Hawk led the way back through the woods toward the cabin motel, stopping abruptly when he came face-to-face with Mike and Matt Callahan.
“What happened?” Mike demanded.
Hawk glanced at Ryker, who shrugged. “Barton covered for us with the deputies and left. Where is Jillian and Lizzy?”
“Waiting in the clearing,” Matt answered.
Hawk scowled. “I trusted you to keep them safe.”
“She insisted,” Mike said wryly. “It was all I could do to make her stay in the SUV with your daughter.”
Duchess wheeled around then, growling low in her throat. Matt instantly removed the K-9ꞌs leash so as not to hamper the dog’s ability to move. “What is it, girl?”
Hawk didn’t like the way Duchess was acting, especially when the K-9 instantly turned around and disappeared back the way they’d come. Pushing past Matt, Hawk ran after Duchess.
His vision was growing blurry, but he forced himself to keep going. Something was wrong. Very wrong. The K-9 had picked up on it.
Hawk burst through the trees into the clearing. His gaze landed on Jillian standing near the driver’s-side door of the SUV. There was a man dressed in black standing behind her.
He came to an abrupt halt roughly twenty feet from them when he realized the guy was holding a gun. Duchess stood right in front of Jillian and the gunman, continuing to growl low in her throat.
“Duchess, heel,” Matt commanded.
It took a moment for the K-9 to abandon her post. She trotted to Matt’s side and sat, ears perked forward as she continued to stare at the gunman.
“Stay back, or I’ll kill her,” the gunman threatened.
Hawk took a deep breath and let it out, slowly. He recognized the gunman as his old buddy, Colin Yonkers.
For a moment he wondered if the guy was here alone or if other mercenaries were right now hiding in the woods.
“Well, if it isn’t my old friend James Wade,” Yonkers drawled in a snide tone. “I couldn’t believe it when we found out you were still alive.”
“I’m sure.” Hawk tried to think of a way to get Yonkers away from Jillian. He felt a flash of anger toward Senator Barton. The guy knew Yonkers was guilty but hadn’t had him arrested.
And now the former soldier was holding a gun on his wife. Hawk needed to find a way to keep Yonkers focused on him, rather than on Jillian and Lizzy.
From where he stood, he was close enough to the SUV to hear Lizzy crying from inside the SUV.
“It’s me you want, Yonkers,” Hawk called out, holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Let the woman go. I’m the one you want. It’s been that way since Afghanistan, hasn’t it?”
“You’ve been a problem from the very beginning, James,” Colin said in a conversational tone. “But it ends here. I want all three of you to drop your weapons. Now!”
Three? Hawk did his best not to react to the realization that one of them hadn’t stumbled forward into the clearing, and was still in hiding.
Had to be Ryker.
“Okay, fine.” Hawk carefully took the strap of the AK-47, which he’d picked up from the ground after the senator had flown off in his chopper, from around his body and tossed the gun to his left side. The motion sent a shaft of pain up his arm, but he ignored it.
He needed every ounce of his strength and will to get them out of this mess.
Please, Lord, I need You now more than ever. Grant me the strength to protect Jillian, Lizzy and the Callahans.
“The others, too,” Yonkers insisted.
Hawk didn’t dare look back at Matt and Mike. He kept his gaze focused on the hostile in front of him. He heard the sound of two thuds indicating the Callahan brothers had tossed their weapons aside.
He knew Ryker was armed, but that wouldn’t help unless he could figure out how to get Jillian far enough away from Yonkers for Ryker to get a clean shot.
“Take me,” Hawk repeated. “She doesn’t know anything.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Yonkers replied, obviously stalling for time as he planned his next move. Hawk had the impression that the guy had hoped to have Jillian and Lizzy in his custody as hostages before Hawk returned. And that he hadn’t realized the Callahans were at the scene as well.
Two small facts in their favor.
“Where’s your sister, Olivia?” Hawk asked.
His attempt to divert Colin’s attention worked. The former soldier frowned. “What do you mean? Olivia is fine.”
“Not so much,” Hawk countered. “I was at her place, and she’s missing. So is her son, Aaron.”
