Chapter 13 - THE MAN AT THE DOOR
“DOWN!”
Knox threw himself toward Claire and Rosie.
Ethan grabbed his daughter and dropped behind a concrete bench.
A second gunshot echoed.
Then shouting.
“Lock the courtyard!”
The door started closing.
Dana rushed through.
“Wait!”
Knox grabbed her jacket and pulled her back just before the steel door slammed.
Claire held Rosie against her chest.
The baby screamed.
Ethan crawled over.
“I got her.”
“No!”
“Claire, give her to me.”
She did.
He pressed Rosie’s face against his shoulder.
“It’s okay.”
He hated himself for saying it.
It wasn’t okay.
Nothing about this was okay.
Three years behind bars.
A sixty-second hug.
Now bullets.
Knox crouched by the wall, radio in hand.
“Command, status?”
Static.
“Command?”
A voice answered.
“Mercer accessed the administrative wing. Officer down.”
Claire covered her mouth.
Ethan stared at Knox.
“How does a prisoner under arrest get a gun?”
Knox’s jaw tightened.
“Inside help.”
Then the courtyard lights went out.
Claire gasped.
The electric lock clicked.
Knox stood.
“No.”
The steel door slowly opened.
A figure appeared.
Mercer.
Blood on his shirt.
Gun in hand.
“Everybody stay where you are.”
Knox stepped forward.
“Mercer.”
“Back up.”
“You don’t need to do this.”
Mercer laughed.
“You think I got options?”
Ethan handed Rosie to Claire.
Mercer pointed the gun at him.
“You.”
Claire grabbed Ethan’s arm.
“No.”
Mercer waved the weapon.
“Come here.”
Ethan stood.
“Leave them alone.”
“Then move.”
Knox whispered, “Don’t.”
Mercer aimed at Claire.
Ethan immediately stepped forward.
“Okay.”
Claire shook her head.
“Ethan.”
He looked back at her.
Three years ago, he had been terrified when police put him in handcuffs.
Today he wasn’t.
Maybe prison had changed him.
Maybe fatherhood had.
Or maybe there were things worse than dying.
Watching someone hurt your child was one of them.
He walked toward Mercer.
“Stop there.”
Ethan stopped.
Mercer grabbed him by the collar and dragged him through the doorway.
“Close it.”
Knox didn’t move.
Mercer fired into the ceiling.
Rosie screamed.
“CLOSE IT!”
Knox hit the control.
The door slammed between Ethan and his family.
Mercer shoved the gun against Ethan’s ribs.
“Walk.”
They moved down the hallway.
“Where are we going?”
“Garage.”
“You’re not getting out.”
Mercer pushed harder.
“I already got out once.”
“You killed Harris?”
Mercer laughed.
“Harris killed Harris when he kept records.”
“Ray?”
“Ray’s a coward.”
“Vance?”
Mercer stopped.
That name hit.
Ethan saw it.
“You work for District Attorney Vance.”
Mercer’s face changed.
“Walk.”
Ethan smiled bitterly.
“So that’s it.”
“Shut up.”
“He puts innocent people away while running stolen drugs.”
Mercer slammed Ethan against the wall.
“You don’t know anything.”
“I know he’s scared.”
Mercer pressed the gun under Ethan’s chin.
“You know what your problem is?”
“What?”
“You never learned when to stop talking.”
A door opened behind them.
A voice said:
“He’s not the one who needs to shut up.”
Mercer turned.
Officer Knox stood twenty feet away.
Gun drawn.
“Drop it.”
Mercer dragged Ethan in front of him.
“No.”
Knox aimed.
Ethan felt the gun against his neck.
Mercer whispered into his ear.
“You cost me everything.”
Ethan looked toward Knox.
Then at the fire extinguisher mounted beside him.
One chance.
Maybe less.
May you like
Ethan drove his elbow backward.
Mercer fired.
