9781631054723LucasDavis

by Susan Fisher-Davis

  “Emily, come on darlin’. Wake up.” Lucas shook her shoulder.

  “Lucas? What is it?”

  He pulled her to the floor. She let out a surprised shriek. “Lucas. What are you doing? Why are the lights…? Oh God. He’s here, isn’t he?”

  “Yes. He shot out the yard lights and then killed the house lights.” Gunfire shattered the front window. Lucas felt Emily shaking as he wrapped his arms around her. “Stay down.”

  “Where’s the deputy?” Emily whispered.

  “Hicks,” Lucas shouted.

  “I’m still in the kitchen. I’m going out to the porch. Stay put.”

  Lucas practically laid on top of Emily to protect her. She put her hands over her ears as more shots rang out. Lucas heard glass breaking as the shots hit items in the house. “Son of a bitch! Come with me.” He pulled Emily behind him to the hallway and put her back against the wall. “We’re safe here.”

  Emily wrapped her arms around him. “Please don’t leave me.”

  “I won’t.” More shots rang out and Lucas heard a loud grunt as someone hit the porch floor. “Shit. I hope that wasn’t Hicks.” He pulled away from Emily. “I’ll be right back.”

  “You just said you wouldn’t leave me. Lucas, no.”

  “Where’s your gun?”

  “On the coffee table.”

  “I’ll be right back with it. Do not move.” Lucas crawled away from her and returned a few minutes later. “Here. Take the safety off and keep it in front of you. I have to check on Hicks, he might need help. I won’t be long but I can’t leave him out there.”

  “You’re right. Just please be careful.” When he started to move away from her, she grabbed his arm. “Please come back to me, Lucas.”

  “I will.” He kissed her hard and fast then crawled away. Lucas slowly moved out of the hallway toward the foyer. The leaded glass in the front door provided no light to the porch. The rain pounded on the tin roof of the house, making it almost impossible to hear. A shot shattered the glass in the door. Lucas moved back quickly as the sidelights splintered into shards. Next, the windows across the front of the house shattered.

  “Damn it,” Lucas muttered as he crawled to the living room to try to get out of the line of fire. Then he crawled back to the hall entrance. “I’m going to slide my phone to you, along the wall.”

  “All right,” Emily whispered. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes but the bastard’s shooting all the windows out. Stay alert. Call Nathan then the barn and tell Joe and Nick to come out but be careful. Walters is still at the front of the house.” He hesitated. “Emily, please keep the gun in front of you. You know how to shoot. I love you.”

  “I love you too, Lucas. Please be careful.”

  Lucas crawled back toward the front door, reached up, and put his hand on the knob. Turning it slowly, he pulled the door open and glanced out. He couldn’t see anything but he did hear moaning. It was Hicks. Fuck! Lucas had to get out there and help him. He lowered himself to his stomach and crawled out toward the direction he heard the moaning. More gunfire rang out. Lucas put his arms over his head and waited for it to stop. The bastard had to reload sometime. As soon as it stopped, Lucas crawled toward Hicks and finally reached him.

  “Hicks, how bad is it?” Lucas whispered.

  “Just my shoulder but I’m losing a lot of blood.”

  Lucas nodded then realized Hicks couldn’t see him. “I told Emily to call Nathan.”

  “Good. He’ll know to come in silent.”

  I’m going to drag you inside the house,” Lucas told him.

  “No. You go back in. If he steps on this porch, I’ll get him.”

  The gunfire stopped. Lucas glanced around. “He’s shot all the front windows out.”

  “I have a feeling he’s not done.” As soon as Hicks spoke, gunfire started again, this time around the side of the house. “He’s going to circle the house and shoot them all out.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s going to come in through one of them.” Hicks groaned. “Get inside with your wife. I imagine she’s scared to death. Go. I’ll be fine. Nathan will be here soon.”

  Lucas didn’t like leaving him on the porch but he had no choice, he had to get back to Emily. He could hear the back windows shattering as the bullets went through them, so he stood and ran for the hallway. Stopping at the entrance to the hall, he softly called out her name.

  “Emily? It’s me. I’m coming back to you.”

