by Dana Mentink
Hannah held her breath.
Murray tugged at his beard.
Layke halted. “What? When? Where is that located?” He paused. “Good, we’re on our way.” He clicked off.
“What is it?” Hannah asked.
“The injured suspect was spotted at a health center nearby. We need to find him. He’s our only lead. Constable Antoine has dispatched local police that will meet us there.” He scooped up his laptop from an end table.
“Go!” Murray yelled. “We’ll keep Gabe safe.”
Layke touched her arm. “I need you for backup. Grab your gun.”
She ignored the tingling from the simple gesture and pulled her Beretta from the back of her jeans. “Right here.” She dangled her keys. “You drive.”
They snatched their coats and raced out into the yard.
She jumped into the passenger seat as the dogs barked in the background. She was thankful for the protective animals. They would defend not only this precious family but the property, too.
Layke reversed the Jeep from the driveway and sped down the road, the ranch disappearing from her vision as a question lodged in her mind.
Would they make it back alive to see Gabe again?
CHAPTER NINE
Layke handed his cell phone to Hannah as he kept his eyes on the road. He gave her the clinic’s address. “Put it into my GPS so we know where we’re going. We don’t have much time.”
“How did we find him?” She tapped the phone.
“Constable Antoine said a nurse from the clinic was in another room when he came in and demanded they treat his wounds. She hid until she felt it safe to sneak out and called 911.”
“When was this?”
“An hour ago. He can’t be hurt too badly to only be seeking medical attention now.”
“He probably knew better not to get treated in Beaver Creek. That the constables would look there first.” She pressed the button.
The directions instructed them to stay on the road for another fifty kilometers.
Their trip would take time. Time they didn’t have. A thought came to him. “Hannah, can you look up the Frontier Group Home? I want to talk to Sister Daphne.”
Hannah typed on the small cell phone keyboard.
He tapped his thumb on the steering wheel. Would the sisters give them answers?
“Here we go.” She dialed the number and waited. “Yes, I would like to speak to Sister Daphne, please.”
She hit the speaker and placed the phone on the middle console for him to hear.
“This is Sister Daphne.”
“This is Constable Layke Jackson and I have border patrol officer Hannah Morgan on the line.”
“How can I help you, officers?”
“We’re investigating the kidnapping of Gabe Stewart and the other boys from your group home.”
A sharp inhale swept through the speaker. “Have you found them?”
“Only Gabe,” Hannah said. “He’s safe, Sister.”
“What about the others?”
“We’re still looking. What can you tell us about Gabe?” Layke swerved around a chunk of ice on the road.
“Sweet boy but shy. Doesn’t open up well and takes a long time for him to make friends. His mother left him on the doorstep as a baby.”
“Has anyone ever inquired about him since that time?” Hannah’s softened voice was strained.
“Not at this home,” the nun said. “He’s been moved around a lot and feels unloved. I’ve tried to convince him otherwise.”
Hannah turned her gaze out the window. “Is there anything you can tell us about him and the other boys who were taken that can help us narrow down why they targeted your organization?”
“No idea. Find them, please.”
Layke gritted his teeth. “We will.” He cringed. There you go again, Jackson. Promising something you can’t guarantee.
“Thank you. I have to go now. It’s time for the children’s classes.”
“We appreciate your help. If you think of anything else, please call.” Layke spieled off his cell phone number and hung up. “Well, that wasn’t helpful.”
“Not at all. Poor Gabe. I feel for him.”
He stole a peek at her profile. Tension lined her jaw. “You okay?”
“Yup.” She twirled a curl around her finger. “Your brother and his wife seem nice.”
Change of conversation. She obviously didn’t want to talk about what bothered her. “They do.” He wished he’d known them long before today.
“How did you find out about them?”
Layke bit his lip. He knew she’d ask again. How much of his story did he want to tell her? He glanced at the woman beside him. Her wrinkled brow revealed concern. He looked away and clenched his mouth shut. He didn’t need her pity.
She rubbed his arm. “You can trust me.”
He suppressed a gasp and looked back at her. Had she also felt the electricity that surged through his body from her simple touch? The sudden impulse to hold her in his arms and protect her slammed him like an oncoming freight train at full speed. Get a grip. You know you can’t commit to any woman. Especially one who clearly wants children. And he didn’t.
“My mother told me she didn’t know who my father was.”
“What? How could that be?” She pulled her hand away.
“I’m afraid my mother wasn’t a nice person. She had boyfriend after boyfriend. Said my father was none of my concern and told me to stop asking.” He could still picture the anger on her face from years gone by. “A week after she warned me to stop asking, a news broadcast caught her attention. She shut off the TV and said my father was dead.”
“I thought she didn’t know who he was.”
“She lied.” He rubbed the muscles in his neck. “She lied about many things.”
“How did you find Murray?”
“You know Kaylin’s story, right?”
