through the crazed people clawing their way to the doors. He hadn't
been able to get a clear shot since the first gunshots were fired, for
the crowd had swelled to its feet and surged in on him, screaming and
shoving and pushing to get away.
Cole was finally able to shove his way through the crowd. His gun was
out, but when the last men were shoved aside and he finally had a clear
view, his heart dropped.
Donald had Jessica in front of him and was backing toward the side
door. One arm held her tightly around the waist. The other held a gun
under her chin, the barrel pressed against her throat.
Jessica was fighting like a wildcat, scraping his arm with her nails
and kicking his legs with her heels.
He seemed impervious to her struggles. 'What we have here, gentlemen,
is called a standoff. I'll blow her head off, and I'm sure that by
now, with my rather colorful history, you know I'd get a kick out of
watching your expressions after I kill her. Oh, I know you'll get me,
but not before I see how you react when her head explodes.' His voice
hardened into concrete. 'It'll be messy.
I've done it before.' Jessica dug her nails into his skin, drawing
blood. 'Stop it, ' he ordered. 'What's it going to be, Marshals? '
he demanded as he edged back.
Cole was slowly advancing down the center aisle. He was about five
feet away from Daniel, coming toward him at an angle now, when Donald
shouted to him. 'Stop right there. I don't mind dying, ' he
boasted.
'I've seen so much of it lately. If you want her to keep on breathing,
you'll stop right there and drop your guns.' Neither marshal
reacted.
Cole's arm was rigid. Daniel shook his head.
'You aren't getting out of here. Let her go.'
'I can't do that, ' he said. 'She's going with me. Look there.
Rebecca's crawling toward the judge's chambers. That's my girl.'
Jessica kicked hard and struck bone. She felt as if she were being cut
in half, so forcefully did he squeeze her.
'I told you to stop, ' he shouted in her ear.
