40. Sam
Sam
T he moment Eva snaps from panic to pissed off is instant. When her shaking worry becomes icy, cool, calm, like a true psychopath, her eyes narrow as she speaks. She pulls her trigger.
I do the same.
Eva’s shot goes wide and into the bushland behind me somewhere, setting off a flock of birds into a flapping frenzy. My shot is true. She drops her gun and clutches her right shoulder.
‘Mummy,’ a voice cries out.
‘Stay there, Archie,’ I call out to the poor child, before updating the team on the radio.
I keep my gun on Eva the whole time. She made it clear she wants me dead. I don’t trust her for one moment.
Thankfully, for my sake, she’s in too much shock and pain to remember the gun at her feet. I kick it away.
‘Help!’ she cries. ‘Please help!’ Blood covers her hand where she tries to curb the bleeding from the hole in her shoulder.
‘An ambulance is coming,’ I say, my tone completely devoid of empathy. Her injuries are the least this woman deserves. ‘Eva Bishop, you’re under arrest for kidnapping and child trafficking.’
She says nothing as I cuff her hands, the lack of pressure meaning more blood flows from her bullet wound. I sit her down against one of the nearby trees.
I bend down to her eye level. ‘Tell me who Archie belongs to.’
Tears roll down her blood splattered cheeks, and she curls her lip. ‘You’ll have to kill me first.’
The control it takes to not lose it at her while she’s vulnerable is intense. But I maintain it. We’ll find Archie’s family with or without her help.
‘Archie,’ I say, turning away from Eva and walking toward the tree she had sent him to.
It may be the one slightly decent thing she’s done, shielding him from what could have been a far worse blood bath than it was.
A little face pops out from behind the tree.
‘Hi, Archie. Remember me? I’m Billy’s dad. I’m a policeman, and I’m here to help you.’
Archie smiles. ‘Is Billy coming?’
I return the smile and take a knee so I’m the same height as him. ‘Billy is with his Nanny right now. But I’m sure we can work out a time for you to see him soon.’
Archie nods and then his gaze searches behind me.
‘Is Mummy okay?’
‘Your mum will be fine, mate. Why don’t you come for a walk with me?’
Archie hesitates for a moment before coming out from his hiding spot and charging into me. I put my arm around him, rubbing his back soothingly while we wait for back up.