Chapter 2: The Man Behind the Gun
"Put your hands where I can see them!""
The trucker's voice filled the diner.
Nobody moved.
A waitress dropped a coffee pot. It shattered against the tiled floor, sending dark coffee across someone's shoes.
The man in the suit tightened his grip on the little girl's arm.
"That's enough, Cole.""
I froze.
I hadn't introduced myself.
The trucker smiled.
"Funny thing about you Marines. You always think you're the hero.""
I kept my hands raised.
"Who are you?""
"Someone who's getting paid to make sure you don't interfere.""
The little girl was crying so hard she could barely breathe.
I looked at her.
"What's your name, sweetheart?""
The man in the suit jerked her closer.
"Don't talk to her.""
I ignored him.
The girl whispered, "Lily.""
It was the first word I'd heard from her.
And it wasn't the last.
"My name is Lily," she repeated, looking straight at me.
The man slapped his palm against the table.
"She's confused.""
"No," I replied.
"I think she's the only honest person in this room.""
The trucker moved closer.
"Step away from them.""
I studied his stance.
His feet were too far apart. His shoulders were tense. His gun hand was steady, but his eyes kept moving toward the entrance.
He wasn't worried about me.
He was waiting for someone.
That was worse.
I slowly lowered myself onto one knee.
"Listen to me," I told him.
"There's a little girl between us. Whatever money they're paying you, it isn't worth this.""
He laughed.
"You don't know what you're talking about.""
"Then explain it.""
"Shut up.""
The man in the suit pulled Lily toward the exit.
"Frank, we're leaving.""
Frank.
At least I had a name.
I shifted my attention toward the waitress.
Her name tag read Maggie.
She was standing behind the counter, one hand gripping the telephone.
I gave her a tiny nod.
She understood.
She disappeared into the kitchen.
Frank noticed.
"Hey! Where's she going?""
"Probably getting you another coffee," I said.
He turned his gun slightly toward me.
"Don't get smart.""
Lily suddenly screamed.
"NO!""
The man in the suit grabbed her hoodie.
"Quiet!""
She fought him with surprising strength.
"You're not taking me!""
He leaned down and whispered something into her ear.
Whatever he said made her stop struggling.
Her face went pale.
I saw her lips move.
"Mommy.""
The man dragged her toward the door.
I took one careful step.
Frank raised his gun.
"I said don't move!""
Then the lights went out.
The entire diner plunged into darkness.
Someone screamed.
A chair overturned.
I heard Lily cry out, followed by the unmistakable sound of glass breaking.
I moved toward the last place I'd seen her.
My fingers found a small sleeve.
"Lily?""
"Yes!""
"Hold my hand.""
She grabbed my wrist.
A gunshot exploded.
The sound was deafening inside the enclosed diner.
Something struck the wall behind me.
I pulled Lily down behind the booth.
"Stay low!""
Frank shouted, "You idiot! I said alive!""
The man in the suit answered, "Then stop shooting!""
That exchange told me something important.
They weren't supposed to kill me.
They needed the girl.
A moment later, the emergency lights flickered on.
Maggie stood near the kitchen entrance holding a heavy metal fire extinguisher.
Frank was on one knee, clutching his injured hand.
His gun lay several feet away.
Maggie had struck him.
The man in the suit was still standing.
He had pulled Lily toward the exit, but she had wrapped both arms around a table leg.
"Let go!"" he shouted.
She screamed.
I rose slowly.
"Take your hands off her.""
He looked at me.
For the first time, I saw genuine fear in his expression.
Not fear of me.
Fear of what might happen if he failed.
"You don't understand," he said.
"Then help me understand.""
He laughed bitterly.
"She's worth more than you can imagine.""
Lily looked up.
"That's not true!""
He grabbed her chin.
"Be quiet.""
I took another step.
His hand disappeared inside his jacket.
Before he could draw anything, sirens sounded outside.
Red and blue lights flashed across the windows.
"Police!"" someone shouted.
The man looked toward the entrance.
His expression changed.
He released Lily and backed away.
"You're making a terrible mistake, Cole.""
"Maybe. But I'm making it with my eyes open.""
Two uniformed officers entered with their weapons drawn.
"Drop whatever you have!""
The man raised his hands.
Frank groaned on the floor.
For a few seconds, I thought it was over.
Then one of the officers approached me.
"Sir, step away from the child.""
I complied.
The officer looked at Lily.
"Sweetheart, are you okay?""
She shook her head.
Then she pointed at the man in the suit.
"That's not the worst one.""
The officer frowned.
"What do you mean?""
Lily looked toward the window.
A black SUV had stopped outside.
Its headlights illuminated the rain.
A second vehicle pulled in behind it.
Then a third.
Lily grabbed my hand so tightly her fingernails dug into my skin.
"Please," she whispered.
"Don't let them take me.""
I looked outside.
A tall man stepped out of the first SUV.
He wore a dark overcoat and held a phone against his ear.
He looked calm.
Expensive.
Powerful.
The kind of man who expected doors to open before he reached them.
Lily began shaking.
"That's him.""
"Who?"" I asked.
She swallowed.
"My daddy.""
The man in the overcoat walked toward the entrance.
May you like
Then Lily whispered something that made every hair on my neck stand up.
"He knows the police officers.""
