Lone Star Standoff

by Margaret Daley

  “I’m almost there.” He tore out of the parking lot. With the hospital locked down, he needed to find Jana fast before she killed others. And Aubrey needed to be treated at the ER.

  When he arrived, a dozen officers were making their way into the hospital. After thinking about how she escaped from the clock tower, Sean instead started circling the building. At the rear, he found a rope dangling down from the roof, but it fell short by seven feet. Underneath the rope, a small bush was stomped into the ground as though a body had fallen on it.

  Since he didn’t see her as he rounded the hospital, he kept going, assessing his surroundings as he went. About fifteen yards away, he saw someone dressed in jeans, a jacket and a ball cap pulled down low. He quickened his step as the person limped as fast as she—Jana—could.

  He spied the motorcycle another twenty yards away from her, and he flat out ran. She turned, drew a handgun from her jacket pocket.

  He stopped, planted his feet and raised his weapon. “Drop the gun.”

  She lifted it and aimed it at him at the same time he pulled the trigger.

  * * *

  Drowsy, Aubrey opened her eyes to a hospital room. Not the same one she’d been in nearly two weeks ago. For a few moments she tried to remember why she was here. Sergeant Daniels stood in front of her—then fell forward against her. She touched her right shoulder, feeling the bandage under her fingertips.

  The last thing she remembered was Sean carrying her inside. He wanted to stay. She told him to go after the sniper. She couldn’t believe she had said that to him. What if something happened to him because of her? She loved him. No matter what job he had, that wasn’t going to change.

  The door opened. She tensed, remembering the time when the fake nurse came into her room.

  But instead, it was the most beautiful sight to her eyes. Sean, tired, worried, closed the space between them. “The doctor said you’re going to be all right.” He sat in the chair by the bed and took her hand. “I’m so sorry I was late picking you up.”

  “You weren’t. Did you get the sniper? Is this over with?”

  He smiled. “Yes. The sniper was Jana Adams. She’s hurt and in the hospital right now, but well guarded. She wasn’t after you. She came after Vic for trying to kill her husband. He was the one who shot Cal in your backyard. Vic was the mole for the cartel in the police department.”

  “Who was the cleaner?”

  “Both Mario Bravo and Jana. They were cousins and worked together until Bravo killed Cal, because he’s the one who knew that Bravo was the fake nurse and killed the real Chris Newton. Jana didn’t think Cal would keep that a secret.”

  “So Jana really loved her husband?”

  “Yes, that’s why she pretended she was kidnapped so Cal would stay quiet. Bravo didn’t want him around at all. It gave her time to try to get rid of Bravo.”

  “What about all that blood on the coverlet?”

  “She always had a plan to get away clean with everyone thinking she was dead. She had some of her blood kept in the refrigerator at the house in the woods. She has volunteered to testify against Sanchez and the top people in the Coastal Cartel, although she will serve time.”

  “So much violence. At least our loved ones’ murderer was either captured or dead. Finally, closure.” Aubrey closed her eyes and drew in several deep breaths.

  “I love you, Aubrey.”

  Her eyes flew open. His words sent her heart beating rapidly.

  “I know my job is a huge barrier for you. I—”

  She put two fingers over his lips. “I love you. I want to see if we can work something out. We both went through a lot with this case. We need time to figure our relationship out.”

  He leaned close to her and kissed her. “You can have all the time you need. My love isn’t going away.”

  EPILOGUE

  Eighteen months later

  “Mama! Mama, they’re here.” Sammy ran into the kitchen.

  “Then you need to greet your guests. It’s not every day a boy turns six years old. It’ll be great having your friends and Camy’s here at the ranch for your birthday party.”

  Aubrey’s mother came into the room. “There you are. You’ve got visitors, Sammy.”

  Her son whirled around and raced out of the kitchen, nearly running into Sean. “Gotta go,” Sammy said and charged down the hall.

  “And I’d better go and make sure he doesn’t mow down any of his friends in his enthusiasm.” Her mother left as Aubrey’s husband entered.

  Sean chuckled. “I’d like to borrow half his energy.” He stopped in front of her and put his arms loosely around her. “How’s the food coming?”

  Aubrey grinned. “You know better than to ask me that. Remember, Mama is the cook, not me. The caterer is down at the barn getting everything set up for the party.”

  “And the horses are ready for the kids to ride. My job is done for the day. Now I get to sit back and enjoy my family having fun.”

  Aubrey snuggled closer. “I’m not sure Sammy and Camy are going to have the most fun. It just might be me. You’ve planned every detail of this birthday party.”

  “That’s because you went into town to see a client in jail.”

