Page 116 of Every Which Way

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…”

Kenna bit her lip.Anytime now, God.

ChapterThirty

Kenna stopped short of tapping her foot. The judge might think she wanted him to hurry things up, and in reality, she needed this to take as long as possible.

The door handle rattled.

She twisted around to look over her shoulder, but the senator didn’t let go of her arm. Tomorrow, she would have a bruise there from the strength of his grip. Hopefully, that would be the worst of her problems, but that was unlikely to be the case.

A brunette teenage girl in a pizza delivery uniform came in, carrying a stack of two pizzas, a ball cap low over her face. “Shoot. This isn’t the accounting group? Did I get the wrong flooragain? My boss is gonnakillme.”

Kenna bit down hard on the side of her lip. Maizie.

“Leave.” Woodford looked at his men. “Get rid of her.”

“Is this a wedding?” She slipped into one of the rows and sank into a chair. “I love weddings. I won’t disturb nothin’. I just want to watch.” She handed the first guy who approached her the pizza. “Hold this. I don’t wanna smell like pepperoni. This is a special occasion.”

“What are you doing?” The guy tossed the pepperoni aside and pulled his gun out.

Kenna gasped. “She’s just an innocent pizza delivery girl. Let her go. You don’t have to hurt her.”

Kenna couldn’t look at Adrielle and Laney, sitting in the row in front of Maizie with their backs straight. Trying not to get caught in the crossfire. Hoping they wouldn’t have to watch anyone get murdered today.

She didn’t blame them. Anyone in here was at risk of their life ending in a messy way before they even realized what was happening.

In order to even try and save their lives, she was going to have to get her hands around that dead man’s switch and make sure Woodford didn’t let go of it.

Maizie said, “I’m just recording on my phone. Or is this secret, like no pictures? Are you guys famous? Are you inwitness protection?”

“You wanna get shot, girl?” He grabbed her arm and hauled her out of the chair. “Get out of here. It ain’t none of your business.”

“Okay, gees. You guys are serious.” She stumbled but caught her feet under her. “Fine, whatever. Tell accounting you took their pizzas.”

He shoved her toward the door.

“Ow, gees. I’mgoing.”

The doors flew open in front of her. Someone tossed a small canister across the floor. Kenna swung around to face Woodford and grabbed his right wrist, ducking behind him a second too late. But she already had her eyes closed.

The room flashed with light so bright it was like lightning inside the room, filling it for a split second. The accompanying sound was so loud it eclipsed everything in her ears. In a second, they were completely deafened, and she could hear nothing, quickly replaced by sharp pain in both ears and a loud high-pitched ringing sound.

She grasped Woodford’s hand. He flinched, his knees buckling from the sudden noise and the bright light. He’d been looking at the door when it went off, which meant he was disoriented now. But she couldn’t allow him to let go of the dead man’s switch.

Whatever he did, she had to keep his hand on the button. Even transferring it to her grip would be too risky.

He collapsed onto one knee. Smoke filled the air.

She spotted flashing lights, bobbing up and down. People moving through the cloud from the flash-bang. Her ears rang so sharply all she could think about was the pain. Woodford listed to the side. She had a dress on, but instinct rode out above all other things.

Kenna dropped to her hip, swung her leg over, and hooked it around his neck. She pinned his upper body and his head to the floor, twisting his arm around his back so he was locked in place.

He fought her hold, but her legs were stronger. Even if it hurt. Even if she wouldn’t be able to hang on forever.

Muzzle flash erupted in the room.

Kenna held on for dear life while the cops or whoever had come in cleared the room and took out everyone who fought back. She saw white letters on a black vest but couldn’t make out the words. The person came down the center aisle.

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