Simon Says Die

sure he sends help. I’m relying on you. Mrs. McKinley is relying on you.”
    â€œYou can count on me, Special Agent Buchanan.” Mr. Varley punched a button on the phone. “Hello?” He winced and held the phone away from his ear.
    Pierce could hear the yelling coming through the phone. He shot Varley a sympathetic glance and ran for his car.
    O NE MORE SPIN of the dial. Click. Madison pulled the lever and the safe opened.
    Damon shoved her to the side and reached his arm into the safe.
    Taking advantage of his distraction, Madison jumped up and kicked his wrist, sending his gun flying across the carpet. He whirled around. She ducked and rolled out of his way.
    He lunged after her, but she came up with the gun from her ankle holster. He stopped inches away with the muzzle of her gun pressed against his forehead.
    â€œBack off. Now.”
    He slowly backed away, his hands in the air. “You’d begrudge your husband a few lousy bucks?”
    â€œQuit saying that. You’re not my husband anymore.”
    â€œSure I am. Until death do us part, sweetheart.”
    He suddenly dove to the side and came up with the other gun.
    A shot rang out, deafening in the small room. Damon cried out as the gun sailed out of his hand. He screamed in agony, clutching his bloody hand to his chest. Pierce stood in the doorway, his own gun leveled at Damon.
    He glanced at Madison. “Are you okay?”
    â€œYes, I’m . . . I’m fine.”
    Damon lunged for the gun on the floor, grabbed it, and ran through the archway, disappearing into the darkened house beyond.
    â€œStay here,” Pierce ordered. “Hamilton is on his way.”
    The blackness swallowed him up as he ran after Damon.
    D AMON HAD RUN into the closet to the basement stairs.
    Pierce waited a few seconds to let his eyes adjust to the darkness, then he crept down the staircase, hunched down in case Damon got off any wild shots. When Pierce reached the bottom, he dove onto the floor and rolled behind some boxes. He crept through the dark to the light switch, and flipped it on.
    Damon stood about twenty feet away, unarmed, clutching his hurt hand to his chest.
    He laughed harshly. “Can you believe I dropped the damn gun while I was running down the stairs? Couldn’t find the thing in the dark. I guess you got me.” He slowly raised his hands.
    Pierce eyed him suspiciously, not trusting him. “Raise your hands higher. Spread your legs. You’re under arrest.”
    â€œNo.” Madison’s soft voice called out from the stairs. “If you arrest him, he’ll just get out again. We can’t let him go.” She slowly walked down to the bottom of the steps, all the while pointing her gun at her former husband.
    â€œMadison, stay back,” Pierce ordered. “Put the gun down.”
    She shook her head violently. “He killed my father. He threatened to kill you, my family. He has to be stopped.”
    â€œNot like this, Mads.” Pierce lowered his gun and angled over toward her.
    â€œDon’t try to stop me. He won’t go to prison. You said so yourself. Not enough evidence. ” She practically spit that last word.
    Damon laughed. “That’s right. I’m not going to prison. Because, hey, I’m innocent.” He grinned.
    The gun jerked in Madison’s hand.
    â€œShut up, Damon,” Pierce said. “If you value your life, shut up.”
    Damon looked at the gun in Madison’s hand, then his gaze raised to her eyes and his grin faded.
    Pierce slowly reached a hand toward Madison. “Give me the gun, sweetheart.”
    She stepped away from him, keeping her gun trained on Damon. “No. Don’t you understand? I have to kill him. To keep my family safe. To keep you safe. For Daddy .”
    â€œWould your father want you to go to prison?”
    Her lips thinned into a hard line. “I don’t have a choice. Damon is going to kill you, or the rest of my family. I have to kill him, to keep you safe. And he deserves to die for killing my father. If bringing his killer to justice means I have to go to prison, so be it.”
    â€œWhat about Logan? Your mom? They’ve already lost your father. They won’t want to lose you too.”
    Her lower lip trembled. “Damon has to die.”
    The bleakness in her voice touched something deep inside him. He sighed heavily and trained his gun on Damon again. “All right. If it