“Yes. She reconciled with her estranged father. What has that got to do with it?”
“It convinced me to look into my family, see where I might be from. So I did one of those ancestry DNA tests.”
“And?”
“Found out my father was very much alive and—” He stopped. He couldn’t tell her the secret he’d kept from everyone.
“What?”
“Nothing. I don’t want to talk about him.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Did your mother say why she lied?”
How could he explain to her how he had distanced himself from the woman when it was obvious she possessed mother-like tendencies? “I haven’t spoken to her since I confronted her about my dad. She ordered me to stay away, so I hung up and refused to take any more of her calls. Changed my number.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.” His voice came out harsh, but he’d leave it at that.
“So, how did you find Murray then?”
“I didn’t. He found me. Called me out of the blue one day and told me we had the same father. I didn’t believe him at first but did a check on him. Murray lived in Windsor as a teen and then moved to Whitehorse to go to college. We started Skyping together. He’s like you, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“A Christian.”
“Good. His faith will give him strength to battle this ordeal.”
Could he believe her? Why had God abandoned him as a child? “Not sure I believe that.”
“What’s made you skeptical toward God?”
A mother who beat her only child. He held back the words he wanted to say. After all of these years, his disdain for her still came through. Why couldn’t he let it go?
“Turn right in 500 meters,” the GPS commanded.
For once, he was thankful for the voice on his GPS. It interrupted their conversation and p
ut his head back into the game. Where it needed to be. Not in the clouds thinking of a deceitful mother and a father who’d murdered.
Layke turned right into the small community and followed the GPS instructions to the health center. Cars had jammed the tiny parking lot and the lineup at the front door indicated the clinic had not opened.
“This could be interesting. The people will be antsy after waiting in the cold for the clinic to open. We may need to do some crowd control. Do you have your badge? We’ll need to identify ourselves since we’re in civilian clothing.” He winced as he thought about a rule he was breaking by not being in uniform, but it couldn’t be helped. He parked on the side of the road and turned off the engine.
She pursed her lips and pulled out her credentials.
It was obvious she still waited for him to answer her question, but he had to concentrate on doing his job. One of his rules… Keep your head in the game at all times. He fastened his badge to his belt and stepped out of the Jeep.
Hannah followed in silence.
They wove their way through the line and flashed their badges.
Once they got to the front of the building, Layke stopped and waved his badge in the air. “Everyone. This is police business. Please return to your vehicles and head home. The clinic is closed for the day. Come back tomorrow.”
Flashing lights and a siren announced the arrival of the local constables. Layke flinched. The sound would alert the suspect to their presence and they’d lose their advantage.
As if on cue, a shot pierced through the clinic’s window.
Layke and Hannah ducked, unleashing their weapons.
“Get down!” Layke yelled.
Panic erupted and the crowd scattered like bees from a stirred nest. They knocked each other down as they ran to their cars. Engines started and cars rammed into each other as they tried to exit the parking lot.
They must contain the chaos before someone got hurt.
The constables drew their guns and crouched.
Layke waved them over. “Do you have a crowbar in case we need to breach?” Introductions would have to wait for now.
“Yes,” the tall officer said. “I’ll get it.” He ran back to the cruiser while the other officer directed the cars out of the lot.
The constable returned and handed Layke the crowbar.
“Where in the clinic did the witness call from?” Layke asked.
“She told us she was out front. The suspect was in the back patient room with the doctor who was called into the center. They don’t normally house doctors, only nurses.”
“He fired from the front, so we need to assume he now has the other nurse hostage. You circle around back. We’ll take the front. Be careful. This suspect is wounded and armed. Not a good combination.” He pulled out his radio. “What channel are you on?”
The constable told him and rushed off.
“Hannah, I know you’re trained in defensive tactics, but please stay behind me and follow my lead.”
“Understood. What’s the plan?”
He pulled out his cell phone. “I’m going to call inside and hope he picks up.” He Googled the clinic’s name and entered its number. He could hear the phone ringing from behind the glass door. He waited. Two rings. Three. Four. “Come on, pick up.” Six. Seven—
“What do you want?” the rough voice blared.
“This is Constable Layke Jackson. With whom am I speaking?”
“You don’t need to know. Get off the property or I’ll start by shooting this pretty nurse.”
Great, he had her hostage. “Listen, no one needs to get hurt. We want to help you.”
He cussed. “You can help by going away!”
“Not gonna happen, man. We don’t want you. We want your boss.” He had just broken another of his rules… Never misinform a suspect. He gripped his cell phone tighter. Truth was, they did want him, too. If he had his way, everyone in this gang was going down.
Silence.
He caught his attention.
“What will you do for me?”
“Let the nurse and doctor go. Then we’ll talk.”
A crash sounded at the back of the clinic.
“Someone’s at the rear door. I told you to stay out.”
The other constable.
