Protecting Her Daughter (Wrangler's Corner) (3 page)

Breathing heavily, Aaron pulled Pete from the stall then went back and grabbed his coat. He shoved his hands into the sleeves, grabbed Pete’s gun, then slipped back out of the stall shutting the mama and baby in behind him. He stuck Pete’s gun in his shoulder holster.

A phone, he needed a phone.

He patted the man down, searched his pockets and came up empty. Great. There was a phone in the office.

He raced to it and twisted the knob. Locked. And he didn’t have his keys. Aaron stepped back, lifted a foot and kicked. The door shook, but held. Three more kicks and it swung open. He grabbed the handset from the base and turned it on. Listened.

To nothing.

He groaned. They’d cut the landline.

He stopped and pressed a hand against his forehead.
Think, think. Consider your options.

And came up with one.

Overpower Jed, get the others out before Cody came back. Or Pete woke up. It wasn’t a great plan—or even a plan at all—it was just what he knew he had to do.

Aaron slipped out of the barn and up to the house. He figured boss man would be in the den or at least near it to keep an eye on Lance, Zoe and Sophia. He’d go in the front door as he figured it was probably still unlocked. His rushing adrenaline made him shaky and clumsy. He took a deep breath. He wasn’t a cop, this wasn’t his deal. He was perfectly happy to leave catching the bad guys and rescuing people to Clay and the deputies, but today it fell to him.

He wanted to hurry, but had to be careful. If he got caught this time, there wouldn’t be a third chance for escape. They didn’t need him as Pete had just proven while in the barn. He and Lance were collateral damage. He couldn’t believe Pete had bought his story about neighbors coming to check on the cow. Most likely, they’d have heard her and figured she was giving birth and Aaron was there to help. Birth was a noisy affair, and the neighbors knew that. Aaron’s hunch that Pete wouldn’t know that had paid off.

At the front door, he paused, placed a hand on the knob and twisted slowly. Nothing happened, so he cracked it enough to see inside. The foyer, the living area to the left, dining to the right. The den was straight ahead. He slipped inside and shut the door behind him.

He listened, ear tuned to the slightest sound, muscles bunched and ready to act. Sounded like Jed was on the phone. He glanced out the window and thought he saw a vehicle down the drive. Cody coming back?

Heart racing, he moved until he could see Lance still on the couch with Zoe. Sophia sat between them. He caught Lance’s eye. Lance blinked but made no other indication that he’d seen Aaron.

“Fine. I’ll take care of it. I’ll deliver them both tonight. And you’d better have the rest of my money.”

Aaron raised the gun.

Lance shifted. “Hey, when are we going to get something to eat? Sophia needs some food even if you’re not going to feed the rest of us.”

Jed stepped into view, the back of his head toward Aaron. He pointed to Zoe. “Go fix something.”

Zoe moved to stand when Aaron stepped up behind Jed and placed his gun against the man’s head. “Move and you die.” The man froze. “Put the weapon on the counter.” Jed did. With his free hand, Aaron took the gun and held it. He nodded to Zoe. “Cut Lance loose.”

She raced into the kitchen and came back with a knife. She cut the tape and Lance stood. Jed twitched like he wanted to try something. Aaron pressed the gun harder. “Don’t.” The man stilled.

“Hey, Jed, Pete? I got the part,” Cody called as the back door slammed behind him.

FOUR

Z
oe froze, but didn’t have time to stand there for long. Jed started to call out, but Lance’s fist shot out and caught him in the jaw. Aaron brought the gun down on the back of his head for good measure and the man crumpled to the floor. Lance took the gun from Aaron. “Get them out of here. I’ll deal with Cody.”

But Cody appeared in the small hallway between the kitchen and the den before Lance could get there. Cody stood for a brief moment, his jaw swinging as he took in the scene, but Zoe didn’t stop in her rush to get Sophia out of the house. She reached the large bookcase next to the front door and pulled Sophia next to it praying it was out of the line of fire. She could feel her child’s body trembling, but she never made a sound.