  Since moving to Amarillo, she’d been working part-time for an organization that offered people who couldn’t afford an attorney the services of a lawyer. She loved the work. It gave her a chance to spend more time with her children, too.

  “Do you regret coming back here to run your family’s ranch?” she asked.

  He bent forward and kissed her. “Not one bit. The time I spent in law enforcement was important to me, but I’ve always loved this ranch, too. I had wonderful memories of this place, and I want our children to have that, too.”

  Aubrey felt her baby kick. She placed Sean’s hand on her rounded stomach. “Speaking of our children, feel him. He’s been active today. He liked what you said.”

  Awe showed in Sean’s eyes. “He’s going to be like Sammy. Poor Camy.”

  “Camy will be able to hold her own with her two brothers. She outrides Sammy, who isn’t too happy about that. But my son will have to learn everyone has strengths and weaknesses.”

  Sean framed Aubrey’s face with his hands. “You are a wise woman. Do you miss being a judge?”

  “No. I’m helping people, not judging them. I didn’t realize how much I would like that.” After the Villa trial, it didn’t take her long to realize that Sean was too ingrained in her life for her to walk away from him. “You’re the one who taught me to give my trust to the Lord and to let go of worrying. It has freed me. That’s one of the many reasons I love you.”

  “And you taught me to live again and not blame myself for what happened to Jack. You’re my other half.” His mouth settled over hers.

  * * *

  If you loved this exciting romantic suspense, pick up the other books in Margaret Daley’s Lone Star Justice miniseries:

  High-Risk Reunion

  Lone Star Christmas Rescue

  Texas Ranger Showdown

  Texas Baby Pursuit

  Lone Star Christmas Witness

  Available now from Love Inspired Suspense!

  Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Running Target by Elizabeth Goddard.

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  Dear Reader,

  This is the sixth book in the Lone Star Justice series. I had fun writing the twins—Sammy and Camy. They were my lightness in the middle of a dark story about drugs pouring into our country. Aubrey went through a lot in her life as a mother, wife and judge. She didn’t want to fall in love with Sean and end up los
ing him like she did her husband, Samuel. Love is a strong emotion, but so is fear. Fear keeps you from doing something you want to do or should do. She had to learn to turn her fear over to the Lord in order to fall in love again.

  I love hearing from readers. You can email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com and join my monthly newsletter by signing up on the front page of my website, www.margaretdaley.com. Also on my website you can see what books are out and coming soon, as well as links to them.

  Take care,

  Margaret Daley

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  Running Target

  by Elizabeth Goddard

  ONE

  “Don’t move!” Deputy Bree Carrington aimed her newly issued Glock 22 fifteen-round semiautomatic pistol at three men standing in the twenty-four-foot fishing boat.

  Though she had the authority of the law behind her, and had trained for a day such as this, her palms slicked and heart pounded.

  Inside, she shook.

  Still, she allowed her training to kick in, keeping her weapon aimed and level. She never wanted to have to use it, but a sick feeling stirred in her gut—today could be the day when she would have no choice. She pointed the Glock at the three muscled men wearing scowls. Men who made the boat look too small. Men who carried more powerful weapons than she did. Powerful and illegal.

  If they got their hands on those...

  Well, she couldn’t let that happen.

  On this hotter-than-usual summer day, sweat beaded at her temples and back.

  Next to her, Deputy Jayce McBride tethered the vessels together.

  Bree and Jayce had been patrolling the river when she’d spotted them—just three men out on a boat whose motor had failed on them.

  Bree had headed toward them to assist, though the men had insisted they needed no help. But it gave her an excuse to stop and check them out. That’s when they had tried to hide that they were transporting illegal arms—machine guns. One guy had grown twitchy and thought he could grab a weapon and take her out. She’d been faster and held them all at gunpoint. If she hadn’t, both she and Jayce would be dead.

  Now to keep them alive.

  That sick feeling continued to churn her insides. This wasn’t the way the day was supposed to go.

  Minutes before they’d seen the boat in distress, she’d been planning to turn around. It was Stevie’s birthday. He was turning five. She and Dad had planned a party.

  Jayce, along with his wife of two years, Cindy, and their baby, Taylor, were coming, too.

  Instead, she and Jayce were facing off with men who would kill them without a thought.

  A chill crawled over her. These criminals had cold, brutal eyes. They were the kind she had never seen before in her line of work in Coldwater Bay. They didn’t have the expected look of fear or dread when confronted by law enforcement. Specifically, marine division deputies.

  “You two—” she gestured toward the broken outboard motor “—get down on your knees and put your hands on your head.”

  Jayce would have to step between the unsteady boats.

  It wouldn’t take much for these guys to shake things up. Rock the boat. Jump into the river that was trying to carry their anchored boat away.

