Page 149 of Don't Say a Word
Then, finally—
I got off at 8. Where are you? I’ll pick you up.
No. No. No! She immediately texted back, her fingers shaking:
I’m leaving. I’ll call in a bit.
A muffledpop! Pop! Pop!Came from the store.
It sounded like gunfire.
Again, another deafening crack echoed from inside the store,followed by a fifth shot, closer this time, too close. The sharp, hollow sound sliced through the night, and her body surged into motion before her brain even caught up. She didn’t stop to think, didn’t wait to see who or what was inside.
Run, run, run.
The mantra propelled her legs to move faster, every step carrying her farther from the danger, but she wasn’t fast enough. The back door of the Cactus Stop slammed open, blinding light spilling out behind her. She heard the unmistakable click of a gun being cocked—another shot fired, this one louder. The bullet grazed the pavement just inches from her heels.
The weight of terror pushed her forward. The world blurred as she sprinted, her lungs burning, the sound of another gunshot ringing in her ears. How could she outrun a bullet?
But she didn’t want to die, so she ran.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Margo Angelhart
I didn’t know how I got stuck with the fed in my Jeep, but at least he didn’t complain about my driving as I floored it all the way up Central and prayed that I didn’t get pulled over.
I didn’t drive down Hatcher, but turned up the side street from Dunlap and parked in front of Edith’s home.
Two patrol cars were in the Cactus Stop parking lot, blue and red lights going around and around.
Edith was on her porch. Cal and I approached her.
“Edith, are you okay?” I asked.
“I was sitting out here smoking like I do. And—oh, Lordy.”
I reached out for her. She was shaking.
“You need to sit.”
Edith sat in her chair and lit a cigarette. “Three men. Masks. I called you when I saw them because you were asking about odd things, and this was odd. I thought they were being robbed. I was on the phone with 911 when I heard gunfire. So many shots. I lost count.”
“Are you okay?” I asked again.
She nodded. “Go. Find out. So much violence,” she whispered.
I looked at Cal. He had pulled his badge out and put it around his neck. “You with me?” he asked.
“Sure,” I said.
Jack and Hitch pulled up behind my Jeep and the four of us walked over to the parking lot. Immediately, an officer tried to stop us, then he recognized Hitch.
“Detective, we haven’t even called it in.”
“I heard on the wire. This is one of my cases. What happened?”
I was beginning to like Hitch. He certainly commanded authority.
