Christmas Justice (Carder Texas Connections #7)(56)

“Back up Garrett if he’s still—” Her father paused and looked at Molly. “You can’t let Fiona escape. Do what needs to be done.”

Laurel grabbed the old .45. Handguns were hard to shoot accurately. She’d need to get close.

She opened the shed door slowly, only to see Fiona standing over Garrett’s prone body. Behind them, the bodies of her two minions lay on the grass near the burning house.

Fiona pointed her weapon at Garrett again. “You’ve been damn tough to kill, Bradley, but this head shot ought to do it.”

Laurel didn’t hesitate. She aimed and fired. Once. Twice. And again, until the gun was empty. Fiona jerked, but she didn’t go down. “Stupid woman,” Fiona taunted. “Never heard of Kevlar? You’re going to pay for that.”

Laurel dropped her weapon. She had one chance. If she could get the right angle—

“Aunt Laurel, Aunt Laurel. Come quick. Grandpa’s not moving.” Molly ran into the yard.

Fiona met Laurel’s horror-struck gaze. The woman smiled and swept her gun around, pointing it at the little girl. “Guess the rug rat’s next.”

Just as Fiona was about to squeeze the trigger, a shot rang out from behind her. The bullet struck her in the head. She hit the ground hard, the wound fatal.

Molly screamed and cowered on the ground.

Laurel’s eyes widened. Garrett’s arm shook and he dropped the Remington. “She’s not the only one who’s heard of Kevlar.” He coughed. With that, his head dropped to the grass. Laurel grabbed Molly and raced over to Garrett.

Blood pooled at two gunshot wounds.

He glanced down at the red seeping through his shirt. “I needed a bigger size.” He looked up at Laurel. “I’m sorry.”

Sirens grew louder in the distance.

“Garrett, you’re going to be fine. Just hang on. Help is on the way,” she said softly, then gasped as his eyes fluttered closed. “Garrett, no!”

“Sheriff Garrett?” Molly whispered. “Please don’t go away.”

“I’ll try, sugar.” He coughed.

Laurel leaned down closer. “You told me you loved me, Garrett. You can’t leave me now. I love you, too.”

There was no response. His chest barely rose.

“Oh, God, no.” She didn’t know what to do. The vest might be stanching the blood. She needed help.

Suddenly, a crush of police cars, fire engines and ambulances skidded to the curbs. Various personnel carrying hoses, guns and medical equipment came around the house. Laurel yelled to them, “We need help here. A man’s been shot!”

She clutched Molly tightly as tears streamed down their faces.

Two paramedics rushed over. “Move back.”

Laurel jerked away, hiding Molly’s face against her own chest. “My father is in the shed over there.” Laurel pointed out the small bullet-ridden structure. “He’s badly hurt. Please help him, too.”

The paramedics called another of the backup teams to check out the shed.

The yard was complete chaos. The firemen futilely fought the blaze, but whatever had been used to blow up the house did not back off easily.

“Another injured,” a cop shouted. “Guy’s pinned under a wall.”

Men raced around the house. The police hovered over the paramedics, watching them work on Garrett. Others checked the gathering crowds. Still more hurried to where Fiona and the other two bodies lay.

“Hey, this one’s alive,” someone called out, bending over one of the men lying near Fiona’s body. “I need a medic, quick.”

Laurel couldn’t tell if it was Léon. She hoped so.

“Please, Garrett. Please make it,” she said, clutching Molly to her.

More responders dragged gurneys across the grass to the injured. Laurel stood back, holding Molly, her attention split between Garrett and the activity in the shed. She prayed her father wouldn’t come out in a black bag.

What seemed an eternity later, Garrett, her father and Léon were all loaded into different ambulances.

Laurel carried Molly over to the back of the one carrying Garrett and tried to get inside.

“You can’t, ma’am.”

“Why not? That’s my father and Garrett is my...my...fiancé.”

A police detective walked up beside her. “Lady, as the only person still standing on a field with multiple dead bodies, you have a lot of explaining to do. I can see the gunshot residue on your hand. We’re not letting you near anybody. The kid will have to go with Child Protective Services.”

Laurel panicked and held Molly close. “No, she may not be safe without special protection. Please, she’s been through so much. Let me call a family she trusts to come take care of her.”

“Aunt Laurel,” Molly cried. “I want to stay with you. Don’t make me leave.”

Laurel knelt down in front of Molly so they were face-to-face. “Molly, honey, I have to go with these policemen for a little while to tell them what happened. It’s not a place for children.”

She shook her head. “You said you wouldn’t leave me. Not like Mommy and Daddy.”

Laurel couldn’t control the tears. “I’m going to call Daniel and Raven. You can stay with them. You could play with the twins, too, and their doggy.”