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 am somebody after all.

I’m his mother.”

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

SNOW PLACE TO DIE / 273

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.

Добавить отзыв
ВСЕ ОТЗЫВЫ О КНИГЕ В ИЗБРАННОЕ

0

Вы можете отметить интересные вам фрагменты текста, которые будут доступны по уникальной ссылке в адресной строке браузера.

Отметить Добавить цитату
×