The Legend Mackinnon (17 page)

Hatred twisted Judd’s face into an ugly mask. “You have no idea what your run-in with the police cost me! I should
have wrung your neck the first time I had my hands around it.”

“Why didn’t you?”

Veins popped out on Judd’s forehead. Duncan balanced his weight, and flexed his hands against his legs, ready to shove Maggie down and launch himself at Judd if he moved so much as a muscle toward her.

“My boss got wind of our little domestic dispute. He wanted to know if I was handling the matter.” Growing more visibly agitated, Judd was clenching and unclenching his fist, the gun bobbing dangerously. “I was up for promotion, but he wasn’t going to promote someone who couldn’t control his own personal life. I had to make you understand that.” Sweat was beading on Judd’s forehead now, too. “Why wouldn’t you understand that? You had to come back to me.”

Maggie shifted her weight, moving slightly closer to Duncan. “Just how did you find me anyway?”

Judd puffed up a bit, his irritation smoothing out somewhat. “Power, Maggie. So what if Henderson is a tightass who can’t see beyond his idiotic family values. He should never have fired me, Maggie. I might be having some difficulties, but I’m still a powerful man.” He snapped his fingers. “People jump when I do that, Maggie. Your timely little inheritance situation came to light when your cousin tried to contact you.

“It’s all over now, Maggie. I’ve lost everything. It’s only fair that you lose everything too.” He swung the gun out, straight-armed.

Duncan could remain silent no longer. “Maggie, move back.”

“Come on, Judd,” she said, her voice wavering a bit. “You’re a money man, not a killer. Can you stand here and gun me down in cold blood?”

There was a roar of an engine just as Judd slipped his
finger across the trigger. His attention was diverted for one split second. It was all Duncan needed.

He lunged at Maggie, shoving her down and covering her with his body. A stand of trees jutting out prevented Duncan from seeing the vehicle he heard spewing gravel as it swung around the last bend. Judd was just far enough out in the clearing to be in sight of the oncoming car. Duncan could only pray it was not Cailean.

Duncan lifted his head just in time to watch Judd turn back, and fire … directly at him.

“Freeze! Police! Put down your weapon!” It was Deputy Branson.

Duncan had been hit in the side, but even with the red haze of pain blinding almost all his senses, he was able to focus enough to watch as Judd swung around and fired at Branson.

Branson took him down with one clean shot to the head.

Maggie was safe. Maggie was safe
. The words echoed in his pain-fogged head. She began to struggle beneath him and another realization dawned. As soon as Branson stepped toward Judd’s body, he would be able to see Duncan and Maggie, sprawled on the ground.

“Are ye okay, Maggie mine?” he said in a low whisper next to her ear. “Yer no’ hurt?”

“Other than having two hundred pounds of Scot on me, no,” came the muffled reply.

Duncan laughed, sucking in his breath at the resulting pain. “Och, Maggie Claren, ye’d have made a fine warrior.”

She tried to wiggle from beneath him. “Are you okay? Duncan, what hap—”

He kissed her and held her down one moment longer. “Shh. It’s all right now. Yer safe.” Then he squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated hard … and disappeared.

•  •  •

M
aggie rolled to her back as the weight on top of her suddenly vanished. “Duncan?”

“Maggie?”

Deputy Branson’s shout jerked her head around. She choked on a gasp at what she saw just beyond him: Judd’s lifeless form, sprawled awkwardly on his back in the dirt. There was another uniformed man kneeling over him. Branson’s partner, she guessed. She hadn’t known he had one.

God, was it really all over?

“Are you hurt? I called for an ERT team, but it will take them a few more minutes to get here. Just lie still.”

“It’s okay, I’m—” She moved to sit up, but her head reeled. “What happened?”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Claren. He stashed his car halfway down the mountain on an unused service road and hiked in. We didn’t know he was up here until your cousin told us.”

“Cailean? Is she okay?” She struggled again to sit up, but stopped short of standing when Branson put his hand on her shoulder.

“She’s fine. She’ll be up here in a few minutes. I almost had to hog-tie her to stay in town.

