you call them? How did they know so fast?”
“Someone must have seen you through the window,” Rachel said calmly. “You’ve had your eyes on me the entire time. I’ve made no phone calls.”
He glared suspiciously at her and then waved the gun in her direction.
“Close the blinds. Do it now!”
Rachel hurried to do as he asked, her heart stuttering like a jackhammer in her chest.
“Daddy, don’t hurt her,” Jennifer pleaded. “She’s nice. Please don’t hurt anyone. Let’s just go home, please .”
“Your mother won’t allow that,” he snarled. “She’s issued a restraining order. Stupid bitch is refusing to allow me to see you. Says she’s going to get full custody in the divorce. That ain’t going to happen. I aim to make sure of that.”
“Sir, please listen to your daughter,” Rachel said in a soft, appeasing tone. “You’ll never be able to see her if you’re locked in a jail cell, and if someone gets hurt today, you’ll go away for a very long time.”
Her words seemed to further infuriate him. He advanced as though he’d strike her, but Jennifer flung herself in front of Rachel, spreading out her arms in an effort to protect Rachel.
Rachel hugged Jennifer to her and then thrust her behind her back. “Stay there, honey,” she whispered. “Don’t move. Just stay quiet and let me talk to him.”
Jennifer let out a whimper but did as Rachel said.
“What’s your name?” Rachel asked in an easy tone, almost as if they were exchanging ordinary conversation or that he was a parent who’d come in for a conference.
He looked befuddled and answered automatically. “Kent. Kent Winstead.”
“Mr. Winstead, you have an extremely bright daughter. She excels in all her classes. I’m sure you’re very proud of her.”
He seemed confused by the change in direction of the conversation.
“Well of course I’m proud of her. Inherited my brains. Her mother is as dumb as a brick.”
Behind her, Jennifer let out a pained gasp, and Rachel’s heart ached all the more for her.
“Work with me on a solution to this,” Rachel said calmly. “Tell me what it is you want so I can help you. The children are frightened. Your daughter is terrified. I’m sure the very last thing you want is to scare the students.”
He looked torn as he surveyed the kids all huddled under their desks, many of them with tear-ravaged faces.
“I don’t want to scare them,” he muttered. “But I have to do what I have to do.”
“And what is it you plan to do?” she asked.
His brows furrowed as if he hadn’t considered exactly what his plan was, but then it was likely he had no clear plan. He’d acted in desperation, and now he’d ruined any chance he ever had of being with his daughter. Not that she’d tell him that now. It would send him right over the edge.
“I want you to call the police,” he said firmly.
She nodded. “I can do that. Will you allow me to reach for my cell phone? I assure you I’m not armed. They don’t allow weapons in the school.”
He raised the gun, pointing it at her, and then he nodded. “Get the phone but don’t call anyone yet. I need to tell you what to say. Don’t try anything stupid. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I will if you make me.”
“We both want the same thing, Mr. Winstead. I assure you that you have my full cooperation.”
She reached slowly for her purse, making sure he could see inside the entire time as she retrieved her cell phone. She pulled it out and simply held it so it was in clear view, and then she looked expectantly at him.
“What would you like me to tell the police?”
He rubbed his chin with his free hand, all the while holding steady aim at her. It struck fear in her heart the way his hand shook. He was running on adrenaline, and one wrong move could mean her death. The deaths of her precious babies.
She swallowed hard, refusing to give in to the rising panic. She’d withstood the very worst and survived. She would survive this. Her babies were
“Someone must have seen you through the window,” Rachel said calmly. “You’ve had your eyes on me the entire time. I’ve made no phone calls.”
He glared suspiciously at her and then waved the gun in her direction.
“Close the blinds. Do it now!”
Rachel hurried to do as he asked, her heart stuttering like a jackhammer in her chest.
“Daddy, don’t hurt her,” Jennifer pleaded. “She’s nice. Please don’t hurt anyone. Let’s just go home, please .”
“Your mother won’t allow that,” he snarled. “She’s issued a restraining order. Stupid bitch is refusing to allow me to see you. Says she’s going to get full custody in the divorce. That ain’t going to happen. I aim to make sure of that.”
“Sir, please listen to your daughter,” Rachel said in a soft, appeasing tone. “You’ll never be able to see her if you’re locked in a jail cell, and if someone gets hurt today, you’ll go away for a very long time.”
Her words seemed to further infuriate him. He advanced as though he’d strike her, but Jennifer flung herself in front of Rachel, spreading out her arms in an effort to protect Rachel.
Rachel hugged Jennifer to her and then thrust her behind her back. “Stay there, honey,” she whispered. “Don’t move. Just stay quiet and let me talk to him.”
Jennifer let out a whimper but did as Rachel said.
“What’s your name?” Rachel asked in an easy tone, almost as if they were exchanging ordinary conversation or that he was a parent who’d come in for a conference.
He looked befuddled and answered automatically. “Kent. Kent Winstead.”
“Mr. Winstead, you have an extremely bright daughter. She excels in all her classes. I’m sure you’re very proud of her.”
He seemed confused by the change in direction of the conversation.
“Well of course I’m proud of her. Inherited my brains. Her mother is as dumb as a brick.”
Behind her, Jennifer let out a pained gasp, and Rachel’s heart ached all the more for her.
“Work with me on a solution to this,” Rachel said calmly. “Tell me what it is you want so I can help you. The children are frightened. Your daughter is terrified. I’m sure the very last thing you want is to scare the students.”
He looked torn as he surveyed the kids all huddled under their desks, many of them with tear-ravaged faces.
“I don’t want to scare them,” he muttered. “But I have to do what I have to do.”
“And what is it you plan to do?” she asked.
His brows furrowed as if he hadn’t considered exactly what his plan was, but then it was likely he had no clear plan. He’d acted in desperation, and now he’d ruined any chance he ever had of being with his daughter. Not that she’d tell him that now. It would send him right over the edge.
“I want you to call the police,” he said firmly.
She nodded. “I can do that. Will you allow me to reach for my cell phone? I assure you I’m not armed. They don’t allow weapons in the school.”
He raised the gun, pointing it at her, and then he nodded. “Get the phone but don’t call anyone yet. I need to tell you what to say. Don’t try anything stupid. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I will if you make me.”
“We both want the same thing, Mr. Winstead. I assure you that you have my full cooperation.”
She reached slowly for her purse, making sure he could see inside the entire time as she retrieved her cell phone. She pulled it out and simply held it so it was in clear view, and then she looked expectantly at him.
“What would you like me to tell the police?”
He rubbed his chin with his free hand, all the while holding steady aim at her. It struck fear in her heart the way his hand shook. He was running on adrenaline, and one wrong move could mean her death. The deaths of her precious babies.
She swallowed hard, refusing to give in to the rising panic. She’d withstood the very worst and survived. She would survive this. Her babies were
Similar Books
