Dark and Dangerous

by Jeanne Adams

  Thankfully, he laughed. "You're entitled. I feel the same. He's an amazing kid, Dana, I hope you know that. I hate like hell that I let this happen."

  Surprised at the admission, Dana whipped around to face him. "Caine, there's nothing you could have done. She'd have gotten us one way or the other. At the mountain house or at the hotel."

  He remained silent, and Dana saw his jaw working, like he were chewing over difficult thoughts before he could speak them.

  "When the doctor called me his dad, told me not to worry, I thought, 'yeah, buddy, tell that to me when your kid's getting stitches,'" he admitted. "Scared the hell out of me."

  "I know." Whatever else Caine might have revealed was forestalled by the vibration and trill of Dana's phone. She checked the number.

  "Xavy."

  Chapter Twenty

  Dana was as tense as piano wire. She was hunched forward in the seat, as if to make the car go faster and close the distance between her and her son.

  Xavier had called twice more, once as he and Booth turned onto I-95, another as they crossed the South Carolina line. Terrain was in the Raleigh office gathering reinforcements. Until they knew a destination or a make and model on Booth's car, however, Tervain waited in limbo.

  But, they were gaining. They'd passed a sign indicating they were one mile from the South Carolina line. Xavier and his kidnapper couldn't be far ahead.

  Dana jolted as Xavier's voice came through the cell phone's speaker.

  "Why're we getting off here? Oh, hey, food. I'm starving, and I gotta go to the bathroom."

  "We're not getting out here," they heard Booth say. "No funny business, boy. I will shoot you. Donovan will be mad at me, but he'll be so glad to have you, he'll forgive me."

  "I don't think he'll be happy if you hurt me," Xavy put an extra whine in his voice.

  Dana grinned. That's it, she silently applauded, go ahead, get on her last good nerve. Make her crazy as only a ten-year-old boy can.

  "I'll bet he'll be pissed," Xavy continued. "Especially if you shoot me. I mean, you could really hurt me. What if I try to get away? You gonna whip out your gun in front of all these tourists? South of the Border's full of tourists, looks like," he made his voice more and more petulant, all the while giving them valuable information.

  "South of the Border," Caine muttered. "Jesus, that place is huge."

  "I've really got to pee," the boy reiterated, sounding four instead of ten.

  "You'll pee when I tell you to," Booth sounded aggravated. "I'll pull off over there. You can go in the bushes. I'm not taking any chances with you, young Donovan."

  "Oh, that'll tick him off," Dana murmured, cheering her boy in her heart, even as she clenched her hands in fear for him. "He hates that name."

  "Where you going? You said you were going to let me pee."

  "Lunch first. You hold it, you hear me?"

  "I'm gonna pee on the seat if you don't hurry."

  "I'll beat you black and blue if you do, you little twit."

  Caine laughed softly. "Gotcha," he said. "Pushed her patience. Good boy."

  Through the connection, they heard, "Welcome to South of the Border, Pedro's Place. How can I help you today?"

  Booth ordered meals and drinks and had a brief conversation with the clerk as money changed hands. They heard the rattle of paper bags and Xavier's voice as he started in on Booth again.

  "Now can I pee? Why'd you get burritos? I hate burritos, they make me hurl. Oh, a cheeseburger. This doesn't have peppers in it, does it? I hate those."

  "You'll eat the rucking cheeseburger, you little shitpot, or go hungry, dammit."

  "Don't curse at me, my dad wouldn't like it."

  "You don't know shit about your dad, so shut the fuck up."

  "I do too. He loves me, he wants me. He's gonna teach me all about the business. That's what my mom said he wanted. A hair," Xavier protested.

  "A what? Hair? Oh, an heir. Yeah, right. And loves you? You think?" She laughed at the boy, a grating, unpleasant sound. "You keep dreaming, little boy. I hope he whips your ass and locks you in a box."

  "He won't," Xavy's reply was confident. "He wouldn't have worked so hard to get me if he was gonna lock me up."

  "For God's sake, shut up. I gotta make a call." A different voice floated through the connection, still Booth, but a softer, more feminine version, totally unlike the tough, firm kidnapper. "Hey, honey. Yeah, I got the package. Aren't you proud of me? Where do you want me to ..." she stopped.

  Dana listened with bated breath. At the wheel, Caine drove like the Winston Cup leader at Talladega.

