Page 108 of A Deeper Darkness

Xander shifted toward her, and Sam heard the confusion in his voice. “What are you talking about, Mags? You told me—”

“Never mind what I told you. I lied. I had to.”

“Xander, she has a gun.” Sam was stuck between the two of them. She saw Xander’s hand go to his waist, hoped the gun wasn’t visible. She couldn’t believe it. All this time, she was utterly convinced Culpepper, Orange, had been the killer. She didn’t think it was Maggie. Didn’t want to think it could be Maggie. She liked the woman, damn it.

But here Maggie was, with her weapon pointed right at Xander’s head.

Xander froze, and Maggie took three steps closer.

“Maggie. You don’t want to do this.”

She laughed, humorlessly.

“Xander, I don’t have a choice.”

And she pulled the trigger.

Chapter Fifty-Six

Savage River

Dr. Samantha Owens

Xander moved faster than Sam thought was possible, knocking her back on the ground out of harm’s way, his weapon rising as he used his foot to flip it into his hands, spinning, graceful as a ballerina, toward the threat.

God, he was like something out ofThe Matrix,she thought, squeezing her eyes shut, not wanting to see Xander killed in front of her, realizing if he didn’t stop Maggie, she would be next. She started to pray and blinked her eyes open once, just in time to see Xander swing the weapon toward the trees.

Away from Maggie.

Gunshots rang through the clear mountain air. Her ears echoed with their fury.

Deafened, Sam risked another glance and realized Maggie and Xander were standing hip to hip, arms up, firing into the forest. Their only communication was under their breath. Sam caught “forty degrees to your left” and “reloading” but her ears were ringing, she couldn’t make out anything else.

Xander stopped shooting long enough to grab Sam’s arm and fling her to her feet, shouted, “Cabin!”

Sam didn’t waste any time, she took off running, Maggie on her heels, a hand on her shoulder, holding her bent over. They reached the porch door and Maggie shoved Sam down on the hard wood. She could hear Thor barking frantically. He was stuck in his pen, unable to come to his master’s aide.

“Goddamn it, the light. He’s going to see us go in.” She shouted, “Cover me!” and Xander lit up the night with a barrage of bullets. Maggie pushed Sam through the door and slammed it behind them, knocking the light switch off as she did.

Sam could hear Xander’s weapon, the sharp, staccato bangs moving now, circling the house, then there was silence. Even the dog stopped barking. Sam prayed he wasn’t hit.

“What the hell just happened?” Sam whispered.

“Shh.”

Maggie had her back to the wall. She reloaded the pistol with sureness. Sam realized Maggie could probably rebuild the weapon blindfolded, in ten seconds or less, or something else equally impressive. She was again reminded of Taylor.

She wished she had that kind of fearless courage.

Then Maggie leaned over and pushed the gun into Sam’s shaking hands.

“Here. Anything comes through that door, shoot it.”

“Wait. No…” But Maggie slipped away, creeping across the floor on her belly. Sam heard the distinct noises of the lock on the gun cabinet being freed. More weapons. Damn it, Sam hated guns.

Then Maggie was back, a thick black assault rifle in her hand. Sam could still hear intermittent gunfire.

“Goddamn it, tell me what’s going on,” Sam whispered, this time with enough force that Maggie complied with an answer.