Page 129 of Disarming Caine

David gestured with the gun, directing me to the far side of the room. The space had once been a big, lemon-scented, wood-paneled room. Lots of white furniture, a grand piano, and breath-taking artwork. All that was left was a mass of charred sofas and love seats, a stain on the memories this room held for me.

He nudged Antonio, instructing him to join me in the dim light.

I leaned my head against his back. I should have waited. Whatever they gave me was still impacting my judgment, and I wasn’t thinking clearly. “I’m sorry.”

“Shoot him,” said Olivia, her voice flat. “In the knee or something, and we’ll take her.”

David blanched. “That wasn’t part of the plan. No one was supposed to get seriously hurt.”

“David.” I stepped out from behind Antonio, who tried to tuck me back, but I resisted. “Your mother paid Kathy Becker fifty thousand dollars to kill your father. Do you really think she’d stop at demanding you shoot someone?”

“Lies.” David’s eyes flicked to Olivia, as though searching for instructions.

“You little whore,” she whispered. “Plan be damned—shoot her!”

“I kept telling myself it was all lies, that you wouldn’t hurt anyone, but…” David continued pointing his gun at us, but his focus was on his mother, pain etching his face. “It’s all true, isn’t it?”

The side door opened and closed. No voices, just footsteps and a bright flashlight. The police wouldn’t come in like that, so it wasn’t them.

Olivia saw the person coming in before we could. “It’s about time you got here. You were supposed to drive us from the hotel.”

Chapter 46

Samantha

“Fixthis.”Olivia’shandshot up to point at Antonio and me. Her eyes were on the newcomer, still in shadow. “Shoot him.”

“That ain’t gonna happen.”

My heart fell. I knew that voice.

Jimmy stepped into the room, sweeping his flashlight around the space.

“Come back on New Year’s Eve, you said.” Olivia glowered at Jimmy, her chin raised like she was in charge. “Easiest night to avoid the busy police.”

“That’s enough, Olivia.” Jimmy’s unnatural calm, plus how familiar he seemed to be with Olivia, sent shivers along my spine. He placed his flashlight on the sofa in front of him, lighting the room. “You don’t wanna be confessing all that without your lawyer present.”

“Lawyer? Are you trying to play innocent here? Useless. Both of you.” She huffed and rolled her eyes, then held out her hand to David. “Give me the gun, David. I’ll take care of this.”

David’s gaze wandered back and forth, unable to land on a single person. “You said kidnap her, mother. The gun was just to scare them.”

Jimmy’s hand went to his duty belt and the pop of his holster practically echoed through the room. “Quiet, you two.”

Not dropping her hand, Olivia said, “Really,OfficerSlater? You had no problem getting the drugs to spike her drink—”

He what? No wonder it tasted so bitter. Antonio’s hand flew to mine and he took another half-step in front of me, blocking part of my right arm from Jimmy’s view.

“—or planning to pick us up and deliver her to whoever your contact is—”

Jimmy drew.

A deafening crack.

A flash of light and puff of smoke.

Ringing in my ears.

Antonio startled and took another half-step in front of me.