Though Nunnally looked vaguely apologetic, he grasped
Judith by the forearms and forced her to turn around. She
flinched, hearing the click of the handcuffs. But before the
officer could lock them in place, she heard an unexpected,
yet familiar voice call to her.
“Mom!”
“Mike!” Surprise and shock made Judith limp. She gaped
at her son, then turned to the others. “You see?” she said in
a voice that shook with emotion. “I
Renie, who had been hiding Margo’s gun under a dishtowel to prevent the rightful owner from attacking her, was
right behind Mike. “He’d been told to stay in the lobby with
the others because he’s not a law enforcement ranger,” Renie
explained, tossing the towel aside. “When none of you came
downstairs, I had a heck of a time convincing his partner
that we ought to see what was happening.”
While mother and son embraced, Frank Killegrew
blustered. Judith’s newly found cachet of giving birth to a
park ranger lent her credibility. Nunnally went up to the third
floor to see if there really were bodies stashed in the dormer
rooms. Westervelt found Nadia lying on Leon’s bed, then
called for backup and several ambulances. Killegrew continued to bluster.
Mike, who had been filled in on the situation by his aunt,
spoke sharply to the CEO. “The less you say, mister, the
better. I may not be a police officer, but at least I know that
much. Stick it, will you? You’re getting on my nerves.”
Killegrew looked astonished. “You! You’re just a punk
kid! Do you know who you’re talking to?”
Mike turned to Renie. “Who’d you say this guy was?”
Judith regarded Killegrew with unconcealed loathing. “He’s
a captain whose ship has been torpedoed. He may not admit
it, but he’s just about to hit rock bottom.”
Renie started to say something, but Killegrew hurled
himself between her and Mike. Wrenching the gun out of
Renie’s hand, he flew into the bathroom. Mike started after
him, but it was too late. A sharp report and a flash of light
stunned them all. Killegrew’s body fell to the floor with a
sickening thud.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” Renie whispered, crossing
herself.
“Don’t look,” Mike ordered, and kicked the bathroom door
shut.
Judith had slumped onto one of the twin beds. “I’m…sick,”
she said in a weak voice.
Westervelt and Nunnally came rushing in from the corridor
where they’d been conferring about the carnage the younger
officer had found upstairs. Mike assumed responsibility,
succinctly explaining what had just occurred.
