Holly felt a wave of relief when the door opened and Maggie emerged. She’d been in there eight minutes. Something must have happened inside, but she was too far away to gauge her expression. She strode purposefully back along the wharf, but Holly kept her attention on the loft.

She would wait to see what Maggie had to say but nobody was getting off the jetty without her knowing. Keeping her focus on the entrance she made her way down the incline to the parking lot and waited for Maggie to join her in the shadow of the clock tower.

She stroked Penny’s back as Maggie arrived but didn’t shift her sight from Loft 7. ‘What happened?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Nothing’s taken you eight minutes?’

‘I searched the place. He’s not in there.’

Holly slid her gaze briefly to Maggie’s. ‘What deal did you make?’

‘I just told you, he wasn’t there. Let me have Penny.’ She advanced a couple of steps.

‘Stay where you are.’ Holly held the Browning on her. ‘Tell me the truth.’

‘I have. He’s probably watching us.’

Holly shot her eyes back to the loft. When she returned them to Maggie she’d pulled a black Ruger handgun from her puffer jacket.

‘You know for sure I won’t hesitate, Holly.’ Her arm extended straight and taut.

‘You can’t shoot me. Not when I’m holding Penny.’

Maggie directed the handgun at her knees.

‘What if I drop her?’

‘I’ll take that chance. Or you can just hand her over. She’s all I want. Just do it.’

A cold snowflake stuck to Holly’s bottom lip. ‘I didn’t kill Sascha.’

‘Bullshit.’

Holly regretted the lie. Now Maggie had another reason to open fire. ‘I promise you; I told you that because I needed you to think I could. I tied her up.’

‘Why the hell should I believe you?’

‘We can send the cops to the house.’

‘You’ll say anything to save yourself.’

‘Anything to save Abigail. I couldn’t kill you and her life depended on it. I give you my word about Sascha. If we don’t step away from this, he’s won. Can’t you see that’s why he handed you a weapon?’

‘He wasn’t in there. He’d just left this.’

‘And now we’re going to gift wrap his way out of this by killing each other.’

‘If you don’t let go of Penny now you’ll leave me no choice.’

‘Here.’ Holly knew she had to make a move before Maggie did. She lowered her gun hand. ‘Take her.’ She twisted her body so she could lift her away.

Maggie warily walked forward and grabbed Penny. Clutching her daughter tight she swiftly reversed and, frowning, kept her Ruger on Holly.

Holly had come to a momentous decision. ‘If either of us pulls the trigger d’you think the survivor is going to be allowed to escape? We’ve got to regain control.’

‘We’ve never had any.’

‘You’re right.’ Holly kept her pupils coupled to Maggie’s. ‘And he’s just waiting for us to kill each other so he can do this to the next women he’s targeted.’

‘He has Abigail. You can’t negotiate with him.’

‘Give me the phone.’ Holly stuck out her palm. ‘Come on; I gave you Penny. If he’s watching us then at least let’s give him the impression that we trust one another. He wants us at each other’s throats. Hand it over.’

Maggie readjusted Penny, but didn’t give her the phone.

Holly dumped her Browning on the snow.

Maggie was impassive. ‘You still have mine.’

Holly took the snubbie from her left pocket and dropped that too. ‘Perhaps he could pick us both off now, but I don’t think he came prepared for that. He thought we’d take care of it. Give me the phone.’

Maggie regarded the two weapons on the ground and chewed her lip. Swapping the Ruger to her left hand, but keeping it on Holly, she slipped out the phone and threw it over.

Holly caught it and typed a message.

No more guns. And neither of us is cooperating until I know Abigail is safe.

Holly read it aloud then sent it.

‘You’re only playing for time.’

‘I’m not playing.’

Maggie breathed her daughter’s scent, her nose in her hair.

Babysitter shot back an answer.

Holly, if you pick up your gun and kill Maggie now Abigail will be back in your arms in less than half an hour.

The coarse flakes fell silently at their feet.