Page 102 of Missing Justice

“Dottie,” Taylor said, adding just enough desperation in her voice to hopefully make a damned difference. “Please. We’re adults. We make our own choices. The baby can’t do that. He’s innocent in this. All of it. If one of us gets hurt, that’s on us. But the baby? We can’t let that happen. I know you don’t want him to get hurt. Please, let one of us come in and get him.”

“Her.”

Matt exchanged a look with Taylor.

“Pardon?” Taylor said over the screaming.

“Shh, shh,” Dottie said to the kid. Then to them, “The baby. She’s a girl.”

Matt gave Taylor a double thumbs-up. One for distracting Dottie from taking another fucking shot at them, and two, for driving the point home that a baby shouldn’t be anywhere near this fucked up mess.

Matt rolled his hand, urging Taylor to keep talking while Dottie went silent.Don’t lose her, Taylor.

“I know you love kids and would never hurt one of them, no matter what. How about we do this? Matt and I will stay where we are. You put the baby by the door and then step back. One of us will take her outside. To safety. Is she in a seat or something?”

“She’s in a baby carrier.”

Excellent.

“Good,” Taylor said. “Just put her near the door.”

“Don’t try anything. I swear I’ll shoot you.”

Taylor raised her eyebrows and met Matt’s gaze. They stood there for a solid minute, waiting for Dottie to make a move. He’d give her another three seconds and all bets were off.

Then there was movement from inside the room. Footsteps and then a shuffle.

“Dottie?”

“She’s by the door. Take her. Hold your hands out so I can see them.”

Taylor pointed at him. At this point, Taylor was making progress and it made zero sense—none—to break that connection. He’d let her keep talking and get the baby out.

And call 911 for some fucking help.

Matt slid his waist holster to his back, draped his shirt over it and put his hands just beyond the cover of the doorway where Dottie could see them. “I’m coming in.”

“Don’t try anything, you hear me?”

The woman had just fired at them and he was stepping in front of her, a big-ass target that she’d hit with no problem and she wanted to know if he heard?Oh, I hear you.“Yes. Everyone stay calm.”

He took a breath and stepped into the opening, the barrel of a .38 pointed right at him and another burst of adrenalin flooded his system. But the baby was right there. A foot in front of him.

Baby.

“I lied,” she said. “That baby isn’t going anywhere.”

She pulled the trigger.