Page 70 of Ransom for His Secret Son

It was pressed to Maria’s head.

Tarrant was using her as a human shield.

BRODY’S GRIP TIGHTENED on his gun as Tarrant’s voice rang out, smooth and taunting. “Ticktock, Doc. If you don’t take your shot, Maria gets the bullet instead.”

Maria wailed out a sob filled with terror.

Brody gritted his teeth. He needed a way to end this fast. But how? Using a voice command, he fired off a text to Harlan. Do you have a clean shot of Tarrant?

The reply was quick. And extremely disappointing. No. Will try to move in closer.

Good, but it might not be soon enough.

From the corner of his eye, Brody saw Christina shift beside her car, lifting her gun.

Tarrant obviously saw her, too, and snapped his head toward her. “Don’t even think about it, Christina. If anyone shoots out of turn, Maria pays the price.”

Christina hesitated, but only for a second. She lowered the gun, but her rage boiled over. “Quit being a coward, Langley. Take the shot.”

Brody cursed under his breath. Shooting now was a mistake. Too many variables. Maria could be hit.

Tarrant let out a chuckle, his choke hold tightening on Maria. “Come on, Doc. Don’t miss, because after your shot, I get mine.”

Langley’s breathing was ragged as he stepped from his car. His hands were downright shaking as he fumbled with his gun.

Tarrant sighed dramatically. “Ten. Nine. Eight.”

Langley swallowed hard, glancing around, desperate for an out.

“Seven. Six.”

Brody’s heart pounded. He had to think. He had to move.

“Five. Four.”

Langley’s fingers flexed on his gun, but he hadn’t raised it yet.

“Three. Two.”

Maria squeezed her eyes shut.

Tarrant smirked. “One.”

Brody shoved open the cruiser door, stepping out fast and low, taking cover behind the frame. Remi scrambled over the seat and did the same thing, dropping down next to him.

“Langley, don’t—” Brody managed to say but didn’t get to finish.

Before Langley pulled the trigger.

The blast tore through the air, and for a couple of heart-stopping moments, Brody thought it’d hit Maria. But it hadn’t. The bullet slammed into the inn’s facade, sending bits of wood and stone flying. Langley had missed.

Tarrant’s reaction was immediate. He spun, his gun shifting from Maria to Langley. Another shot rang out. This time from Tarrant’s weapon.

Langley went down hard, a sharp cry of pain escaping as he clutched his shoulder. Tarrant barely even looked at him. In a blink, his gun was back at Maria’s head.

“Pathetic,” Tarrant said, voice dripping with disgust. “You missed me by a mile.”

Brody figured that wide shot might have been on purpose. Maybe Langley hadn’t wanted to take the shot and had missed on purpose when his hand had been forced.