Page 97 of The Last One You Loved
I was at a dead run until I got closer to the ridge above the hollow, then I slowed, ducking behind a tree, trying to assess the situation, forcing myself to focus and get my breathing under control so I didn’t announce I was there before I was ready. A flicker of a blond-haired head showed above the ridgeline, standing in the dense copse of roots at the bottom.
“You little bitch,” a voice hissed. “I don’t have time for fucking hide-and-seek. Get your ass out here.”
Chainsaw. It was his raspy, Louisiana voice, and my anger flared again as the knowledge hit me hard. He’d thought he could get to Sybil through me and Mila.
“If I have to go in there to get you, you’ll be sorry.” His voice was dark and menacing, but all I could think about was how proud I was of Mila for being smart enough to hide. The deep recess of cave-like tangles the roots made would keep her safe for a few minutes at least, hopefully giving me the time I needed to finish this.
I belly-crawled over to the edge, not wanting him to see me coming.
I laid the Remington rifle on the ground, lining up the shot with his chest. One bullet. He’d be done. Gone. Out of our lives. And I’d never have to worry about him again. My finger pulsed on the trigger as McK’s voice rang through my head, “I don’t wish him dead.” I didn’t either, but I’d been trained to stop a lunatic with a gun one way—a kill shot.
“Drop the gun, asshole, and get on your knees,” I growled, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.
Chainsaw twirled, gun raised in my direction, but I knew he couldn’t see much?the barrel of the rifle and part of my head, if he was lucky. Instead of keeping his gun pointed in my direction, he pointed it at the dark weave of roots. “I’ll shoot her.”
I didn’t reply. I just watched his finger while keeping my aim on his chest. I didn’t say anything, just waiting and watching for the moment I’d have to take the shot, because I knew with a hundred percent certainty that it wasn’t going to end any other way.
“I just want my fucking money!” Chainsaw screamed. “Get Sybil to cough up the location, and I’ll be out of this fucking town and this fucking state forever.”
“Your first mistake was aligning yourself with the cartel. Your second was trusting Sybil,” I said, rage rolling through my tone. “But your biggest fucking mistake was trying to take my daughter.”
He let out a snarl and moved as if he was going to lurch for the roots, and I let the bullet fly.
He screamed, falling backward, body slamming into the ground. His arm went limp, and his gun went tumbling. I jumped to my feet, sliding down into the hollow. He wasn’t dead, but it was luck from the way he’d moved more than my aim. The bullet wound gaped not far from his heart. He scratched his hands in the dirt, trying to search for the gun he’d lost. I slammed my boot onto his shoulder, and he screamed again. I pointed my rifle at his head as I kicked his gun away.
A scrabble of feet on the ridge had me pulling my Glock from my back with my free hand and aiming it at the top. Bruce appeared, his face white and sweaty. “Jesus, it’s just me.”
“Got cuffs?”
He nodded, joining me in the hollow. Chainsaw was cursing and swearing as we flipped him on his back, and Bruce started Mirandizing him. I slung my rifle behind me and made for the dark tangle of roots.
“Bug-a-Boo, it’s me,” my voice cracked. “You’re safe, Mila. I’m here, baby.”
“Dad-daddy?” Her terrified little voice about undid me, tears filling my eyes.
“Yep, I’m here, sweetheart. Come on out.”
“I…I wet my pants, Daddy.”
My throat bobbed. “It’s okay, Bug-a-Boo. I think I might have also.”
Silence.
I dug my shoulder between the roots, trying to figure out how the hell McK and I had ever fit, wishing I had my uniform on and the flashlight that was always with me. I could ask Bruce for his, but I didn’t want him even glancing away from Chainsaw.
“Mila, you’re going to have to come to me. Daddy’s body is too big to play pirates down here anymore.” I was trying to lure her out with a tease and soft voice, but my heart was slamming against my rib cage, fear deep inside me still. Fear that wouldn’t go away until she was wrapped in my arms.
Movement at the edge of my peripheral vision had me turning my head to the right. She was crawling out from the back, on her hands and knees. And then she was there, and I was squeezing her, holding on tight. The berry scent in her hair was layered with her fear. My fear. I rocked her gently as she started to cry, and I did, too.
“I got you. You’re safe. I got you.”
“He was so mean, Daddy. He shot…” She trembled and cried.
“Auntie Sadie is going to be okay. McKenna is with her.” I had to believe it was true. I had to believe my little sister hadn’t lost her life because of an asshole using my daughter to get to me.
“McKenna’s here?” Mila asked through little sobs.
I nodded. “Yep. And everyone from the station and the fire department and even Sheriff Scully and his men. They all came to see how you were doing. Wanna go see?”
