Countdown

by Fern Michaels

  “Scholarships,” Abner said.

  “I’ll think of something,” Espinosa said happily as he smacked his hands together.

  Sandford cursed long and loud as he struggled to get out of the chair, only to be restrained by Harry again.

  “And to think this guy seriously thought he was going to be governor of Virginia. Not,” Jack said. “Okay, let’s get them out to the van and hightail it out of here. I’m going to turn off all the lighting, batten down the house, then I’ll meet you outside. If that crud even blinks, hit him with the Taser.”

  “Where are you taking us?” Fiona yelped.

  “To a place you’re going to love. Your husband and you, too, own the property. It’s condemned but you, Marks, your husband, and the rats will enjoy your stay, which will last through Christmas Day, at which point the three of you will be relocated. Enough talking already. Get going, everyone.”

  Harry hung back to help Jack. “That went well. Surprised me, though, that the wife knew the passwords. I have to say, Jack, nose or no nose, I don’t think the guy would have given them up. That’s just my opinion.”

  Jack looked at Harry. “Tell me you aren’t serious. You really believe Sandford would have let Maggie cut off his nose.”

  “Yeah, Jack, I believe that. The wife now, women are vain, and no way was she giving up those lips. No way in hell.”

  “Whatever, we won in the end. I’m loving this.”

  An hour and twenty minutes later, Ted pulled the van to the curb. Luther and his three colleagues rushed to help unload the cursing passengers.

  “Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Sandford,” Luther said. For effect, he and his friends wore black ski masks with holes cut out for the eyes, nose, and mouth. They looked scary evil.

  “How’s Marks doing?” Jack asked.

  “Man, that dude is something else. He’s about ready to explode. That dude hasn’t shut up for even a minute. I think he’ll be glad for some company.”

  Jack grinned.

  Sandford stood on his own two feet, and Harry’s grip on his arm was steely hard. Ted and Espinosa each had one of Fiona Sandford’s arms. Both were cursing and struggling to no avail. Maggie reached over and slapped Fiona, the sound loud in the clear night.

  “God, I cannot wait to get rid of these two,” Jack said as he led the way into Sandford’s building. “You see anything you like here, Mr. Sandford?” The man’s response brought heat to Jack’s cheeks. “Okay, there is just no talking to some people. Dump him, Harry, and lock the doors. We’re done with this scum.”

  Harry needed no urging. He dumped Tyler Sandford inside the door and gave him a shove with his foot. He stepped aside as Espinosa gave Fiona a good push, causing her to land on top of her husband. The rats started to squeal, and Marks bellowed, albeit hoarsely, about being bitten twice. Luther yanked the door closed and fastened a brand-new padlock on the reinforced door.

  As one, the group looked at one another and shouted loud enough to be heard through the door. “Merry Christmas!”

  A round of robust handshaking took place. Luther and his friends were all smiles when they announced that they had the dudes and dudess covered. “Come back tomorrow and don’t forget my granny and the pastor are expecting you for the big party. Starts at six. Granny don’t like people when they’re late, so be on time.”

  Dennis assured him they would all be on time. “You guys wrapped all the presents for everyone? No one got left out? Were there enough toys?”

  “Yeah, yeah, and yeah. Way too much,” Luther said.

  “We’re outta here, guys,” Ted said as he marched over to the van, which he’d left running. “All aboard that’s coming aboard!” A wild scramble ensued.

  “Now what?” Abner asked as Ted pulled a U-turn. He gave the horn a soft tap and waved.

  “Now we go home, go to bed, and when we wake up, it will be Christmas Eve. I have some shopping and wrapping to do. I want to talk to my wife, too. Then I have to go out and buy our Christmas Day dinner. What about you guys?” Jack asked.

  “I’ll buy the stuff for dinner if you give me a list,” Dennis said.

  “Turkey and all the trimmings,” Jack said.

  Ted and Maggie looked at one another. “We’re going to try to get a bead on that drug company Nikki’s firm is going up against. Abner is going to help. Harry has to get home to help with Lily, as Yoko is exhausted. Like Luther said, we’ve got it covered.”

  Back at the BOLO Building, the little group separated with hugs and claps on the back.

  “It is soooo good to have my family back. Merry Christmas all,” Maggie cried happily as she hugged everyone one more time.

  “Merry Christmas!” the guys shouted. Their happy cheers rang out in the crystal-clear night.

  Christmastime is here,

  and justice is the gift that keeps on giving

  for the Sisterhood and their menfolk in the third part

  of an exhilarating series by #1 New York Times

  bestselling author Fern Michaels.

  Victory is sweet,

  but for the Sisterhood and their allies,

  it’s also short-lived. Now that they’ve convinced some

  coldblooded slum landlords to pay very dearly for their

  crimes, they’re ready for another mission.

  While Jack Emery prepares a Christmas feast

  at his house, the gang gathers to provide

  one of their own with a yuletide miracle.

