Page 8 of One Last Chance

She hooked her leg around him, brought him down, then twisted, got her other leg free, and slammed her foot into his jaw.

Scrambled away?—

He grabbed her ankle and jerked. She went down, but her hand landed on the hard metal of her Glock.

She turned and fired.

The bullet hit him, center mass, tearing him away from her.

He crumpled even as she scooted back, breathing hard.

“Flynn!” The voice echoed through the drizzle, not her earpiece, and she looked up to see a light pinging off the trees, coming near.

“Over here!”

She shook, her entire body on vibrate as she stared at the man. Footsteps squished through the loam and grass, and in a second, the light shone on the wounded body.

Her breaths still came out hard, her heartbeat in her ears.

“You’re okay. I got you.” Chief Burke, behind her, crouching down and now easing the weapon from her hand. He set a big hand on her shoulder as he pulled out his cell phone. “We’re going to need backup. One casualty, one in custody, and we’ll need a bus. Officer injured. And the coroner, as well as the crime scene unit, pronto.”

“I’m fine.”

“Yeah. I know.” He shone the light on the man again. “This our guy?”

“I don’t know.” She looked up at him. “The woman was dumping the body.”

“She was pretty freaked out. Not sure if she’s a victim or—” Burke cut off.

“It could be his sister.” And she didn’t know why the thought came to her, just something in her gut, maybe.

Pushing up, she went over to the man. Midthirties, short dark hair, could be handsome in the dim lighting of a bar. She blew out a breath. “She might have even been the mastermind. Or maybe she just got roped into it after his first kill.” She took a breath. “Whatever happened, they probably both suffered the same childhood trauma.”

“That’s a leap, Flynn.”

She sighed. “Probably. Just a gut feeling. But it happens. Family bonds—especially sibling bonds are . . . they can be pretty strong. Cause people to do things they would never dream of. Get themselves in over their heads.”

“This your professional opinion?”

She glanced at him, nodded.

But uh, nope. That would be personal experience.

Sirens moaned in the air. “Where is the woman?” she asked.

“Cuffed to a lamppost.”

She grabbed her gun from Burke, sheathed it, then pushed past him out onto the path.

“What are you doing?” Burke followed her out.

“I need to talk to her.”

“You need medical attention.”

She looked at him, and her hand went to her throat. “I’m fine.” Although she could barely make him out in the darkness, she guessed his signature mouth-pursed grim expression. “Fine. But no one interviews her before I do.”

“Done.” He walked out onto the path ahead of her, waving to a cruiser as it pulled up. But then he turned to her, and this time, the lights revealed his expression. “Good job, Detective. You saved lives tonight.”

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