Kitabı oku: «Running Target», sayfa 3
“I guess something about Coldwater Bay just drew you back.” A smile from her?
That surprised him.
“I guess so. I never meant to bring danger to you.” Despite his efforts to stay away, he found himself looking in her eyes again, and her gaze swept his heart up into her current. “Bree—” What? What could he possibly say to make it all better? “We should be safe here for a few hours at least. You don’t need to try to protect me. You can’t put me into protective custody. That wouldn’t be a good idea for either of us. I’ll get you to safety and then I need to disappear again.”
He wouldn’t think his words, his promise to disappear, would surprise her. After all, he’d done just that at least twice with her. But her jaw hung open while she processed his words.
“If anyone asks,” he continued, “you never saw me. Do you understand?”
A loud snap resounded.
Someone had just triggered one of Quinn’s booby traps.
FOUR
“What was that?” Bree asked.
Quinn pressed a finger to his lips.
Bree held perfectly still. Quinn’s reaction could mean only one thing—the men had somehow found them.
She fought the overwhelming urge to hyperventilate. Hadn’t she just ridden half the night on Quinn’s back to escape?
Quinn moved like a predatory big cat, making no sound in pursuit of his prey. And that was just it—he was being hunted. They were being hunted together now. But his actions made it appear that he was the one doing the hunting. Maybe he could end this and they could stop running and call for help.
Her eyes darted around the camper. Did he have a communication device here? A cell or a satphone? She didn’t spot anything, nor could she bring herself to get up and search. At the moment, fear had paralyzed her. Come to think of it, it was probably safer not to stand, anyway. If she knew what was good for her, she would drop to the floor. Quietly, of course. Those men could spray this camper with bullets—demolish it completely.
A moment later, Quinn snuffed out the small lamp and utter darkness engulfed her.
Quinn! She wanted to call his name but feared making the slightest sound. A cool draft hit her. Goose bumps crawled over her.
And just like that...she knew she was alone inside the camper.
No warmth emanated from another body. No slight intake of breath. None of that sensation of another presence. Just the slightest shift in the air, the atmosphere.
How had he escaped the camper without her knowing? Through another opening besides the door? And he’d just left her here? She shouldn’t be so surprised.
She fisted her hands. Held back her anger and disappointment. She should be relieved he could enter and exit that quietly. That he had prepared for just this situation and had it all figured out. And why not? He’d been here long enough to plan for this moment. All that time, without reaching out or letting any of the people who cared about him know he was here.
As for her, she hadn’t expected any of this so couldn’t have planned for it. Like the rushing river that had tried to take her down and under and carry her away, she’d been out of control, and had to force her way up for breath. Had to make her way to the riverbank. She felt completely out of her depth here, but she was determined to force her way out of this. She had a family waiting for her on the other side of the wilderness and unlike some people, she would do everything in her power to go home to the people she loved. That meant standing up and taking action.
Right now.
He could need her help. He’d needed it before, despite his denial.
Okay. That was it. She would find a way on her own out of this camper before it turned into a death trap. He might be furious; then again, he might very well thank her.
God, a little help, please? Stevie, he needs me. You know he does. If something happens to me, then Dad will be devastated, too. Help me find a way out of here. Help me to help Quinn.
A thump sounded somewhere in the camper. Wait. Inside the camper? She must be mistaken. Unless...
“Quinn?” she whispered.
No. She had to get out now! Forget about finding Quinn’s trapdoor.
Bree fled in the direction of the main door, gritting her teeth through the throb in her ankle.
I can make it. I have to make it.
This was life-and-death. She didn’t have time to take it slow and keep quiet. She grappled with the doorknob—any moment someone could grab her from behind. Finally, she threw it open and fled the camper.
She stumbled down the short steps and nearly fell but caught herself, holding back the ridiculous whimper lodged in her throat, from both pain and fear.
Behind her, the door slammed shut.
Good job, Bree.
She had certainly given away that there was a camper if anyone was clueless. But someone had been inside and possibly searching for a warm body in the darkness so they could wrap their hands around a throat. Even though she didn’t know what she’d be facing out here, it felt better to be out than in.
