A sob escaped her, a fatal mistake. Within a split second Ben had her by the hair again, and was screaming in her face. His spittle hit her skin, his face flushed with rage. But his eyes remained flat. Cold. Unemotional.
He was going to kill her.
A loud crack stopped Ben in his tracks, and like an automaton he dropped his hold on her hair and kept his arm around her neck as he turned his head toward the noise.
Holden leaped into the room sideways, the bench now at a sidewise angle, his weapon pointed at Ben’s head. But Ben had already pulled her around in front of him as a shield.
“Don’t make a move or I’ll kill both of you.” Ben’s voice was full of rage and intent. “Put your gun down.”
“Drop her. I’m an expert shot.” Holden’s hair was mussed, his tuxedo a mess; he was her avenging angel. But it was too late.
Bella didn’t make a sound, but her gaze never left Holden’s. He was focused on Ben, never wavering.
“You won’t get her. She’s mine. You don’t deserve her. You don’t know how to treat a woman.” Ben yanked on her hair, rubbed his cheek against hers. She wanted to close her eyes tight but everything depended on this moment. On how she and Holden communicated.
An explosion, then the back cargo door blew open. She felt Ben startle next to her, not as much as she was sure she had, but it was enough. She dropped to her knees, giving Holden a clear shot.
Holden fired.
* * *
Holden watched in slow motion as Ben dropped his weapon and collapsed
to the ground. He wouldn’t be getting back up. Without hesitation he ran over to Bella as MVPD and EMTs surged into the classroom. She stood halfway up to meet him.
They clung to one another for a brief, endless moment until Spencer burst into the classroom, followed by several other MVPD officers.
“Stay here—I’ve got to get his confession.” Holden kissed the top of her head and walked over to where Ben lay on the ground. Spencer had already kicked his gun out of arm’s reach but Ben was too weak for that. Spencer had just finished reading Ben his Miranda rights. Holden had to act fast. He looked at Spencer. “Be my witness.”
“Got you.”
Holden knelt down next to the man who’d terrorized three pageants, killed two women, and almost killed Bella.
“I’m FBI Agent Holden St. Clair. Do you have anything you want to say?”
“I only did this for my mother. She didn’t want me to love anyone but her, but it was so lonely after she died.”
“What did you do, Ben?”
“I just wanted my mother closer.”
“Did your mother have red hair, Ben?”
“Yes, and her green eyes were so beautiful. Just like the beautiful women in the other two pageants, and Bella.” A sneer moved across Ben’s face as he focused on Holden, seeming to remember that Holden had stopped his efforts to take Bella. “I was so close. You ruined my chance with Bella. She looks the most like my mother did.”
“Did you hurt Becky and Selina, Ben?”
“It’s their fault. They went after the prettiest in the pageants. I had to protect my women from them. Becky and Selina were mean to Bella. I wanted them dead for what they said to Bella. But they lived. If I had more time... They tried to kill my mother.” Ben’s voice was whisper thin, his breathing very shallow.
Holden and Spence exchanged glances over Ben’s prone form. They’d caught the killer. He’d somehow looked at each victim as “his,” and while they were alive, conflated them with the memory of his mother.
“Let us in, officers.” Two EMTs swept in, and started to work on Ben. Holden stood, as did Spencer. They’d gotten what they needed from the murderer. Ben stopped breathing and CPR was administered, but after several minutes it became clear that Ben was no longer a threat to anyone.
Holden’s work was done. He needed only one thing now.
Bella.
* * *