by Karen Kirst
Bolting out of bed, he quickly dressed, tucked his weapon in his rear waistband and tried unsuccessfully to get Weiland on the phone. The door wasn’t hot to the touch. He entered the hallway and immediately started choking. Wispy fingers of smoke licked at the ceiling.
Dropping to all fours, he crawled toward the stairs and yelled Tessa’s name. Where had the fire originated? Why wasn’t Weiland answering?
When he reached the stair railing, a wall of heat slammed into him, sucking the breath from his lungs and drenching him in sweat. Irate flames ate at his front door.
His sense of urgency intensifying, he bellowed for Tessa. He inhaled acrid smoke, and his voice disintegrated into hacking coughs. Going on his belly, he crawled military-style, feeling as if he was clambering through mud. Another bout of coughing stalled him.
Why hadn’t the shrieking alarm roused them?
Their bedroom door loomed before him. What would he find behind the wooden barrier?
Mason lunged for the knob and twisted. Complete darkness greeted him. He flicked the light switch and got nothing.
“Tessa?” He hurried toward the bed. “Wake up!”
As his eyes adjusted, he saw that the bed was empty. Had to be a trick of the shadows. He swept his arm across the mattress.
Denial rose in his throat. She wouldn’t have left on her own, wouldn’t have left him to burn inside this house.
The curtain at the window rippled, admitting a shaft of fresh air. Open. The window was open. His hands gripping the sill, he leaned out and scanned the yard. The movement activated the battery-operated security light, and his stomach dropped at the sight of the industrial ladder in the grass.
Dante had come for them.
He thought he heard screaming. If he didn’t figure out a way to get out of this house, Tessa would soon be dead and his daughter would be in the Mafia prince’s clutches. Getting her back through legal means might be impossible, thanks to Dante’s influence.
Mason searched the house’s exterior for anything he could use to climb down. Finding nothing, he returned to the hallway, only to double over when his lungs seized. The smoke had thickened. He couldn’t go down the stairs. Couldn’t get to the ground from Tessa’s room.
What now?
Dear God, help me so I can help them.
* * *
Tessa struggled against her captor’s rock-hard grip. A few steps ahead, James had Lily wedged against his shoulder like a slab of beef. Her arms were outstretched toward Tessa, and her fear-filled cries startled birds from their homes as they passed under the branches. His high-beam flashlight sliced through the trees and underbrush, lighting the path, but it wouldn’t catch the attention of Officer Weiland. She’d seen his prone body beside his cruiser. She didn’t know whether he was merely unconscious, or worse.
Mason wasn’t coming, either. She managed to twist enough and get a glimpse of the farmhouse. The upstairs windows were black, sightless eyes, and orange-yellow flames flickered in the first-level windows like an evil, mocking smile. The tacos Gia had made for supper threatened to come up.
“Mason!” The anguished cry got her nothing but mocking laughter.
“He’s a goner,” her captor sneered, jerking her over the uneven ground. “And you will be soon. You deserve it after all the trouble you’ve caused the boss.”
Tears threatened, and she blinked them away. Grief wasn’t her friend. Right now, she had to focus on escape. Her life depended on it.
“Where are you taking us? Where’s my brother?”
The vise on her arm became punishing, and she tried to pry his fingers loose. The goon, who was well over six feet, stopped short, hauled her against him and captured her other arm. She tugged and pulled, but to no avail. His crude laughter washed over her, even as his grip became crueler. Any second now, she expected to hear her bones snap.
“We’re wasting time, Vince,” James called without stopping. “The fire department will be here soon.”
Vince brought his face close to hers. “Not in time to save Sergeant Reed,” he taunted.
She kicked him square in the shins, and he growled his displeasure. “If it had been up to me, I would’ve made his death a lot messier. Like yours is gonna be.”
“Let’s go.” James’s command cracked the night.
Vince’s cruel eyes bored into hers a beat longer, then he started dragging her at a punishing pace.
