Page 100 of The Ashes of Summer

Harris starts to shake. Because he knows. Whatever's coming is going to be monstrous.

"When I get back to the warehouse," Donnie says softly, "the first woman I'm gonna visit is your daughter."

Harris goes rigid. "No⁠—"

"I'm gonna take my time, too."

The old man breaks completely. "No—please—please don't hurt her⁠—"

"Oh, I will." Donnie's voice drips with it. "Maybe I'll tell her her daddy cried like a bitch first."

The sound Harris makes isn't human, and something in me snaps.

"STOP IT!"

Donnie doesn't even look at me. He just pulls a gun from the back of his jeans, slow and deliberate, and presses the barrel to Harris's temple.

Harris is sobbing now. His mouth is moving and I know—I know—he's saying her name.

Adelaide grabs the back of my jacket, trying to pull me down. Constance hasn't moved.

The world shrinks to that gun.

I squeeze my eyes shut.

The gunshot explodes across the night.

Adelaide screams.

For one horrific second I'm certain Harris is dead⁠—

Then something heavy hits the gravel. Wrong direction.

My eyes fly open.

Donnie drops sideways onto the driveway, blood spraying dark across the stone.

Nobody moves. Nobody breathes.

Then the guards come alive, rifles swinging up⁠—

BANG.

One drops before he's got it to his shoulder.

BANG.

The second goes down beside him.

Silence slams over the driveway hard enough to ring. Smoke curls in the cold air.

Movement, beside me.

Constance steps forward with a handgun in both hands.

My stomach drops. Adelaide stares at her like she's looking at a stranger.

Her face is terrifyingly calm as she crosses to Donnie's body. She looks down at him for a long second. Then she spits on him.