She calmed her breathing. Her rapid heart rate. She could see better out here and protect herself. At least she still had the gun Quinn had given her. With trembling limbs, she remained behind a thick tangle of vines that loosely fell over the trailer and waited for whoever might come for her. Why, oh, why did she have to sprain her ankle?
Where are you, Quinn?
She had training in self-defense and law enforcement moves, but she didn’t have Quinn’s military training, which was far superior to anything she knew. She wouldn’t kid herself to think she could fight like him. But if she survived this, she would take extra training classes. Suggest it for all the deputies.
Footfalls crunched much too near.
The cadence was off.
Whoever was coming wasn’t Quinn. She held the weapon up but couldn’t see what or whom she was aiming at. Not good. Even if the footsteps sounded wrong, she couldn’t know with 100 percent accuracy it wasn’t Quinn.
A flicker of moonlight illuminated the silhouette of a big man as he stepped closer to the camper. It didn’t look like he wore night-vision goggles.
Her hands trembled. If she fired the weapon, she would be taking another life. She prayed he wouldn’t look at her. Wouldn’t somehow know she waited in the shadows.
Don’t look. Don’t look. Don’t make me do it.
The man turned his head in her direction.
Was she breathing too loudly? Were his senses that well-honed? Without entering the camper, the man turned and walked away.
She released a quiet sigh of relief.
Her body was slammed full force against the camper. She fired off a shot, but missed. He ripped the gun from her hand and tossed it aside. Bright lights floated around in her vision. An arm pressed against her throat, lifting her off the ground and pinning her against the Casita. She kicked and wrestled, all her focus on pulling his arm away from her throat, but it was no use. Pressure built in her head.
I’m going to die! God, help me!
“Got you.” The man ground out the words, his hot breath hitting her face.
Maybe she didn’t have top military elite forces training, but she could knee the jerk. Lungs burning for air, she had a few short seconds. She kicked him where it hurt him the most and made it count.
He grunted, then dropped her. Her feet hit the ground and her bum ankle gave out. She crumpled beneath him and sucked in air. Forced her limbs into action so she could crawl away and find the weapon he’d discarded. The man grabbed her leg. She turned and kicked him in the face. He growled and reached for her again, and once he had a hold of her, pain ignited with his brutal grip as he made to crawl on top of her.
Quinn appeared out of nowhere.
Again.
He freed her from the man’s grip and lifted him. Her attacker was now the one who got to be slammed against the Casita. It probably had a huge dent in it as hard as Quinn had thrown him. She started her search for the gun again. Quinn wasn’t carrying one that she could readily see, but he punched the man instead of using a weapon.
The man dropped unconscious to the ground.
Quinn turned to her then and lifted her to stand. He gripped her arms, sounding out of breath. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. But I had it under control.” Isn’t that what he’d said to her when she had saved him, even though he’d been in denial?
“I’m glad to hear it. I might not be around next time. It’s good to know you can handle yourself against the worst kinds of thugs.”
Wait. He thought she was serious. He thought she would have won that fight against that huge, brutal man. Well, she’d go along with it. “I’m a deputy, after all.”
“I know.”
Who was she kidding? This wasn’t the kind of engagement they practiced in law enforcement training. She would be changing her training days once she made it out of this. In the meantime, she wanted answers.
“Where did you go? You just left me there for bait. Was that your plan all along?”
* * *
Her accusation was like a brass-knuckled fist to his gut, knocking the breath from him. Leaving him momentarily stunned. He composed himself and inhaled the oxygen she’d kicked out of him. She really had a much lower opinion of him than he’d realized, and that was pretty low to begin with. He ignored the pain creeping across his heart and reached for the man on the ground.
How did he pick him up?
This guy was beefy—all muscle and brawn, and that, combined with his obvious military background, made him a lethal foe. He had to hurry before the guy regained consciousness.
He hadn’t really thought she could take him on her own, but she needed reassurance from him that she could do this. He didn’t exactly want her waiting around for him to show up. She was a deputy and he believed in her. But when he got the chance, he would teach Bree some invaluable defensive moves, if she’d let him.
He hauled the guy up and over his shoulder to carry him.
