Page 4 of Shadow Break

Addinga sedative to the beer bottles was taking too long and Bobby’s movements were getting bigger. At one point Aaron watched as he pushed the gun against the hostage’s head, shoving her hard enough that Aaron could see blood on her forehead.

Then the screaming started. Bobby wanted his drink, and Aaron struggled to keep his temper in check.

He marched over to Clement, who was putting on a vest, getting ready to deliver the drinks.

“You want me to do that?” Aaron asked.

Clement stopped adjusting a strap and looked at him. “Are you kidding? There’s no way I would trust you with this.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t be sure you won’t break down the door when you get close.”

“If I was going to do that, I would have done it already.”

“Maybe.”

Aaron threw his arms in the air. “This is taking too long.”

“Hey, just because you’ve been put on a leash doesn’t mean you can keep snapping at me. Now back off. It takes as long as it takes.”

“Listen to me. I’ve dealt with guys like this before. You’re going to get yourself and that girl killed.” Aaron took a step closer to Clement. “He won’t negotiate and now he’s wound up, ready to explode. And when he doesn’t get his full drink order, he’s going to crack.”

Clement stabbed a finger into Aaron’s chest. “If you don’t back off, I’ll see to it that you’re on suspension after this. I know what I’m doing. This is what I’ve been trained for.”

“And I haven’t been? You’re making a big mistake.”

“Noted.”

Thomson stepped in. “Hey, guys, what’s going on? Aaron?”

“Nothing,” Aaron grumbled before moving back into position so he could watch what unfolded next.

“Brown Sugar, how come you … ”

The song filled the still night air, carrying across the dew-ladened grass until Bobby answered his phone.

Aaron lifted the binoculars and Bobby stepped into view. He was either too wound up to realize his vulnerability, or too smart and knew that the man who had him in his rifle sights wouldn’t pull the trigger until he was given the say-so. Right now, Bobby Tyler had all the power, and he was enjoying every second of it.

Aaron turned his attention to the girl again as Bobby moved to the door. She couldn’t be much more than twenty.

Bobby yelled through the door, “Leave them on the step, pushed right up beside the door, then go back to your pals.”

Clement set down the six-pack as Bobby instructed and hurried back to safety.

Bobby exposed only his hand as he pulled in the loot. Then an explosive growl preceded breaking glass.

“Where’s my tequila! I asked for tequila!” Several expletives followed. Then Aaron watched in horror as he carried the broken neck of a beer bottle over to the girl and stabbed her with it.

Aaron threw away his binoculars and sprinted toward the house, pulling out his sidearm as he went.

Thomson yelled something, but Aaron had stopped listening.

The snipers wouldn’t get him now. Bobby would know he’d just changed the rules and stay well clear of the windows, but it didn’t matter. Aaron would take out the threat. He might end up suspended for it, but Clement had no more work to do as far as Aaron was concerned. There was no more hostage to protect. And all that stood between his colleagues and the explosives was if Aaron could get in there fast enough to stop a madman from destroying this neighborhood.

With barely a pause in his stride, Aaron kicked down the front door, then rolled aside as gunfire erupted out the door.

Clement would be cursing him and Thomson would be swearing as he mobilized a team. But if Aaron didn’t take Bobby out now, none of that would matter. They didn’t have time for a team. He was it. It was him alone with no backup.

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