“Drop the knife, Pierce!”she barked loud enough to be heard outside.
For a second, the woman looked confused.Then her expression changed.She seemed to get it now.
“You wouldn’t,” she whispered.
“I said drop it, Pierce!”Jessie shouted.“Last chance!”
Pierce chuckled, then stopped short.The pain was too much.
“I guess you would,” she said weakly.Then, in a last act of taunting defiance, and with great effort, she slowly raised her arms above her head, as if surrendering.
Jessie shot her in the chest.
Pierce’s whole body shook.She remained in place, straddled across Kat’s torso for a moment.Her eyes, always so alert, got cloudy.And then, in slow motion, she toppled backward off Kat, landing limply on the kitchen floor.Her chest heaved for a few seconds after that.Then her whole body went still.
Jessie stared at her for a while.She wasn’t sure how long.Then another bang on the door snapped her out of it.She turned back to the living room and gasped.
Hannah was still lying on the floor.But now her eyes were open.She was staring up at Jessie.Even without words, it was obvious that she’d been conscious for what had just transpired.
Jessie stared back, not sure what to say, or how to explain what she’d done.She didn’t know if any explanation would even matter.Then her sister swallowed hard and opened her mouth.It was clear that she wanted to say something.
Jessie knelt down close to her, praying that she was okay, that her words would be coherent.She put her ear next to Hannah’s lips.When her little sister spoke, her voice was barely a whisper.
“It will be our secret.”
