Chapter 44
Knight knew how this was going to work. This man did not want to die. This wasn’t suicide-by-cop or any type of mission. He merely wanted to punish those who had what he didn’t.
Knight didn’t know what had happened here before they’d arrived, though he could guess. John Stenson had some sort of connection to the Gibsons, besides his brother. And that meant…the profile.
“How did you know the Gibsons, John?” Knight asked.
“John’s daughter Kora was good friends with Hailey Gibson,” Miranda said softly. “His daughter drowned. A few years…before…the Gibsons were murdered.”
That checked the box for having lost someone—a daughter, specifically.
And for the connection to the Gibsons. The military coat had Stenson in faded, unraveled embroidery.
The man had served. That was another box checked.
John’s attention turned back to Miranda.
He almost snarled when he looked at her.
His anger was growing. And it was directed at the woman in front of him. “Let’s talk about Aimee, John. How well did you know her?”
“I didn’t. My damned ex-wife did.” It was the first information the man had volunteered since Knight had entered the house. It told him something. “Just another one of those women who thought they knew better than a man.”
Then the man looked at Knight.
Knight suspected that ex-wife had left quickly after the death of their daughter.
And that was the reason for the anger toward the female victims. Every time he touched one of those women he’d targeted, he was lashing out at her.
For abandoning him? For something else? For blaming him for their daughter’s death?
Knight suspected there were probably other female victims of John Stenson out there somewhere.
They would just have to find them.
“Did you kill the Gibsons that night?” Miranda asked, bluntly. As a dark shadow moved into the kitchen area behind her.
Knight recognized Asher. And he was moving into clear position. If John made one move with that gun toward anyone, Asher would do what had to be done.
Knight stepped closer. His eyes met Miranda’s and he nodded.
He needed the man’s attention on her. Just for a moment.
“John? What did you do with Terra Gibson? Where is that little girl? She was only thirteen. Same age as Kora, right? Somewhere around there? Did you know Terra as well as Hailey? What happened to Kora that day?” Miranda asked. “Tell us so we can understand.”
She took half a step toward the threat.
John let out a strange sort of snarl. His anger might just be stronger than his sense of self-preservation.
Knight moved in closer. Just as the man tensed and moved. Toward the one he truly hated in the room. Miranda braced herself.
“Do not move!” Knight said. “Put your weapon on the table and step back. Hands on your head.”
He knew though. The instant John tensed. The man was going to do something really stupid.
And Miranda was right in the man’s line-of-fire.
John lifted the gun, toward her.
“Do not do it.” Asher yelled. He stepped from the kitchen into the living area. Weapon-raised and ready.
John froze. He turned the gun. Toward Asher.
He wasn’t looking at Knight at all now. “Lower your weapon, Stenson. Now!”
Everyone froze. John’s gun hand was half up. Knight holstered his own weapon quickly.
Knight watched. Almost as if the man was moving in slow-motion. His hand opened. And the gun fell.
The discharge echoed around the room.
Knight dove.
And brought the man down.
Just as Miranda yelled out, calling Asher’s name.