A bullet shattered the driver’s-side window, raining glass on her hip and side. She’d gotten out of the way just in time.
The passenger door flew open and Logan shoved a bruised and broken Dale into the cab.
He yelled, “Get out of the line of fire, Lana.”
“And put you back in it? No way. Get in the back.”
They both jerked as another bullet pinged the side of the vehicle.
“Okay, stay down. Put the truck in Reverse and punch it.”
“Not until you get in the back.”
“I will.” He popped up and fired back at the shooters across the road, which probably explained how he’d been able to keep them at bay.
“Open your back window. I’ll guide you.” He slammed the door, and the truck dipped as he rolled himself into the back.
Still on her side, Lana eased into Reverse. She hooked her fingers on the bottom of the steering wheel and slid open the back window.
“Gun it!” Logan’s voice, clear and strong, carried into the cab.
Lana slid her foot from the brake pedal and slammed on the gas. The truck lurched backward, and Lana held her breath as it almost stalled. Then it roared to life and sped down the road.
Logan shouted steering instructions to her, and she swung the steering wheel right and left to keep on the road.
Several seconds later, the bullets stopped and Lana sat upright. She grabbed the wheel with both hands and continued driving in Reverse until she spied a turnout. She backed into it, spun the wheel around and took off toward the ranch finally going forward.
Dale moaned beside her.
“It’s all right, Dale. You’re out of danger now.”
Dale sucked in a breath. “You’re not.”
* * *
AS LANA CAREENED back to the ranch, Jaeger almost wasn’t fast enough to get the gates open and she almost plowed through them.
He jumped back and she couldn’t even take any pleasure in it.
He must’ve called Bruce because as they approached the big house, he ran out with the detective close behind him.
Lana squealed to a stop and jumped out of the truck. “It’s Dale. We have Dale.”
Bruce barreled toward the truck and yanked open the door. “What the hell happened to her?”
Detective Delgado traced his finger around a bullet hole on the driver’s-side door. “Did you take gunfire?”
Logan vaulted out of the back of the truck. “It was a trap. They dumped Dale by the side of the road and waited for Lana’s truck to come by. Then they opened fire.”
Logan swiped at a spot of blood on his cheek and Lana lunged forward. “You’ve been shot.”
“Just a nick from the glass.” Logan fished his phone from his front pocket. “Dale needs an ambulance. They beat her.”
Lana drove a fisted hand into her stomach as Bruce lifted a limp Dale from the vehicle. Lana said, “She was conscious. She spoke to me.”
“She’s out now.” Detective Delgado crouched beside Bruce, cradling Dale in his arms and whispering in her ear.
Maybe he did still love his wife.
Delgado twisted his head over his shoulder. “What did she say, Lana?”
“Not much to me. Said I was in danger.”
Logan ended his 911 call. “She warned me that her abductors were in the area. Probably saved our lives.”
“What were they after? Why were they shooting?” Delgado swiped a hand across his creased forehead.
Logan pressed a hand against Lana’s lower back. “They were after Lana. She told the officers that last night. They’re after her brother’s journal. The boy, Daniel, heard them.”
“If they were trying to kill Lana, why were they shooting at you and Dale and not her? If she was driving, they would’ve riddled that truck with bullets.”
“I said they were after Lana.” Logan’s hand inched around her waist. “I didn’t say they wanted to kill her. If they killed her, they might never get Gil’s journal. It might fall into the wrong hands.”
Even with her jacket zipped up and Logan’s fingers firmly pressed against her hip, Lana shivered. “Shouldn’t you have officers at the scene, Detective Delgado?”
“They’re on their way. As soon as you crashed through the gate, Jaeger called the house and I sent for patrol cars. Now if you can tell me exactly where this happened, I can direct them where to go.”
“It was at mile marker fourteen, just before the curve in the road. They must’ve been staked out behind the copse of trees in that area. We never saw them...or at least I didn’t.”
Logan raised his hand. “I returned gunfire, kept them at bay. I didn’t make out anyone except a few heads popping up.”
Delgado scratched his jaw. “Do you think you hit anyone?”
“I don’t know. Is there a problem if I did?”
“Do you have a conceal-carry permit for the State of California?”
“I’m Delta Force, sir. I think I know what I’m doing, permit or not.”
“I can look the other way—for now.”
About thirty minutes later the sirens announced the ambulance before its arrival, and the EMTs got to work on Dale.
“Thank God the kids are in school.” Bruce hovered over the stretcher, running his hands through his hair. “Is she okay? Is she going to be okay?”
“You can follow us to the hospital, sir.” The EMTs loaded Dale into the back of the ambulance and it took off with Bruce’s Mercedes right behind it.
“When are you going to question her?” Logan picked something out of Lana’s hair and held out his palm to show her a piece of glass. “You’re okay?”
“I’m fine.” Physically she’d escaped the attack unscathed, but emotionally? She had people ready to abduct her for a journal she didn’t have. Total basket case.
