The man clenched and unclenched on the gun in his hand. Erratic, sweaty, angry. There was blood on him. But it wasn’t a growing stain. It wasn’t his blood. Process of elimination told her that it was most likely his brother’s.
There was a silencer on the end of the gun. That explained why she hadn’t heard it.
“Come on, Asa. Uncle John will just do what has to be done to keep you safe forever. This woman can’t do that. She can’t do that. She just can’t do that. You should not be in this house. Your dad had no business bringing you here. Why would he bring you here? This is an evil place. It’s haunted or something. Ghosts inside. You don’t need to be here.”
“Daddy owns it, Uncle John. He could bring me here if he wanted to. Where’s my dad?”
This little girl was a real fighter. Spirited. But Miranda also heard the fear. The little girl was smart enough to put things together. Her father was most likely injured outside, which meant they had little time to get to him. And Pierce and Knight should be on their way.
“John, Mr. Stenson, I assume? I am with the FBI. I need you to put the gun down. Asa, stay right there behind me, okay.”
“Why? You think you can protect her? Her own father couldn’t. He more than proved that this morning. Didn’t he? She shouldn’t be here. Bryan always…he always let his kids do things they shouldn’t. Something could happen to them. Why didn’t he get that? Asa shouldn’t be here. She should be at home, where she’s safe. She shouldn’t be here.”
“Where’s my dad? Uncle John, where’s my dad at?”
“Outside. He just couldn’t keep out of my business. Why did he always have to think he was in charge of me? I’m the older brother. I should be the one in charge. But it was always Bryan trying to mess everything up. I should be the one with all the money, with the perfect damned family. Not him. He has everything. What did I have?”
“Did you hurt your brother, John?” Miranda asked. She stepped over. Until she could touch the little girl.
Asa started crying even more. Miranda shifted her toward the front door. He’d left the front door open. That did not exactly speak of control. But his victims before hadn’t been his own brother. And family… Miranda knew how chaotic and conflicted some family could make someone feel.
“You’d like me to say that, wouldn’t you? You are just like all the rest. Damned bitches. Can’t do one basic thing, can you? Just watch your fucking kids for once. Keep them alive.”
It was obvious he wasn’t speaking to Miranda, at least not in his own mind. But that was his motivation. Why he had targeted Amie so harshly. But he’d gone after all those other women. Anger. Lashing out. “Who, John? Your ex-wife? Aimee Gibson? Do you blame your ex-wife for not protecting your children somehow? Or did you fail to protect your own daughter?”
Miranda jerked to her left, wrapping her arm around the little girl as quickly as she could. She bodily lifted Asa out onto the porch. “Run.”
Then she slammed the door shut in the little girl’s face. And turned to face the threat.
“Now. Just you and me, John. What happens next? Let’s have a conversation about who you are really angry at now. Your ex…or yourself.”
Miranda had her own weapon pulled and ready now.
Chapter 41
“Daddy, Daddy, wake up. Don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead.”
Bryan heard her. He heard his little girl crying. Felt her hands…felt fire. Pain.
“Please open your eyes, Daddy. Please.”
Bryan forced his eyes open. “Asa…baby…”
“Daddy, Uncle John has a gun with a tube-thing on it. I think it’s a silencer thing. He…has the FBI lady inside. Uncle John has a gun!”
Gun. John. Bryan remembered; how the hell could he forget? His brother had shot him, and Asa…was here. Too damned close to a madman. “Go. Get out of here, baby. Go, now! Take your phone. Get up the street. Go to Courtney’s house. Hurry. Go. Call 911.”
Her best friend since kindergarten lived two blocks over. And Courtney’s parents would help her, keep her safe. He knew that. “Go. Get, Asa. Get to help.”
She didn’t have her coat. She was just standing there shivering in the cold. His baby. “Daddy, what about…you’re bleeding really bad.”
He shifted, as much as he could. “Go. You can’t help me now unless you do what I say. The cops are coming, baby. The FBI guys were already on their way. I’ll be okay. I promise. I’m going to make sure of it. I got to keep your uncle from hurting someone else. Go.”
Bryan wasn’t going to be able to get up. He thought…maybe he’d lost too much blood. He…couldn’t feel his arm. His heart was pounding like maybe…heart attack, too. He just…
“I need you out of here, honey. Go. Do what I say.” He couldn’t protect her like this if John came back. He just couldn’t. “Go!”
“Daddy, I don’t want to leave you.”
