Grace already has Waylon on her hip. She moves to scoop Cal off Marlena's shoulder. Marlena hands the baby to her without looking. Grace has both little boys now.
"Nash," I say, and my voice cracks. "Nash, baby, you go with Aunt Grace?—"
A boot kicks the front door.
The deadbolt holds.
A second kick.
The frame cracks.
Marlena, low and fast, "Grace. Safe room. Now. Stay quiet."
The safe room is off the back hall behind the laundry. Reinforced door, deadbolt from the inside, no windows. Phantom built it the year he took the gavel.
Grace runs for the safe room with Waylon under one arm and Cal on her hip. Her vet hands are full of babies and she's moving the way a woman moves when the only thing in her head is her children.
A third kick gives the frame and there's no time for Nash to run with her.
Marlena raises her sidearm at the front door and stands with her feet planted. "Hadley. Get behind the table with the boy."
I grab Nash off the bench and drop to the floor on the kitchen side of the pine table.
Nash in my arms. My back against the table leg. My hand over his mouth because his sound is coming up out of him and I can't have him making noise right now.
Dakota is at the front window with her own pistol out. I don't know when she pulled it.
Bex moves toward the safe room behind Grace, slower because of the baby, both hands on the curve of her belly.
The front door explodes inward.
A boot lands on the kitchen floor.
The voice. Calm. The kind of calm that doesn't belong in a kitchen. "Mrs. Cross. I know you're in here."
Hartley.
From where I'm pressed against the table leg with Nash, Hartley's outside my line of sight. Marlena's boots are planted on the kitchen tile. Dakota's boots cross to the side of the front window with her pistol up.
Marlena, calm as still water. "Get off my ranch, son."
Hartley speaks just as calm. "Mrs. Lyle. Put the gun down. I'm not here for you."
Marlena is quiet for a moment, and repeats herself. "Get off my ranch."
Hartley's boots come closer. "I'm here for the boy, Mrs. Lyle, not you, or anyone else."
Nash flinches against me. I clamp my hand harder over his mouth and pull him tighter against my chest.
Marlena fires.
The sound is so loud in the kitchen that everything in my head whites out for a moment.
Hartley fires back.
Twice.
Marlena's boots stagger backward across the kitchen tile and then she goes down hard.