“Your cousin was in the middle of checking out and she got all funny, sort of spacey. My sister was worried and called me over. She was okay when I got there, but she was adamant that you were in danger. She told us about your former fiancé and we decided to follow up. We found the rental car with his name on the papers.” He touched her arm anxiously when Maggie laid back down. “Everything is okay now, Ms. Claren, he can’t hurt you again.”

“Who …?” She closed her eyes.

“I did. It’s okay. There’s no question of responsibility. You’re in the clear. It’s all over.”

Maggie saw Deputy Branson through completely different eyes. He looked and sounded amazingly competent for a good ol’ boy cop. Apparently she’d misjudged him as
well. Boy, she was on a roll. “Are you okay? I’m sorry you had to … what I mean is … thank you, you saved my life.”

“It’s my job.” His eyes were steady on hers. “Thank your cousin. You know, I’ve got an aunt who knows things like that. Mighty handy to have around at times.” He grinned. “A dang nuisance otherwise.”

Maggie managed to smile. “Yeah,” she said weakly.

The ERT truck rolled in just then, along with two other cars. Branson’s partner called to him. “Will you be all right?” the deputy asked her. “Just lie still until the medic gets over here.” She nodded easily, but he grinned and dipped his chin. “Promise?”

Maggie’s smile was easier this time. “Promise. Thank you again, Deputy Branson.”

Maggie was reassuring the medic she was fine and submitting to some tests while she held an ice pack to her forehead when Cailean rushed over.

“My god! Are you okay?” She knelt in front of Maggie. “I didn’t know until it was almost too late. I swear. I’m so sorry. Oh Maggie, I—”

Maggie looked to the medic who was taking the blood pressure cuff off her arm. “Can I have a few minutes here?” The young woman nodded and moved to the front of the truck. Maggie turned to Cailean. “It’s okay. I’m okay. You saved my life, Cailean. Maybe it’s not such a curse after all.” She tried to smile.

Cailean looked around and whispered, “Where’s Duncan?”

Maggie hadn’t been able to think straight for two seconds’ since he’d blinked out, but she felt like something was wrong. Very wrong. “I don’t know.”

“You mean he wasn’t here for you? I can’t believe—”

“He was here.” She held Cailean’s hand. “He saved my life, too.”

“I thought Branson shot Judd?”

“He did. But Judd fired at me first. Duncan tackled me and—” She gasped. “Oh God.” The sequence of events flashed back through her mind in crystal clarity. He’d been shot! She’d seen the blood on his sleeve from the first time he’d been grazed, shoving her to safety. She tightened her grip. “I have to find him. I think he took a bullet meant for me. Twice. Oh God, I have—”

She started to get up, but Cailean stopped her. “Maggie, calm down. You’re not making any sense. He’s a ghost, he can’t die.”

“I’m making perfect sense. He can bleed, Cailean. If he can bleed, can’t he die again? I can’t just let him go like that. His time might already be up and then we’ll never, I’ll never …” Her breath hitched and she swallowed hard. “I have to find him. And I can’t with all these people around.” She looked to Cailean imploringly. “Please, help me get rid of everyone. He won’t pop back in until they all leave.” At least she prayed he would.

“But you have to be checked out—”

“I’m fine! Why won’t anyone believe that?”

Just at that moment, Branson stepped around the back of the truck. “I hate to do this, but we need to ask you some questions. You too, Ms. Claren,” he said to Cailean.

Maggie forced a smile on her face and tried to look more relaxed. Gauging from Cailean’s expression, she wasn’t fooling anyone, but she had to try. “I understand. But is there any way I can come down tomorrow? I have this bump on my head and I’d really like to just lie down for a while.”

Branson’s face creased with renewed worry. She cut him off before he could speak. “It’s nothing. The medic already checked me out, not even a mild concussion. It’s just been a lot to deal with.”

Branson smiled reassuringly. “We’ll have plenty to keep us busy today. Why don’t you two come down as soon as you’re able in the morning.”

“Thank you.” She hoped she didn’t look overly relieved.