Defeat was inevitable. She was no match for these men. How was she supposed to get herself and Lily free?
Her heart beat out a rhythm of regret. Tessa hadn’t wanted to admit that escaping Dante was out of the question. No one escaped his wrath, not forever.
A two-lane road dissected the woods. Waiting there was a different vehicle, an older Suburban in place of the Escalades. No sign of Dante, Bruno or the fourth guard.
Tessa balked. This couldn’t be the outcome.
“Let me hold her,” Tessa called to James. “I can calm her. You don’t want to present an out-of-control child to Dante, do you?”
He stopped beside the rear door and turned around, considering. Lily whimpered and squirmed. Tessa’s body vibrated with adrenaline. Should she run once she had Lily in her arms? Was it worth the risk to them both?
Vince surprised her by agreeing. “You’re driving, James, and I’m not wrangling that sniveling brat on the way.”
“Fine. Get in.” James opened the door and pointed to the row seat. The dome light spilled onto the ground. Lily’s round face was mottled, her lashes drenched with tears. “Then I’ll give her to you.”
Tessa’s only opportunity shriveled, and so did her heart.
I failed to keep our daughter safe, Mason. I’m so sorry.
Vince yanked her forward. In the next second, the iron grip on her arm fell away. A gasp stirred the air. He hit the ground in a quivering, contorted form. Tasered. By whom?
Out of the shadows, a figure in black emerged.
Joy and relief crashed over her. Mason had gotten out. He’d come for them, their very own personal hero. Thank You, Jesus.
He looked ferocious and unpredictable, with his hair in wild disarray, his features obscured by soot and his hands wielding a Taser and a pistol. Lily’s crying resumed, and Tessa saw James mentally run through his options. Any second now, he was going to use Lily as a shield or a bargaining chip. She didn’t think, just acted.
Screaming out her rage and fear, she charged and grabbed Lily’s waist. Startled by the outburst, James let go. Tessa ran for the trees on the opposite side of the road, a good distance from the guns but still within view of Mason.
A single shot reverberated through the night, and she flinched. Mason dove to the ground. The Suburban’s engine rumbled, and tires spun out. Mason discharged his weapon but failed to disable the fleeing vehicle.
Tessa remained where she was as he bent to check the prone man’s pulse. Clearly finding none, he stalked across the road, his boots beating out a furious rhythm, his body as rigid as a flaming arrow. She involuntarily took a step back even as he wrapped his arms around them both, his careful embrace at odds with the emotions he held in check.
Little by little, she rested against him, taking solace in his unsteady heartbeat and heaving breaths. He reeked of smoke, but she didn’t care.
“You’re angry.”
“Yes.”
“At me?”
“What?” His hands cupped her upper arms, and he eased back to look at her. “No, of course not.”
His voice sounded terrible, like he’d inhaled a sack of burning embers.
“I couldn’t warn you. When I woke up, one of them—James—was already climbing onto the ladder with Lily, and the other one had a gun. He ordered me outside. I—I had to stay with her. And I know what I did just now was risky, but I couldn’t stop myself. I just knew he was going to toss her into the
back and drive away.”
“I’m not angry, Tess.” He cradled her cheek, his thumb sweeping over her cheekbone. “I’ve been operating on the assumption that I was going to be too late.” He ceased speaking and took a moment to gather his thoughts. “I’m proud of you. You kept your cool. Didn’t panic. Not many people in your predicament could’ve done that.”
Tessa wanted him to hold her again, but he turned toward the road. “James shot and killed his partner rather than deliver him into our custody.”
“His name was Vince. Maybe they didn’t want to risk another jailbreak?” She felt terrible about the loss of life, despite his ill intentions toward them. “I saw Weiland. I think he’s dead.”
“I checked on him. They knocked him unconscious. He’ll have a nasty headache, but he should be fine.”
Mason dissolved into a fit of coughing. Tessa stood by, feeling helpless.
