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Grantto wait until so twitchier by thenow"

"You’re not in charge here, Grant Either shut up and let us do our job, or leave I won’t have you s worse"

Grant pointed to the chaos around theet? Does Rachel have to die before you’ll move in?"

"SWAT is on standby We knoe’re doing"

"Tell that to Rachel," shouted Grant "She’s in there, scared to death, and we’re standing around out here waiting for some specialist to arrive Fuck that"

Grant turned and stalked away back toward his Mustang Isabelle turned to follow hi hold of her ar to let er we stall, the better Phillips--the negotiator--is good If anyone can find a way out of this ets here"

"How long will that be?" asked Isabelle All she could think about was little Rachel in there, alone and afraid Soest child, but Rachel didn’t even have that going for her She was eht destroy her

For all Isabelle knew, it ht already be too late

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Grant was good at not being seen, and with all the excite his duffel bag away fro careful to avoid the yards with dogs in the he wanted was to have any attention called to hioing to stop hiirl was at stake, not toto take the risk in exchange for being sure the job was done right, because although the police had procedures and protocol to follow, Grant didn’t Hethe bastard, but prison would be easier than trying to live with hi

He found a vantage point in a rotting tree house that had probably gone so long without use it had been forgotten The structure was sound enough to support his weight and had the added advantage of a straight line of sight into Amanda’s back s

Grant loaded his rifle and peered through the scope Six ar outside the back door for the signal to move in One ured there was at least one ood sign

The blinds were mostly shut, but Grant could seeto be Rachel He settled hi et There was no rush No pressure Just the feel of the rifle in his capable hands and his breath s

Sooner or later, he’d get a clean shot And when he did, he was taking it

Wyatt paced the room This was so o, but he still hadn’t co?

He hit redial Theokay in there?" he asked

"Fucking great Where’s Dale?"

"We’re getting hi to shoot him"

"It’s just a precaution Standard procedure"

Sweat rolled down Wyatt’s back They were stalling He could feel it in his bones The question hat for?

A sick, greasy dread filled hiet out of here Now

Wyatt hung up the phone and grabbed the little girl fro He picked her up and held her in front of his chest to keep the cops froo?

The phone rang, but he ignored it The tiet out of here and try to make the trade later

His car was parked a block over, behind the house He’d sneaked in through the yard, thinking he’d be less visible that way Maybe he could get out the sah the blinds The brat kicked and fought against his grip, so he squeezed her until she yelped with pain and settled down

Outside, he could see at least two or three guys They aiting for hi the twenty or thirty cops out front

And he did have the girl to shield hi a little girl

As far as he could tell, it was his only chance, and he’d better take it while he could He had no idea of what they were planning to do with hiood

With his pistol in one hand and Rachel plastered against his chest, he kicked open the back door and eased out into the dark

Grant saw Wyatt peer through the slats in the blinds, but Grant couldn’t see Rachel, and he wasn’t taking any chances

There was plenty of ti over his ribs proved hiet--killing a man he’d been ordered to kill, or one as prepared to shoot back at him and his buddies

This was his call His decision

"You can’t do it, Grant," caentle voice froh hi his muscles tense

"You shouldn’t be here Go back to Dale"

"You can’t do this," said Isabelle

"I have to Rachel isn’t safe"

"Let the police deal with it"

"Because they’ve done such a great job so far? No I knohat I’h with desperation "Do you?"