“I want an answer, Quinn. Did you leave me there for bait? To draw this guy out?”
He didn’t have time to stand around and put her concerns to rest. So he’d work while he talked, though they should keep it quiet. He headed for the camper door.
“How could you even suggest that?” He ground his molars. “Could you get the door, please?”
She limped over and propped it open long enough for him to carry the guy inside. He kept forgetting about that ankle. Too bad about that. They could make much better time if she weren’t injured.
Inside the camper in the dark, he made his way to where he knew the sofa to be and dropped the unconscious man, wincing when he heard the thud. Had he just broken the sofa or had he missed it completely? Quinn flipped the light switch on.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
He turned on her then. He and Bree—they’d always had sparks, and sometimes not necessarily the good kind. Like the sparks flying now. “First things first. Keep your voice down, please. Secondly, you don’t actually think I would leave you here to draw this guy to you, do you?” But he didn’t wait for her answer. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know. “To be clear, no. Absolutely not. I didn’t use you for bait.”
“You disappeared and left me here. How did you get out of here, anyway?”
“I have a trapdoor for such occasions.”
“That’s what I thought. Which brings me back to my point—you left me here alone without telling me the plan.”
“For your safety. I thought you understood. I needed to check who or what set off the booby trap. My plan was to confront him myself, not lead him to you. The trap had been triggered but I couldn’t see anyone. I... I forgot the thermal imaging monocular.” Because being near Bree threw off his equilibrium. He’d better get her to safety and stay far away from her. “Then I heard the gun go off and when I got back you were fighting off this guy outside. So why didn’t you stay put?”
“Because...because I thought someone had come into the cabin with me. It was weird. Just like you left undetected, it was as if someone had come inside. I felt a draft and heard something inside.”
“What?” Quinn’s heart rate ratcheted up. “Are you sure?”
“I don’t know. How can I know for sure? I fled the camper. But while I was outside, I hid in the vines and this guy tried to come inside, then thought better of it and walked away. Or so I thought. He only came around behind me to nab me.”
“I knew you were in trouble, but why didn’t you shoot him when you had the chance?”
“I tried but I missed. I don’t know what’s the matter with me. I’m not utilizing my law enforcement training. As soon as I saw him, I should have at least told him to freeze and cuffed him.”
“You still have your cuffs?”
“No. Jayce had them to cuff the men. But I could have tied the guy up.”
He honestly couldn’t tell if she was being sarcastic. He was being too hard on her. “Look, I’m sorry. This hasn’t exactly been the best day for either of us. I’m sorry I left you alone. I thought you understood to stay put and keep quiet. I should have explained. Next time, I won’t expect you to read my mind. Is that better?”
“Yes. Now, what are you doing with him? Torture him for information?”
“There isn’t time for that.” Had he just winked? He sighed and grabbed some plastic ties. “But I’ll tie him up, take his radio, cell and weapons—guns and knives. His shoes to make it more difficult for him in the woods. Everything but his clothes.”
“And you’re just going to leave him here?”
“Do you have a better suggestion?”
“We could take him with us.”
“No. We can’t. I can’t carry you and drag him along at the same time. Or even force him to come along. Besides, his friends can’t be far behind. They aren’t going to stop looking for us. They’ll find him soon enough. He could have signaled them already that he found the trailer. So we need to leave now.”
Quinn gathered the pack he’d saved for the day he would have to flee and never return. He honestly hadn’t believed this day would come. He certainly never imagined Bree would be part of it.
He opened the pack and glanced inside just to be sure he had it all. Hydration. Protein bars. An extra gun and ammo. Dropped in this guy’s goods—as much as he could fit inside.
It should be enough for him to get Bree back to civilization. Except...he’d have to carry her and the pack. Exhaustion threatened. He’d hoped to stay in the cabin to rest for a bit, but that was no longer an option.
“Okay, just so we’re clear. You’re riding on my back again. And you’ll be wearing this pack.”
“What? No, Quinn, that’s too much weight for you to carry.”
“You weigh, what—a buck twenty? In the military, I carried a 120-pound pack in addition to the gear I wore, so it’s not like I haven’t done this before.” So what if he was out of practice. Served him right.
