Page 165 of A Dirty Business
I would shoot to kill in this situation.
I moved the closet door open a tiny bit so I could see, so I had line of fire, and I waited. This was my position I was taking.
I waited.
The door was locked.
I wasn’t hearing more than one person.
The quiet game was done. He couldn’t bust through the door and not alert us, but I hadn’t been in my bed. He knew, if he was smart and knew who he was going after, that the chances I was in here were high.
He had only one option, and I waited because he was going to shoot the lock, kick the door open, and then he’d charge in, probably with guns blazing.
I waited for him to make the decision.
My arms were up. I was ready. No one was behind me.
Pop, pop!
Now.
He kicked the door open and barged in. Gun drawn.
He flipped the lights on.
I saw him in the mirror on my mom’s dresser.
He was in all-black clothing, a ski mask. Square, medium height, built with broad shoulders. He moved in, his gun aimed at the bed, and he cursed.
I frowned. Was that ...
He cursed louder, going to the opened window, then he whirled toward me. His gun was up.
I shot him before he could shoot me, and I shot him again and again until he was down. His gun clattered, and I ran over, finding it, kicking it away.
I knelt down, checking his pulse.
He was alive, but barely. His pulse was thready.
“Jesus Christ!” That came from behind me.
A second person?
I whirled, one knee on the floor and my arms raised. My gun was still drawn, but at seeing it, Leo reared backward, his hands in the air. “I’m unarmed. Jesus! Put the gun down, Jess.”
Leo.
It was Leo. He was friendly.
Things weren’t making sense, but it was my boss, my mentor. His hands were empty and in the air.
I lowered mine, and I moved away from the man.
“Jess?!” My mom’s voice rose in a high-pitched cry, and Leo cursed, sparing me a look before he went into the closet.
I moved over, unable to let go of my gun, and watched as he was helping my mom out of the crawl space.
Leo looked from her to me and back again. He was shaking his head. “What the hell happened here tonight, Jess?”