  “Please hurry.” Her voice caught on a sob.

  Lucas ran to her and sat down beside her. He pulled her into his arms.

  “Is deputy Hicks all right?”

  “He’s been shot in the shoulder. He needs to get to a hospital before he loses too much more blood.”

  “Can we get him in here?” Emily was shaking.

  “I wanted to drag him in but he said to leave him. I don’t know where Walters is right now.” Lucas looked toward the end of the hallway. “He’s shooting all the windows out so he can come in one of them. I think if we stay here, we’ll see him no matter which direction he comes from.”

  Emily screamed when the gunfire started again, this time in the kitchen area. She put her hands over her ears and moved closer to Lucas. As the windows on the side of the house shattered, Lucas heard more shots coming from a different direction. He started to move away from Emily when she grabbed him.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Nathan must be here. The other shots are coming from the front of the house. I want to get Hicks in here and out of danger.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right back. Stay here.”

  “No. What if Adam gets in?”

  “Shoot the bastard.” Lucas crawled away from her.

  * * * *

  Emily held the pistol in both hands and kept glancing in both directions of the hallway. She was terrified Adam was going to enter the house and find her. Her hands were shaking so badly, she held onto the gun with both hands. She heard more gunshots coming from the front of the house then silence.

  “Lucas,” she shouted. He didn’t answer. She started to get to her knees when she heard glass crunching under shoes from the direction of the office. It had to be Adam. Lucas had gone out the front and she knew he’d let her know if he was coming back in. She started scooching back toward the living room end of the hallway when the footsteps halted. A beam of light hit her in the eyes. Emily threw her hand up to shade her face.

  “Well, look what we have here,” Adam laughed.

  Emily gasped. “Get away from me. Lucas will be here in a minute.”

  “Oh I don’t think so. I already took care of him. Get up. You’re going with me.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you,” She shouted as she quickly stuck her gun in the back of her waistband.

  Adam reached down, grabbed her hair, and pulled her to her feet. “Yes you are. I have to get out of here before they figure out I’m in the house and you’re going with me.”

  “Do you seriously think they’re going to let you just walk out of here?”

  He sneered at her. “I have you, remember?” He pulled her behind him. “Now, come on.”

  “Did you kill Lucas?” Emily asked in a choked voice.

  “He’s dead. Come on.”

  Emily screamed and kicked him. Adam let go of her. She backed away from him and reached for the gun. When she pulled it out and pointed it at him, he came to a dead stop and grinned.

  “You don’t have the balls,” he said as he stepped toward her.

  Emily aimed and fired at him. He had a look of surprise on his face when the bullet struck him. Adam looked down at the bloodstain on his shirt and back to her. He made another move toward her. She shot again. This time he fell to the ground and didn’t move. She stood staring at him lying on the floor when someone reached around her and took the gun out of her hands.

  “It’s over, darlin’. Come on.”

  Emily glanced over her shoulder to see Lucas standing b
ehind her. “Lucas…” was all she said before she fainted.

  Chapter Ten

  Lucas caught her before she fell and carried her to the couch. He gently laid her down. Nathan came striding into the room with smelling salts and after breaking it open, he waved it under Emily’s nose. She pushed at his hand, opened her eyes, and blinked up at Lucas.

  “Lucas?” she whispered.

  “Yes?” He sat on the coffee table. “What is it?”

  Emily sat up and touched his face. “You’re all right?” He nodded and she threw her arms around his neck and sobbed.

  Lucas wrapped his arms around her and glanced up at Nathan, who shrugged. “I’m fine. What is it?”

  Emily pulled back from him. “He said you were dead.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Lucas muttered. “I imagine he lied to get you to go with him.”

  “I told him I wasn’t going anywhere with him. I hid my gun before he saw it and when he pulled me up, I kicked him and pulled my gun out.” She gazed at Lucas with tear-filled eyes. “I shot him. He said I didn’t have the balls but I shot him. Twice.”

  Nathan sat down beside her on the couch. “I’ll need to get a statement from you. Can you come to the station tomorrow?” At her nod, he stood. “I’ll get the coroner out here then we’ll let you get some rest.”

