“Your boyfriend thinks he’s smart,” Baker whispered. “Know what he’s doing? He’s counting my shots. He knows I’ve got fifteen in the clip. He knows I used one on your brother, one on the gook, and now I’ve knocked off another nine potshotting at him. So he’s thinking, four more shots and—”

Jack popped up again, and Baker fired off a pair of shots.

“There’s two more. Now he’s thinking, two more shots and he’ll charge me while I’m changing the clip. Must think I’m a real jerk. Well, I got news for Mr. Jack. Sam Baker’s changing his clip now. And won’t Jack-o be surprised when he charges up that rise. Can’t wait to see his face when that slug goes into his chest.”

Baker withdrew the pistol behind her. As he let go of her hair, Alicia heard a metallic click, then something hitting the ground. Her mind raced. Was Baker right? Was that Jack’s plan? She had to do something.

Alicia whirled and saw Baker with his pistol in his left hand while his right was reaching into a pocket. The old clip lay at his feet.

Shouting, “Jack! Jack! Now, Jack!” she grabbed the pistol and tried to wrestle it away from him.

Baker’s right hand got caught in his pocket, and it took him a second or two to free it, but even using both her hands, and wrenching with all her strength, Alicia could not break his grip on the pistol.

“Fucking bitch!” he cried.

She put her body into it, twisting so that her back was to him. And this gave her a view of the slope where she saw Jack—

Oh, no! He was running toward her, but with a limp! She saw the red splotch on the denim on his left leg.

He’ll never make it!

Just then Baker must have freed his right hand because she felt a rock-hard fist slam against the back of her head. But she held on. And then the edge of his hand cut down on her shoulder. Her left arm went numb, and her grip failed. The gun came free of her grasp as a third blow knocked her to her knees.

And Jack wasn’t anywhere near close enough. He had a wicked-looking knife in his hand, but he wasn’t going to get close enough to use it.

Alicia twisted and saw the fresh clip in Baker’s hand as he fumbled it into the opening in the bottom of the pistol’s grip.

“No!” she cried, and grabbed his arm.

He almost dropped the clip but maintained his grasp by his fingertips. He snarled as he kicked her away.