  Jayce stepped across and then positioned himself behind the remaining man standing. Cuffed his hands behind his back. Carefully, Jayce ushered him across to the sheriff’s department boat and re-cuffed him to the rail so he couldn’t go anywhere.

  Meanwhile, Bree kept her weapon aimed at the other two. She’d contacted Dispatch to report their status and tell them that she and Jayce were bringing the men in. She hadn’t asked for backup. Backup wouldn’t help them in this situation, so far from reinforcements. There were only five full-time marine division deputies, and one of them was off duty today. The other two were on the other side of the county.

  She kept her breaths even and steady, staying calm despite the unusual circumstances. Most of the time patrolling the waters was a matter of keeping people safe—performing rescue operations or assisting vessels in distress—not arresting three men who were up to some seriously bad business. If she had to guess, it involved much more than transporting illegal arms. Drug dealers liked big guns, too.

  Jayce positioned the second man so that he could cuff him, too. The man bolted to his feet and twisted around to head-butt Jayce. Blood spurted from Jayce’s nose.

  They wrestled for the weapon and a shot was fired but missed both men. Still, the guy disarmed the deputy.

  “Jayce!”

  Bree’s heart slammed against her rib cage. She fired her weapon at the perp. He grabbed his midsection and dropped the gun, so Jayce picked it up. Her pulse roared in her ears—or was that the ringing sound triggered after firing the weapon?

  The uncuffed man who had been sitting scrambled up behind Jayce and caught him off guard.

  “Behind you!” She couldn’t get a shot in without hurting Jayce.

  Before Jayce could react, the man took his weapon away from him and shot him point-blank. He fell back into the water.

  Jayce!

  Though stunned with profound grief, Bree fought off the shock that would make her immobile.

  She fired her weapon at the shooter but missed. In return, he fired off multiple rounds at her as he tried to get to the front of the boat and the machine guns. She dived for cover behind the seat, which was not much cover at all. She couldn’t let him get to those guns or it would all be over.

  He lunged for the machine guns and she stood to fire.

  A shot landed against her chest. Pain exploded, despite the Kevlar she wore under her uniform. She’d bemoaned wearing the Kevlar on hot days, never expecting she’d need it or the life jacket she’d forsaken. She fell back into the river...

  And sank beneath the surface. Held the shallow breath she’d caught while more bullets sprayed the water.

  Machine gun bullets.

  Snap out of it or you’re going to drown like your brother! His son, little Stevie, needs you!

  The current carried her away from the boat and the spray of bullets.

  Jayce had gone into the river, too. Was there any possibility he was still alive? He was also wearing Kevlar. She could hope. After all, like him, she’d been shot and was still alive. Somehow they both had to survive this.

  Bree bobbed to the surface and sucked in a breath.

  Why weren’t the men leaving? Why weren’t they escaping in the sheriff department’s boat to flee upriver?

  A slow-dawning realization squeezed her lungs.

  They were searching for her and Jayce, that’s why. They had to make sure the two deputies—the two witnesses—were dead and couldn’t describe the men who had attacked them.

  T
he uninjured criminal freed the one man who had been cuffed and got their motor running, after all. Maybe they didn’t want to take time to transfer their stashed weapons. Either that or they didn’t want to be seen in a sheriff’s department boat and draw unwanted attention. The boat slowly headed downriver, the men searching the water for the deputies. Underwater, she fought the current and headed for a muddy eddy. Bree’s feet found purchase on the pebbled bottom. Catching her breath, she slid forward into the mud. Rolled in it to camouflage herself. She simply couldn’t swim away fast enough, even with the river current.

  Fear strangled her, making it hard to breathe. Tears choked her throat. She kept her eyes closed as the boat approached. She heard the shouts.

  “Find the woman deputy!”

  “She’s dead. She can’t hurt us.”

  “She isn’t dead. She was wearing a vest. I saw her come up for air. The man is dead. Forget him.”

  Tears mingled with the mud on her face.

  Oh, Jayce...

  She should have prevented his death. If she’d handled this better, they would be taking in three men and possibly make it home in time for a birthday party. A milestone celebration.

  No one would know what happened to them if she didn’t survive. Though it took colossal strength, she shook off her grief to be revisited when she was safely away from the murderers.

  The sheriff’s department knew roughly where they were. But Bree couldn’t stay here and wait for the cavalry. She had to move deeper into the wilderness country. Another boat approached, and it wasn’t someone from the sheriff’s department. She feared for anyone approaching the men—their lives were at stake.

  Then when she heard the conversation between them, she understood that those in the approaching boat were more of the same men. Partners in crime.

  She held her breath and sank deeper into the mud.