Yonkers looked confused for a moment, then gave his head a little shake. “You’re lying. She’s fine. I stashed her someplace safe.”
“Does your sister know her husband is dead?” Hawk was hoping, praying, that Ryker would get in position, soon. “That I killed him at the cabin?”
The flash of guilt in Yonkers’s eyes confirmed that he’d told his sister the truth. Had Olivia blamed Colin for her husband’s death? “Shut up!”
Hawk ignored the directive. “You can’t kill us all,” he pointed out. “You may as well take me and let the others go. Too many dead bodies and the authorities will get suspicious.”
“Not if I make it look like an accident,” Yonkers countered. “It worked for the plane crash in the mountains.”
Hawk wasn’t surprised to hear Yonkers knew all about the plane crash over the Appalachian Mountains. Yet Barton seemed to think that the sabotage was someone higher up in the arms-running organization. Like maybe the owners of the mercenary group.
“What, you’re planning to stuff all of us in the SUV?” Hawk was determined to keep Yonkers talking. He imagined Ryker was hiding in the woods, planning his next move. “Doubt that will work.”
“No, I think the cabin will be better. A Christmas tree fire that got out of control, killing every one of you.” Yonkers gestured with his gun. “You three go inside first, with the dog. One wrong move and I won’t hesitate to put a bullet into Mrs. Wade’s pretty little head.”
Hawk didn’t want to go inside the cabin, leaving Jillian and Lizzy with the mercenary. But what choice did he have?
Jillian stared at him with wide, frightened eyes. He could tell she was worried about Lizzy. He wanted to reassure her that they’d find a way out of this mess, but he knew that Ryker wouldn’t make his move unless Jillian was out of harm’s way.
“We aren’t the only ones who know about the gun sales to the insurgents,” Hawk said. “We already sent the proof to the authorities.” It was a desperate bluff and he knew it. Yet there was always the possibility Yonkers might buy his story.
“If you had, this place would be crawling with Feds. Besides, I was hiding in the woods when the locals left. Now get into the cabin, or she dies.” Yonkers lifted his gun closer to the back of Jillian’s head.
Feeling as if he were letting her down in the worst way possible, he took a step toward the cabin, his brain frantically searching for a way out.
“Your plan won’t work,” Jillian abruptly said, breaking her silence. “We don’t have a Christmas tree. Killing us in the cabin will never look like an accident.”
“A faulty heater, then.” Yonkers wasn’t daunted by Jillian’s comment. “I’ll figure out something, now get moving!”
Hawk took another step, when a slight movement in the trees behind Yonkers caught his eye.
Finally! Ryker was in position.
It was now or never. They couldn’t risk being held up in the cabin. The close quarters would only work against them.
He looked directly at Jillian, imploring her to understand what he needed her to do. She returned his stare for a long second. Then she deliberately closed both of her eyes and opened them again. Good. That meant she was in sync with his plan. She had no doubt figured out that Ryker was still out there and could help them. She was willing to do whatever was necessary.
He looked down at the ground, then back up at her. He did it twice and she blinked again, acknowledging the plan.
Time stopped as if the universe was holding its breath, waiting for what would come next.
“Now!” Hawk shouted as he dove to the ground. Duchess let out a series of loud barks, distracting Yonkers.
Jillian hit the ground at the same time Hawk shouted. A sharp crack of gunfire echoed through the clearing.
Yonkers dropped forward, hitting the ground right behind Jillian, the impact from Ryker’s well-placed bullet taking him out. Hawk shoved himself upright and ran over to Jillian. After taking a moment to kick Yonkers’s gun out of the way, he turned to attend to his wife.
“Are you okay?” He patted her arms and legs, searching for any sign of an injury.
“Fine,” she managed. She threw herself into Hawk’s embrace as Matt and Mike rushed forward. Duchess stood guard over Yonkers, as if determined to make sure the guy didn’t get back up.
He didn’t.
“Lizzy,” Jillian said in a choked voice. “I don’t want her to see Yonkers.”
Hawk looked up at Matt, who quickly went around to the other side of the SUV. Matt opened the back passenger door, then deftly unbuckled Lizzy from her car seat. He hauled her into his arms, cradling her close, staying on the opposite side of the SUV from where Yonkers was lying on the ground.
