Every second he delayed could mean Nevaeh was being hurt. Or worse.
The thug he was fighting wasn’t Johnson. Cora had shown him a photo of the monster.
He prayed the man was really here. Or at least that Nevaeh was.
Help her, Lord. Give her strength.
The guy with the gun had helped Walter turn tables on her again. With the gun aimed at her head, Nevaeh couldn’t risk a move.
Walter had come up behind her and flung her to the floor. Her head had banged against the concrete, disorienting her long enough for him to get in two more blows.
Now he was on top of her hips, pinning her arms to the floor with his hands on her wrists.
He looked down at her, his features bigger and more repulsive from gravity’s weight as he laughed.
The guy on the stairs joined in with a cackle. “I’m next.”
Walter’s position was meant to intimidate her. To make her feel helpless.
But she wasn’t scared anymore.
This fight wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
Shouts and shuffling upstairs made Walter glance toward the stairs.
In one single motion, she swept her elbows downward and bridged her hips.
Walter plummeted forward as she broke his grip. His chest collapsed on top of her, but she’d moved her head to the side so he wouldn’t slam her nose.
She locked her arms around his torso again as he got his arms under himself and lifted. She started to climb, prepping for another roll.
But he dropped his body down on her again, hard.
The full weight of him slammed the back of her head against the concrete. Sparks spattered her vision as pain seared through her skull.
Her hold weakened.
He jerked back and lifted his fist with a grin.
Something pounded down the stairs.
“What the—”
A snarling, glorious ball of movement crashed through the gunman’s legs, jumped off the stairs, and hurled himself into Walter.
The man fell off Nevaeh as Alvarez spun back to him and grabbed on to the nearest hand.
Walter let out an ear-splitting shout as Al bit down hard.
Nevaeh scrambled to her feet while Walter swung at Alvarez with his free hand. But the K-9 took the captured hand with him as he dodged.
“Shoot it!” Walter looked wildly toward the stairs.
The guy with the gun.
Nevaeh’s heart dropped as she checked for him.
He was just getting up, still holding his weapon.