  Finally, "Oh, you're... Oh, I'm one exit away. I wouldn't have gotten lunch if... well, of course he's fine." Her voice gained a sharper snap. "Yes. Yes. He's eager to see you, honey. Really. I got him a cheeseburger. It's what he wanted," she replied, then sighed. "I know. Yeah, you too. I'll wait for you there."

  When she hung up Xavy started in on her again.

  "Hey, stop. I really do gotta pee, lady," he said urgently. "You can't get on the road until I pee. Seriously. I gotta go so bad it's choking me." He made gagging sounds, and Booth cursed.

  "We'll be there in five minutes. Wait."

  "I can't. I'll pee myself. Honestly." He really sounded sincere, even to Dana. "C'mon, Agent. I don't wanna meet my dad, like, with pee all over me. Really. Please."

  Somehow, the "please," clicked something with Booth that the whining had not. Tires squealed and Xavy gasped.

  "Hey, warn a guy before you go tearing off the road that way. I spilled my drink."

  "God dammit," Booth snarled. "Quit whining. Jesus, now I know why I hate kids. I'm coming to let you out. You pee on that bush. Then get in the damn car, you understand me?"

  "Yeah, yeah. I get it. Thanks."

  The door slammed and Xavy spoke quickly, his voice slightly muffled. "The phone's in my pocket. She's letting me out. I'm going to run for it. I see a radio tower. It's in some woods. I think I can make it there. Sign says Ranger Station or Forest Service or something, it's brown and green. I hope you're close 'cause she'll beat the hell out of me if she catches me. I made her really mad. Love you, Mom." The sound of a car door opening cut the flow of chatter.

  Dana prayed with inarticulate fervor. Please, God, please, watch over my boy. A silly billboard with dancing sheep showed a grinning Pedro with shepherd's crook in hand. They were nearly at the exit.

  Xavy's voice rang in the tense silence. "Okay, okay, don't push. Jeez, lady, give a guy some room."

  "I'll step back," Booth said. "So I can get a better shot if you try anything stupid."

  A zipper rasped and the distinct sound of water hitting the ground rang through the line.

  "He's taking a leak," Caine said, amazed. "The cheeky devil."

  "Shhhh," Dana was willing him to say something, anything.

  And he did.

  "I'm going for it. Hurry, Mom."

  The roar of a semi-truck's horn blasted through the phone. Dana nearly dropped the phone, hobbling it twice before catching it securely. When they heard Xavy again, he was running.

  "I did it, I got away. The horn distracted her. She's running after me, but she's slow. I'm zig-zagging like you told me, Mom."

  Clicking the mute off, Dana called, "We're coming, honey, hang on."

  "Big house, couple of barns. There's no cars. I'm going for the barn. Hurry."

  The car swerved madly, spitting gravel, as Caine took the exit.

  "Go, Xavy," Dana breathed. "Run."

  "In the barn," the boy panted. "Trying to ... Uh-oh. She's coming, in the car. There's another barn, way out. I'm runnin' for that. She can't shoot while she's driving."

  "Where the hell is it?" Caine said frantically, looking for the ranger station.

  "He said a radio tower," Dana cried, swiveling to search for it.

  "There," Caine pointed. Spinning into a one-hundred-eighty degree turn, Caine headed for it, the tires squealing with the effort Crouched low on the floorboard,
Shadow whined in earnest, catching their fear and excitement.

  Caine flipped open his cell, punched numbers, and slung the phone to the seat.

  "Tervain, we're at the ranger station behind South of the Border. Look for the radio tower. Xavier got loose. There's a road behind it, a field, and a barn. Walker's close. He told Booth one exit. I can't let Booth get the boy."

  The tires kicked out dirt and sod as Caine whipped into the grassy lane. Ahead of them, they saw Booth's car. The driver's side door was open, the car empty.

  Tervain's voice came, tinny-small from the cell phone speaker, as he shouted. "Fuck Walker, protect that child."

  "Read my mind," Caine shouted, as he threw the car in park and leapt from the truck, gun drawn.

  Dana was out as well, weapon in hand. Releasing Shadow, she commanded, "Find Xavier. Protect. Full force."

  Silent as his name, Shadow flew over the ground and into the barn. Booth's scream sounded and was cut short.

  Then gunshots.

