I hit him with the butt of my pistol before he could clear leather.

He went down hard, his head bouncing off the concrete.

Wade lunged for his own gun, but I already had mine pointed at his chest.

“Don’t,” I said.

Wade froze, his hand hovering over his belt.

“Daniel,” Wade said, his voice dropping an octave. “You’re making a massive mistake.”

“Untie her, Wade,” I said.

“You can’t walk out of here,” Wade said. “My men are on their way.”

“You have two deputies on duty, and one of them is asleep in the front office,” I said.

“Untie her.”

Wade looked at the barrel of my gun, then slowly reached down to untie the thick nylon ropes around Sophia’s wrists.

As soon as her hands were free, Sophia stood up.

She didn’t hesitate.

She grabbed Miller’s discarded nightstick from the floor and swung it.

It caught Wade across the ribs with a dull thud.

Wade groaned and doubled over, sinking to his knees.

“That was for the lip,” Sophia said.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked at me.