“No time to argue.” He shifted his gaze to take her in. Bree was athletic. Strong. Trained. She would make it. Together, they would make it. Quinn would ensure it if it was the last thing he did. “Are you ready?”
She opened her mouth to argue more, but let it go and nodded.
Quietly, they exited the camper. Quinn led her around to the other side where it backed up onto a ridge. Nobody could easily approach from the back side. Still, he looked at the path ahead with the monocular for signs of danger. Morning would come earlier than he would like and expose them. He preferred the darkness so he could stay hidden himself and could more easily see his enemies before they saw him.
His enemies. Now Bree’s enemies, too.
This new development bumped up his timeline to expose the darkness chasing him. He’d waited too long, if these men had found him and come for him, endangering someone he cared about. Both of their lives were in danger now. And more than that, if they made it out of this, their hearts were in danger, too. The last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt Bree again. That would crush him.
The sooner he could get her to safety, the better for them both.
FIVE
She would almost rather be facing off with bad guys in a shoot-out. Almost. Holding on to Quinn as he made his way over treacherous, terrifying landscape was proving to be a rigorous test of her mettle. But if he could pass, then she could, too.
At least she’d keep telling herself that.
Even in the coldest part of a summer night, sweat beaded on Bree’s brow. At her temples. Along the middle of her back. And worse—on the palms of her hands. As if mirroring her thoughts, her hands slipped apart, and she grabbed his arms before falling completely away.
“Stop, Quinn. Just stop.”
“I can’t stop here. Just wait.”
“I meant as soon as you can. I’m afraid I’m going to slip off.” And fall to my death.
He grunted with the effort of slowly making his way down the ridge. Finally, he positioned himself to release her.
She climbed off and shrugged out of his pack. “It’s no use.”
“You’re not giving up already, are you?” he asked.
“I’m not one to give up. But this isn’t working. There has to be something better than mountain climbing our way to safety. Maybe we could just follow the riverbank. We might run into someone with a boat.”
He offered her water, which she eagerly took, and after chugging half of it, she angled her head. “You hear that?”
“Yeah. A helicopter.”
Her heart skipped a beat.
“They’re searching for us.” God, please let them find Jayce. She hoped they already had. He could tell them where to find her, or at least the direction she’d run.
Her heart sank again as she realized that even if Jayce told them the last place he’d seen her, Quinn had taken them far from where this had all started.
“At night?” he asked.
“Sheriff Garrison won’t give up on finding us, even at night.” And sitting up high on the ridge and above the thick tree canopy, she could more easily see the hint of graying skies as morning would soon dawn. It would be easier for them to be spotted soon.
“In the meantime, we can’t just sit around and wait,” he said. “We have to keep going.”
“We could somehow signal them. Have you got a flare in that bag?”
“No. And even if I did, your sheriff’s department isn’t the only one searching.” Quinn finally took a seat next to her and rubbed the back of his neck. “We can’t afford to draw their attention and bring them down on us. They would kill us before we could be rescued, don’t you understand?”
She tried to push down the rising disappointment. How could she signal the good guys and let them know she was here without letting the bad guys know, too?
I’m here. Look, see, I’m here! Despite Quinn’s warning, she wanted to jump up and down on the rock. Maybe signal with a flashlight. But she couldn’t see the helicopter yet. She could only hear it. She’d wait for that opportunity if it came. Even if her signal alerted the bad guys, at least the searchers would know to rescue them.
Except the sound grew distant until she could no longer hear it.
No...
She and Quinn would have to make it out on their own.
Bree drank more water and studied Quinn. Surreal. Absolutely surreal that she sat next to him now. The reasons why were even more incredible.
“So all this time you’ve been here hiding—literally, hiding—and you haven’t even contacted your sisters?”
He shook his head. “It’s not that I didn’t want to see them. I haven’t been the model brother, I know that. I just...after Mom and Dad died in the accident—” he blew out a breath “—and I survived, I think I struggled to be close to anyone.” He lifted his head enough to peer at her from under his brows.
She read him then. You of all people should know that.
