Time stops in the echo of the gunshot.
I’m moving before I can think, my body colliding with Alex’s as we both hit the floor. The crack of my knees against hardwood barely registers through the adrenaline. His arms wrap around me automatically, protective even now, and for a fraction of a second, I feel his heart hammering against my chest. The familiar scent of his cologne mingles with gunpowder, making my head spin.
“Stay down!” Officer Chen yells.
More gunshots—two, three—the sound deafening in the enclosed space. Glass shatters somewhere to our left, raining crystal shards across the mahogany floors of the Foster mansion’s study.
Through the chaos, I hear James swear. “You weren’t supposed to—”
“Shut up!” Dupont’s voice has lost its smooth edge. “Get the phone. Get it no
