Page 91 of A Future To Remember

“Don’t get cute, little Miss Jane Doe.”

I grinned and put the ledger inside my coat, zipping it up to keep the ledger snug against me. “Can’t help being cute, Sheriff. Adorable is just something I exude.”

He took aim with the gun, leveling it at my chest. “Get on the ground.”

I raised my hands slowly, then glanced toward the camera. “Or what?” I asked. “You’re gonna shoot me?”

“Yep.”

Beside me, Levi began to tremble. “We’ll get down,” he said, holding up his hands while he began to crouch slowly down. “We’re complying, Sheriff.”

“Fuck that,” I snapped, grabbing Levi by the shoulder and pulling him up.

The sheriff used his thumb to click off the safety on his gun. “When you meet your maker, you’re gonna regret that those were your last words.”

My gaze darted to the open door behind the sheriff. “Think I’ll take my chances.”

“Drop your weapon!” The command was thunderous, echoing off the walls and filling me with even more courage.

For a long moment, nobody moved.

And then, all hell broke loose.

The sheriff whipped sideways and fired off a round, striking his target, who grunted in pain.

Meanwhile, I still had hold of Levi, and I jerked him to the side while I ducked low and launched myself toward the large wooden desk in the corner of the garage.

More shots rang out and mortar flew off the walls, pelting my coat and the side of my face. I didn’t feel a thing.

Levi crashed next to me and covered his head with his hands as more gunfire erupted, filling the garage with booms as loud as thunder.

I looked around for a weapon, belatedly realizing I hadn’t fully thought this plan through quite as much as I should’ve. Wrenching open a drawer from the desk, I twisted around and waited for a break in the gunfire exchange. When it came, I peeked up quickly before ducking back down again.

“What’s happening?” Levi asked, his face so white that he looked like a ghost.

I didn’t bother answering. Instead, I gripped the drawer tightly, then jumped up and hurled it straight at the sheriff’s head. It struck him from behind and he went tumbling to his left, where a volley of gunshots caused him to jerk and spasm. And then his body struck the floor with a dull thud.

I ducked back down again and waited, my lungs heaving and my limbs tingly.

“Maddy?” a deep voice called out. “You and Levi okay?”

I wiped my cheek, which felt wet, and pulled my hand away. It was streaked with blood. “Shit,” I whispered. I’d come to like my face, and I was hoping that being pelted by mortar wouldn’t leave a scar.

“We’re fine!” I called back, which was true enough.

“Stay put for a minute,” he yelled back.

Levi and I waited, hearing sounds coming from the front of the garage that sounded like something metal being kicked across the garage floor.

“The gun,” I whispered to Levi.

“Is he dead?”

“I fucking hope so.”

“You two can come out now. He’s dead.”

Levi grabbed my hand and helped me stand. Then we turned to face the music.