Chapter 12 - GORDON PIKE
“Everybody stay where you are.”
Gordon’s hand shook.
That worried Naomi more than if it had been steady.
An experienced shooter with control was dangerous.
A terrified old man with a gun could be worse.
Naomi stood near the library doorway, partially concealed.
Gordon hadn’t seen her yet.
Richard slowly raised his hands.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
Gordon laughed.
“That’s rich.”
“Put the gun down.”
“You gave them my name.”
“I did not.”
“Vanessa called me from jail.”
Naomi frowned.
Vanessa had lawyer access.
Apparently, she had used it quickly.
Gordon continued.
“She said the family knows.”
Julian looked at Richard.
“So Vanessa knew about him too.”
Richard’s eyes stayed on Gordon.
“She found old records.”
Gordon sneered.
“Your future daughter-in-law was smarter than your children.”
Rachel stepped forward.
“You cut my brakes.”
Gordon looked at her.
Something like regret crossed his face.
Then disappeared.
“You were supposed to pull over.”
Rachel stared.
“What?”
“The line was damaged enough to lose pressure gradually. Trevor was supposed to force you into a parking lot.”
“You nearly killed me.”
“That wasn’t the plan.”
Rachel’s voice broke.
“You watched my car go off the mountain.”
Gordon said nothing.
She understood.
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“And you left me.”
“I called 911 anonymously.”
“You left me!”
Gordon flinched.
Richard spoke sharply.
“Gordon, this ends one way if you keep holding that weapon.”
“You ended me eleven years ago.”
“I paid you.”
“You used me.”
“You made your choices.”
Gordon’s face twisted.
“So did you.”
He pointed the gun at Richard.
Naomi moved half a step.
Gordon saw her.
“Stop!”
Naomi froze.
His gun shifted toward her.
“Who are you?”
“Naomi.”
“The maid.”
“Tonight everybody keeps saying that.”
“Hands where I can see them.”
She raised them.
Gordon looked at Richard.
“You hired security?”
Richard said, “I didn’t.”
Naomi answered, “I’m not his security.”
“Then whose?”
“Right now? Everyone in this room.”
Gordon laughed nervously.
“Very noble.”
“No. Practical.”
“What?”
“You shoot Richard, you don’t walk out.”
“That’s not your problem.”
“It becomes my problem when I’m standing here.”
Outside, faint sirens approached.
Gordon heard them.
His head turned.
Naomi saw the opening.
She moved.
Fast.
One hand trapped his gun wrist.
The other struck his forearm.
The weapon discharged into the ceiling.
Rachel screamed.
Julian pulled her down.
Gordon tried to twist free.
Naomi drove him against the wall.
He was stronger than he looked.
Desperation gave people strength.
But desperation also made them sloppy.
Naomi shifted her weight.
The gun fell.
Julian kicked it away.
Gordon tried to reach for Naomi’s throat.
She turned, hooked his arm, and put him face-down on the carpet.
“Stop moving.”
He stopped.
Police flooded the house seconds later.
For the first time since the gala, Naomi allowed herself to breathe.
Then Richard spoke.
“Naomi.”
She looked at him.
He was still sitting on the floor.
Old.
Shaken.
Smaller somehow.
“You recorded everything, didn’t you?”
Naomi didn’t answer.
Richard laughed quietly.
“Of course you did.”
Julian stared at his father.
Richard closed his eyes.
And for the first time, the man who had controlled every room he entered understood that he no longer controlled this one.
But Vanessa still had one card left.
May you like
And she played it the next morning.
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