  Emily glanced at him. “How’s Deputy Hicks?”

  Nathan smiled. “He’ll be fine, thanks to Lucas here. He kept pressure on the wound.” Nathan nodded and moved outside to call for the coroner.

  “I let him get to you again. I didn’t do a very good job at protecting you, did I?” Lucas whispered.

  “Don’t say that. You kept me sane all these months and now it’s over.”

  “He got to you again. I had no idea he was in the house. He made it look like he’d taken off for the woods.”

  “How did he do that?” Emily frowned at him.

  “He ran off in that direction. Nathan ran after him, leaving one deputy out front with Joe and Nick at the back. Walters circled back to the side of the house. Fooled us all.” Lucas shook his head.

  Emily put her hand on his. “It doesn’t matter now. He’s dead and out of our lives for good.”

  Lucas nodded. “Yes.”

  “Lucas Taggart, you stop this right now. If you hadn’t helped Deputy Hicks, he may have died or if you’d have stayed with me, we could both be dead. Adam wasn’t going to let either of us live. He came into this house with the intention of killing us. He didn’t know you weren’t in the house until he heard me call for you.”

  Lucas pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if he’d have hurt you.”

  “I thought I was going to die when he said you were dead.” She shuddered against him. “I didn’t want to live if you were gone.”

  Lucas kissed the tears from her eyes. “I’m here. I’ll always be here.”

  * * * *

  The next day, Lucas let Mont in the back door. Mont glanced around then stared at Lucas. “I’m glad you two are all right. He shot out the windows, huh?”

  “Yes. Nathan seems to think he was doing it to throw us off on how he’d come in.”

  Mont nodded. “That’s exactly what he was doing.” He huffed. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Lucas. The son of a bitch should’ve never walked out of the hospital.”

  “So, does the agent have any ass left after you chewed him a new one?”

  “Not enough to sit on. He’s in a lot of trouble and so is the nurse. If he’d have thought with his head instead of his dick, Walters would be in prison now.”

  “He’s better off dead,” Lucas muttered.

  “You won’t get an argument from me, but it’s no excuse he was able to walk right out of there. He was hell bent on killing you both and he didn’t care who he took down to get to you. Deputy Hicks will be out for a while leaving Nathan shorthanded.”

  Lucas sighed. “I know. Deputy Hicks is a good man. I’m sorry he was shot.”

  Mont grunted. “Perks of the job. I’m just glad no one but Walters was killed.”

  Lucas made coffee and Mont sat down at the table and glanced around. “Has Nathan taken pictures? I have Tucker outside getting some now. He’ll need to get some in here too.”

  Emily entered the kitchen, Mont and Lucas stood. She waved them down. “Hello Mont.”

  “Emily, I’m sorry--” Mont began.

  “It’s not your fault, Montgomery,” Emily said.

  Mont winced. “Now I know I’m in trouble.”

  Emily laughed. “No, you’re not in trouble. I’m being honest when I say it wasn’t your fault. The ‘Montgomery’ just slipped out.”

  Mont grinned. “All right but I should have put a more experienced man there. Agent Straus is a veteran with the FBI, but Agent Williams isn’t. Agent Straus told me Walters tried a mind game on him too.” Mont shrugged. “He didn’t fall for it, but Agent Williams apparently did.”

  “It’s over and done with Mont. Walters is dead and we can on move past this,” Lucas said.

  Mont gave a nod. “I’ll send Agent Tucker in when he’s done outside. I just want this for my file since we didn’t get here in time to help last night. I’ll talk with you soon, Lucas.” He glanced at Emily. “I’m glad you’re all right.” He left the house.

  Lucas strolled over to Emily and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m glad it’s over with. We can move on now.”

  “Yes.” She gazed up at him. “I want to have a baby, Lucas.”

  Lucas grinned. “I’d love to start on a family right now but we have to wait until everyone clears out of here.” He chuckled when she blushed.

  “You love making me blush, don’t you?”

  “That I do, darlin’. That I do.”

