Lethal (Lee Coburn)

Coburn had the headlights on high beam. The car itself looked like little more than a rattletrap, but somehow it seemed menacing, reminding Doral of a Stephen King story about a car that went psycho and killed people. Doral pushed the ridiculous thought aside. Coburn was screwing with his head again.

But the fed also wasn’t going to come any closer until he saw that Doral did indeed have Emily.

Doral had made sure the interior lights wouldn’t come on when he got out of his car. Crouching lower than the roof, he opened the rear door, slid his hands under Emily’s arms, and lifted her out. Her body was limp, her breathing deep, her sleep peaceful as he placed her on his left shoulder.

What kind of man would use thirty-five pounds of sweet little girl to save his own skin?

He would. He was.

Coburn had mind-fucked him into feeling lower than whale shit, into being nervous and unsure of himself. But he couldn’t allow himself to buy into that or he was as good as dead. All he wanted was one crack at Coburn. If he had to use Emily in order to take out Coburn, well, that was just life, and nobody had ever said that life was fair.

He placed his right hand, his gun hand, in the center of Emily’s back so that it could be seen. Then he stood up and walked around the hood of the car, forcing himself to appear in charge, in control, and perfectly relaxed, although in reality his palms were slick with sweat and his heart was knocking.

Coburn’s car began to roll forward at a snail’s pace. Doral’s gut tightened. He squinted against the headlights. The car came to within fifteen feet of him and stopped. He called out, “Turn off the headlights.”

The driver got out, but despite the glare, he made out Honor’s form.

“What the hell? Where’s Coburn?”

“He sent me instead. He said you wouldn’t shoot me.”

“He said wrong.” Shit! Doral hadn’t counted on having to kill Honor while face-to-face. “Move away from the car and raise your hands where I can see them. What kind of trick is Coburn trying to pull?”

“He doesn’t need tricks, Doral. He doesn’t

even need me any longer. He’s nailed you, thanks to Eddie.”

“What’s Eddie got to do with this?”

“Everything. Coburn found the evidence he had collected.”

Doral’s mouth went dry. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course you do. That’s why you killed him.”

“Are you wearing a wire?”

“No! Coburn has already got what he came for. He doesn’t care what happens to me or Emily now. But I care. I want my daughter.”

Doral gripped his pistol tighter. “I told you to get away from the car.”

She stepped from behind the cover of the open door, hands raised. “I won’t do anything, Doral. I’m leaving you to the legal system. Or to Coburn. I don’t care. All I care about is Emily.” Her voice cracked on her daughter’s name. “She loves you. How could you do this to her?”

“You’d be surprised what a person can do.”

“Is she…?”

“She’s fine.”

“She’s not moving.”

“You’ve got only your friend Coburn to blame for this. All this.”

“Why is Emily so still?”

“Where is Coburn?”

“Is she dead?” Honor screamed hysterically.