Page 69 of The White Picket Fence

“Put the gun down,” Tino commanded, but Kevin only laughed.

“No fucking way.”

Charlotte put her free hand on Kevin’s abdomen.Right there. The knife goes right there.

“The house is surrounded by cops, you idiot,” Tino snarled. “They’ll shoot you on sight.”

“Not if I have Charlie as a hostage. And if I can’t have her, no one will.”

Charlotte thought she’d be sick at the thought.Stab him.Do it.

She plunged the knife into Kevin’s gut as hard as she could manage.

He roared in pain, tightening his hold on her hair.

This was it. He’d shoot her now.

But then came a clanging sound and Kevin took one faltering step forward before falling to the floor, dragging Charlotte with him. She landed on her hands and knees, moaning as her hip jolted, the pain echoing throughout her body.

A new scream erupted from Kevin and, though her vision was fuzzy, she could see that he’d fallen face-first, driving the knife deeper into his gut.

She looked up to see Tino standing above them, holding the skillet from the stovetop. He put the skillet back on the stove and bent to lift her gently.

“You okay?” he rasped.

“Can’t breathe. Need to get outside.”

He slid an arm around her waist, helping her walk from the kitchen, but she shook her head. “Get his keys,” she said. “And his gun.”

“Got his gun already. Grabbed it when I hit him with the pan. Where are his keys?”

“Check his pocket.”

Tino let her go, but was back in ten seconds, although it felt like ten hours. “Found them. Kayla! Are you still here?”

Footsteps thundered up the stairs. “I couldn’t reach the basement window.” There was a pause. “Is he dead?”

“I don’t know,” Tino said, “but we’re getting out of here.”

Charlotte dragged herself to the front door with Tino’s help. Everything hurt, but she was free. Tino had come.

A moment later the lock clicked and the door opened.

Cool, sweet air filled Charlotte’s lungs, but they still burned.

Everything burned—her eyes, her lungs, the inside of her mouth and down her throat.

“I may have overdone the spices,” she muttered.

Tino’s laugh sounded choked. “Maybe.”

He helped her down the front porch stairs, Kayla taking her other arm.

“You okay, honey?” Charlotte asked Kayla.

“Yeah.” But the girl was still crying. “He didn’t hurt me, but he killed those cops at our house.”

“I’m so sorry, honey,” Charlotte said miserably, then coughed.

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