“Hey!” She saw Cody’s hand lift, the gun aimed at Lance. Lance dropped and rolled in front of the counter and out of sight. Aaron fired his weapon and she saw Cody spin into the wall then hit the floor. Zoe moved away from the bookcase and toward the door, pulling Sophia with her. She looked back to see Cody roll and bring his weapon up again, firing even as Lance aimed at him and pulled the trigger. She dropped to the floor covering Sophia’s body with hers. The loud cracks made her ears ring.

“I’m going to kill you! All of you! I don’t care about the money anymore, you’re all dead!” Pete’s bellow came from the kitchen somewhere behind Cody. She heard the door slam once again. Lance leveled his weapon toward the kitchen and fired back. She wanted to get Sophia out, but was afraid to move. Afraid it would be the wrong direction and one of them would catch a bullet. She heard a curse and saw Jed move, shake his head then sit up.

Then Aaron was beside her grabbing Sophia from her and pushing her toward the door. “Go, go, go.”

Zoe, Aaron and Sophia raced through the front door. Aaron snagged Sophia’s heavy coat as he passed it. Bullets pelted the doorframe, and Sophia screamed. Zoe just followed expecting to feel the slam of a bullet at any moment. Lance was backing out behind them, firing back, keeping the three men at bay.

“Head for the trees!” Aaron urged her. “Don’t look back, just run. I’ve got Sophia.”

“Go!” Lance hollered as he whipped around and fired his gun once again. She heard a harsh scream from one of their pursuers but didn’t turn. Five more steps and they’d be in the shelter of the trees. The house had been built with a plan to utilize the wooded area for shade during the summer months. Even stripped of most of the leaves, the trees would offer them the most protection. The frigid wind made her flinch, but she couldn’t stop now.

Zoe raced into the thicket and turned to find Aaron carrying Sophia in his arms. Lance brought up the rear. He continued to look over his shoulder as they ran. “They’re still coming.”

“At least they’re not shooting,” she panted.

“I got one of them, I think. The one they called Jed. Just winged him, though.” Lance stayed close. “Keep going. We’re going to follow the tree line all the way around and head up to the store on the hill. Hopefully Michael is there and will have a phone we can use.”

“Won’t they think of that?” Zoe asked.

“Yeah,” Aaron grunted. “I basically told Pete about the place when I was trying to convince him to let my hands free. If we head up there, we’ll just put Michael in danger.”

Zoe kept casting glances at Sophia. “You okay honey?”

“Just scared,” came her small voice.

They kept moving in the direction of the store. “I don’t want to put Michael in danger,” Zoe said. A shot cracked a tree in front of her.

“Run,” Lance ordered.

“Run where?” Aaron grunted, but picked up the pace. “The caves.” He answered his own question.

“Yeah, good idea. The caves,” Lance said. “Go.”

Aaron didn’t hesitate, just made a forty-five degree turn and forged a trail for Zoe to follow. Lance brought up the rear. Aaron sloshed through a shallow creek, and Zoe followed, gasping when the cold water hit her legs, but she didn’t stop. She could get warm later. Prayers winged heavenward. Weakness wanted to invade her, and she stumbled. Aaron snagged her elbow with one hand even as he kept a grip on Sophia with his other.

Aaron passed the first cave they came to, skirted around brush and trees then simply disappeared. Zoe skidded to a stop. Lance passed her, grasped her hand and pulled her behind him. When he stopped, she found herself in a cave. And cold. So very cold. She couldn’t feel her feet anymore. Shivers racked her as Lance stayed at the entrance, his weapon ready. Aaron set Sophia on her feet then helped her into her coat. Sophia let him, but when he stepped back, she moved to Zoe and wrapped her arms around her waist. “I’m scared, Mom,” she whispered.

“I am, too, honey, but God’s taking care of us.”

Sophia looked back and forth between Lance and Aaron. “Yes, I think you’re right.”

“Now we just have to find a way to call for help,” Aaron muttered.

Sophia slipped a hand into the front pocket of her jeans and pulled out a cell phone. “Will this help?”

* * *

Aaron stepped up to them, took the phone from Sophia’s small hand and looked at the screen. It had about a half battery life, but only one bar. Once out of the cave, he knew there would be a better signal. “Where did you get this?” he whispered.

“That really mean man you called Pete left it on the end table after he tied up Deputy Lance,” she said, keeping her voice as low as his and pointing to Lance.

