Bennie kept her gun aimed at Alice, who was dragging Judy backwards, away from the loading dock and toward the pier. An immense ship sat anchored next to them in the darkness, and beyond it glimmered the Delaware River, its black water choppy with wind and rain, its reflection of the city lights a dark kaleidoscope.
“Let her go!” Bennie advanced slowly, her gun raised. “This is between you and me.”
“Stop!” Alice moved farther backwards, out of the security light and into the shadows beyond. “One more step and she’s dead!”
“If you hurt her, you’re dead!” Bennie left the light, blinking rain from her eyes, and followed Alice onto the pier.
Suddenly, the security light went off, plunging them all in total darkness. She could see Alice and Judy only in silhouette, against the fog of the sky and the brightness of the opposite shore.
“Stop or I’ll kill her!” Alice shouted, but the time for talk was over.
Bennie raised her gun, aiming at the silhouettes in the black and the rain. She was a decent shot but couldn’t take a chance, not yet.
In the next instant, there was a scuffle on the dock.
A gun went off, and Judy screamed.
And all hell broke loose.