“Her survival depends on you. Hands up. Walk in slowly.” The steady tone of the murderess’ voice sets me on edge as I inch around the corner.
Inside the bedroom, in front of the open closet, my longtime friend whines as he bleeds out next to my adopted daughter.
“Let her go. This is between us.” As I negotiate, my former teammate snorts out her nose and starts to giggle, reminiscentof a poorly-written horror flick. Either she’s high as fuck, or she hasn’t had any sleep.
“C’mon, Britt, this has nothing to do with her.” My pleas stop her weird laughter, but now, her mouth tightens.
“Oh, it has everything to do with her. Why do you get to have your happily ever after? Huh? It was supposed to be me.” Undaunted, she continues to rant, even as my phone buzzes.
Because the sound grates on my nerves, I reach for my device. “Can I get it?”
“No. Let it ring.” The annoying chirping stops, only to start right up again.
The tension grows, Bear whines, and I open my palms. “What do you want, Britt?”
I hoped using her nickname would bring some sanity back to her eyes.
It doesn’t.
“Apologize.” Brows furrowed, her barrel rises and points at my forehead.
At least I’ve drawn her attention away from the child.“Okay, I’m sorry.” It’s not hard to sound sincere because I am. I wish like fuck I had never answered when she knocked on my honeymoon door.
“What for?” This, of course, is a trick question, so I answer vaguely.
“For what happened to you.”Where the hell is the police?
As I pray they’ll get to me in time, the insane woman’s mouth purses. “It’s all your fault. Everything.”
“Yes, I agree.” The time readout on my phone makes my heart race. Even with shots fired, it can take up to fifteen minutes for the locals to arrive. I don’t know if I have that long.
No amateur, she keeps her finger on the trigger, the gun beyond my reach. “I’m wanted for murder because of you.Yoursperm was found inside her.Youwere supposed to take the fall, not me. I planned it perfectly. Your wife should not have followed. She ruined everything.”
When the gun’s barrel shifts again, I step in front of Abbie to shield her with my body. “Stop. Shoot me if you must. Then, you should run because you've triggered my silent alarm. SWAT will be here any second.”At least I hope so.
Personally, I don't give a flying fuck if she catches a bullet, but I don’t want my young charge to witness the carnage. The images could haunt her for a lifetime.
“I disabled your security system. I still have ten minutes.” Babcock’s confidence may be something I can use against her.
“I installed a new one last week.” My brows raise while she digests this input.
Trained by the FBI, she senses my truth, and yet insists on her alternate reality. “You’re lying.”
“Can I show you?” Phone in hand, I open the app and toss it on the twin bed.
Brittany reads it, then screeches. “Fuck!”
Outside in the street, my car idles, but my wife has disappeared. Logically, if she’s not out there, she’s inside the house, close by.
I take a huge risk and use her playbook. “SWAT has arrived. Give yourself up.”
Ignoring me, the unhinged former agent raises her weapon. “Step over there, next to the kid and the dog.”
As she places her finger on the trigger, I shove my child into the closet and brace for a bullet. Instead, Brittany drops her pistol and clutches her chest.
Once her knees buckle and she lies flat, my wife pops her head around the corner. “Is everyoneokay?”
“Except Bear.” Rushing to Brittany’s side, I kick away her handgun.
