Retrieving the Bersa Thunder 380 from her clutch purse, Delphine shot three times at the man at her boss’s four o’clock.
He went down, returning fire.
Delphine grabbed her arm and spun to the ground.
Jacob yanked the Coonan free and dropped his first man before Delphine disappeared from sight. “Get down,” he yelled, shoving Elaine and landing on top of her. He barrel rolled away from her and found his second target. Flashes of light from the end of the man’s gun obscured his face, while dirt and grass flew up all around Jacob’s prone body. He got off two shots and continued his roll.
Another gun—to Jacob’s left—joined the fight. He looked left. Damn it. He lined up his sights on the first man, who was on one knee, but not out of the fray. He emptied the 1911’s magazine, and rammed a full one home, while rolling back the way he had come.
Coming to a halt, he noticed the reports of the incoming rounds had changed. He pointed his weapon toward the direction of the source and found the second man on his target list. Jacob’s 357 Magnum roared three times.
Target Two grabbed his body, slumped over and fell onto his side, revealing a woman aiming a tiny gun at Jacob.
Jacob’s finger went back to the trigger.
On her butt, the woman—one arm locked straight out, holding up her body—swayed sideways and fell backward.
Jacob scanned left and came back to the woman. He jumped up and sidestepped left. “Elaine. Are you okay?”
“Yes…I think so.”
He jogged further left. “Felicity?”
“I’m okay.”
After double-checking the fallen gunmen, confirming they were dead, he knelt in front of Delphine. “Where are you hit?”
“My,” she grunted, “arm.”
He performed a quick battlefield assessment, feeling around the wound, while stealing glimpses over each shoulder, looking for Amber and Xavier; they were gone. “The bullet missed the bone, but you’re going to need some medical attention.” He whirled around. “Felicity, get over here.” He came back to the woman. “You’re going to be all right, but right now I need to—”
“Go,” Delphine jerked her head and winced. “I saw him take her into the woods. Go get her.”
Frowning, Jacob shook his head at the woman. “Why?”
She stared at Felicity and Elaine drawing up behind him. “I’ve done so much I’m not proud of that,” she blinked and tears streaked down her cheeks, “I just wanted to do something good.” Sitting up, she wailed and grabbed her arm.
“Lie back.” He helped her to the ground. “Try not to move your arm. Felicity, I need you to put pressure on the wound.” He cranked his head around.
Arms folded, Felicity glared at the bleeding woman.
“Regardless of what she’s done in the past…tonight, she helped save our lives.”
Felicity shifted her weight to the other foot.
He stood and took her by the arms. “Look, after all you’ve been through, I realize she’s the last person you want to deal with, but,” he glanced toward the trees, “I need to find your sister and I can’t do that and care for the wounded.” He twisted her upper body, so she faced him. “Please. Put aside the past and do this.” His voice went deeper and softer. “If you can’t do that, then…do it for me.”
After gritting her teeth and squinting at Jacob for several seconds, Felicity glimpsed Delphine, came back to Jacob and let out a deep sigh. “Elaine, let’s get her sweater off. We’ll use that to stop the bleeding.”
He smiled and briefly squeezed her upper arms. “Thank you.”
She clutched a jacket lapel and brought him closer. “Find Amber.”
“I will.” He bolted toward the woods, where he thought he had seen a flash of red—Amber’s gown—during the gunfight.
… … … … …
Crouching, Jacob slipped between two pine trees and went to one knee. He picked up a smooth, red article of clothing. Amber’s. He set his jaw. I’m going to kill him. He tossed the garment and plodded forward, swinging the 1911 left and right.
Jacob fast walked along the edge of the tree line, stealing glances in all directions. He stopped, squatted and listened. A twig broke, and he whipped his head right, toward the forest. That’s too loud to be a small animal. Pushing aside a low-hanging branch, he disappeared into the woods.
Placing one foot down at a time, careful not to twist an ankle on a pinecone, or snap a twig himself, Jacob snaked through the trees. A muffled cry came from his two o’clock. He squatted and faced the sound, squinting. The clouds parted overhead, and he caught a glimpse of white silhouetted against a black form. His mind saw Amber’s dress on the ground. She’s almost naked. That’s got to be her.
… … … … …
With one hand clamped over her mouth and a separate arm locked around her neck, Amber backpedalled in her captor’s clutches. Her sandals occasionally slipped on the uneven ground; she was dragged before she got her footing again.
His head whipping left and right, over each shoulder, Xavier navigated the thickly wooded area. He went right and forced his way between several pine branches, his jacket protecting him from the needles.
Amber shut her eyes and winced, as her legs and arms were pricked and scratched. Twisting her head to the side, she freed her mouth and let out a short cry. The hand quickly slapped over her face again. After another ten feet of abrasions to her limbs, she and Xavier entered a clearing. A gap in the canopy above allowed the moon to light up the area.
Xavier scanned all directions and listened. The sound of passing cars caught his ear. He led his captive away, toward the motorized vehicles.
Amber kicked and fought, pulling on the arm cutting off her oxygen supply.
Xavier stopped and put the gun to her head. His lips touching her right ear, he half growled and half whispered. “If you don’t want me to screw one into your brain right now—” keeping the gun against her right temple, he let go of her mouth, wrapped the free arm around her neck and turned both of their bodies toward the sound of rustling branches.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
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