  Dana's heart clenched. They pounded into the barn in time to see Shadow wiggle out the back wall through a hole low in the wood.

  "Cover," Caine yelled as Booth swung out of hiding and fired.

  "Give up, Booth," Caine yelled, peering around the frame of a stall. "I won't hurt you."

  "I will," Dana growled, desperate to go after Xavier and Shadow. "C'mon, Booth."

  The answer was another round, zinging out to burying itself in a beam with a solid whunk, right next to Caine's face. Then a door slammed, and a helicopter roared overhead.

  "It's Donovan, he's out there," Dana cried, whipping out to fire into the back of the barn, desperate to get past Booth.

  There was no answering shot.

  "She's out the back," Caine said, running for the rear of the building. A door banged in the light breeze, and they hit the wall next to it, one on either side, alternating looks to get a view of the territory.

  A path led through scrubby pines; beyond them lay a field, its stubble greening in the warm South Carolina sunshine. An outbuilding lay a hundred yards into the field.

  Booth was halfway to it, at a dead run.

  Dana and Caine bolted through the door as a black Humvee appeared in the distance, tearing down a dirt road toward them. Was it Donovan or Tervain?

  Dana ran, the phone to her ear, trying desperately to hear if Xavier was still on the line. "Xavy, are you there?"

  "Mom? Mom?"

  "I'm here. We're coming."

  "Shadow's here. I locked the doors but Booth's trying to get in."

  "We're coming," she repeated. "Stay down, keep Shadow with you."

  She ran, saving her breath, eyes on Booth for the betraying body language that meant she was going to turn and shoot. She and Caine saw the warning at the same time.

  "Hit the dirt," he yelled.

  "Watch out," Dana called, diving for the ground.

  As if they'd trained together, they flattened, then rose, one after the other, to return fire.

  A puff of dust on the wall of the ramshackle building signaled a hit. It was within a foot of Booth's head.

  "Yours or mine?" he called, heading out in a crouching zigzag for the barn.

  "Yours, I was aiming lower."

  As they closed in, Booth fired into the lock and the door swung open.

  "Bloody hell, she's gotten in."

  Running full out, they neared the barn. The Humvee, closer now, turned down the gravel road leading to the building. She heard the helicopter, but couldn't see it.

  "Where the hell is Tervain?" Caine panted.

  Dana was too busy sucking in air as she ran for the barn and her boy.

  The Humvee screeched to a stop, and four men piled out, firing as they did. Dana and Caine threw themselves into the doorway just as Shadow broke cover to attack Booth.

  The turncoat stumbled toward them and Dana flung herself to the side. Shadow body-slammed Booth, and his full-force attack sent the woman flying through the open door. The thrashing woman squealed as his teeth sliced into her gun arm. The shooting stopped for a moment, and the horrible growls and screams were the only sound.

  "Xavy, stay where you are," Dana yelled, her heart rejoicing when she heard his answering shout. "Get behind something solid."

  Booth screamed more sharply, and Dana shouted a release command. As the dog let loose, Booth kicked him away. He landed hard on the flap of the second door, swinging it wide. As it gave, Caine stumbled forward into the dirt in full view of the gunmen.

  "It's him," one of them shouted. "Pollack."

  "The traitor," another man yelled, firing at Caine.

  "Kill himl Kill them all, but don't hit my son."

  Dana froze. That was Donovan's voice. "You hit my boy, you assholes, I'll send you to hell."

  Caine rolled and fired, yelling, "Dana, get back."

  Booth, struggling to her feet, ran for the dubious protection of the Humvee.

  Dark glasses glinting in the sun, Donovan left the protection of the Hummer's door and aimed at the running woman. "That's for failing me, bitch," he roared, firing.

  In cold blood, Donovan shot his would-be paramour. Booth dropped, her left hand crumpling beneath her, her gun hand trailing the ground in front of her.

  "And you, bitch of a wife," Walker shouted at Dana, firing shot after shot at the barn. "I'm gonna dance on your grave."

  "Donny," he yelled. "Donny, I'll protect you. I'll take care of you, son." Walker shot at Dana with renewed fervor. Dana felt a rasp of pain as a bullet scored a path across her leg.

  The other men resumed their wild barrage, but the shots were well shy of the barn, displacing more dirt and gravel than anything else. Shadow sprang forward, skimming along the ground. He moved so quickly that none of the men in the vehicle hit him. At the bumper he paused, gathering himself, then flew forward, locking his powerful jaws onto Donovan's arm, his ninety-five pound weight dragging the man nearly to the ground.

