“We are a go,” he said, getting out and opening the back door for her. “Toomey—resume circling the block. Emerson, open that door now.”

Toomey waited until he saw the bar’s back door open before driving off down the alley toward the main street again. Emerson held the door open as Jessie and Murph jogged toward it, trying not to get soaked while also avoiding slipping on the slick asphalt.

Emerson gave them a goofy half smile that suggested he was glad to be dry. He was a big dude, easily six foot two, with a military-style buzz cut that made it hard to even be sure his hair was blond. But in that moment, with the silly grin on his face, he looked less like a hardened law enforcement professional and more like a pre-teen boy who was giddy at his good fortune.

A loud bang suddenly echoed through the alley. Emerson’s face froze. A fraction of a second later, blood began pouring from a small hole in his forehead. The smile was still on his lips as he fell backward into the bar. The door he was holding open slammed shut.

Jessie stared at the spot where he used to be in stunned silence. A sudden rush of panicked nausea rose up in her throat and she felt sure she would vomit. She wanted to bend over but her knees seemed frozen in place.

“Get down!” Murph shouted, shoving her toward the ground.

On her knees now, Jessie embraced the cold puddle quickly soaking her pants. Using the rush of bracingly cold water to snap herself back into the moment, she spun around, looking for the source of the shot. Before she could discern anything, Murph was in front of her, using his body to block any future shots. His gun was pointed back down the alley. Jessie turned back to the bar door and tried to open it, without success.

“It’s locked,” she said.

Murph spoke into his comm, his voice surprisingly calm.

“Shot fired. Man down. Repeat—Emerson is down. We are in the alley. The back door to the club is locked. Requesting assistance.” Then, still looking back in the direction of the shot, he addressed her. “Let’s go around front. Stay ahead of me. All units, we are using the side alley to return to the front of the bar. Meet us there.”

“I’m around the east side of the club in the other alley,” Toomey said urgently. “It’s going to take a minute to get there.”

“Approaching the back door now,” Collica added.

“Do not exit through the back, Collica,” Murph ordered. “The shooter has eyes on that door. Return to the front.”

As the two of them ran, there was a screeching sound behind them. Jessie looked back over her shoulder. A compact car with its headlights off was tearing down the alley toward them. With the rain and darkness, she couldn’t identify the driver.

Whoever it was barreled straight for them. It was clear that they wouldn’t get out of the alley to the sidewalk before they were mowed down. Jessie’s eyes darted left and right, looking for any doorway or nook to take shelter in. She saw Murph doing the same thing.