Snapped Read Free Page A

stomach. Who were they dealing with here?
    Jonah got back on with his SWAT chief. “An eyewitness says he’s shooting from the library roof. That’s six stories high.”
    “Set up an inner perimeter. How many men you got?”
    Jonah glanced around the lobby. He had one SWATguy from the sheriff’s department who’d just happened to be at the campus health center when the all-call came through. Brian was in plainclothes and armed only with a Sig. His wife—a nurse—was busy treating a student who’d hobbled into the lobby with a bloody foot.
    “We got two SWAT including me,” Jonah said. “Plus I’ve got two SMPD detectives—”
    “Make that three.”
    Jonah turned to see Allison Doyle coming out of a stairwell. Her cheeks were flushed as though she’d run all the way here.
    “When was the last shot?” Cosgrove asked.
    “Eight minutes ago,” Jonah said. Was he finished? Had he offed himself?
    “I’m twenty minutes away,” Cosgrove said. “We got a police chopper coming down from Austin, but they’re not off the ground yet.”
    Jonah stepped closer to the window and surveyed the situation. On the other side of the quad, a line of students crouched behind a concrete planter. An injured girl was slumped against a brick water fountain, hidden from view of the library and holding a bleeding arm. Farther south, a pair of legs poked out from behind a bike rack. Jonah couldn’t tell whether the person was alive or dead.
    “Macon? What’s the status?”
    Crack
.
    Everyone turned at once to look out the window.
    “We can’t wait,” Jonah said. “We need to take him down now.”
    His commander hesitated. It would be less risky to hold off until they had everyone assembled and could dothis by the book. But by then how many more kids might die?
    “I’d rather have this guy shooting at us than picking off innocent people,” Jonah said.
    “Okay, do it.”
    Jonah got off the phone, took a deep breath, and turned to face the four cops awaiting his orders.
    “Ric and Brian, you’re on entry with me.” He nodded at Sean, who was the best marksman of the bunch, besides himself. “Sean, give Brian your vest. I need you at the top of that building with the rifle.” He pointed at the highest building besides the library, which was just across the quad. “Use the underground tunnel to get there.”
    Allison stepped forward. She swiped a lock of dark hair from her face and gave him a look that dared him to blow her off. Allison worked property crimes. She was green as grass, but she had a badge.
    He handed her some binoculars. “See the big ugly building just north of here?”
    “The architecture building.”
    “Whatever. Get to the top of it and get on your radio,” he said. “We’re going to need some eyes.”
    The elevator doors parted and Allison rushed out, nearly crashing into a kid in an orange hunting cap.
    “Hey!” She grabbed him by the shirt when she spotted the gun case. “Where you going with that?”
    “The balcony,” he squeaked. “On the corner of the building.”
    Allison took a moment to decide. This could be theirshooter, for all she knew. But her gut told her it was just some kid looking to be a hero. She jerked the gun case away from him and released his arm. “Show me.”
    He led her briskly down a corridor to a large conference room with a balcony facing north. Prime view of the library.
    They weren’t the first to notice it, either. A man was set up there already, peering through a rifle scope. He was seated in a plastic office chair with the barrel of his gun resting atop a beanbag on the balcony wall.
    Allison rushed outside.
    “SMPD. I’m going to have to confiscate your weapon.”
    He turned and squinted at her from beneath the brim of his camo cap. He wore jeans, a faded T-shirt, and worn shit-kickers. He turned and spat tobacco juice on the concrete.
    “Reckon you’re gonna have to shoot me first.” He turned and leaned back over his gun.
    Shit
. She hadn’t