“When we get there, you and the pastor walk in front of me. I won’t hesitate to push this button if either of you do anything I don’t like.”

Tess said nothing, just nodded. They reached the front of the house and she parked. Oliver climbed out first. Tess followed and walked around to the passenger side. She caught his glance for a brief second, and in that look, she knew he would follow her lead. Whatever she decided to do, he’d be with her.

Beck climbed out. He pointed at her with the remote. “Now, hand me your weapon, very carefully, Chief.”

“What?”

“Tsk, tsk, you didn’t think I would leave you armed?” He held his free hand out. “Carefully now.”

Tess stared at him for a moment. Finally she unsnapped the holster and drew her weapon. She placed it in his hand.

“There, wasn’t that easy?” He sneered. “I’ve covered all bases. Now—” he gestured with the remote—“let’s get going. You first.”

Tess and Oliver walked up the stairs to the front door. The door was partway open. Tess grabbed the knob, pushed the door fully open.

“Livie? It’s Chief O’Rourke.” She stepped over the threshold. All three of them entered the house. The room was empty.

“You warned them!” Beck shoved between Oliver and Tess, furious. “You warned them! How did you do that?”

“You heard Oliver when he called. He told them nothing but what you wanted said.” Tess’s eyes were on the remote. Dare she call his bluff?

He waved the gun around, and with the remote in one hand and the gun in the other, he stepped to the middle of the empty room.

“Roberta! Come out from wherever you’re hiding. It’s time to pay for what you did. I swear you’ll never get away from me!”

When there was no response, he turned back to Tess, fury in his eyes. “You just killed half your town!” He squeezed the button on the remote with a flourish.

For Tess, time stopped. She felt as if her head would explode in horror. There was no way to know right at that moment what had happened in downtown Rogue’s Hollow, but she knew she had to stop Beck cold now. He was mad with rage, and she was unarmed, so she went with the unexpected.

Tess jerked her baton from the ring. Beck raised her gun to fire. She stepped to the side and brought the baton down hard on Beck’s wrist. He howled even as he squeezed the trigger. The gun fired into the floor and then flew from Beck’s hand, clattering down on the floor with the remote. He bent down, cradling his injured wrist.

“You broke it.” He looked up, fury in his eyes. “You’ll pay—I swear you will pay.”