“You have to go to the hospital.”
He straightened. “I’m okay.”
“How did you get out?”
“When I discovered you and Lily were gone, I made my way back to my room and climbed out onto the porch roof. I shimmied down a column and used the railing as a foothold. I heard Lily crying and figured you all were in the woods, so I decided to try and cut you off via the road.”
Sirens alerted them to the first responders’ impending arrival. They made their way back to the driveway entrance and were met by Weiland. He was upright, using the car as a prop, but obviously in pain.
The stench of burning wood carried through the trees, and Tessa could see the orange-yellow flames dancing with glee. Before she could dwell too long on Mason’s enormous loss, the fire trucks and ambulances rolled in, trailed by Silver and Cruz. Mason would’ve led them to the slain man, but Silver witnessed him have another bout of coughing and ordered him into a waiting ambulance.
“We’ll take care of this,” Silver reassured him, no trace of his usual droll wit. “And I’ll personally see that Tessa and Lily are kept safe.”
An EMT was already at Mason’s side.
Mason gave her a half-hearted wave. “I’ll text you.”
“I don’t have a phone.”
“Right.” He winced. “I’ll contact Silver as soon as I can.”
She watched as he was led to the nearest ambulance. Firefighters were swarming the scene, shouting commands to each other and working to save the house. If it could be saved. Lieutenant Polk and some other officers arrived, and Silver quickly consulted him and Cruz. He then retrieved the car seat from the borrowed unit truck and hustled Tessa and Lily to his car.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“I would take you to my place, but I’m in the middle of renovations. Lots of dust and tools that make it unfit for a toddler.” The engine purred, and he maneuvered the Corvette onto the dark road. “I have an unoccupied cabin that is isolated and accessed by a single lane. Easy to defend.”
The dashboard clock glowed. Half past three. “My presence is seriously messing with your unit’s sleeping habits.”
Not to mention putting them in harm’s way and causing destruction to their private property. Even their workplace hadn’t gone untouched. She swallowed down rising panic.
“We need to be tested sometimes,” he said, maneuvering a sharp turn with ease. “Pushed to our limits. Besides, I like the adrenaline rush.”
He flashed a lopsided grin, and she could see how Serenity’s female population could be dazzled. Since first meeting him, Tessa had sensed that his flippancy was a deflection technique. Mason wouldn’t betray his friend’s secrets, however, and she didn’t know Silver well enough to pry.
The smooth ride lulled her into an exhausted silence. She couldn’t keep track of the turns and twists as they climbed higher into the mountains. There were fewer residences here. Finally, he turned onto a wooded lane that led to a single cabin shrouded in darkness. The absence of trees behind it, coupled with an ocean of twinkling stars, suggested they were on top of the world. Their only neighbors would be black bears and other wildlife.
Silver told her to stay put while he went through flipping on lights. Satisfied, he escorted her and a half-asleep Lily inside and told her to pick a room. He’d be bunking on the couch. Cruz would be there later and could take one of the other four rooms. The place was both grand and welcoming, with high ceilings and wooden beams overhead, a stunning stone fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows and plush throw rugs. She had no doubt it would be spectacular in daylight. Right now, she wanted nothing but sleep.
Tessa chose the master suite. Once she got Lily tucked beneath the comforter, she ducked out to the living room. Silver was lounging at the kitchen bar, typing into his phone. He had fingerless gloves on tonight. Less formal than the ones he wore with his police uniform, they were a soft tan material. His long-sleeved cotton shirt came over the gloves so that not even a strip of skin showed.
He looked up at her, and she knew that he knew what she was thinking. His unusual violet eyes seemed to dare her to put voice to her questions. Then, his lips quirked in that typical grin.
“I’ve just had a text from Mason. He’s at the hospital waiting to be seen. Not patiently, I might add.”
She rested on the couch’s fat arm. “I don’t know how long he was trapped in the house.”