  Nikki, Jack’s significant other,

  has been handling class-action lawsuits

  filed by victims of Andover Pharmaceuticals.

  A new leukemia drug was supposed to save children’s

  lives. Instead, it destroyed them. Andover is fighting the

  suit with all its wealth and influence, and Nikki is losing

  hope. It’s time for Jack and his crew to give Andover

  a taste of its own medicine—and show them

  that messing with the Sisterhood’s other half

  has all kinds of unpleasant side effects ...

  Don’t miss the finale of Fern Michaels’s new

  Men of the Sisterhood series

  TAKE DOWN

  A Zebra eBook exclusive on sale in September 2014!

  About the Author

  FERN MICHAELS is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Sisterhood and Godmothers series and dozens of other novels and novellas. There are over seventy-five million copies of her books in print. Fern Michaels has built and funded several large day-care centers in her hometown, and is a passionate animal lover who has outfitted police dogs across the country with special bulletproof vests. She shares her home in South Carolina with her four dogs and a resident ghost named Mary Margaret.

  Visit her website at fernmichaels.com.

  KISS AND TELL

  In this page-turning new novel in her beloved

  Sisterhood series, New York Times bestselling author

  Fern Michaels pits the indomitable Vigilantes against

  a corrupt and ruthless billionaire . . .

  All good things must come to an end.

  Even the women of the Sisterhood—

  the stalwart sorority that has helped to right

  so many wrongs—have been content to let their

  gold shields gather a little dust while they enjoy

  friends, family, and the comforts of civilian life.

  But the group’s leaders, Myra Rutledge

  and her best friend, Annie de Silva, remain as vital

  and feisty as ever. So when a string of anonymous

  e-mails arrives at Pinewood suggesting shady

  dealings at a local assisted-living facility,

  the two immediately set out to investigate.

  Emanuel Macklin, the financial wizard behind

  the sprawling, high-end senior complex,

  has amassed a private fortune that would make

  Fort Knox look like spare change. But the
hefty

  returns Macklin promises his investors may be

  garnered at others’ expense. In fact, Macklin’s

  entire enterprise is one enormous Ponzi scheme

  that’s about to collapse—taking the life savings

  of thousands of innocents with it. Myra and Annie

  know this is a mission tailor made for their brand

  of justice, but they’ll need to enlist some new

  and untested allies. And even as they set out to

  foil one of their most cunning adversaries to date,

  Myra faces a personal challenge that will rock the

  Sisterhood to the core ...

  A FAMILY AFFAIR

  From #1 New York Times bestselling author

  Fern Michaels comes a captivating and heartfelt new novel,

  as a young dancer finds an unexpected partner—

  and gains the courage to live according to her heart . . .

  In a city built on dreams, Trisha Holiday makes her

  living moving like one. But out of her dancer’s

  costume, she’s as down-to-earth as they come.

  That’s why she ignores the admiring note—

  and the accompanying $1,000 bill—that arrives

  backstage after one of her ethereal performances.

  Yet the sender, a wealthy foreign prince,

  isn’t easily dissuaded. Seven years living and

  studying in the United States have made Malik

  long for the freedom to choose his own bride—

  and the woman he wants is Trisha.

  After a breathtaking visit to Malik’s kingdom

  culminates in a marriage proposal, Trish attempts

  to adjust to an opulent new lifestyle complete with

  servants, sumptuous surroundings, and vast wealth.

  None of that matters to Trish as much as Malik’s love.

  With Malik’s sister Soraya proving a trusted new

  friend, they plan a lavish wedding surpassing

  anything she could have imagined.

  Yet Trish’s new life will have challenges too—

  adjusting to a new and complex culture,

  to the myriad demands of Malik’s royal position,

  and to the expectations she faces as his wife.

  In the midst of her own major changes,

  Trish vows to help her sister, Emma, whose marriage

  has ended in a bitter breakup. And through it all,

  Trish will strive to stay true to what matters most—

  love, true friendship, and the ties that hold family

  together across the miles and the years.

  PICTURE PERFECT

  Lost in the Woods

  Pediatrician Lorrie Ryan has been looking forward

  to camping with her seven-year-old nephew, Davey.

  It’s a chance to let the fragile, sheltered boy spend

  time away from his nervous, overprotective parents

  and have the adventure he’s always wanted.

  But in the lush, verdant woods, Lorrie never imagines

  that they are not alone ... or that their idyllic trip

  will soon become a chilling nightmare of survival ...

  In one terrifying moment, Davey disappears.

  The local police find no trace of him,

  and a desperate Lorrie turns to the one man

  who can help—FBI agent Stuart Saunders.

  Now, the hunt is on for a child growing weaker

  by the minute ... and a cruel predator whose twisted

  game of cat and mouse has only just begun ...

  ZEBRA BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2014 by Fern Michaels

  Fern Michaels is a registered trademark of KAP 5, Inc.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  Zebra and the Z logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  First Electronic Edition: September 2014

  ISBN: 978-1-4201-3496-4

  Published in the United States of America