“It’s okay, everything is fine,” Matt crooned. Duchess came over to his side, apparently understanding that Yonkers was no longer a threat.
Duchess nudged Lizzy’s foot with her nose and Lizzy turned her tear-streaked face toward the K-9. “Duchess,” she said, holding out her tiny hand toward the animal.
The diversion worked. Hawk helped Jillian to her feet and together gave the mercenary a wide berth as they went over to where Matt waited with Lizzy.
Ryker had come out of the woods and was talking to Mike, no doubt getting the other side of the story that he’d missed while hiding.
“You’re sure there isn’t anyone lurking around?” Hawk asked.
“I didn’t find anyone. That’s what took me so long to get around to a spot behind Yonkers. I had to move slowly, to be sure I didn’t stumble onto any unpleasant surprises.”
Hawk nodded. “Nice timing.” Hawk didn’t look away from his buddy when Jillian took Lizzy into her arms. “That’s twice you bailed me out in a matter of hours.”
Under different circumstances, he knew Ryker might have made a smart comeback. But his buddy eyed Jillian and Lizzy, and simply nodded.
“Yes, thank you, Ryker.” Jillian’s smile was wobbly and she looked as if she might cry. Hawk knew they needed to call this in, and to turn over the evidence they had about the arms dealing to the FBI. He felt certain that with Yonkers gone, the rest of the operation would fall apart.
The danger was finally over.
* * *
Jillian collapsed on the sofa inside the cabin, cradling Lizzy close. Her entire body trembled, and even though logically she knew the danger was over, she couldn’t seem to stop shaking. It was as if Yonkers still held the gun on her.
If not for God watching over them, she knew this situation would have ended badly. Yonkers had made it clear that he would find a way to kill them all in order to protect his secret.
So many deaths, all to cover up the sale of American guns to the insurgents.
She hoped and prayed Lizzy hadn’t seen too much from her car seat. Of if she had, that her daughter was too young to understand.
Duchess followed her to the sofa, as if instinctively knowing that Jillian and Lizzy needed her. Lizzy put a hand on Duchess’s silky fur and murmured, “Nice doggie.”
“We’re safe now, Lizzy,” she assured her daughter.
Lizzy nodded and cuddled her teddy bear close.
Hawk stood there watching them for a moment, then pulled out his phone. “I need to call Barton. He needs to help us mitigate the damage from taking down Yonkers. I’m sure it won’t be long before the sheriff’s deputies return. I’m surprised the owner of this place hasn’t called them already.”
“Agreed.” Ryker lifted a brow. “You better sit down to make the call, Hawk. You’re not looking so good.”
That caught Jillian’s attention. She sent a sharp gaze toward Hawk in time to see him sway a bit before dropping into the closest kitchen chair.
She wondered when he’d taken his last dose of antibiotic. It wasn’t easy to shift her daughter off her lap and onto the sofa. Duchess lightly jumped up next to Lizzy, curling up beside the little girl.
Jillian pushed off the sofa and headed toward Hawk. “Where are your antibiotics?”
Hawk shook his head and then turned his attention to his call. “Barton? It’s Hawk. Yonkers is dead. He threatened to kill Jillian, so we took him out of commission.” Hawk fell silent for a moment. “Yeah, get here as soon as you can. Bring the Feds.”
Jillian put her hand on Hawk’s arm, gasping at the heat emanating from his skin. He was running a fever. Taking more oral antibiotics weren’t going to help.
He needed to get to the hospital.
“Ryker, will you please stay here with Mike?” Jillian asked. “Matt, I’d like you and Duchess to come with me and Lizzy while we take Hawk to the closest hospital. He’s burning up with a fever and I’m sure his gunshot wound is infected.”
“Not yet,” Hawk protested. “I need to wait for Senator Barton.”
“Why?” Jillian demanded. “Ryker and Mike can fill Barton in on the details. You can’t wait much longer.”
Hawk remained stubbornly silent. She sent Ryker an imploring look. “Talk to him, will you?”
Ryker let out a sigh. “Hawk, listen to your wife. We have this under control.”
