flash
The screech of the chopper’s rotor blades vibrated directly through the freezing slate beneath my spine. The blinding white vortex of snow kicked up by the downdraft burned my eyes, but I forced my lids open, locking my gaze onto the amber visor of the rescue specialist dropping out of the sky. / Chapter 24 / 30

Chapter 24 - The Tables Turn

Richard let out a sharp cry of agony, collapsing sideways into a stack of empty crates before hitting the wet asphalt with a heavy thud.

Before he could recover, I dropped to my knees, pressing the cold barrel of my gun firmly against the center of his forehead.

"You forgot rule number one about dealing with me, Richard," I breathed, my voice freezing cold. "I never negotiate with terrorists."

"Wait—wait!" Richard gasped, blood pooling from a gash above his eyebrow as he raised his hands in absolute terror. "The men at your house... they have a dead-man switch! If I don't check in by phone in five minutes, they execute the order!"

My mind raced. I couldn't risk Leo's safety on a bluff.

With my left hand, I pulled my encrypted satellite phone from my pocket and speed-dialed Detective Miller.

"Miller! SWAT team, code red at my estate immediately," I barked into the receiver, keeping my eyes locked on Richard. "Hostage situation in the nursery. Two armed intruders. Move!"

"Copy that, Mrs. Carter! We're five minutes out!" Miller’s voice crackled back instantly.

I looked back down at Richard, pressing the gun barrel an inch deeper. "You have thirty seconds to call your men and tell them to stand down, or your brains will decorate this alleyway."

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I stepped past the door frame, my leather shoes clicking softly against the linoleum floor.

I stepped past the door frame, my leather shoes clicking softly against...

Daniel stepped toward the bed, his polished leather shoes squeaking against the pristine hospital linoleum. He reached for the tray table, his fingers brushing the edge of the papers. His voice was low, coated in a practiced, corporate calm that made my stomach churn worse than the spiked blood pressure.

Daniel stepped toward the bed, his polished leather shoes squeaking agai...

The silence in the dining room stretched thin, heavy enough to slice with a butter knife. Robert, Michael’s father, adjusted his napkin, completely oblivious to the silent war being fought across the porcelain plates.

The silence in the dining room stretched thin, heavy enough to slice wit...

Trembling violently, Richard reached into his coat, pulled out his burner phone, and stammered frantic instructions to his operatives to abort the mission.

Ten minutes later, the wailing sirens of federal police cruisers tore through the night.

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