Yes, she did know. She wished things could have been different for him. If his parents had survived, would things have turned out differently for Bree and Quinn? Would they have gotten married and had kids? Would Steve still be alive? So many what-ifs, it could drive her crazy if she let it. Strange how one event could change so many lives. But none of that mattered. What mattered was this moment in time.
And this hurting person next to her.
She wished there were something she could do or say to make it all better, but in the end, Quinn had to work through his issues himself. He’d tried, she’d give him that. Serving in the armed forces, and then working with the DEA. And now she realized that he’d tried with her, too. But he couldn’t give any more. For all his bravery, his guts and strength, the guy was actually afraid to live. What he was doing now didn’t really count as living because, to Bree, without love, what was life?
Quinn was too afraid of losing someone—anyone, be it a wife or a sister—so he couldn’t get close or cherish anyone. He couldn’t embrace life.
But who was she to judge?
She winced. She wasn’t in much better condition herself. Quinn had certainly cured her of her willingness to subject herself to being left behind without so much as an “it’s me, not you” breakup.
Except despite her issues with relationships, no one had ever made her heart pound like him. Even now, sitting next to him in this life-and-death situation, she wanted to be in his arms. Her mind immediately jumped to the kisses they’d shared when dating.
She was so pathetic. Time to shift her thoughts.
“I ran into both Jonna and Sadie on the job once,” she said, referring to his sisters. “It’s been a while.”
“Oh yeah?” He finished his water with one long gulp.
He tried to appear nonchalant, but she could see in his eyes that he craved hearing something about his family. Poor Quinn. Really, he made this life for himself, and she shouldn’t feel sorry for him, but maybe it was more compassion that she felt. She understood his fear. He’d been damaged as a kid when he lost his parents and had never recovered.
“I don’t know if you keep up with them. Call them or anything. I mean, before, when you weren’t hiding. Or if you even showed up at their weddings.”
“I knew they got married.”
Sad.
He flinched at the disappointed look she gave him and she felt a pang of remorse. She hadn’t meant to reveal her thoughts that way.
In return, he tossed her an incredulous scowl. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. I was in the middle of a bad situation and I couldn’t just flit off to a wedding. Do I regret it? Of course I do. I hated everything about my life then, and, honestly, now. You think I wanted to be holed up here, waiting the bad guys out and hoping for an opportunity to turn things around? But not seeing my sisters get married—sure, it was a high price to pay but that’s the cost of the work I did.”
“Undercover work?”
He nodded. “You really have no idea how ugly working undercover for the DEA can get, but that’s a story for another time.”
Another time? Would they see each other again once he helped her get back to town? She doubted it. And if the criminals they were running from were any indication of how bad it could get working undercover in the drug wars, she thought she might understand—at least a little.
“So you ran into them. How were they doing?” The tone in his voice revealed how much he missed them.
If only Bree could help him find his way back to Coldwater Bay for real, without all this hiding business.
“Well, the circumstances in which I saw them weren’t the best. I was working. Sadie had a run-in with a bad guy. I was there at the end when we arrested the man responsible and took statements. He was involved in maritime drug running and exotic drug schemes. She met her Coast Guard Investigative Service husband that way, though.”
Quinn leaned back on his elbows and drew his face up to the gray morning sky. Closed his eyes as if soaking in her words. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair. Comfort him. But if telling him about his sisters brought him a measure of happiness, she could do that, too.
“And Jonna? What about her?”
“She had come to help protect Sadie. Gage Sessions, the CGIS guy, had called her. She looked good when I saw her. Then, later, she had some bad guys from her past show up at the inn. She and her bodyguard worked that out. Took care of it all. Sorry I don’t have more details, but I’m only sharing what I know working for the sheriff’s department. I can tell you she married the bodyguard.”
“I knew that. I know they live at the lodge on the coast,” he said, “but also run a security consulting business.”
She smiled. “I’m glad to hear that you do try to keep up with them.”
“And Cora, did she run into a bad guy, too?”
“I don’t know. I saw in the paper she got married to someone with NCIS.”
He grinned then. “All three of them married to protective men. I’m glad to hear it, since I couldn’t be there to be the protective brother for them.”
She heard the pain in his voice.
