Part 20
I slipped into Eva’s bedroom, gently placing her inside her closet beneath a pile of heavy winter blankets. "Stay here, sweetie, no matter what you hear," I whispered, kissing her wet cheek. "Mama will be right back. Play the quiet game for me, okay?"
She nodded bravely, sniffing back her tears as I quietly closed the slatted closet door.
Armed with a heavy brass flashlight I kept on Eva's nightstand, I stepped back out onto the dark hallway landing. Downstairs, the silence was shattered by a brutal, heavy thud, followed by the sound of scuffling footsteps and a sharp grunt of pain from Jack.
"Jack!" I yelled, abandoning all caution as I raced down the stairs, flipping the heavy flashlight on.
The beam of light cut through the darkness of the living room, illuminating a chaotic scene. Jack was on the floor, struggling against a large, muscular man dressed in full black tactical gear. But standing near the kitchen island, completely unfazed by the violence, was Eleanor Vance. She was holding a small, silver pistol, her beige coat perfectly clean despite the fog outside.
The bright beam of my flashlight hit her directly in the face, blinding her for a crucial second. She raised her hand to shield her eyes, cursing loudly as she fired a wild shot into the ceiling.
BANG!
The deafening noise of the gunshot echoed through the small house. In that exact moment of distraction, Jack threw his weight forward, slamming his elbow into the groin of the man pinning him down. The man groaned, loosening his grip just enough for Jack to scramble to his feet, grabbing the heavy iron poker from the hearth and swinging it with all his might.
The iron bar connected with the man’s shoulder with a sickening crack, sending him crashing into the coffee table, unconscious.
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Eleanor recovered her vision, her pistol swinging around to point directly at my chest. Her sophisticated composure was entirely gone, replaced by a desperate, frantic rage. "Give me the briefcase!" she screamed, her hand shaking as she tightened her finger on the trigger. "Give it to me, or I swear I will end this whole family tonight!"
I stood my ground at the bottom of the stairs, keeping the blinding beam of the flashlight locked on her eyes, refusing to let her see the terror that was tearing my soul apart. We had survived Marlene, and I would die before I let another monster take away the life we had rebuilt.
