At the Crossroads (Buckhorn, Montana #3)(22)

Gene had to decide. He’d been here too long. He would know that. He had to move, and Culhane was pretty sure he knew what was coming—and so did Alexis. The question was what they were going to do when it happened.

Culhane could feel his gun biting into his back, but with Bobby and Eric waving their pistols around and Gene looking like he wanted to kill everyone in the place, he didn’t dare pull it. He couldn’t risk a shoot-out, knowing Alexis would be right in the middle of it.

“Bobby, bring the food,” Gene said. “Eric, grab the basket of cell phones. Let’s go.” He moved toward the door but hesitated.

Culhane had already considered what he would do when Gene reached this point. So he wasn’t surprised when the man hauled Tina out of the booth and put a gun to her head. A roar went up, Tina’s mother screaming the loudest.

“Shut up! Shut the hell up!” Gene yelled, putting Tina in a headlock and dragging her toward the front door. “Any of you call the cops or come after us...we kill her!”

Lars had put the baby into her carrier next to the wall in the booth as if trying to keep Chloe as far away from Gene as possible. But the moment Gene grabbed Tina, he was on his feet, rushing the man. Bobby, though, saw him coming and pulled his weapon. As Lars started past him, Bobby swung his gun. Lars caught it in the side of his head and went down hard. He didn’t get up.

Gene barely noticed as he dragged Tina toward the door, Bobby with him, their weapons drawn. Only Eric hadn’t moved to get the basket of phones.

Culhane saw that Eric’s gaze was locked on Alexis like a heat-seeking missile so he wasn’t surprised when the man headed for her. Eric wanted Alexis, wanted her for more than a hostage. Only Culhane wasn’t going to let that happen.

He watched the man coming toward them, knowing that Alexis already had her hand wrapped around the grip of her gun. Eric wasn’t taking her anywhere.

Culhane was considering who to shoot after he killed Eric. He figured Alexis would get at least one of the men by the door. He just hoped he would get a shot off before either of them fired back.

Gene finally noticed what was going on. “Eric, what the hell are you doing?” he bellowed over the pandemonium.

“Getting another hostage,” Eric said without looking at him.

Culhane was about to draw his gun and step between Eric and Alexis, when Gene cursed and said, “We aren’t taking another hostage. Grab the phones in that basket and then get the hell into the van. Now.”

For a moment, Eric looked as if he wouldn’t comply. But then, as if realizing that Gene might drill a hole in his back if he didn’t, he swore and grabbed up the basket of cells.

All Gene’s attention had been on Eric. Culhane wondered if Eric knew how close he’d come to dying only a moment ago. “The rest of you?” Gene said. “If anyone leaves this place to call the cops or get help, I’ll kill this woman. Do you understand?” He had to raise his voice over the protests.

“My baby,” Tina cried as she looked to where Shirley was sitting across the table from the now crying infant in the carrier. Shirley was watching what was happening as if in a daze. She hadn’t reached for the baby, didn’t even seem to realize Lars had left the infant when he’d gone to defend Tina. “No, I can’t leave my baby!”

“You aren’t taking her,” Vi screamed and threw herself at Gene, who backhanded her. She fell to the floor but continued to grab at Tina’s ankles, throwing Gene off balance. Bobby had gathered up the food boxes and had the door open, looking anxious to get out of there.

Culhane would have gone for his gun in the confusion, except that Eric had come back over to the counter after picking up the basket. He held it under one arm, his gun in his other hand. From the look in his eyes, he hadn’t given up on taking Alexis. It was as if they were all frozen in place. Gene still had a gun pointed at Tina’s head. Bobby stood in the doorway, the boxes of food under his left arm, his gun gripped in his right hand and pointed indiscriminately at the room.

“There is no need to take her with you,” Earl Ray said above the roar of noises as he rose from the booth. Bessie, trying to stop him, slid out as well. “Take me,” he said as he moved toward Gene and the door. “I can be of help to you. You don’t want to separate a mother and child.”

“Sit down, old man,” Gene said, his voice raised and raspier than before.

“I can give you my word that I will keep everyone in this café for as long as you like,” Earl Ray was saying as Gene swung his gun in the direction of the older man. “You don’t need to take her.” Gene had his other arm locked around Tina’s throat. Culhane could hear her gasping for air. This had to end and soon or...

His curse was drowned out by the sound of the gun’s report as Gene shifted Tina off to one side and fired. It happened so fast. Culhane hadn’t seen Bessie move until she stepped between Gene and Earl Ray. Apparently Gene and Earl Ray hadn’t noticed her, either.

The knife she pulled from her apron pocket caught the light an instant before she buried the blade to the hilt in Gene’s stomach.

FOR A MOMENT, Alexis wasn’t sure who had been shot, and then to her horror, Bessie slumped to the floor. Loud gasps went out as Earl Ray fell to his knees, cradling Bessie in his arms.

Gene howled as the room erupted in screams and crying. “Shoot them!” he yelled. But Eric hadn’t moved, and Bobby, still holding the food and his gun, stood transfixed in the doorway.