Page 3 of The Quiet Witness

Oh, God. No.

As if in slow motion, she reached for the safety. In a second he was there, covering her fingers before she could even locate the damned switch. She hissed as her wrist buckled under the force of his hand, fighting to keep control. But he simply twisted the gun out of her grip.

Almost nonchalantly, he disarmed the weapon with a few deft flicks. The bullets fell to the floor in a dull clatter, right alongside her hope for survival. She hesitated, watching meekly as he pressed the gun back into her hands with a conspiratorial wink, leaning over to whisper.

“It was meant to look like an accident. But this will do.”

Her guts twisted in protest. A family murder… His new plan, to cover up his failure of killing her the first time. Lord have mercy on her.

She snapped, and the gun went flying toward his face. A flicker of surprise passed over his eyes before it landed. Turning his face with the blow, he lessened the impact, but the escaping grunt betrayed him. Her fury had hit its mark.

Kate stiffened, muscles bracing for what was sure to come. But damn her, she would not be making it easy for him. Slowly, his fingers went for his lips, gingerly checking for the damage. They came back bloodied. Seeing it, he laughed, bloody teeth showing as she backed away a step, covering up her flinch.

Show no fear.

He straightened, dwarfing her once more.

“Now that… is… a… surprise.”

“So you keep saying.” Kate forced every ounce of fear into the words, twisting it into hate.

“True, though if it’s any consolation…,” he paused to wipe the scarlet streaks off his lips. “I only repeat myself when genuinely surprised.”

“Why? Used to people begging you for your mercy?”

As she spat the words at his feet, his eyebrows shot up in the air. Surprise written in every line of his face.

What’s wrong with me? Shouldn’t I be? Begging?

Maybe… but one thought kept clawing through the panic: don’t go down without a fight. And words? She could still cut with those.

The man’s head bobbed firmly.

“Yes, indeed.” He motioned with his chin to her legs. “Also I’m surprised that you’re still standing on those legs of yours. Admirable really considering the dosage.”

Poison. It had been the food.

“You know.” A sad smile graced his lips. “It should have been painless.”

He glanced toward the table, drawing her attention to the five individuals who would never wake up again.

“Without fear…,” he trailed off.’

There was something to them. She’d noticed it earlier but now, she could see it. There was a peace they’d never carried in their waking life. He was right. They had never seen their end coming.

A pointed look at her trembling form told them both enough. She wouldn’t be gifted with the same exit.

“Something went wrong there…” The words ended in a low murmur, as if he was in discussion with himself. “But I’ll do my best.”

He was done playing around. Kate’s calves went numb as the full meaning hit her fear-idled brain. She closed her eyes, feeling her body protest and fight the intruder that was the poison running through her veins. A tear slipped past her cold cheeks, but she didn’t wipe it away. Fear.

Fingers touched hers, detangling her grip over the gun. It slipped free. What use did it even have. Another tear raced to the floor. Desperation.

“Just know, it’s not personal.” His voice, now somehow less cold, told her he saw every tear. But he mistook their meaning.

Wood creaked as he got even closer. She didn’t flinch this time. She wanted out, and he was standing in her way. Let go, Katie.

Her lungs, her heart, and so much more of her being had been screaming for an out all of these years. She couldn’t stop the deep breath from escaping the depths of her struggling body. Feeling its release for that split second of relief, her eyes snapped open, allowing the adrenaline to take hold over her every nerve, steeling her, and letting her see clearly for the first time. His muscles braced, he knew, saw it for what it was.