Page 40 of K-9 Confidential

Charlie struggled to pick an emotion to feel.

There were just too many, all vying for her attention. The burn on her collarbone screamed with every move of her fingers interlaced behind her head, but no amount of pain could keep her from taking her gaze off Granger.

He’d come for her.

After everything she’d said—everything she’d done—to protect him, he’d once again risked his life in favor of saving hers. A sob shook through her at the thought but cut short as dirt from the ceiling rained down in handfuls.

“You pull that trigger, and it’s the last thing you’ll ever do, Erin.” Granger was slowly closing the distance between them. There was nowhere for them to go. This place was about to cave in, and the three of them would be buried if they didn’t leave now.

“Funny. I was about to tell you one more step and I’ll pull the trigger.” Erin pulled back on the weapon’s slide and loaded a round into the chamber. “My father raised me to be the best, Agent Morais. Do you really think you can cross this room before Charlie dies?”

The barrel of Erin’s weapon scratched against her scalp, and Charlie closed her eyes to clear her head. Instead, her mind forced her to face a black pool of ifs and whys. “Erin, please. You can still walk away from this. I know you’re scared. I was too when I first got out from underneath Dad’s control, but you can do this. We just have to—”

Erin fired a shot into the ceiling. Dirt hit the ground from above, and a crack spread out from the bullet’s entry. “Stop trying to convince me we’re a team. You were never any good at it, Charlie, even before you disappeared. No. Here’s what’s going to happen. Agent Morais and his doggy sidekick are staying here while you and I have some quality sister time. On your feet.”

Her sister wrenched her arm up, bringing Charlie to stand. “If you so much as move in our direction, I’ll shoot her. If you call your dog, I’ll shoot her. There is nothing you can do to save yourselves, Agent Morais. I’m the one—”

Charlie wrenched her elbow back into Erin’s stomach. She turned as her sister brought the weapon up. Ramming her shoulder into Erin’s belly, Charlie tried to knock the gun from her hand. And failed.

“Charlie!” Granger screamed.

Erin buried the heel of her boot in Charlie’s chest. The back of her sister’s hand made contact and knocked Charlie off her feet. They’d trained together. They’d learned to fight from the same source. There wasn’t anything Charlie could do that wouldn’t be met with equal or greater force. And, in truth, she didn’t want to. She didn’t want to hurt her baby sister. Not when she had so many memories of helping raise her. Guilt for not saving her as she’d promised.

She stared up at Erin from the ground as the betrayal and loss and grief she’d suffered at the news of her sister’s death washed over her.

“You can’t beat me, Charlie. I’m not the same girl you knew back then.” Erin buried her boot into Charlie’s gut. “I’m stronger than you’ll ever be. I always have been, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me orSangre por Sangrenow.”

Her ribs threatened to break under another assault. Charlie gasped for breath, but her lungs refused to inhale. She curled in on herself to relieve the pain sparking through her. Her cough bounced off the failing walls and ceiling.

“Stop!” Granger took a step forward, holding his bull terrier partner back. “Erin, stop. She’s your sister.”

Erin took aim. At him. “You did this to her. You corrupted her. You turned her into something weak with promises of protection and love. Does she even know Homeland Security never authorized you to make her a confidential informant? Does she know how you failed her, that if something had happened, she wouldn’t have been protected at all?”

Granger didn’t seem to have an answer for that.

And Charlie didn’t care.

Because she would’ve still taken the risk. Just for the chance to start her own life, outside of Vaughn, away from her father. To go to a movie in a theater and drink as many strawberry milkshakes as she wanted. To see the world and work diner jobs. To be with someone who loved her. She’d make that choice over and over. Granger had given her that chance. He’d given her everything.

“You’ll never be free this way, Erin. Dad’s still controlling you. It’s just with your own fear.” Charlie kicked her heel out with everything she had.

Erin’s feet swept out from underneath her. Her sister managed to keep herself upright, but the gun hit the ground. Erin had been right. The little girl Charlie had known all her life was gone. Now there was only an emptiness.

Grabbing for the weapon, Charlie brought it up. Her finger slipped over the trigger. Ready to bring all of this to an end.

Erin crushed her hand against Charlie’s forearm, and her aim went wide. Her sister regained control of the gun and reached out, latching onto Charlie’s neck. And squeezed.

She circled both hands around Erin’s wrists as the life drained out of her, but there was no relief. The burn on her collarbone protested even the smallest movements.

Granger rushed forward.

“Now, I’m starting to lose my patience with you both. So here’s what’s going to happen next.” Erin took aim. And pulled the trigger.

A groan registered from behind Charlie. And it was then she knew Granger had been hit. Every cell in her body honed in on letting go of the feelings attached to her sister. She twisted out of Erin’s hold and gasped for air.

Just as nearly a hundred pounds of K9 weight vaulted over her.

Zeus collided with Erin and brought her down. The bull terrier did what he did best while playing his favorite game and sat on her sister’s chest with his full weight. The gun knocked free of Erin’s hand and skittered out of reach.

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