Chapter 15 - SOPHIA'S CHOICE
"SOPHIA!"
My daughter had followed us.
Mrs. Alvarez appeared behind her, soaked and horrified. "She slipped away from me. I'm sorry!"
Sophia didn't look at any of us.
She looked at Vanessa.
More specifically, at Vanessa's gun hand.
Vanessa turned toward the movement.
That half-second saved Nathan's life.
I threw the flash drive under the Range Rover.
Nathan charged Vanessa.
The gun fired.
The shot went through the windshield.
Vanessa and Nathan hit the concrete together.
I grabbed Sophia and pulled her behind the car.
Mrs. Alvarez ducked beside us.
Vanessa kicked Nathan away and crawled for the gun.
Sophia stared through the gap beneath the SUV.
Then she signed to me.
GUN. LEFT.
I saw it.
I moved first.
Vanessa grabbed my ankle.
I hit the floor hard.
She dragged me backward.
"You should've stayed invisible," she hissed.
I kicked her in the mouth.
"You should've stayed away from my kid."
Nathan got the gun.
He pointed it at Vanessa.
"Don't move."
For the first time all night, Vanessa looked defeated.
Then headlights swept across the far wall.
A second vehicle entered the garage.
Graham.
He didn't slow down.
The SUV smashed through the rolling door.
Nathan pulled Vanessa aside just before the bumper crushed her against the wall.
Graham jumped out with a pistol.
"Where's the drive?"
Nobody answered.
He fired into the ceiling.
Sophia flinched from the vibration.
Graham saw her.
His face changed.
He grabbed her before I could reach her.
One arm around her waist.
Gun pressed against her little yellow cardigan.
My entire world narrowed to that weapon.
Graham backed toward his SUV.
"Bring me the drive," he said, "or the child leaves with me."
Sophia looked straight at me.
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And very carefully, where Graham couldn't see her hands, she signed:
MOM. TRUST ME.
