Mean Eyes slipped farther inside the cave, Smirk Face following closely behind. “Let them go, and I won’t hurt them,” Mean Eyes said.
Liar. “No.”
A smile so evil it sent shivers through her formed on his face. “I was hoping that’s what you’d say.”
It was only by sheer will that she didn’t allow her gaze to flicker to Eli creeping up behind them.
“You touch her or the dogs, and he dies,” Eli said.
Mean Eyes turned and lifted his rifle. Eli held Smirk Face close, his arm pressing on the man’s throat and a pistol pushed tight against his head. “Go ahead, Eli. Shoot him. Because as soon as you do, I’ll shoot you, and then where does that leave the woman? Blessed Son wants her, and he’ll get her no matter what you do.”
Eli’s gaze flicked to her, uncertainty in his eyes. Oh God, he didn’t know what to do. She glanced at the Dobermans. They stared at Eli, their skin rippling as they waited for instructions. Mean Eyes had his back to them and would never see them coming. She caught Eli’s gaze, then looked pointedly at the dogs and gave a slight nod. Would he understand?
It appeared he did. Keeping his pistol pressed against Smirk Face’s head, he lowered his other hand to his side and made a motion with his fingers. Luke and John were on Mean Eyes before Dani could blink her astonishment. Flying past Eli, the other two dogs went at the man from the front.
Mean Eyes’s rifle went off, and both Smirk Face and Eli crumbled to the ground.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
The sound of a gunshot echoed across the mountain, followed by a scream so primal the hair on Logan’s arms stood on end. He took off, his attention fixated with single-minded focus on the direction from which he’d heard Dani’s cry. Another shot sounded, then another.
“Slow down,” Decourdeau said, coming up next to him. “We have to assess the situation before we go blundering in.”
Reason returned—somewhat. “Right.” He slowed and took a deep, calming breath. “I estimate they’re about a half mile away.” He started up the hill. “They better pray they’ve not hurt her.”
Five minutes later, the Iceman stood at the entrance to a cave and surveyed the scene. One man lay on his back, obviously dead. Eli, crying and covered in blood, slumped against the rock wall, one Doberman sprawled over his lap, the other three surrounding him and baring their teeth at Logan and Decourdeau.
“Tell them to stand down, little brother, so we can help you,” Andre said softly.
Eli lifted a cloudy gaze to Logan. “I tried to bring her back to you. He said he’d kill her if I didn’t call the boys off. I did, but he shot Matthew anyway. Then he shot me. Why’d he do that?” He looked at the dogs. “They got him pretty good, though, so he’s hurt and bleeding. You can follow his trail, can’t you, and get Irish back?” He coughed and blood trickled down his chin.
Logan was transported back to another time and place when he’d held a dying man in his arms who looked just like this one. “Don’t you dare die, Evan,” he whispered.
“Easy, mon ami,” Andre said, giving Logan’s shoulder a firm grip. “Eli, listen to me. We’re here to help you, but you have to tell your boys to stand down. Do it now.”
Eli made a hand signal. “Friends,” he said, and then closed his eyes. “It hurts.”
Andre eased toward Eli, and Logan followed, careful not to startle the dogs. Logan picked up the flashlight from the floor next to Eli and shone it on his GPS. While Andre saw to Eli’s wound, Logan called Buchanan, gave him the coordinates, and told him to get a medic and several men up to the cave.
Finishing his call, he squatted down. “It doesn’t look good,” he said quietly.
Andre nodded. “No, not so good.”
Eli jerked his head up. “I’m sorry. I thought . . . I was confused. I’m sorry.”
“Where’s Dani?” Logan asked.
“Samuel has her, but he’s hurt. His legs, the boys got his legs. Go. I’ll be okay. Just go get her.”
Logan exchanged a look with Decourdeau. Eli wasn’t okay and they both knew it. “You stay with him until help arrives.”
Logan left the cave and started down the mountain. He’d been a step behind since they’d taken Dani. When he got her back, he was going to install a tracking device on her, not that she was going to need it because he was never letting her out of his sight again.
“Ow. You’re hurting my arm.”
Logan stilled at hearing Dani’s voice.
“I told you to shut up, Miss Danielle. One more word and I’ll gag you.”
Logan eased forward, careful of where he stepped. There, at the edge of the tree line. His men would stop them before she could be taken back into the compound, but he didn’t know the man, Samuel. Would he keep his cool? He’d already killed his partner and had seriously wounded Eli. Logan darted left, and using the trees for cover, made his way to Dani.
Just as Logan started to show himself, Ballard stepped out from behind a large rock. “I see you found my wayward bride, Samuel.” He looked around. “Where are Eli and Peter?”
“Eli shot Peter, and then he turned on me so I had to shoot him.”
“That’s a lie,” Dani said.
Logan clenched his jaws to keep from yelling at her to shut up.
Samuel shot her a glare before clasping his hands in front of him and bowing his head. “She’s upset, Blessed Son, and doesn’t know what she’s saying.”
