Her legs loosened around Dan, and she was dragged off him, clawing at the plastic bag.
“No,” Avery gasped and shoved hard against Dan, shoving him to one side. Once she was free of his weight, she rolled away from him, lurched to her feet and dove toward the man in black, who was suffocating her sister.
She’d only made it one step when a hand clamped around her ankle and pulled her back, sending her to her knees.
Bree’s desperate attempt to free herself from the plastic bag blocking her attempt to breathe made Avery even more determined to get to her. She turned and slammed her heel into Dan’s face, connecting with his nose.
He cursed, released her ankle and clasped his hand to his face. “Bitch!” he yelled. “You’ll die for that.”
She kicked out again, landing her heel in his eye.
Dan swung out his hands, missing her.
Avery lunged to her feet and raced toward Bree.
Her sister twisted and fought to free herself from the man and the bag, stealing the air she needed to live, her moves slowing as she grew weaker.
Avery leaped onto the man’s back, slung her arm around his neck and tightened her hold, refusing to give up on her sister.
Bree’s body went limp, her dead weight pulling the man forward. He released her and his hold on the plastic bag, shifting his grip to Avery’s arm, which was clamped around his neck.
In a sudden move, he flipped Avery over his head. She grabbed for a hold on something, anything, her fingers snagging the black ski mask hiding his face and taking it with her.
She landed hard on her back, the air knocked from her lungs. For a crucial two seconds, she couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. She could only watch as Dan pulled a small handgun out of his pocket and aimed it at her.
Then the man in black dropped down on her and clamped his hands around her throat.
Avery recognized him as Seth Ryland, Mr. Logsdon’s caregiver.
“No,” Dan yelled. “This is my job. My duty.”
“She nearly killed me,” Seth said through clenched teeth as his grip on Avery’s neck tightened. She couldn’t breathe. Her vision grayed around the edges.
“No,” a voice cried out. “Don’t hurt her!”
The hands on her throat eased only enough for Avery to pull in a little air before they tightened again.
Dan spun toward the voice, his weapon pointing at the man rushing toward him.
“Don’t hurt my Sarah,” Mr. Logsdon, in a burst of speed, flew toward Dan.
A loud bang erupted.
Out of the corner of her eye, Avery saw the old man fall to his knees.
“No,” he said. “That’s my girl...come home...at last.” Then he slumped forward and lay still.
A strangled cry sounded from the woman trapped in the chair.
Dan turned back to Avery as she struggled beneath Seth.
“Let her go,” Dan demanded.
“No,” Seth said, his lips pulled back in a feral snarl. “She tried to kill me.”
“Do as you’re told,” Dan shouted.
“This one is mine. You can kill the other.”
