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“Bring me the key to your boat,” Bruno demanded of Diesel. He was going to use the boat as his getaway vehicle? Wazza hadn’t even considered that. Bruno was standing in the corner of the pontoon, the small craft floating to the left, straining against its ropes as the river current tried to carry it away.
“I ain’t getting you no key. You just put the little girl down, nice and easy, and I might not kill you.”
With one arm, Bruno lifted Benni as if she were light as a feather, took two steps past the little boat, and held her out over the water, and then brought the knife to her throat again. “Bring me the key,” he ground out between clenched teeth. “Or I’ll cut her, and then throw her in the water.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Wazza saw Diesel lower his gun. “What do you want me to do, son?” The question was directed at Wazza.
“Get him the key,” Wazza replied, not taking his eyes from the man and girl in front of him. That might give them a few moments to regroup, come up with a solution.
Diesel grumbled, but turned away. “It’s back at the house. Don’t you do anything while I’m gone.”
Not likely, Wazza thought darkly. He tried to telepathically will the old man to call the cops while he was inside. Not that they’d come in time. This nightmare would be over by the time they arrived, one way or the other.
All three stood, frozen in this bizarre standoff, afraid to move. Wazza came up with plenty of ideas, but discarded them all just as quickly. Talk seemed to be his best weapon here. If he could convince Bruno to let Benni go, then perhaps…
“Look, mate…” Wazza took a step forward and Kee’s hand landed on his arm, a warning not to go any farther. “No one wants Benni hurt. Why don’t you put her down and we can talk this over? What if Kee agrees to bring Benni to the nearest police station? Hands herself in? Then we can let the courts settle this?” Wazza knew Kee might disagree with him, but they had little else to bargain with at the moment.
“Nah, I don’t trust the bitch,” Bruno sneered. “Look how she turned traitor on her own husband. She don’t deserve this little girl.”
Benni gave a small whimper of terror. Wazza’s heart ached for Kee’s daughter, who was a picture of fear and misery, hanging like a limp kitten in Bruno’s large hand. At least he’d stopped dangling her over the water and brought her back toward the pontoon. Wazza knew he would do anything for her. It was as if a piece of his soul was torn away every time she cried out. He almost thought he understood how desperate Kee must be feeling. But then, she was her mother. And she’d been prepared to do just about anything to keep her daughter by her side. So, perhaps he’d never understand the depths of a mother’s love.
Kee tugged on his arm until he finally tore his gaze away from Benni and dropped his head to look at her. She stared him dead in the eye. Something in her demeanor had changed. Her shoulders were back, and her chin had come up. Defiant. That’s how he’d describe her. A warrior princess. Wazza was struck by how beautiful she was in that moment. What was she up to? He was about to ask, when she narrowed her dark eyes at him.
“You save Benni,” she said emphatically. “Whatever else happens, you have to save Benni. Do you promise me?”
“What?” He had no idea what was going on in her head.
“Promise me,” she ground out between clenched teeth.
“Of course, I promise, but—”
He got no further, because Kee took off at a sprint, body tilted forward, eyes fixed on her target. Bruno.
“Kee, wait—” What was she doing? How was this going to save Benni?
Kee hit Bruno full in the chest and they both went over the edge and disappeared beneath the water together.
Benni gave a yell as Bruno dropped her on the edge of the pontoon. She scrabbled to stay on her feet and, for a wonderful second, Wazza thought she’d make it. He lunged forward to grab her hand, but with a cry, she toppled into the water with a splash.
Kee. Kee was in the water with Bruno. She couldn’t swim.
Benni.
Benni couldn’t swim, either.
Wazza took two strides to the edge of the jetty, staring into the water, hoping for a miracle. Nothing. Not even a ripple. Where had everyone gone?
The silence was broken as something thrashed in the water. It was hard to tell, but it looked like Kee, and she was on top of Bruno, pushing him under. Then they both disappeared.
Kee. He had to save Kee. Without her, his life would be nothing. He loved her. He couldn’t lose her now.
But where was Benni? Kee had made him promise.
Then suddenly, a little head surfaced for a split second, before disappearing under the water again, the current already carrying her farther downstream from where Kee and Bruno struggled just beneath the surface. He gave an animal howl of frustration. The two people he loved most in this world were in trouble. And he could only save one of them. Wazza dove in without a second’s hesitation. He had no choice.