  Walker shrieked like an old woman. Two of his men rushed to pull the dog from their leader's arm.

  "Shoot the fucking dog," he yelled. Blood poured from Donovan's arm as his henchman took aim. Before his aide could fire, the man went down, screaming and clutching his leg.

  Shaking off her paralysis, Dana fired as well, and the other henchman slumped to the ground. Donovan dragged himself toward the Humvee struggling with Shadow for every inch of ground. He beat at the dog with the butt of his gun. The beastly growls and snarls rang in Dana's ears as she searched for an opening.

  With a whup-whup-whup roar, the helicopter skimmed over the trees by the ranger station, and bore down on them. With superhuman effort, Donovan raised his gun arm, the dog swinging from it, blood gushing over Shadow's face and ears, and fired at the chopper. There was a whirring ping, as the bullet hit a rotor and was flung away.

  Another shot rang out, and Donovan staggered. The beleaguered mobster swung round to fire at Caine, where the agent crouched in the doorway, gun perfectly balanced.

  Dana screamed Caine's name, diving out of the barn to fire at the hated man before her. One remaining henchman staggered to his feet, gun pointed their way. She fired and he collapsed.

  Donovan fell to his knees. Shadow still clung to his arm, and the force of the dog's pull wrenched Donovan onto his face, but not before Dana saw a small, round, bullet hole, right between his eyes.

  Booth, who had crawled three more feet toward the Humvee, fell prone once more.

  "Freeze! FBI, Sheriff, and US Marshals," a voice boomed from the copter's external speaker. Five shots rang out from behind the Humvee, a gunman Dana had yet to see. Answering fire from the helicopter sent a tall, gangly man stumbling into the field to sink to his knees. His arm fell, as did his body, and he lay still.

  Dana squinted through the dust of the helicopter's landing.

  "Dana, are you okay?" Caine crawled to where she knelt in the gravel still scanning for something, anything moving.

  "I'm okay. You?"

  "Gr
azed. My leg wound's open too. We need to get to Xavier."

  "I'm here," a small voice said from behind her. Dana rolled to her feet, pushing him into the barn, sure someone would shoot him. She did it as well, to shield him from the sight of what lay outside.

  "Where's Shadow? Can I call him?"

  "Yes, but warn Caine."

  "Mr. Caine," he called, "I'm going to call Shadow, okay?"

  "Wait." They heard him yell out to the authorities who and what he was, relaying the information that the dog would be running through the scene.

  "Call him, Xavy," Caine yelled.

  "Shadow, return," he shouted, using the German commands.

  The happy bark was a pealing ring of joy, and within seconds, the massive dog leaped onto Xavier. Shadow left a trail of blood in his wake as he bathed Xavier in enthusiastic affection. Hands buried in the dog's fur, Xavier raised one to caress him and gasped.

  "Mom, there's blood all over him," the boy cried, frantic tears streaming from his eyes, as he urged the dog to be still. "Help me, Mom, help me. He can't be hurt, he can't die. Not Shadow. Maaaaaaamaa!" the boy wailed, the dog's huge head cradled in his arms.

  "Let me see," she said, commanding the dog to lie down. She was terribly afraid the dog was mortally wounded, he'd been in the line of fire too long.

  Shadow whined as she touched his flank. From his head and haunch, her hands came away wet and red.

  "He's hurt, honey. I can't see how badly."

  "Oh, Morn," she heard the tears in her son's voice. "I should have kept him with me."

  "He saved our lives, honey," she said, checking further for injuries. "You did the right thing. It's what he's trained for—it's his job."

  "But, there's so much blood," the boy wailed, staring in horror at his own red-coated hands. "He can't die. No, no, no." He frantically shook his head as Dana held him.

  The light dimmed as someone blocked the door. It was Caine. Blood streaked his hands and face, and Xavier gasped, then leapt up, ran to him.

  "Mr. Caine, Mr. Caine, are you okay? You're bloody, too. Are you hurt? Please say you're okay, Mr. Caine."

  "Shhh, it's all right, Xavy," Caine soothed, going to one knee to hold the shaking boy. "I'm okay. We're going to get Shadow into the helicopter, take him to a vet, okay?"