Maggie contemplated the woman’s finger tighten on the trigger. Had she underestimated her? She cursed; after tucking the snubbie in the waistband of her jeans to make her way across the roof with Penny she’d watched it clatter and slide off it before she could react.

‘The police are on their way!’

Her neighbour, Chuck Bretton, was disobeying his order to stay inside and hiding himself behind the front door to shout through the gap.

‘Put the gun down!’

‘Listen to him.’ Maggie twisted her body so Penny was entirely blocked by it. How else could she appeal to her maternal instincts? ‘My daughter hasn’t said her first word yet. Or started walking. You really gonna take those moments away from me?’

‘Three.’ The woman’s face shifted through every conflicted emotion. A harsh wind slanted the snow across her but she remained rigid.

Maggie half closed her eyes and focussed on the barrel that was pointing straight at her chest. ‘Listen to me. This situation isn’t going to end well for either of us. I’ll be dead, and you’ll be arrested. What good will that do Abigail or Penny?’

But the woman didn’t appear to hear her. Her features were blank, as if she’d emptied herself out to see through her cold-blooded task.

‘Listen to me!’ she screamed, hoping to snap her out of it.

Another window broke in Maggie’s home.

‘The situation has changed. We should both walk out of here now. I give you my word, I won’t try anything. We can contact him. Ask him what we should do next.’

‘I can’t trust you. This is my only option,’ the woman’s voice sounded distant.

‘Don’t do it!’ Chuck yelled.

Sirens. Fast approaching.

Maggie braced herself. Maybe the bullet wouldn’t kill her outright. If she could, she would run at the woman and try to wrestle the gun from her before she got a second shot off.

But she still hadn’t fired, and Maggie knew she had to exploit her second of indecision. ‘We can play for time. My car is parked out in the street. Let’s go now before we can’t leave.’

The woman’s shoulders rose as she filled her chest.

‘You can keep the gun on me. I’ll drive. But neither of us want to be talking to the police.’

The echo of the sirens changed as they neared Bozeman Street.

‘They’re here!’ Chuck cried.

Maggie could feel Penny fighting the blanket. Was it the last time she’d hold her? Her gaze locked on the barrel.

Six seconds passed. It felt like Maggie’s heart would burst.

The woman suddenly breathed out and nodded once. ‘OK. OK, move.’

Maggie remained frozen.

‘Go!’

A trick? She slowly turned her back. Was this so the woman didn’t have to see her expression when she fired? She hugged Penny to her and began heading to McHerry. After a few paces she was relieved to hear footsteps crunching behind her and allowed herself to exhale.

‘Try to escape and you’ll leave me no choice.’

Maggie nodded emphatically as they cut through the snow and smoke. Reaching the end of the row she crossed the street to where her red Scion was parked. To her left she could see a phalanx of distant red and blues approaching from town.

‘Quickly.’ The woman was closer to her now.

Maggie fumbled out her key with her free hand, and the car chirped once and unlocked. ‘I need to belt her in.’

‘Hurry.’

Maggie opened the back door and unwrapped Penny to put her in the baby seat. She swiftly fumbled with the straps and secured her. It was pointless playing for time. She didn’t want to submit to any questions either. Maggie tugged the driver’s door.

Her captor circled around the car and got in the passenger’s side.

Maggie pulled the door after her and started the engine. She switched on the wipers, and they sliced away the snow that had stuck to the window.

The woman kept the gun on her but peered through the windshield as the emergency vehicles slowed to make a right into Bozeman. ‘What are you waiting for?’

Maggie arced in the street just before the response team disappeared into a swell of smoke and then accelerated the Scion away.

‘Careful!’

The car skewed as the back wheels fought for purchase on the snow, but Maggie brought it back under control. Neither of them spoke as they quickly put distance between them and the blaze. In the rear-view Maggie could see the smoke puffing into the black sky.

‘Slow down.’ Her captor now had her weapon pointed at Maggie’s cheek, but her attention was fixed on the road ahead.

A patrol car was fast approaching, lights flickering.

Maggie decelerated, the woman lowered the gun, and they both waited for the car to reach them. It zipped past, and Maggie watched it swerve into Bozeman before picking up speed again.

‘Get us off the main road as soon as possible.’

Maggie detected the tremor in her voice. If she was as fraught as she’d been when Babysitter had taken Penny she knew what she was capable of. ‘I’ve got both my hands on the wheel. Can you point that thing away from me?’

‘Keep your eyes on the road.’

‘At least tell me your name.’

‘Shut up,’ the woman thrust the barrel against Maggie’s temple.

‘Look, we’ll each do whatever it takes to keep our child safe, so the best thing we can do is work this out together.’

‘I said shut up. I’m the one who’s already been shot, remember?’

Penny started fussing in the back seat.

‘She’ll be OK.’ The gun shook in the woman’s hand. ‘Just put your foot down.’