“Fine with me.”Micah took a step backward as if finally complying with the demand to head outside to the SUV.
At that moment, Phil let out a low groan.The sound startled the gunman, as if he was shocked that Phil had risen from the dead.She was surprised, too, but realized that Micah didn’t take killing as lightly as the man holding her hostage.
“Phil?Get up, you idiot.”The sharp tone didn’t work.Phil didn’t get up.He barely moved.Bryn wondered if maybe Micah had killed him, and the groan was nothing more than a death rattle.
“Phil!Can you hear me?”With his attention focused on Phil, the gunman’s grip loosened enough that she could take a deep breath.She met Micah’s gaze, trying to let him know that if he was going to make a move, she was ready.
And that he’d better hurry before the gunman realized Phil really was dead.
Micah gave an imperceptible nod.Bryn drew a deep calming breath, mentally gathering herself to break free of the gunman’s grip.Better to die trying to escape than standing there like a sacrificial lamb.
As if on cue, Phil groaned again.
Bryn twisted her head to the side and wrenched free from the gunman’s grip.She dropped to the floor and scrabbled for one of the guns.Unfortunately, her jerky movements only pushed the weapon that had been closest to her farther away.
Micah sprang forward at the same moment that she’d wrenched free.How he’d covered the distance so quickly, she had no idea.But the brief distraction of Phil’s groans had been enough to catch the gunman off guard.
He screamed in rage, trying to fight Micah off.The sharp report of the gun was deafening.Bryn’s ears rang as she crawled to the gun.
Then the two men toppled over, still wrangling for the weapon in the gunman’s hand.Micah was younger and stronger, but she was afraid the bad guy’s evil determination might be enough to hold him off.
Her fingers finally found the gun.She grabbed it and struggled to her feet.Clutching the gun in two hands, she pointed it toward the two men.
“Stop or I’ll shoot!”She hoped to distract the gunman, but it was as if she were shouting into the wind.She had never fired a gun in her life, and even though she was so close, she didn’t dare risk firing and hitting Micah by mistake.
Phil groaned again, and she took a step to the side so she could watch him.That’s when she noticed that the second gun lying on the floor must have been kicked by Micah and the gunman because it had skittered close to Phil’s prone body.
She darted forward and kicked it away.
“Don’t move, Phil,” she said.“I won’t hesitate to shoot.”
The words had barely cleared her throat when a second gunshot rang out.She whirled toward Micah, hoping and praying he hadn’t been hit.For a moment, it looked as if Micah was lying perfectly still.
Then he pushed himself upright, holding the gun in his hand.He stood, pointing it at the gunman lying on the concrete floor.
When she didn’t see any blood or other obvious signs of an injury, she let out her breath in a relieved sigh.
It was over.
Micah had hopedand prayed that he’d figure out how to distract the gunman, but he hadn’t anticipated that Phil would help him in that plan.He was glad now that he hadn’t killed the guy, since it was his moaning that had done the trick.
He didn’t take his gaze from the gunman lying on the floor, but asked Bryn, “Are you okay?You’re not hurt?”
“I’m fine.”Her voice sounded breathless.“What about you?”
“Peachy.”He had expected the police to have arrived by now and was concerned that Rex hadn’t gotten his text message.It could be that the concrete building had interfered with the cell reception.“I need you to find something we can use to tie them up.”
“Ah, okay.”Bryn sounded uncertain.He didn’t blame her.There wasn’t much in the mostly empty construction space to use.
Thinking about the pails of drywall paste, he said, “There might be drywall tape someplace.Look for a wide roll that looks similar to duct tape, although it may be made of mesh.”
He heard her moving around as she searched the area.“Micah, I found it!”
“Great.I need you to tie this guy up.”He kept his gaze centered on the gunman.He was by far the more dangerous of the two men.“When that’s done, we’ll take care of Phil.”
“I understand.”Bryn’s voice grew louder as she approached.In his peripheral vision, he saw she held a wide roll of mesh drywall tape.It wasn’t as strong as duct tape, but it would be enough to keep the gunman immobile until he could find something stronger.
Or until the police arrived.He needed to check his phone but couldn’t do that until the two thugs were secure.
