Page 60 of Her Baby, Her Badge

Cassie was still moving when Dutton reached out and caught hold of Cassie’s right hand to get the knife away from Aileen’s throat. Aileen helped with that. Even though she was tied up, she rammed her elbow into Cassie’s gut and sent the woman staggering back.

Right into Dutton.

The body slam threw them off balance, and he and Cassie went crashing to the ground. Dutton kept a tight grip on herknife hand. And paid for it, since it gave Cassie the chance to punch and kick him. Howling like an animal, she sank her teeth into his arm.

Grace raced toward the fight even though she knew Dutton wouldn’t want her anywhere near the knife. Dutton bashed Cassie’s hand against the ground. Again and again. Until the knife finally went flying.

Losing her weapon seemed to break Cassie, and all the fight left her body. On a ragged sob, she went limp against him.

Dutton rolled Cassie off him, shoving her onto her stomach so she’d be easier to restrain. Then, he fired looks around, no doubt searching for Grace. She was there, alright, already in the clearing. So was Wilson. And the deputies were still a few yards away.

Wilson lifted his gun and took aim.

At Grace.

“Back off, Grace,” Wilson snarled. “Cassie dies right now. I’m going to put a bullet right between her eyes.”

Grace didn’t feel much relief that she wasn’t the man’s target. That’s because Wilson’s eyes were wild, and he was clearly out of control. If Grace got in his way, he might shoot her.

“Don’t do this, Wilson,” Grace said. In contrast to Wilson’s voice and expression, she was steady and calm.

“She has to pay. She nearly killed Bailey. And for what? Because she couldn’t handle a breakup with the town’s bad boy?”

“Dutton crushed me,” Cassie yelled, clearly regaining some of her fight. “He treated me like dirt. He’s a monster, and he has to pay.” She began to kick and tried to wriggle out of Dutton’s grip.

Grace hurried to them to assist. So did the deputies. Since Rory and Bennie stayed back with Wilson, Ellie was the one who charged forward with her handcuffs ready.

“Back away from her,” Wilson yelled. “Let Cassie get up so I can kill her face-to-face. I’m going to make her pay for the hell she put Bailey through.”

Cassie let out another howl of outrage, and when Ellie leaned down to cuff her, Cassie ripped the gun from the deputy’s hand. She bolted to her feet, the gun firmly in her hand. Grace’s heart went to her knees as Dutton automatically moved to put himself in front of her.

Just as the shot blasted through the air.

The moment seemed to freeze. One moment, when the hellish thoughts flew through Grace’s head and nearly brought her to her knees.

Because during that moment, she heard the gasp of pain and shock. She heard the voice and believed it was Dutton. And in that moment, she knew she couldn’t lose him. It wasn’t solely because he was her baby’s father.

It was because she was in love with Dutton.

And he couldn’t die.

She looked at Dutton, at the shock on his face, and she frantically combed her gaze over him, looking for blood. But there wasn’t any.

Not on Dutton, anyway.

The blood was on Cassie, spatters of it on her face, and despite the black clothes she was wearing, Grace saw the blood spreading across Cassie’s chest.

The moment finally seemed to unfreeze, and there were suddenly sounds, a lot of them. People running, Rory shouting, and Cassie dropping to the ground.

Wilson was still standing, still holding his gun that had delivered the fatal shot, and he didn’t resist when Bennie ran to him and yanked the weapon from his hands. Wilson seemed to be in shock, too. He just stood there, not a drop of color in his face. But he wasn’t remorseful, either.

“Call an ambulance,” Grace shouted, and she lowered herself to the ground, ready to attempt to staunch the bleeding or do CPR.

But it wasn’t necessary.

Cassie locked gazes with Dutton, and she seemed on the verge of spewing more venom. That didn’t happen, though. The only sound that came from Cassie’s mouth was a death rattle as she expelled a breath.

The last breath she’d ever take.

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