Layke grabbed his radio and changed the channel. “Stand down, Constable.” His command was rough, but he needed the officer to obey. He was almost through to the suspect. He put his cell phone back to his ear. “I instructed the officer to stay outside.”
“I don’t believe you. You were warned.”
Click. Beep. The dial tone buzzed in his ear like an annoying mosquito that wouldn’t go away. He clicked off and shoved the phone into his pocket. That conversation had not gone well.
A shot from inside was followed by a woman’s scream.
They had to move. Now.
“Breach on three,” he yelled into his radio. He holstered his weapon and held the crowbar tightly. “Hannah, hold my radio to my mouth.” He needed both hands to break the glass.
She obeyed and pressed the radio button.
He moved to the side with her to his right.
“One. Two. Three. Go! Go! Go!”
A crash sounded at the back.
He slammed the crowbar into the front door, shattering the glass.
* * *
Hannah stuffed Layke’s radio into her back pocket and raised her weapon. Her pulse hammered fear through her veins as she waited for Layke to clear the doorway. This was the first time she’d ever been part of a breach in this nature. Sure, she’d been trained on it but never had to do one with living, breathing humans inside. Her duties mostly included inspecting vehicles coming across the border. She braced for what was about to happen.
Layke threw the crowbar aside and unleashed his gun. “Stay behind me.” He eased through the door, pointing his Smith & Wesson in different directions.
Her boots crunched on the fallen glass, the sound matching her thudding heartbeat. She crouched low and mimicked Layke’s posture.
Layke edged around the corner with his weapon in front. “Police! Stand down!”
“Stay back, or I swear I’ll kill her.” The injured suspect inched forward with the petite blonde nurse in front of him and a gun thrust into her side. The man’s wild eyes darted back and forth as his hand shook. His wiry red curls peeked out from under his tuque.
The doctor sat on the floor clutching his wounded leg, blood pooling around him.
Layke took another step.
The local constable appeared in the hallway but remained hidden.
Layke raised his left fingers slightly in a stop position. “No one move.”
Hannah stole a peek at the constable. Would he get the hint to stay hidden? She anchored herself beside Layke.
“Bud, the doctor is hurt. He needs attention. Let’s end this.” Layke took another step.
“Stop! I don’t want to hurt her, but I will if I have to.” He squeezed harder.
The nurse moaned.
“What’s your name?” Layke asked.
“Rob.”
“We don’t want you, Rob. Cooperate with us and we’ll let the crown attorney know you helped us.” Layke inched closer.
Hannah held her breath. Would the man listen without someone else getting shot? Lord, help us to end this situation peacefully.
“He’ll kill me if he knows I talked and, believe me, he’ll know.”
“Who? Your boss?”
Rob waved his gun toward Hannah. “How about we swap? You give me Hannah and I’ll let you have the nurse.”
Hannah flinched. How did he know her name and what did he want with her?
Layke’s face twitched and he raised his gun higher. “Not gonna happen.”
Hannah stepped for
ward into the line of fire. “Why do you want me?”
Layke reached around and pushed her back. “Behind me.”
Rob tilted his head. “Oh. You’re sweet on her, aren’t you? Don’t blame you. She’s pretty.” He sneered, revealing his cigarette-stained teeth.
“I’ll shoot you before I let you take her.” Layke moved to the left.
Where was he going?
Rob dragged the nurse to follow Layke’s stance. Out of the way of his peripheral vision of the other policeman.
Smart thinking, Layke.
The constable edged around the corner and moved behind the reception desk.
“What’s your boss’s name?” Layke asked.
That’s it. Keep him distracted.
The constable moved out from behind the desk and inched his way forward.
Hannah once again held her breath.
“You think I have a death wish? You’re dumber than I thought, Constable Jackson.”
Layke shifted his stance. “What can you tell me about him?”
The man scoffed. “Let’s just say the boss is everywhere and knows all about your investigation.”
How? Hannah’s mind raced to try to figure out how that was possible. This ring spread far if they knew their names and were able to follow their case.
“What—”
The officer hiding lunged behind Rob and knocked the gun out of his hand. He wrenched the suspect’s arm up his back.
Rob yelled.
Layke raced forward and pulled the nurse away, pushing her toward Hannah.
Hannah grabbed her and removed her from the deadly situation. “You’re okay. We’ve got you.”
“Nice work, Constable. What’s your name?” Layke asked.
“Taylor.”
“Layke Jackson from Calgary.”
Constable Taylor nodded and cuffed Rob, shoving him into a waiting chair. He spoke into his radio, telling the constable outside they were clear, and asked for an ambulance for the injured doctor.
Layke turned to the nurse. “You hurt?”
She shook her head. “Just shaken.”
Hannah squeezed her shoulder. “You were brave calling us.”
“The constables here will take your statement,” Layke said. “Is there a room where we can question the suspect?”