by Dana R. Lynn
“Dan? What’s going on?”
“Mags.” He stopped.
She squeaked when he suddenly grabbed her in a fierce hug. It was hard to breathe, he held her so tight. And he was scaring her.
She used her hands to push back, creating space between them.
“Dan, tell me what’s wrong!”
“We found a trail, Maggie. I’m pretty sure it’s blood.”
Blood? But that meant...
“Mom? He hurt my mom?”
Dan grabbed her by both arms. Not hard. Just enough to steady her. She was on the edge of dissolving into hysterics. Focusing on Dan helped her to step back off the ledge.
“I don’t know what it means. Yes, she could be hurt. Or maybe her attacker was hurt. Or maybe it happened earlier and no one noticed it. Whatever the case may be, I need you to let me do my job so we can find her. Clear?”
Words were beyond her at that point, so she satisfied herself with nodding.
“Good. Look, we are going to be a little while.” He reached back and took out his phone. “Take my phone, call Paul. Number two, remember? I’m sure he’ll let you talk with Melanie, just to get an idea of what’s happening at the station.”
She clutched his phone to her chest. Right now it felt like a lifeline.
“Are you sure you won’t need it?”
“I’ll use Jace’s if I need to call someone. Go ahead. Sit in the car.” He turned and strode back around the side of the house.
Shoving her hands into the pocket of her hoodie, she scurried back to the car. In her haste to talk with Melanie, she wasn’t aware at first of the car purring up the driveway. Her head jerked up when two men jumped out of it and raced toward her. Fear paralyzed her for an instant, then she gathered her wits enough to open her mouth and scream. It was cut off almost instantly by a rough slap. Tears stung her eyes. For a second her vision was blurry. Hard arms grabbed her from behind and started dragging her.
“You want to see your mama alive again you need to come with us.” She shivered at the angry voice snarling in her ear. Her mother was alive? Maybe he was lying, though. These people were obviously willing to kill. Lying wouldn’t be that hard.
Instinct had her struggling to free herself. She kicked back and heard a grunt as her heel connected with a leg. It awarded her a small spurt of satisfaction. Short-lived satisfaction.
“Enough or we hurt the kid.”
Rory!
“I’ll go. Leave him alone.”
Without another word she was dragged to their car. She wasn’t even given the choice of walking. Fear like she had never known grew inside her. She was going to die. Her children would grow up without her. Who would raise them? Would her mother be set free?
Dan would never know that she loved him. Now that she was going to die, she regretted never being brave enough to tell him.
The front door slammed open. An officer she recognized as Tony ran out and charged at them, his revolver ready. The man holding her tightened his grip. The other raised his gun and fired. Horrified, she watched as Tony stumbled and fell. Then he was still.
A shout rang out. Dan raced around the side of the house, Jace only a step behind him.
The gunman shot. Missed. Dan and Jace separated. The shooter had two targets now, coming from two different angles, and he couldn’t seem to decide which one to aim at first—buying them a few seconds.
“Dan!” The scream burst from her. He had to be careful. He had to. The man holding her switched his hold, placing an arm around her neck. She gurgled as his hold tightened. She bit his hand. He swore, slapped her. Her head whipped to the side.
Dan was almost upon them. He raised his gun again. Another bullet rang out from the gunman’s weapon. Dan flew back. In slow motion, she saw him. Falling. Falling.
Jace yelled, but her ears seemed to be stuffed with cotton. Pain and grief exploded inside her.
“Dan!” she shrieked.
She saw the meaty fist coming but didn’t have time to duck.
Agony. Then darkness.
SIXTEEN
A motor was running. She could feel it rumbling beneath her head. She opened her eyes. Everything was dark. She wiggled. Her hands were tied behind her back. She was lying on her side on some kind of rough blanket. Sniffing, she scrunched up her nose in disgust. It was damp and moldy.
Moving her head, she winced as her jaw ached. She worked it back and forth. It probably wasn’t broken, even though pain shivered through her face when she opened her mouth more than an inch. She vaguely remembered being punched. Right after...
Dan! Fresh agony ripped through her. In her mind she saw him falling again and again. Bile clawed its way up her throat. She gasped, struggling to keep it down. Was he alive? Oh, Lord, please let him be alive. Please let me live long enough to tell him that I love him. And her babies! What had happened to Rory? And who had Siobhan now?
She was helpless to hold back a sob. Tears fell down her face, dripping off onto whatever surface she was lying on.
Someone moaned just inches away. Her breath froze.
“Mom?” she whispered. She could barely hear, her heart was pounding so hard.
“Maggie? Is that you?”
Gratitude welled up inside her. Her mom was alive, and they were together. For now. They were definitely in a dangerous situation.
“I’m here, Mom. Not sure where here is, though.”
Movement. It sounded as though her mom was wrestling against her bindings.
“It’s no use. I can’t get loose,” her mother exclaimed. “I think we are on some kind of vehicle. I feel like we’re moving.”
“Trunk of a car?” The space did have an enclosed feeling. The air felt thin around her.
“No,” her mother answered. “The area is small, but not that small.”
