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Alex had to struggle to control her impatience. She didn’t want to act too quickly as she watched the tall detective make his way across the courtyard and onto the walkway leading to his daughter.
She trusted her ability, but anyone who’d been around guns knew that every couple of feet of distance from a shooter added a degree of uncertainty to a moving target. Plus he had proved he was wily and fast when the three Dominican gunmen tried to shoot him in front of the church.
It was important that she maintain her composure and allow him to walk into the ambush. That’s what it really was—an ambush. She may not be hiding behind a door with a gun, but there was one in her purse, and she intended to draw it when he was about ten feet away.
She felt that twinge of excitement mixed with nerves. She had a minute tremor in her right hand. This was everything she had worked for on this contract, which had kept her away from home for too long. She could feel the sweat build on her forehead and her heart start to pound.
Did the girl standing next to her notice? If she did, she didn’t acknowledge it.
There would be almost nothing Bennett could do, and the closer he got, the more effective the gun would be. She would have to put two into his head just to be sure. At least she wouldn’t have to hurt the girl.
Unless she did something really stupid.
Alex’s hands felt clammy from sweat.
The girl called out to her father. He answered with a smile. This was embarrassingly easy.
She reached into her purse with her right hand. She concentrated so that it wouldn’t be a rushed, suspicious movement. Now she found the perfect grip for the pistol and pulled it out of her purse casually.
Alex didn’t want to risk blowing this wonderful chance. Her first shot would be well aimed.
Once the pistol cleared her purse, she extended her right arm and started to sight down the barrel to the center of Michael Bennett’s face.
She took a breath and started to squeeze the trigger.
Chapter 85
Just as Alex Martinez extended her hand fully and began to get a clear view of her target, everything went haywire.
She squeezed the trigger just as Juliana bumped her arm. The bullet went high and wide.
Suddenly she realized it wasn’t an accidental bump. The girl had realized what was happening and took action.
What the hell!
Now she had to fight the daughter as well as the father. She couldn’t waste time and give Bennett a chance to close the distance.
Juliana grabbed hold of Alex’s arm and threw an elbow into her face, knocking her back toward the door. Alex saw stars, then felt a trickle of blood seep out of her nose.
Alex’s face throbbed from the blow. Apparently the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. This girl was tough.
Alex moved fast and jerked the girl toward her. Somehow she had managed to retain the pistol in her right hand. That was the only thing that kept Bennett from charging them right then.
Alex had to think quickly. She used her left arm to pull the girl close to her, twisted her right hand, and put the gun to the girl’s head. She wished it was the stiletto, because a small cut and drop of blood would’ve stopped Juliana’s father in his tracks.
Alex started shuffling backward quickly and whispered into Juliana’s ear, “Open the door unless you want your brains all over your father.”
She turned her attention to the advancing detective and didn’t say a word as she shoved the pistol into Juliana’s temple. She wanted the girl to cry to out to make a point. The girl kept quiet, but the message was sent, and Bennett froze in place.
Bennett stared at them. He had already drawn his pistol and was shuffling slightly from side to side, clearly trying to get a better shot.
When he saw that Alex meant business, he backed away slightly and took the gun off target. But it was still in his hand.
Juliana opened the door, and they backed into the darkness of the corridor that led to the stage. Alex moved away from the door quickly. This was not what she had planned, but perhaps she could still salvage it.
Her excitement and nerves had been forgotten during the action. Now she had to think clearly.
She had researched the building, cased the area, and she knew she could flee through this corridor into the business offices and out the exit near the East River.