“He’s going to be fine. You all are.”
“His house was set on fire because of me.”
“Not you.” He set his phone on the counter and faced her. “Your brother.”
“Details.”
“Mason has his priorities straight. He values people above anything else. Trust me, he’s not thinking about what he’s lost tonight. He’s thinking about what he didn’t.”
* * *
Mason didn’t leave the hospital until late Tuesday afternoon and the doctors were satisfied the oxygen delivered by mask was enough. He’d argued against having a tube stuck down his throat, especially since his chest X-ray and blood work were normal. They gave him a sack of inhalers and pain meds and made him promise to return if he experienced shortness of breath.
Raven picked him up and drove him to Silver’s cabin refuge in the sky. He bid her goodbye and climbed the steep steps, surprised when he experienced a bout of light-headedness. He paused at the top and sucked in air, then winced. The inside of his throat felt as if he’d swallowed needles.
Silver answered his knock with a lift of his pale brows. “They didn’t let you shower?”
“I was hooked up to oxygen all day.” He detested feeling weak, especially now. “Where’s Tessa?”
He probed the interior for a sign of her or Lily. He’d been here once before, when his friend had first purchased it as a foreclosure. Silver had transformed the place.
“They’re in the pool.”
“The interior pool downstairs? I thought you were going to get rid of it.”
“Lindsey argued to keep it.”
If Mason hadn’t felt like a strong wind could push him over, he would’ve interrogated his friend. Silver had a lot of first, second and occasionally third dates with a woman before moving on. He had no permanent female ties in his life, other than with his assistant. Mason had once asked if he felt anything personal for Lindsey, and he’d quickly shut him down. Theirs was a professional relationship, he’d insisted, nothing more.
“Where did they get swimsuits?”
“Lindsey went to Uncle Ollie’s Outfitters. She got the suits, towels and some clothing for them both. Toiletries, too. But you three will have to do some serious replacement shopping in the next day or so.”
He glanced down at his filthy clothing. “Do you have anything I can change into?”
“I’ve got a spare set of clothes in my car. Meanwhile, I’ll throw yours in the washer.”
“Thanks, brother. For everything. I’ve asked a lot of you in recent d
ays.”
“I’ll find a way for you to repay me,” he said with a grin.
Mason’s quiet laugh turned into a short bout of coughing. Silver’s grin was wiped clean.
“Did you leave the hospital against medical advice?”
When he could speak again, he said, “I have my discharge papers right here.”
Silver returned with a cold bottle of water. “Take care of yourself, Mason. Those girls need you.”
He took long, grateful chugs. “I’ll be as good as new in a day or two.”
“You think Dante’s going to give you time to recover before he launches his next assault?”
“That’s the problem. We’ve been playing defense too long. It’s time to start canvassing local shops, bars, restaurants. You know how chatty the locals can be. Someone, somewhere, has to have seen something that can lead us to where he’s holing up.”
“Patrol unit can help with that. I’ll also reach out to Deputy Stark. He said the sheriff’s department is willing to help in whatever capacity necessary.”
This wasn’t the sheriff’s department’s case, and he appreciated their cooperation. The additional manpower was crucial, especially since he and his unit were focused on protecting Tessa.
Mason kneaded his forehead. The nurse had said his headache was caused by carbon monoxide. “I’m going to shower.”
He needed to see Tessa and Lily. In the long hours inside that isolated hospital room, he’d replayed the scene with James and the now-deceased Vince. Once again, he’d almost lost them.
Silver showed him to a room separated from the others. “This cabin has two master suites. Tessa chose the other one.”
Mason strode between the sitting area and fireplace and placed the sack of meds on the king-size bed. “How’s she doing?”
She’d amazed him with her courage and determination, facing off against those thugs.
“She blames herself for everything that’s happened.” Silver leaned against the door frame. “I have a feeling she’s a flight risk.”
His knees gave out, and he sank onto the mattress. “She wouldn’t.”