Delgado coughed. “We’re going to question Dale at the hospital as soon as she’s ready, but we need to question you, too, Lana. This all has something to do with Gil’s death?”
“I believe it does.”
“I know he was killed on duty in Nigeria. I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.” She dipped her head. “I never believed for a minute the government’s account of what happened. I’ve been trying to get some clarity...some truth. I always believed Gil’s journal held the key to that truth, and now I’m sure of it.”
“The text message you got from Dale’s phone last night referenced the journal.”
“That’s right.” She ticked her finger between her and Logan. “We were on our way to deliver my phone to the police when we spotted Dale—and all hell broke loose.”
“We’ll still need your phone, maybe now more than ever. If these people have come to Greenvale and are endangering our citizens’ lives, we’re going to put a stop to it, no matter who they are.” Delgado jerked his thumb at Logan. “Is he involved?”
“No.” Logan pinched Lana’s side. “Just a friend here for a visit.”
“Lana needs friends like you right now. We’re a small department. We can’t assign an officer to guard Lana, but we can give you both an escort back to town if you want it.”
“Oh, we want it.” Lana nodded. “Can you let me know if Dale tells you anything useful, like who I need to look for over my shoulder?”
“We’ll keep you posted, and I’ll have one of the officers at the scene of the shooting come down here when he’s done to accompany you back to town.” Delgado secured his hat back on his head. “In the meantime, I’m going to head to the hospital to see if I can talk to Dale.”
Logan tipped his head toward the entrance to the ranch. “Do you know if Jaeger’s still at the gate.”
“According to Bruce, Jaeger will be there until he picks up the kids from school in a few hours.”
“They’re going to be so relieved when they
learn their mother is safe.” At least someone’s safe. Lana shoved her hands in her pockets and hunched her shoulders.
As if reading her mind, Logan put an arm around her shoulders. The weight of the pressure made her feel secure, locked down.
When Delgado drove away, Logan turned to her. “Do you want to take the truck back to the gate and wait there for the patrol car?”
“I do.”
“Are you okay to drive?”
She held one hand in front of her, steady and sure. “I am now. Thanks for holding them off. Thanks for rescuing Dale.”
“I think you were the hero of the hour, driving your truck like that between us and the gunfire. You were crazy to do it, but you probably saved our lives.”
When they reached the driver’s-side door of the truck, Lana ran her fingers over the bullet hole in the door. “What do you think they were planning?”
“I think they wanted to get me out of the way and kidnap you in Dale’s place.” He opened the door for her and kicked some glass from the running board with his foot.
“Did you see Dale’s face? They must not have believed her when she told them they had the wrong woman, and that was their way of showing their disbelief. What are they going to do when they have their hands on the right woman?”
Logan took her by the shoulders and pressed a hard kiss against her mouth. “That’s not going to happen, Lana. They’re not going to get to you as long as I’m in the picture.”
Her lips tingling, she said, “Then I hope you’re in the picture for a long time.”
The ride back to town proved to be uneventful. The patrol car followed them all the way to the police station, its lights on a slow roll.
When they walked into the station, a Detective Samuels led them to an interrogation room where Lana handed over her cell phone.
“Have you heard anything from Detective Delgado yet about Dale McGowan?”
Samuels scrolled through the messages from Dale’s phone and took some notes. “She’s okay and out of immediate danger. Apparently, her abductors kept her blindfolded, so she didn’t get a look at them. Had no idea where they took her, either. They sedated her, so she can’t even tell us how long they traveled in the van.”
“The van?”
“She knows it was a van because of the way the door rolled open and the long bench seat in the back. That’s also when they sedated her.”
Lana covered her mouth with one hand. “I’m so sorry that happened to her.”
“And you think it’s because someone is after your brother’s journal?” Samuels held up her phone.
“Yes.”
“Do you have the journal?”
“No. I expected it to be among Gil’s possessions in the box the marines sent me, but it wasn’t there. I thought it might’ve been stolen when I didn’t see it, but judging the actions of these people they’re still looking for it, too.”
“Why do you think they want it?”
Lana’s gaze darted to Logan’s face. “I think it’s because I’ve been questioning what happened at the embassy outpost Gil and the other marines were guarding. The government has an official explanation, and that’s the one they want to stick with.”
Samuels drew a square on the table around her phone. “Are you trying to tell me you think the United States Government is behind the kidnapping and beating of Dale McGowan?”
“Maybe not the government.” Lana folded her hands on the table and twisted the rings on her fingers. “But it could be someone within the government in an unofficial capacity.”
“If this is truly what’s going on—” Samuels drove his finger into the table “—this is something we’ll have to hand off to the FBI. We’ll do our regular police work and try to track down Dale’s kidnappers and the people who shot at you, but we’ll have to leave it up to the prosecutor to determine a motive.”
“I can help them out with a motive. I know this is what’s going on. I’m just sorry Dale got roped into it.”