  * * * *

  Emily watched as Lucas left the kitchen and headed for the barn. She saw him stop and talk with Tinker. She smiled as she realized how much she loved both men. Turning from the door, she headed for the back office but came to a halt when she saw the blood in the hallway. Agent Tucker was snapping pictures and writing things in a tablet. He glanced up at her.

  “I don’t want you to come back here yet, Missus Taggart. The sheriff wants to get pictures too, and we can’t disturb this area.”

  Emily nodded. “I understand.” She felt sick to her stomach looking at the blood. Was she going to have to clean it up? Oh, Lord she hoped not. She’d be sick for sure. Maybe she could talk Lucas into doing it. Smiling, she moved toward the living room and sat in the window seat. It would be June in another week. The grass was green and the hydrangea bushes running along the front of the porch were beginning to bud. The large oak trees provided the front porch with shade. Emily couldn’t wait to sit on the front porch in one of the wooden rocking chairs there. Maybe one day, holding her child against her as she rocked or watching Lucas rock their baby. She noticed a big truck coming up the driveway followed by several pickup trucks. She walked out onto the porch and watched as they pulled around the side of the house.

  Emily ran through the house to the back and out the door. Lucas came striding from the barn, smiling. The biggest truck had lumber and new windows on it. The pickup trucks carried Lucas’s friends. They all hopped out and waved at her. She waved back but turned to face Lucas as he stood at the bottom of the porch steps.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I ordered new windows so we can replace the ones shot out. The guys are here to help install them.” He shrugged. “They’re cheap labor.”

  “We will work for food, however,” Dakota told her.

  Emily laughed. “I can make sandwiches. Will that work?”

  “Just sandwiches?” Cooper asked.

  “Sandwiches are enough, Coop. Christ.” Storm grinned up at Emily.

  She started to say something but saw another truck pull up. Nathan and his fiancée stepped out and walked toward the porch.

  “This is my fiancée, Shelly Tillman. Shell, this is Emily and Lu
cas Taggart.”

  Shelly was a petite blonde with green eyes, and beautiful. She looked to be in her early thirties. “It’s nice to meet you both.” She smiled shyly at Emily and Lucas.

  “Why is someone as beautiful as you engaged to this ugly guy?” Lucas laughed.

  Dakota put his arm around Shelly’s shoulders. “I told her she was marrying the wrong brother.”

  Nathan lifted Dakota’s arm from Shelly’s shoulders. “Back off. You know I can kick your ass.”

  Shelly stepped away from both of them rolling her eyes. “We can talk inside, Emily. This macho BS is too much to deal with.”

  The men laughed and headed for the truck to unload everything. Nathan followed the women inside and headed for his deputy who was taking pictures. Shelly sighed.

  “He can’t even relax for a minute.”

  Emily smiled. “He’s a cop. It’s what he does.”

  “I know but just once I wish he’d slow down.” Shelly stared in the direction Nathan had gone.

  Emily gazed at her and smiled. Shelly loved Nathan very much. Emily could see it on Shelly’s face. When Shelly turned to face her, Emily’s smile grew.

  “What?” Shelly asked, narrowing her eyes.

  “You are so in love with that man.” Emily chuckled.

  Shelly burst out laughing. “Yes, I am. Does it show that much?”

  Emily was about to answer when Nathan came back into the kitchen with his deputy following him. He came to a halt, looked at each woman, and then raised an eyebrow at Shelly. She grinned at him.

  “Why do I get the feeling you were talking about me?” Nathan muttered.

  The women laughed. “Maybe we were.” Shelly said as she moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

  Nathan put his arms around her and hugged her. “Emily, you can clean up.”

  Emily made a face. “If I must.”

  “I’ll help you. Let’s do it then we’ll make the men some sandwiches.” Shelly stood on tiptoe and kissed Nathan’s lips. He grinned and walked out the door, his deputy following.

  Emily got the cleaning supplies and the women cleaned the blood in the hallway and swept up the shattered glass through the house. When they finished, they prepared sandwiches and drinks for the men. Shelly walked out onto the porch to tell them to come in and eat. They each washed their hands and sat at the table. Nathan pulled Shelly onto his lap.