Page 57 of All He Takes
Suddenly, Nicky felt a draft hit her legs from somewhere in the bar. She looked to see that the back door, leading to an alley behind, was slightly ajar.
Bingo.
Nicky darted to the door and pushed it open to find herself in a dark alley behind the bar. The wind was whipping, and as soon as Nicky stepped out, she could see a figure standing in the distance, facing away.
"Smith!" Nicky called. "Harrison Smith, you're under arrest."
The figure froze, and Nicky whipped her gun out, pointing it at his back. As she got closer, she realized that the man was holding something in his hands--a camera.
And in front of him, pressed against a wall, was a young brunette woman.
"Do. Not. Move," Nicky ordered. "Harrison Smith, this is the FBI. Move and I'll shoot."
"H-help me!" the girl cried.
Nicky's blood raced in her veins. She had Harrison, at last. And now she would make him pay for what he had done to all those innocent women.
Slowly, she stepped toward him, keeping her gun trained on his back. Her heart pounded with fury as she finally closed in on him, ready to take him down once and for all.
But when she was just inches away from Harrison, he suddenly turned around and pulled out a knife. Nicky gasped as the blade glinted in the dim light of the alleyway.
"You're not taking me," Harrison snarled, his eyes wild with rage and fear.
Nicky raised her gun and fired, but Harrison moved quickly, and the bullet missed. Before Nicky could react, Harrison had the victim--and he was holding the knife to her throat. The victim whimpered, and Harrison's eyes locked on Nicky's like a violent animal.
No.
Nicky raised her gun and took a step back, knowing that if this was going to end, it would have to be on her terms.
She kept her gaze locked on Harrison's as they circled each other in the alleyway, their eyes burning with hatred and desperation. For a moment, Nicky wondered if it was even worth it--if this man could ever truly be brought to justice for what he had done to so many innocent women.
But then she saw the look of sheer evil in Harrison's eyes and knew that this was the only way things could end between them. She couldn't let him get away again--not with the stakes so high.
If she was going to save this girl, she might have to shoot to kill.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Ken had been in a lot of messed up situations during his career as an FBI agent. But dealing with a man who was threatening to kill his own wife and infant son? This was another level of crazy, and Ken wasn't sure his stomach could handle it.
Driving in a police officer's car, he finally reached Harold Smith's residence--where he saw a series of police cars parked out front, and a few officers talking at the closed garage, one with a megaphone. Ken whipped the car up to the curb, threw it in park, and hurried over to the officers.
"Agent Walker, you're here," Chief Schmitt said.
"I got here as soon as I could," Ken said. "What the hell is going on?"
"Bastard's threatening to kill his wife and kid, said he'll only talk to you and Agent Lyons."
Off to the side, Margaret, the old nanny, was shaking like a leaf, but she trotted over. "Oh, Agent, it's terrible! Mr. Smith has completely lost it--where is Agent Lyons?"
"She couldn't make it, ma'am," Ken said.
"Oh, dear." Margaret shook her head. "Well, I can't explain it, but it's like he's some kind of monster. He told me to go home, and then I heard screaming--and then this."
"His wife and kid are in the house right now?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," Schmitt said. "In the garage. We've got the place surrounded, and we're trying to call him, to try and talk him down--but he keeps saying he'll only talk to you."
"I'll do what I can," Ken said. "But we can't let him hurt his family. We need to get them out of there, now."
