Chapter 8 - The Raid
Chase spun around instantly, raising his weapon toward the dark hallway.
"Drop!" I screamed, throwing myself violently onto the hardwood floor behind the glass display case.
"Police! Drop your weapon!" multiple voices shouted from the darkness.
Chase didn't surrender; he panicked completely.
He fired two wild shots into the darkness, the deafening blasts shattering the expensive mirrors lining the boutique walls.
Shards of glass rained down everywhere, slicing through the designer clothes on the racks.
The police returned fire instantly, their disciplined shots much more precise.
I covered my ears, keeping my head completely pressed against the cold floor.
I heard a heavy thud, followed by the clattering sound of a metal gun sliding across the hardwood.
"Clear!" a tactical officer shouted, turning on the overhead lights.
I peeked out cautiously from behind the shattered counter.
Chase was lying on his back in the center of the store, clutching his shoulder where a police bullet had struck him.
He was groaning in intense pain, his navy blazer now soaked in dark crimson blood.
Officers swarmed him immediately, kicking his weapon away and aggressively securing his wrists with heavy steel handcuffs.
Eric burst through the front door a second later, his eyes wide with absolute panic until he saw me sitting up.
He ran over and pulled me into a crushing embrace, burying his face in my neck.
"I've got you," Eric whispered, his entire body shaking with adrenaline.
I pulled away gently and pointed toward the fitting room.
"Get Madison," I instructed him.
An officer had already removed the gag from her mouth and was cutting the zip ties off her wrists.
Madison collapsed forward, sobbing hysterically as she rubbed her bruised arms.
She looked at me, her eyes completely filled with genuine remorse and absolute terror.
"I'm so sorry, Sarah," she choked out, barely able to breathe.
"I didn't know he was going to do this, I swear I didn't know."
I stood up slowly, brushing the broken glass off my jeans.
May you like
I walked over and looked down at my sister, the girl who had always gotten everything she wanted.
"I know you didn't," I said coldly.