A sudden jolt halted their conversation. Two doors slammed. Her insides quivered. Footsteps. One set on either side. Behind her, she heard her mother’s breathing become harsher. Faster.
The footsteps stopped. She could hear the murmur of voices but was unable to decipher any individual words. It was almost like listening from inside a bubble.
The covering was whipped back. Agony seared through her head as the sunlight flared bright in her unprotected eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying to focus. The men in front of her were nothing but blobs as her eyes struggled to adjust. Her head continued to pound. An evil chuckle polluted the air.
“Looks like our guests are ready to join us. Come on, ladies. The boss wants to meet you.”
Rough hands grabbed her and yanked her from the vehicle. She wobbled as she was set down on her feet. Painful tingles shot up her numb legs. She started to crumble. Hard hands caught her and the man holding her chuckled again. He shifted his hold and something in her pocket pressed against her stomach. Dan’s cell phone!
“Guess you won’t be kicking anyone now.”
That was right. She had kicked the foul man before. How she wished for the strength to struggle enough to kick him again! She was too weak even to stand upright, though. Her eyes focused enough to look around as the other man pulled her mother out. They had been in the back of a pickup truck covered with a tarp. They were on a dock. A large boat bobbed gently on the waves. Lake Erie. She had always thought the lake was spectacular. Right now, the only feeling the lake inspired was alarm.
They were herded onto the boat, half dragged and half carried down the stairs. A man was standing with his back to them, staring out the small window. He made no move to acknowledge them as they were shoved into the room and deserted by their captors.
Maggie glanced at her mother, wincing at the sight of the cut across her mother’s forehead. That explained the blood Dan had found. Anna offered her a smile and glanced up, closing her eyes briefly. Then she c
ocked an eyebrow at her daughter. Maggie thought her mother was telling her to pray. Nodding to show she understood, she attempted to do just that. Only, no words came to mind. Finally, she settled for praying Help, Lord. Over and over she repeated the simple litany in her mind.
The man at the window apparently decided they had waited long enough. He turned and graced them with a mocking little bow. He was a handsome man in his midforties, of medium height and slightly stocky. His brown hair was short. His eyes—had she ever seen such cold eyes?—like ice. He smiled at her. A beautiful smile that sent shivers down her spine. He reminded her of a tiger ready to pounce. His face was one she had seen in pictures, but never in person. Yet she knew she would never forget it, even if she somehow escaped this situation alive.
This was Gary Chambers.
His eyes settled on Anna. His smile disappeared. “You, madam, were a mistake. I had no desire to kidnap you. However, the mistake was made, and you will have to suffer the consequences along with your daughter.”
Anna paled but kept her face serene. If Maggie had ever forgotten how strong her mother was, she was reminded now. Even facing death, Anna kept her cool. Maggie would do her best to emulate her.
His gaze returned to Maggie, and she forced herself to meet it squarely. His lip curled in a sneer. “You. I had originally thought that once I had the information your despicable husband had stolen, I would let you live. Probably let you see firsthand the business your husband was undermining.”
She shuddered at the thought of being forced into the human trafficking ring he controlled.
“It’s too late now. For you. Do you know how much time and money I have wasted searching for you?” He glared, a muscle twitching in his cheek. “Purchard was easy to convince. He had a sick mother in assisted living. I helped him out when he couldn’t afford a bill, and he returned the favor. But the others were far more costly. And for what? The cops have raided my offices. Frozen my assets and my bank accounts. My business associates are turning on me, cutting themselves deals in return for information on me.” He bent his head to the side and spat. The venom in his voice made her hair stand on end.
“I have other accounts, of course. Other sources of income that the feds don’t know about. So I can disappear. But you, Maggie Slade, will pay for the misery you have caused me.”
So that’s why she was still alive. He wanted his revenge.
“I never knew what Malcolm was involved with,” she began. He stepped closer and pushed his face next to hers. So close her eyes began to cross. She reared back.
“I don’t care. You were his wife. And between the two of you, you’ve destroyed me. I spent years building up this business, achieving the life I wanted, and now it’s gone. Gone!” The last word was bellowed in her face, his rancid breath nearly choking her.
He pushed a button. A minute later, his goons reappeared. He headed up the stairs and the men each grasped one of the women and pulled her along. But this time they struggled, kicking and twisting with all their might.
It was useless. Within moments, they were on the deck. Was he planning on shooting them? Drowning them? Frantically, she looked around, hoping to see another boat, or someone walking along the dock. No one. It was fall. Very few people came out on cold days such as this. Her hope dwindled.
“Go out deeper,” Chambers directed one of his men. The man dipped his head and headed to the front. Soon they were speeding toward the middle of the lake.
“I considered just shooting you, but I’m not fond of blood. I almost had my associates construct a way to make your deaths look like an accident. But what was the point? The police already know that I’m the person after you.” His manner was almost friendly now, which made the current situation even more terrifying. “I decided drowning would be more suitable. I wanted you to be aware of what was happening. And I wanted you to understand why. Then my revenge will be complete.”
He slipped an arm around Maggie’s shoulders. She quivered in fear and disgust. Casually, he started pushing her toward the edge of the boat. Anna cried out in distress and moved to intercept them. The man behind her yanked her back.