“So you snagged it, huh?”

“Yes.” She shrugged. “I was going to try and call 911, but I couldn’t do it without someone seeing me so I was just waiting until I could either do it myself or give one of you guys the phone. But that never happened so I just held on to it.”

Aaron blinked. “Nice job,” he whispered. “Are you sure you’re nine?”

“Pretty sure,” she whispered back and shot him a weak grin.

Zoe lifted a hand to push Sophia’s hair out of her eyes. He noticed the fine tremors racking her and figured she was just as cold as he was.

He punched in the number of the police department and held the phone to his ear on the off chance it would work. The call dropped. He looked at Zoe. “Need a signal.”

She nodded and shivered. “Try a text. Sometimes a text will go through when a call won’t.”

Aaron did. He shrugged. “It says it went, but I don’t know if it did or not. We need to make a call. Lance,” he whispered.

“Yeah?” Lance turned to face him.

Aaron slipped up beside him and handed him the phone. Lance’s eyes went wide. “Thank Sophia,” Aaron said.

Lance blinked then gave a tight smile. “Good going, kid.”

Sophia nodded. “You’re welcome.”

Lance went back to the entrance of the cave, and Sophia snuggled next to her mom. Zoe shuddered and pulled her closer. Zoe hadn’t had a coat on inside the house and she hadn’t had time to grab it before their dash for safety. Now she just had on a sweatshirt over a black turtleneck, and her jeans were soaked to the knees. Aaron shrugged out of his heavy down coat and draped it around her shoulders. She frowned at him. “Thanks, but don’t you need it?”

“I’m fine. I worked up a sweat running with Sophia in my arms.”

She hesitated then nodded. “If you’re sure, I’ll just use it to warm up a bit then give it back.”

“I’ll let you know if I need it.”

Their whispers barely sounded in the darkness. The chill of the cave hit him hard, but he wasn’t going to let her know that. He hoped they wouldn’t be staying put very long anyway. Lance walked back to them. “I think they’ve passed us. I’m going to slip out of the cave and see if I can get a signal.”

Aaron nodded, and Lance again returned to the entrance then disappeared outside. Sophia snuggled in between him and Zoe, and Aaron wrapped his arms around them, pulling them close to share body heat. The cave wall was cold, and the chill seeped through his sweater.

Within seconds, Sophia’s head rolled against his chest and her breathing became even. “She fell asleep,” he whispered in Zoe’s ear.

“Unbelievable. Well, it’s been an ordeal between the attack and the diabetes. She’s feeling the effects.” She froze. “I don’t have her medicine,” she whispered. “I didn’t have time to grab it.”

“In the right-hand pocket of my jacket. I snagged it from the office after I knocked Pete out.”

Zoe let out a low breath. “Thank you so much.” She turned toward him, but shot a glance over her shoulder. “Do you think Lance is all right?”

“I hope so. I don’t think he would have left the cave if he thought the men were still out there. It looks like all three of them managed to survive the shots. I think I winged the one called Cody, but it wasn’t enough to stop him.”

“So it’s still three of them.”

“Looks like it.” He gently shifted Sophia until she rested against Zoe. “Hold her. I’m going to check on him.”

“Be careful,” she whispered. “Oh, you need your coat.”

“I’ll be fine. Stay put.”

He moved before she could voice the protest he saw on her lips.

As he moved to the entrance of the cave, a shot rang out, and Lance dove inside.

* * *

Sophia woke with a jerk, and Zoe held her even as her own heartbeat picked up speed. “Why are they shooting again, Mama?”

“I don’t know, honey, just be brave.”

Lance knelt on the floor and looked back at her then Aaron. “I got a call out, but help’s a good ten minutes away. Even then I’m not sure they’ll be able to pinpoint our location.”

“Even with the cell phone?” Zoe asked.

“Possibly, but the bad guys are heading this way.”

“Were they shooting at you?” Aaron asked.

“They left Pete behind to cover the area where they lost us. Just in case we found a hiding place. Smart,” he murmured then shook his head. “Just as I hung up with dispatch, Pete shot at me. He’s not too far away. We’re going to have to come up with a plan. If the others come back to join him, we’re going to be sitting ducks.”

