Under Duress

скачать книгу бесплатно


Lily lunged against the back of the seat. “I knew it! You do have a gun.” Her hoarse whisper whipped through Samantha’s hair.

“Whoa.” Samantha scooted to the edge of her seat near the door. She’d never been close to a gun before. “You have a gun?”

“Yeah. What police officer, even former, wouldn’t be armed?”

“You have a permit for that thing?”

“Of course. And in Indiana it’s called a license.”

Samantha tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear with a trembling hand. “Stay back, Lily. Let Mr. Palmer handle this.” She should have figured a former police officer would carry a weapon, but she hadn’t been prepared for her innocent ward’s sudden interest in firearms.

“I’m not going to touch it, Sam. And I know better than to stand in front of it. I just want to look at it...from here.” Samantha couldn’t quite tell in the darkness, but Lily probably executed a classic eye roll as only a ten-year-old could.

Reid swung his door open and motioned for Samantha and Lily to do the same. He slowly pushed it closed without latching it, and Samantha softly closed hers as well, grabbing Lily’s before the girl could slam it shut.

As they approached the door, Samantha uttered a prayer thanking the Lord for sending such a tall, broad-shouldered protector. She hated to put him in the line of fire, but at least he could fire back.

He nudged the butt of his gun against the door, and it swung open. Someone had been there for sure. There was no way she would leave the door hanging open when she went to work. Besides, she usually left through the garage. The front door was only opened when she or her sister, with whom she shared the condo, were expecting guests.