Page 70 of Silencing Stolen Whispers
Another anguished cry escaped Melanie, prompting Kinsley to stop at the end of an aisle. She peered around the edge, taking in the situation.
Melanie was pacing in front of a sitting area, her steps uneven and frantic. Bailey was sitting in one of the cushioned chairs, her upper body hunched forward as if trying to minimize her presence. She had her arms crossed tightly over her chest, and her tear-streaked face was pale under the dim recess lighting.
There was no sign of Alex, though Blake would have heard Melanie’s voice by now. Kinsley glanced over her shoulder. No sign of either man, but there wasn’t any time to waste.
Melanie possessed a firearm.
“Why did you go and sleep with my husband? Why?”
“I-I never…” Bailey's stuttered response came between ragged breaths. “I never meant to hurt you.”
“You never meant to hurt me?” Melanie's laugh held no humor, just raw pain. “You slept with my husband, and you never meant to hurt me?”
“Victor told me your marriage was over,” Bailey whispered, her voice breaking. “He said he was going to file for divorce. That's what he told me. I swear. I wouldn't have?—”
“You're a liar!” Melanie's abrupt shout echoed through the empty library. “Victor would never have said that. Never!”
Kinsley was just about to step forward when she noticed a round mirror suspended from the ceiling. It gave her a clear view of the situation. Unfortunately, Melanie had the same advantage if she became aware of her surroundings. At the moment, however, she was too preoccupied with Bailey, allowing Kinsley more time to decide on the best way to manage the situation.
“You took everything from me,” Melanie whispered, her voice dropping to something almost gentle. “My husband. My dignity. And…”
Melanie stepped forward at the same time that Kinsley caught movement in the aisle next to her. Officer Blake came to a stop, his gaze meeting hers through the bookcase. He nodded slowly, alerting her to the fact that he would wait for her signal.
“It’s your fault that Hannah is dead,” Melanie murmured over Bailey’s sob. “An eye for an eye. Isn’t that what they say?”
Bailey squeezed her eyes closed as the barrel of the small-caliber handgun was pressed to her temple. Melanie’s action had Kinsley calling out to her.
“Melanie, drop your weapon,” Kinsley ordered as she stepped around the bookcase. She had intentionally exposed herself in full view to avert Melanie’s attention from Bailey. “Now.”
Kinsley raised her weapon, her throat dry with the realization that she might have to squeeze the trigger. She didn’t want to take another person’s life.
Melanie's attention snapped toward Kinsley. Unfortunately, the woman’s firearm remained pressed against Bailey's temple. Neither woman noticed when Alex stepped out from behind a bookcase on the far end.
“Stay back,” Melanie warned as she anchored her weapon with both hands. She even widened her stance, as if to indicate she was all in on her decision to take Bailey’s life. “I mean it. I’ll shoot her in the head.”
“And then what?” Kinsley asked to keep Melanie’s attention diverted from Alex. He was edging closer to disarm her. “Will it erase your husband’s infidelity? Bring Hannah back? I can answer that for you, Melanie. Nothing you do here can take you back in time.”
Melanie’s hands began to tremble violently, tears streaming down her face. The desk lamp cast harsh shadows across her features, turning them almost skeletal with grief and rage.
“I didn’t mean…”
“We know it was a mistake, but going through with this will only make matters worse,” Kinsley advised her, silently praising Bailey for remaining still. “Please, Melanie. Drop the gun.”
The distance between Alex and Melanie was less than fifteen feet. If Kinsley could manage to have the woman lower her weapon, or at least remove the barrel from Bailey’s temple, then Alex stood a good chance at disarming her.
“Have you considered that Bailey is innocent, Melanie?” Kinsley kept her voice calm, gentle even, though her arms remained rigid, her aim unwavering. “The only one who betrayed you was Victor. Don’t let him be the reason you take another life.”
A flicker of something—recognition, perhaps—crossed Melanie's face before dissolving back into anguish.
“It doesn’t matter now, does it? Nothing matters. I?—”
“This isn't who you are, Melanie,” Kinsley said, trying once more to distract her. Lying to Melanie was a strategic choice, but it was the only option left. “Did you know that Victor is outside waiting for you? He admitted to having an affair with Bailey. He admitted to tricking her into believing he didn’t love you, but he says he instantly regretted his words. He made a terrible mistake, and he wants your forgiveness, Melanie.”
Kinsley had made some progress, and Melanie started to lower her weapon. However, she finally sensed movementbehind her. She hastily glanced over her shoulder to find Alex just inches away, and her panic clearly grew. The gun wavered dangerously, no longer pressed directly against Bailey’s temple, but still aimed in her general direction. It was Officer Blake’s quick thinking that changed the course of what could have been a disaster. He tossed a heavy textbook to the ground, away from himself, staying out of the line of fire.
The weapon in Melanie's hand dipped slightly in response, her grip loosening, giving Alex the chance to act quickly. He stepped forward, grabbed her wrist, and twisted it with enough force to stop her from pulling the trigger.
He disarmed her in one fluid motion.
