Page 88 of Samson

Riley huddled behind her, trembling. Delilah took one hand off the weapon and reached back to comfort her.

“Have you even fired a gun before?” Demir said with a smirk.

“Yes. A few years ago as a team-building exercise, we went to the firing range.”

“That’s it?”

“I can aim and fire. That’s all I need to know.” At the time, she’d thought it had been a pointless exercise, but now she was glad that the feel of the gun wasn’t completely foreign in her hand.

She backed out the front door, pulling Riley with her. “We need to call the police,” she said, fumbling for her phone.

When people started screaming, she took her attention away from the door but kept moving back. “We need help!” she yelled, looking for someone who wasn’t panicking. “Please. Someone.” She focused back on the door. “I need help!”

Riley was tucked in behind her, whimpering.

She tried to unlock her phone, but her hand was shaking so badly, she dropped it.

When she stooped down to pick it up, blue and red lights were flashing around her, and police officers had jumped out to surrounded her.

“Inside. Quickly,” she yelled to them.

“Put the gun down,” an officer said.

“No.” Her voice barely got past her throat as he ordered her again. “Please. They’ll get away.”

“We can’t do anything until you put the gun down.”

Delilah nodded and lowered the weapon but kept her eyes on the door until they rushed her.

Riley shouted, “Leave her alone!” before she was pulled away.

Delilah laid still as they yanked her arms around her back and cuffed her. A pebble from the sidewalk pressed into her cheek, and she could see the shiny black boot of someone standing near her head.

She couldn’t hear Riley anymore. That was good. That poor girl had been through enough because of her. The police would look after her now.

Two of the officers dragged her to her feet, and a fog settled on her mind as the knowledge of what had happened overwhelmed her.

Samson was dead. Marc had gotten away with the other guy. There was nothing left for her. She’d thought the worst that could happen was when she lost her business in San Diego, but she’d had no idea how much farther she could fall.

An officer positioned himself in front of her. He was asking her questions, but she couldn’t make sense of what he was saying.

“Have you fired the weapon?” he said again, and she finally heard it.

“No, but…I can’t remember his name. He fired it.”

“You’re sure?”

“He tried to kill Riley.”

“Who’s Riley?”

She turned to find her, but the officer took her by the shoulder and turned her back. “The girl,” she said.

“The girl who was with you?”

“Yes. Is she okay?”

“She’s with another officer.”

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