Zoe sucked in a breath while Sophia tensed.

“Then we’ll have to play a little game of hide-and-seek,” Aaron said.

Lance lifted a brow. “What do you have in mind?”

“You and I are going to leave the cave and pin down where Pete is. Then I’m going to distract him while you sneak around and tackle him.”

Lance grunted. “That sounds great in theory. I don’t know that we should leave Zoe and Sophia in here alone.”

“We’ll be fine,” Zoe said. “We have to do something. A plan of action is better than waiting for them to come shooting.”

Lance slid his gaze to Aaron. “You have a plan to avoid getting shot while distracting him?”

Aaron nodded and removed his hat. “Oldest trick in the book. I just need a stick.”

Zoe stood and stomped her feet trying to get some feeling back into them. Finally they started tingling and then hurting and she just prayed that none of them had permanent frostbite damage. But that was the least of her worries. She’d be happy with all of them getting out alive.

Aaron slipped out of the cave with Lance right behind him. Zoe positioned herself near the entrance so she could see—and help somehow if possible. Aaron wasn’t a police officer, but that didn’t seem to faze him as he prepared to face down a killer.

Ducking low, he searched the ground, and she saw him close his hands around a stick that suited him. Still keeping himself as small a target as possible, he placed the hat on the end of the stick then slowly raised it. Lance, hunched over and cautious, moved into the trees then stopped.

Zoe’s nerves vibrated. Would it work? Would they be able to carry out such a dangerous and risky plan?

* * *

Another crack echoed through the trees and Aaron’s hat flew from the stick.

Aaron hissed when his hat landed on the ground beside him. He picked up the hat in case he needed to use it again and hoped Lance was paying attention to the direction the bullet had come from. He moved a bit up the hill. As far as he could tell the bullet had come in at a downward angle. That meant the shooter was above him. He caught Lance looking at him. Aaron pointed upward.

Lance nodded and started moving. Slowly, quietly. Where were the other men? Why hadn’t they shown yet?

Then he remembered. Sophia had taken Pete’s phone. He didn’t have a way to contact the other two who’d gone ahead of him.

But they’d no doubt heard the shots.

Which meant he and Lance had very little time to take Pete down. Aaron moved carefully, using the trees as shields, doing his best to stay invisible. Just up ahead, he thought he saw movement. But was it Lance or Pete? Or someone else?

He stayed still, feeling his heart pound in his chest. He wasn’t a hunter, but he’d grown up with three brothers and knew his way around a game of hide-and-seek in the woods. Granted, his brothers hadn’t been shooting at him, but still...

More movement. Aaron lifted the hat. Nothing. He moved it to the right, away from his body. A shot sounded. The bullet whizzed by but missed the hat. Then a thud and a yell. Aaron moved faster and found Lance on top of Pete wrestling for control of Lance’s weapon. Pete rolled. Lance’s gun flew from his fingers, and Pete dove back into Lance and landed a solid punch on his cheek. Lance howled and struck back. Pete took the hit on his jaw, but Aaron saw him reach back to his ankle. And pull a gun from his ankle holster.

Aaron moved, kicked out. But Pete moved unexpectedly and instead of getting the man’s wrist, Aaron’s boot landed on Pete’s forearm. Pete yelled, but didn’t drop the gun, instead he turned it toward Lance and fired. Only Lance was rolling and the bullet slammed into the ground beside him. Lance rocked to his feet and went head first into Pete’s gut. They both went down, Lance’s hands wrapped around Pete’s wrist, holding the gun away from him. Aaron couldn’t get in a good kick without possibly usurping Lance’s tentative advantage in the fight.

Aaron dove for Lance’s weapon, got it in his hands, pulled the slide to chamber the bullet and spun to find Lance losing his grip on Pete’s wrist. Pete landed a punch to Lance’s midsection, and the deputy lost his hold. Pete lowered the weapon to Lance’s head.

Aaron fired. Once. Twice. Center mass. Pete jerked but didn’t go down. He turned the gun toward Aaron. Before he could pull the trigger, Lance knocked the gun out of his grasp. Aaron snagged it, held both guns on the bleeding, screaming man while Lance rolled him to his stomach and fastened the cuffs around his wrists.