“What about the Blake-Moore group?” Hawk asked, enunciating the words carefully as if he were having trouble speaking. “They’re still out there, somewhere.”
Jillian felt a chill snake down her back. “I thought Ryker checked the area for them?”
“Not here,” Ryker quickly spoke up. “He just means that the organization is still in business.”
It occurred to her then that they still hadn’t figured out who had hired the Blake-Moore group. Although, at the moment, she didn’t care. Hawk had begun to shiver, despite the burning heat radiating from his skin. “We need to go now. Or call an ambulance.” She glared at him. “Your choice.”
“No ambulance.” The words were a bit slurred and that was enough to scare her almost as much as being held at gunpoint.
Maybe more. Hawk had been so strong, so invincible since the moment he’d saved her from the masked gunmen at her house, that it hurt to see him like this.
“Matt, I need your help.” She tried to help Hawk stagger to his feet, but he was far too heavy.
Thankfully, Ryker and Mike stepped up to help. With a man on either side of Hawk, they hauled him to his feet. Jillian went over to the sofa to get Lizzy.
“No! Don’t wanna ride in the car!” Lizzy kicked out her feet. “I’m hungry!”
“I know.” Jillian felt bad she’d forgotten about providing food for her daughter. So much had happened in what seemed like such a short time. “We’ll take some crackers with us in the car. We need to take Daddy to the hospital, okay?”
“Will these work?” Matt pulled a box of saltine crackers from the cupboard.
“Yes, thanks.” She wrestled Lizzy back into her coat. “We’ll ride with Duchess. Won’t that be fun?”
Bringing up the dog worked. Lizzy took the proffered cracker and began to eat as Jillian carried her out to the car. She was horrified at how weak Hawk was in his efforts to get into the vehicle.
“Should I call an ambulance?” She glanced at Matt, indecision crowding her eyes.
“By the time they get here, you could be more than halfway to the hospital.” Matt opened the back of the SUV for Duchess. “I say we just go. I’ll drive.”
She didn’t argue, knowing it was best to have her hands free to keep Lizzy happy with crackers. Besides, she was worried about Hawk. They’d put him in the back next to Lizzy.
Matt didn’t waste any time in barreling out of the long, winding driveway to the highway. Traffic was light, but since it this late in December, dusk was already beginning to fall although it was barely three thirty in the afternoon.
Twisting in her seat, Jillian looked back at Hawk. He was slumped in the corner, with his eyes closed. Lizzy was munching another cracker, seemingly in a better mood.
“Hurry, Matt,” she whispered. “I’m worried about him.”
“I know.” Matt pressed his foot harder on the accelerator.
The ride seemed to take forever, but it was surprisingly only fifteen minutes before Matt gestured to the blue H sign, indicating the hospital was up ahead. “We’re close now.”
“Good.” Jillian handed Lizzy another cracker, then leaned back to pat Hawk’s knee. “Hawk? Can you hear me? We’re almost at the hospital.”
Hawk’s eyelashes fluttered but he didn’t respond. A cold fist of fear clutched her heart.
What if they were too late? What if the infection in Hawk’s bloodstream was too far gone?
She couldn’t bear the thought of losing Hawk. She needed him. Lizzy needed him.
When Matt pulled up to the front of the entrance marked Emergency, she jumped out and ran inside. “Help! We need help!”
Two staff members wearing scrubs followed her outside. Matt had opened the back door and was trying to support Hawk’s weight.
“Get a gurney!”
One of the staff members spun around to head back inside. Jillian hovered near the nurse.
“He suffered a gunshot wound in his left shoulder a few days ago. I’m afraid it’s infected.”
The nurse barely glanced at her. “He’s going into septic shock. We need to get him inside, stat!”
Septic shock? Jillian couldn’t believe how Hawk had gotten so sick, so fast. She moved out of the way to make room for the stretcher. With Matt’s help, the two hospital staff members were able to get Hawk on the gurney. After securing the straps around his torso, they quickly ran with him inside the emergency department.
Jillian watched them go, then slumped against the SUV and buried her face in her hands.
Dear Lord, please heal Hawk’s infection. Don’t take him from me to bring him home to You. Not yet. Please? Amen.