waist in search of her gun, while Richard continued to threaten her with his hand on her neck.

"This is way out of your league, I'm warning you. Don't think that the FBI can help you once THEY decide to wipe you out…"

Sharon struggled to get the gun out of its holster, but her hand was shaking. The air was running out of her lungs and her head started spinning. She closed her eyes for a second and heard noises that she couldn't recognize while struggling to breathe, followed by a sudden relief as Richard's hands were removed from her throat. She coughed a few times, gasping for air, and opened her eyes as her senses started to function normally again.

Flynn was on top of Richard, punching him in the face and stomach after tackling him to the ground. Sharon looked at them in shock. She's never seen Flynn so angry at anyone, and the sight of him being so violent stunned her, although she could understand his will to pay Richard back for his beating. Some of the wounds inflicted in that attack were still visible on his skin.

"Andy, stop!" she tried to shout, but didn't have enough air in her lungs to raise her voice, although it was loud enough for him to hear. She coughed again and then said, "please!"

Flynn froze in mid-movement, just before punching Richard again, and glared at him for a second before getting up and turning to look at Sharon. "Are you alright?" he asked and reached for her shoulder, but she moved back in anger. Richard struggled to get up, holding his stomach.

"You just made a huge mistake," his voice was hoarse, indicating the pain he was in.

"Oh, yeah? Are you going to kill me?" Flynn spoke with contempt in his voice.

"Of course not," Richard said and started walking away, "not yet, anyway. There are far worse things than dying. I'll say hi from you to your friend John Martin."

"Oh, god," Sharon muttered and watched him disappear in the darkness.

"Sharon…"

"You just ruined our careers," she put her hand on her head and started to breathe heavily.

"Are you kidding me? He was chocking you!"

"He wouldn't have killed me!"

"Oh, okay, so I was supposed to stand on the side and hope he'd spare you?" he watched her, waiting for an answer, but she only leaned on the car and shut her eyes hard. "Do you want me to go look for him?"

"And do what? Kill him? Because that's the only way you can stop him. I know my husband."

"I'll think of something," he said and turned to follow Richard, but she grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"No, you won't," she glared at him and once again he felt like she could burn holes in his face just by looking at him like that.

"Look, my shift ends in two hours. Why don't I come over to your place and we talk about it?"

Sharon let go of his hand and opened the car door. "I'd rather have time to think it through on my own," she muttered and got inside, closing the door to her left. Flynn looked at her in despair as she started the car and backed out of the parking space. She cast him one last look and drove away, feeling a little guilty for treating him like that.

(***)

"Mom?" Cat was hunched over the couch as she tried to wake Sharon up, and moved the hair from her mother's face.

"What?" Sharon asked in a hoarse voice as she opened her eyes and lifted her head a little, looking around. The apartment was dimly lit and quiet.

"You fell asleep on the couch," Cat supported her as she sat up, and then sat next to her tiredly.

"Where have you been?" Sharon asked and yawned.

"Out celebrating the fact that I'm finally moving out of my mother's house," she said jokingly and Sharon smiled. "Are you okay?" Cat asked as she noticed the bitterness in her smile. They heard a knock on the door before Sharon could answer, and they both got on their feet quickly.

"If it's you father, I'm not here," Sharon said and almost ran to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

"O… kay," Cat muttered as she walked to the door and opened it.

"Hello," Flynn said hesitantly when he saw her, not sure if he was doing the right thing by being there.