A First Love to Die For

Chapter Forty-Nine- The Show Down

(Lincoln's POV)

My heart was in my throat. The relief at seeing Josie was so intense, that I wanted to cry. But as I got closer, I froze in my tracks. Candy's eyes were wild as she peeked from behind Josie, holding a blade to her neck.

Fuck.

Lucy stepped to the side and we edged carefully forward. "Candy, it's over. Put down the knife."

"Lincoln, how nice of you to join us." The high pitch of her voice rang with excitement.

The recognition that I was looking at a cold-blooded killer clogged my throat and I needed to clear it before speaking.  ''Don't make us shoot you. Drop it." Her manic laughter filled the air, and I could see the blood dripping where the knife was grazing Josie's skin.

I was sure that the desperation and worry was pouring off me. The knife glittering at Josies throat was terrifying and the shadows under her eyes highlighted her exhaustion.

I felt Lucy move forward and tap my left side twice as she moved. I knew she was signalling that she was going to shuffle left to try to get a better shot on Candy.

From the angle we stood at now, we would have to shoot Josie to get Candy. I was praying that wasn't the only option. Josie looked like she had been through enough.

I kept talking, trying to draw Candy's attention towards me and away from Josie and Lucy. "Jesus Christ Candy... What is this? What are you doing? Let's talk about this."

She shrieked with laughter. "It's nice of you to finally notice me, Lincoln. But the time for talking is long gone."

The fearlessness of my love was both awe inspiring and terrifying as she spat out, "So, Lincoln didn't notice you and you decided to murder anyone who you possibly could?"

She wasn't wrong but Candy's crazy eyes as she clutched the knife were worrying me and I knew that we had a short window of time before she completely lost it and killed Josie.

Josie might not be scared but I was doing everything I could to hold my gun steady.

Candy was obviously on edge, scared to be caught and that energy, that fear pulsated around her.

As Candy noticed that Lucy had almost gotten close enough to disarm her, she adjusted her body, making sure to keep us both in her sight.

It was the perfect moment, giving me a clear shot of her dominant arm and as I lined up Josie tossed me a wink. Jesus Christ, I loved this woman.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

As my finger pressed down on the trigger, I prayed that it didn't push the knife further into Josie's neck or worse that I'd miss and somehow hurt her.

The sound of the gunshot rang through the air and I rushed forward as I heard the scream.

I could not think of a time I was more scared in the line of duty. I rushed forward, not sure if it was Candy or Josie screaming.

I thought my shot had been accurate, however they had been so close and that knife had already been biting at her skin.

The screaming was overwhelming my already inundated senses. I dashed towards them, hoping for a closer look and recognized the wailing was coming from Candy.

Thank god.

Through the fear clouding my brain I heard Lucy. "We're going to need two ambulances one for a perpetrator, one for an officer who has been injured." Her voice was clear and calm, I was glad that one of us was thinking clearly.