“That’s an order, Martin.Lower your gun.”Dot’s heart thumped in her chest as she waited to be obeyed.
Dot shifted her gun to point more at Martin.There was no reason for Martin to want Andrew to stop talking if he was innocent and no reason for him to draw his weapon.Andrew was restrained and no threat to anyone.“Put your gun away and help Oliver,” she told Martin.To Andrew she asked, “What else do you know?”
“A whole lot.I’ll tell you everything.I took a copy of Father’s files—”
The gunshot echoed through the still morning.Andrew fell back, a bullet hole through his head, in an almost identical position from the hole which had gone through Mark’s head.Dot’s pulse jumped and she pointed her gun at Martin as Martin shifted his gun to Oliver.
“I’ll kill lover boy here if you don’t let me go.”
Oliver straightened with a wince.
What the hell?Dot exhaled, her brain racing.Oliver was in real danger.Martin had nothing to lose by shooting him.She had to reason with him.“You shot your boss’s son.Do you really think you’ll get away with it?”Pounding footsteps behind her, but she didn’t dare take her eyes off Martin to look at Rodney.
“I shot a liability.Lucas will reward me.He’s been complaining about him since we met.”
Dot’s pulse raced.He’d confirmed Lucas was his boss.“Why do this?”
“What was the point in working my arse off if they gave my promotion to you?”he snarled.“At least this way, I can make money and make a fool of you.”
How did he think this was going to play out?Even if she let him go, he’d be caught eventually.He’d just murdered someone in front of her.
No, he wasn’t stupid.But how did he think he would get away?If she lowered her gun, Rodney would still stop him.
“Drop your weapon, Martin,” Dot ordered, as Rodney stepped up next to her, weapon also drawn.
“Never gonna happen.You want your lover alive, you’re going to have to kill me.”He glanced at her, loathing in his eyes.Then he shifted to Rodney, and a smug grin followed.
Oliver shifted to the side and Martin’s gun followed him.
Dot stared at Martin, but she was hyper aware of Rodney by her side.“You spent your entire career upholding the law and then disregarded it because you were looked over for promotion?”
“I did everything I was supposed to do.They owed me.”
“I also did what I was supposed to do.”He stood side on to her, not providing much of a target unless she killed him.Trying to shoot his hand would be a fool’s game, but the biggest target was his head.
“Dot, hospital,” Oliver whispered, his voice thready.
“Looks like I might not even have to kill him,” Martin said.“Just delaying you will be enough.”He laughed and shifted.
He turned to face her and Dot fired.Twin explosions of blood.One on Martin’s right shoulder where Dot had been aiming, the other in the centre of his head.The gun dropped from his hand and his body collapsed, falling over the side of the jetty and into the water.
Dot spun to Rodney, but he was already moving forward to peer into the water.“Help Oliver.”
She didn’t need to be told twice, but her brain was still processing the shock.Rodney had killed Martin.
In the distance, ambulance sirens wailed.She slid her arm under Oliver’s shoulder.“Can you stand?”
He nodded and grunted as he took his first step, leaning heavily against her.She didn’t have the strength to carry his weight, and there was no way to bring the car closer.
She glanced at Andrew, the flies already buzzing around him.She’d have to come back for him.
“He’s dead,” Rodney declared.
“No shit,” Dot snapped.“Help me with Oliver.”
Rodney raised an eyebrow, but did as she asked.By the time they reached the car park, the ambulance pulled up, and the paramedics took charge.
One looked towards the jetty.“Does he need help?”
