Midnight Before Christmas

14

Still peering through the window, Bonnie couldn’t help but express her amazement. “Nice shooting.”

Frank caressed the hot barrel of his gun. “I aim to please,” he said. “If you’ll pardon the pun.”

Bonnie grinned, then turned her eyes back out toward the front yard. “Next time the cops fire-finish him.”

Megan screeched to a stop just as the shots rang out. No! she thought. I’m too late. I’ve failed her.

She jumped out of the car and ran toward the line of police cars barricading the street. “What’s happening?” she asked, breathless, as she ran up behind them. “Are Bonnie and Tommy all right?”

“Stay back, lady,” one of them growled.

Megan took one look and screamed. “Bonnie!” Ignoring the police, she ran forward, making a beeline for the front door of the house.

“Lady!” one of the cops barked, but Megan kept running. She could see now that Carl was lying in a bloody heap on the grass; she didn’t see how he could possibly do her any harm.

She stopped when she reached the body, then groped stupidly for a pulse.

He was still alive.

“Where the hell did she come from?” Frank growled, lowering his gun. “Who is she?”

“It’s the lawyer!” Bonnie answered. “Damn!” She had expected Megan to come, but not so soon, not spoiling everything.

“I can’t tell if he’s dead!” Frank spat the words out.

Bonnie whirled around, livid. “I know that, idiot.”

“What are we going to do now?” He grabbed her by the arms and shook her. “Tell me that, will you? What are we going to do now?”

Bonnie broke out of his grasp, cursing under her breath. “I’ll think of something.”

“Call an ambulance!” Megan cried. The three cops were moving her way, but one of them ran back to radio for the medics.

Megan stood up, raced toward the window. “Bonnie? Are you in there? Are you all right?”

A few moments later, the front door cracked, open. “Megan?” a subdued voice whispered.

“Bonnie!” Megan ran toward the front door. They fell into each other’s arms at the halfway point.

“Oh, Megan!” Bonnie sobbed. Her face was streaked with tears; her voice was trembling. “I–I was so frightened.”

Megan led her back to sit on the front steps. “What happened?”

Several seconds passed as Bonnie tried to collect herself. “I was so scared. Even worse than before.” She cradled her knees and hugged them close to her. “So scared.”

“What did he do?”

She was breathing in short, broken gasps. “He just showed up, shouting and threatening. Said he was going to kill me. Said he was going to kill us all.”

“What did you do?”

“I called the police, like you said. Thank God they got here quickly. He was crazy, Megan, just crazy. He tried to throw himself through the bay window.”

Megan took Bonnie’s head in her lap and held her tight. “It’s all right, Bonnie. It’s going to be all right. It’s all over now.”

“I–I just wish it hadn’t had to happen like this,” she said, sorrow tinging every syllable. “Poor Carl. What away to go.”

“Don’t worry, Bonnie. He isn’t dead.”

Bonnie’s eyes seemed to contract. “He … isn’t?”

“No. The bullet hit him in the arm. Hurts like hell, I’m sure, but it isn’t life-threatening.”

“You’re-sure?”

“Positive. I doubt if he’ll be in the hospital overnight.”

“Oh, Megan.” She turned her head away. “I can’t tell you what a relief it is to hear that.”

“The important thing is, he’s in custody. And after this stunt, he’s likely to stay that way for a good long time.”

She saw over her shoulder that the police were approaching. They would doubtless have questions of their own. “Bonnie, the police are going to need all the details. Do you want me to stay?”

“Do I need an attorney?”

“Probably not. But I thought you might need … a friend.”

“Oh, that would be-you must have plans.”

“Outside of feeding the dog, no.”

Bonnie hugged Megan close to her. “You’re so good, Megan. So good to me.”

“Nonsense.” Megan stood up and prepared to meet the police. “Least I can do. Especially on Christmas Eve.”