“It’s because the two of you look so much alike—or at least you used to.” After a few more questions, Samuels snatched up the phone again. “We’ll be doing some forensic work on this to see if we can pin down a location. We’ll have to hold on to it.”
“I understand.”
“In the meantime—” Samuels’s gaze darted from her face to Logan’s “—be careful.”
“She will... I’ll make sure of it.” Logan pushed back from the table and extended his hand to Samuels.
Once outside, Lana blew out a long breath. “Do you think I should contact the FBI on my own? Cordova?”
“I think you should get out of town.”
She tripped over a crack in the sidewalk, and Logan caught her arm. She couldn’t even walk without Logan saving her.
“You’re kidding.”
“What are you going to do here, continually look over your shoulder for who knows what? You heard the detective. Dale can’t ID her abductors. If you don’t know who they are, how are you going to recognize the danger when it’s staring you in the face?”
“I can’t just pick up and leave. I told you that. I have—” she waved her arms around like a crazy person “—responsibilities.”
“You don’t think Bruce will let you off?” He lunged in front of her to get the door of the truck, the bullet hole in the side causing her heart rate to spike. “I think his wife’s appearance sobered him up, gave him a different perspective.”
“He did seem rattled, but that has nothing to do with me. I have things to do at the ranch, horses to exercise and train...other stuff to do.”
“I think he’s going to understand that you want to get away—for your safety. He can make other arrangements, at least until you get Gil’s journal and turn it over to the proper authorities. Once that happens, you should be out of danger.”
She zipped her lip on arguing with Logan. He’d never understand financial obligations like hers. He’d been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, or at least silver spurs on his boots. And she had no intention of telling him about her other obligation here.
She climbed into the truck and slammed the door on his handsome, pampered face.
Undeterred, Logan slid into the passenger seat and continued, “But until that happens...”
She cranked on the engine and revved it. “You act like finding Gil’s journal is a done deal. I have no idea where it is. I expected it to be among his things—in that box. When it wasn’t, I figured it was stolen. According to Dale’s kidnappers, it wasn’t.”
“Let’s take another look in the box.” He snapped on his seat belt, dropping his campaign to get her to leave her job, her life, her everything at the McG Ranch.
She punched the accelerator of the truck as tears pricked her eyes. If her everything really was at McG, she was in big trouble.
She’d been in big trouble for a while.
She sniffed. “I went through everything in the box. I even searched the pockets of Gil’s clothing. It’s not there.”
“What if it’s not a journal?”
“What do you mean? It’s a journal. I told you about Gil’s journaling. He always kept one with him.”
“I mean, what if it’s not a physical journal? You’re looking for a book, probably about yay big.” He held his hands about six inches apart. “Leather-bound or cloth-bound, little pen stuck in the side. Maybe it’s in a different format.”
Lana skimmed her hands over the steering wheel, a bubble of excitement filling her chest. “It could be in a different format because he wanted to hide it.”
“Exactly.” Logan snapped his fingers. “Let’s find it.”
Lana glanced at her rearview mirror and eyed the patrol car following at a discreet distance, the only thing keeping her within the speed limit. He trailed them right up to the gates of the ranch until Jaeger let
them through.
Lana called out the window. “Any more news about Dale?”
Jaeger tipped his hat back on his head. “She’s out of danger, but she’ll be spending the night for observation.”
“And the kids?”
“Safe and sound with Dale’s mother in the house.” Jaeger smiled with a twist of his lips, turning the smile into a smirk. “Safe and sound.”
Lana dropped her head once in acknowledgment and sped down the road to her house.
“What is it with that guy?”
“Jaeger? I don’t know. He’s generally unpleasant. He’s Bruce’s confidant, which gives him a sense of superiority.”
“As long as he keeps an eye on that gate and is as unpleasant to strangers as he is to you.”
She’d figured out long ago that Jaeger knew everything Bruce knew, which meant he knew all her secrets, too. But right now, Gil’s secrets were more important than hers.
Lana parked the truck and Logan followed her into the house.
He dragged the box of Gil’s things from the corner to the front of the couch and then sat down, patting the cushion beside him. “Did you find any flash drives or computer disks among his belongings?”
“None.” She lifted a coffee mug from the box and pressed it against her cheek.
“You said you communicated with him online. Did he have a laptop with him?”
“Not his own. He used the computers at the compound. I doubt he would’ve put anything personal on those.”
Logan plucked a toiletry bag from the box and unzipped it. “Books?”
“Lots of those.” She pushed some items aside as she reached into the bottom of the box to pull out a stack of several books. “Gil liked to read, mostly sci-fi and fantasy.”
“You went through those already? Shook them out?”
“You mean like there might be a book within the book?”
“Something like that—a smaller pamphlet shoved inside.”
Lana collected all the books and dropped three in Logan’s lap and lined up the remaining four on the coffee table. She grabbed the edges of the first book’s cover, splayed the book open and shook the pages.
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