“But you are a protector, Quinn.” She touched his arm, wanting to give so much more comfort. “You’re protecting me.”
* * *
Oh, please don’t do that...
Her simple touch on his arm sent a fully charged current through him. She’d been the one woman he’d wanted and thought he could love for a lifetime. But now after everything, even if he decided to allow himself to love her, he didn’t deserve her. Not after leaving her. Not after what happened with her brother.
Weird how it took all his willpower to keep his hands anchored to the rocks. Keep his arms from wrapping around her and feeling the warmth coming from her body and pouring from her heart, the emotion he knew she wanted to give.
If only he could give back.
He thought of the Bree he’d known in high school. So full of life and energy. They’d had some of the best times two people who were deeply infatuated with each other—maybe even loved each other—could have. She was naive back then, as he’d been. He risked a glimpse at her sitting on the rock, looking on as the sun rose over the mountains, and he took in the beautiful woman she’d become. It could take his breath away if he let it.
And he absolutely couldn’t let it. Had to refocus if he wanted to keep them alive.
He shifted on the rock and stretched. They’d rested long enough.
The sun would soon light up the sky completely, and much too soon. They needed to be far away from their pursuers by then. Once he delivered her to the town and the sheriff where she would be safe, that should be the last time he’d see her. Her law enforcement brothers and sisters would keep her safe. The thought that he wouldn’t see her again weighed on his heart heavier than he’d expected.
Still, he let himself smile. To think he was sitting here with Bree watching the sun rise. He went as far as to let himself chuckle. “You’re a protector, too, Bree. You probably don’t even need me to help you. And if it weren’t for the men after me and now you, then you wouldn’t have seen me.”
“You wouldn’t have come to assist me even if it had been some other kind of criminals?” A little hurt crackled through her soft voice.
A lump grew in his throat. Would he have? “Why should I? You’re a capable deputy. But I just happened to know how utterly brutal those men are. When I watched them on the river with my binoculars, I couldn’t believe it was them. That Michael Jones, the head of the drug gang in the New Orleans area, had actually sent them. I recognized one of his hit men. And then the worst-case scenario happened—I saw the sheriff’s department boat approach and I saw you. My heart couldn’t have beat harder. I was terrified. I knew you were only stopping to assist them. It was easy enough to see their motor had failed. But that could turn deadly and you didn’t know what you were up against. I wish I could have warned you, but it was impossible.”
“After I stopped to assist them, I saw the weapons. Illegal guns. Machine guns. One of the men tried to reach for one and take us out, but I held him off. And then it all went south.” Bree swiped at her eyes. “If only I had listened to Jayce. He wanted to turn around sooner. Get home earlier. Stevie had a birthday party yesterday. I wonder...could Dad have gone ahead without me?” She thrust her head forward and sobbed. “Oh, what have I done? If only we had turned around sooner. I could have been at his party. Stevie and Dad wouldn’t be worried. Jayce, Cindy and Taylor would have been there. He would be okay. Maybe those men would never have found you, but now because you helped me, they’re onto you.”
“I doubt your father had the party without you, Bree. He would have been way too worried. I’m sure the party was postponed. Little Stevie would understand.” Maybe not, but her father would have figured out how to appease the child, even in the face of his worst nightmare—possibly losing his daughter, after he’d already lost his son.
Okay. Quinn was done holding back. He took her in his arms, and she willingly leaned into him and sobbed on his shoulder. He settled her against him, allowing her anguish to wash over him, too.
If only he could remove it completely from her.
They both had regrets. She regretted not turning back. He regretted coming here to hide in the first place. But he wouldn’t bring that up now and berate himself. She had a lot to work through, including processing how she felt about the man she’d killed back there to save Quinn’s hide. Bree could get counseling for that and with help, she’d work through it.
Before she could do any of that, he’d have to get her home and safely back to a family that loved her. What was left of her family anyway, after Steve had died.
And Quinn had left her to deal with her brother’s death alone. He’d doomed himself to always be alone. And because of that, he would allow himself to savor this moment with this particular woman in his arms. She was shattered now, but with time, she would recover. After all, she did have a loving family to return to. Little Stevie needed her, and Bree wouldn’t let him down.
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