It took another fifteen minutes, but with her cousin’s help, she was able to assure everyone she’d be fine, then she and Cailean retreated into the cabin while the various personnel dealt with everything else. She tried to shut that out. As soon as the door was closed, she turned to Cailean. “Thank you for helping me out there.”

“Of course.” She frowned, worried. “But you really should rest. Duncan will be back when he’s ready.”

“You don’t understand, Cailean.”

“I know he was hurt, but, really, I’m sure he has ways of dealing with that, wouldn’t you think?”

Maggie dipped her chin. “I don’t know what to think. I’m worried.” She looked to Cailean. “What if he doesn’t come back?”

She hadn’t wanted to voice her deepest fear, especially to Cailean, given how she felt about Duncan in the first place, but her cousin surprised her by pulling her into a hug. “I’m sorry, Maggie. Truly sorry. But maybe it’s better this way. You’re done here. You can come to Scotland with me. Or go back to New York. Whatever. Maybe it’s best to put all this behind you.”

Maggie was already shaking her head. “I can’t. I know you don’t approve, but I’m not going anywhere.” She moved over to the sink and pumped out some water. “I know you have to do what you have to do.” She raised her hand to stall Cailean’s response. “I won’t have you stay here because you’re worried about me. Nothing has changed except now you don’t have to worry about Judd. And now you know you don’t have to worry about Duncan either.”

Cailean nodded reluctantly. “Would you like me to stay until morning?”

Maggie shook her head. “Not because I don’t want you here or appreciate what you’ve done. Cailean, I can’t tell you—”

“Don’t. I’m just glad that for once it worked out right. But I can’t just leave you here.”

Maggie saw the fatigue and strain around her cousin’s eyes. “I can’t imagine how hard this is on you. You need to go to Scotland and find out what is behind all this. I need to stay here. At least for a while.”

Cailean sighed in defeat. “Okay, okay, I’ll go. I know Duncan will be more likely to pop back in if I’m gone. But you have to promise to speak to Branson in the morning. I’ll go down and talk to him before I leave.” Maggie nodded. “Is there anything else I can do for you before I go?”

Maggie smiled. “I really need to get out of here and look for Duncan. Create a diversion and cover for me until everyone is gone?”

Cailean rolled her eyes and sighed. “You’re incorrigible.”

Maggie winked. “It runs in the family.”

I
t was dusk by the time Maggie gave up and returned to the cabin. She kept her eyes averted from the spot where Judd had died. She’d had plenty of time to think about what happened while she’d searched the wooded trails for Duncan. It was horrific how things had ended and she could honestly say she hadn’t wished Judd dead. She’d just wanted him to leave her alone. But he’d chosen otherwise and she refused to feel guilty for the relief that she felt now that it was over.

She sat down on the middle porch step, allowing the doubt and fear to creep past the relief for the first time since she’d begun her hunt. The cabin was dark. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been counting on finding smoke curling from the chimney. After everything else, this was simply too much. If she’d had the energy, she’d have yelled and screamed at the sky, threatening anything, promising everything if They’d just send him back for one more minute.

What came out instead was a soft, tear-clogged whisper. “You can’t leave me like this, Duncan MacKinnon.”

In the next instant he materialized in front of her, and
she found herself swooped up in his arms. He was bare-chested, his hair a wild mane, all loose and tangled.

“Duncan, what—? Where—?” All the emotions that had roiled inside her churned past the wall she’d forced them behind. “I’ve spent hours looking for you.” The pain and fear were all there in her voice, her eyes burned with the release of it all. “I thought you weren’t coming back,” she choked out.

“Och, Maggie mine, it wasna my choice to leave ye as I did. I’ll explain, but there is somethin’ I must do first.” He bent his head to hers.

All her anger and fear vanished at the emotions she saw mirrored in his eyes. He’d been afraid for her, too. She pulled his head to hers and met his lips eagerly.

He didn’t stop at one kiss. Once his mouth was on hers it was as if he would never be satiated. She knew the feeling. When he finally released her, she was holding onto him as much from need as to keep from melting through his arms to the ground. “Wow,” was all she managed.