“Emily, listen to me.”
Outside, Detective Harris called my daughter’s name.
“Emily, you’re not in trouble. Open the door.”
His voice sounded exactly as it had during the search.
Warm.
Patient.
Noah appeared halfway down the stairs.
“That’s the policeman who came before.”
I ran to him.
The front window shattered.
A metal canister rolled across the carpet.
Cole shouted for us to move.
I carried Lily.
Noah clung to my robe.
Emily followed with Grace wrapped against her chest.
We ran through the kitchen and into the garage.
A gunshot cracked.
He fell backward.
Emily screamed.
Detective Cole fired toward the driveway.
“Get in the van!”
Cole jumped behind the wheel.
As she reversed, Harris stepped from behind my car.
He raised his gun.
Then another shot rang out.
Harris collapsed.