Maggie tripped and started to fall. Chambers held on to her. A dip in the boat unbalanced them both and sent them to the ground. Growling, he stood and started dragging her toward the rail of the boat.
Maggie fought with all her strength, but it was fading fast. It was over.
* * *
Dan drove toward Lake Erie as fast as he could. He had awoken as the paramedics were loading him onto a stretcher. Another ambulance had already taken Tony to the hospital. There had been no word yet on his condition. But there was no way Dan was going to the hospital. It was ironic that Seth and he had that in common on the same day.
Seth. He had wanted to follow Maggie, to try to help Dan rescue her. Dan had refused, knowing an untrained man with a concussion would only be in the way. Instead, he asked her frantic brother to take his nephew back to the station and look after him and Siobhan until Dan could bring Maggie back. Alive. He refused to even consider that she would die. What would he do if she died?
“Lieutenant Willis?”
He punched the button on his radio. “Yeah, Chief.”
“We have the coordinates from your phone’s GPS. Looks like they are on a boat heading out into Lake Erie. You have my permission to commandeer a boat to go out after them. Jackson and Olsen are on their way to lend assistance.”
“Okay, Chief. I’m on my way now.” This time he didn’t even hesitate to use his siren. Cars pulled to the side of the road as he sped past.
“And, Dan? You use whatever force you need to in order to bring those women home.”
Paul knew. Despite how hard Dan had tried to disguise his weakness, Paul knew how hard it was for Dan to pick up his gun. He probably should have felt mortified. But he didn’t. He had no room for any emotion that interfered with saving Maggie.
At the dock he persuaded a man who was cleaning out his boat to take him out on the lake. Actually, Dan had whipped out his badge and threatened the man with charges of obstruction of justice to make the man stop arguing. He had grudgingly complied. Granted he wasn’t happy about it, but that wasn’t Dan’s priority. His goal was to get the woman he loved and her mother home. Safe. Two small children were depending on him to bring their mom home. He wouldn’t fail them. Not this time. He might fail in the future. It was inevitable. But not this time.
After what seemed like hours he spotted the boat. Something was happening on the deck.
“Hand me those binoculars!” he hollered at the boater.
Muttering, the man passed them over. Dan lifted them to his eyes. And his world screeched to a halt. Gary Chambers was dragging Maggie toward the front of the boat. He could see her struggling. Her legs were flailing, but her arms were bound behind her back. Chambers’s intention was clear. He was going to toss her overboard. Let her drown.
“Can’t this thing go faster?”
“I’m going as fast as I can.” The boater was pale. He, too, was staring at the boat ahead of them.
Sick with horror, Dan saw Chambers heft Maggie’s kicking body and throw her into the lake. Her scream was cut off as her head went beneath the water. Chambers had already returned with Anna when Maggie’s head popped up above the water. She was choking and gasping. He could tell by the way she bobbed that she was kicking her legs to keep herself afloat. How long could she continue?
Chambers looked up. His eyes widened when he glimpsed the boat speeding toward him. He stopped dragging Anna. He actually pushed her away from him while he grabbed the gun from the man standing next to him and pointed it. Straight at Maggie.
“No!” the criminal screamed. “You need to die! No rescue for you!” His first shot went wild. Maggie ducked under the water. When she popped up again, she had moved several feet closer to Dan’s
boat.
Chambers screamed out his fury and took aim again.
Dan was going to have to shoot him. For the first time in years, Dan grabbed his gun without dread coursing through him. He didn’t have to kill Chambers. Maybe he could wound him. If the man could be brought to justice, Dan would prefer to do it that way.
Chambers jerked the gun to where Maggie was now. Dan could see her energy was already flagging. She had to be exhausted. Plus, Lake Erie was cold this time of year.
Dan squeezed the trigger, aiming for Chambers’s left arm. The one holding the gun. Chambers twisted to get a better shot at Maggie, and the bullet took him in the shoulder. He yelled but didn’t drop the gun. No, he raised it and again took aim.
Once more, Dan fired. And Chambers fell.
In a flash, Dan dropped his own gun to the deck and dived into the chilly waters. Swimming with every ounce of strength he possessed, he made for Maggie. He could see her starting to sink. With an adrenaline-fed burst of speed, he managed to reach her before she went under.
“Hold on, Mags. I’ve got you, baby. Stay with me. Come on.” Keeping up a steady stream of encouragement, he pulled her back to the boat. His unwilling chauffeur was ready, reaching out to help him pull the drenched and shivering woman on board.
He found some blankets and piled them around her shoulders. Dan instructed the boater to head back to shore. He saw the other police cruiser arrive at the dock and radioed Olsen and Jackson to go and get Anna off the boat. The officers located another motorboat and within minutes had boarded the craft.
His cell phone was gone, probably lying on the bottom of Lake Erie. His now-willing driver handed him his cell phone so Dan could call Jackson for a report.
“Got Mrs. Slade, Lieutenant. And we’ve apprehended Chambers’s accomplices. They’re cuffed and already crying for a lawyer. We’re taking them in.”
“Chambers?” He held his breath.
“He’s dead, sir.”