Logan studied the man who claimed to be the Son of God. He had no weapon unless he was hiding one under his white robe, but this was the kind of man who let others do his dirty work. Logan turned his attention back to Dani. She’d slipped a few feet away from the men. Good girl.
“I’m upset, all right, but you two can argue it out, ’cause I’m outta here.” She turned to leave. Samuel reached for her, but she danced away. “Sorry, guys, just not my idea of a good place to vacation. No offense.” She backed up.
“Such a delight you are, my dear,” the cult leader said, a tolerant smile on his face that Logan longed to wipe off. “Now, Samuel, retrieve Miss Danielle. She has a wedding to attend.”
Over his dead body. Logan stepped forward, his SIG held by his side in one hand and a knife in the other. “Touch her, Samuel, and you die.”
“Logan! I knew you’d come for me.”
“Always,” he said, not taking his eyes off the men. “Come here, Dani.”
Samuel pointed his gun at Logan. “Who the hell are you?”
“Samuel, your language,” Ballard said. “I believe Miss Danielle called him Logan, so that means he’s Logan Kincaid. This does not concern you, Mr. Kincaid. Why you are here, I can’t imagine, but you should go on about your business elsewhere before you get hurt. My people will protect me at the cost of their lives. I should think you have enough blood on your hands as it is.”
A hypnotist had once been a part of a USO show he’d attended in Afghanistan. Ballard’s soft, intimate voice reminded him of the entertainer’s. An owl hooted three times in the woods at the same time his phone vibrated.
“I have a phone call coming in and I’m guessing it will be information you’ll find of interest.” He slowly removed his phone, listened to Buchanan, and then flipped it closed. “You have a few problems, Herbert. One, your man here killed his partner and wounded Eli. Two, the FBI are at your gate with a search warrant. I believe they mean to arrest you on kidnapping charges. After Eli gives a statement, I’m certain they’ll add accessory to murder to the charges against you.”
While he talked, Logan kept an eye on Samuel. The man’s eyes were darting from him to Dani, who was inching her way to him. Logan gave Dani a look, glad when she interpreted it correctly and froze.
“I didn’t kill Peter, Eli did,” Samuel said.
“Eli has lately become very unstable, Mr. Kincaid,” Ballard said. “We’ve been tryin
g to help him, but then he disappeared, and when he returned, he had this young lady with him. When I told him we must return her to her home, he took off with her. I’ve been very worried about her safety, and of course, attempted to find them before he did something rash. I fear we were too late for poor Peter, but at least Miss Danielle is safe.”
Dani opened her mouth, and Logan knew she was going to dispute Ballard’s story. “Well, we’ll just let the FBI sort all that out, then,” Logan said, cutting her off.
“The woman’s going to try and blame me,” Samuel said. His finger on the trigger, he swung his rifle toward Dani.
“Down!” Logan barked, and then threw his knife into Samuel’s throat. Stupid fool, you should’ve gone for me first, your biggest threat. The gun went off, but Dani was safely facedown on the ground.
Ballard turned and started to leave. “Oh, I forgot to mention, Ballard,” Logan said. “You’re surrounded, so you’re not going anywhere.”
Three men from Delta team stepped out, along with Bobby Moore, his friend from the FBI. Moore walked up to Ballard. “Herbert Ballard, you’re under arrest for kidnapping and accessory to murder. You have the right to remain silent.”
Logan tuned out everything but Dani. He started to go to her but before he could, she pushed up, flew into his arms, and wrapped her legs around his waist. Logan buried his face against her neck, his heart drumming a ferocious tattoo in his chest.
“Christ, you’re going to be the death of me yet,” he said as laughter overtook him.
She pushed away and looked at him. “What’s so funny? I don’t think anything about this is funny.”
He kissed her soundly, shutting her up. He had no idea where the laughter came from, couldn’t explain it. Leaving Ballard to Moore and his men, he carried her down the mountain. It might be days before he let her walk on her own.
“You did really good, Dani. I was afraid you wouldn’t know I was talking to you when I said ‘down.’ ”
“Hey, ninja man, you said when you gave an order I was to obey without question. I was confident you weren’t telling Samuel to get down.”
“What’s with this ninja-man business?”
“It’s what Detective Langley calls you. I kinda like it.”
“Do you? I liked when you called me ‘babe.’” He glanced up at the moon and estimated it was around three in the morning. The temperature had dropped to the high sixties. “Are you cold?”
She lowered her mouth to his. “Actually, I’m feeling a little hot,” she said against his lips. “Must be all that testosterone you’re emitting, babe.”
“No doubt,” he said before he backed her against a tree and kissed her senseless. When he came up for air, he rested his forehead on hers. “I’ve never been so afraid in my life.”
“That makes two of us, but I knew you’d come for me.” She put her hands on his cheeks and pushed his face up, looking into his eyes. “I love you, Logan Kincaid.”
Words escaped him, and he was sure his answering grin was a silly-looking one. “Tell me again.”
“I love you, Logan. I love you. Will you marry me? Will you be a father to Evan’s daughter?”
Logan braced his knees to keep them from buckling. “Yes” was all he managed to get past his throat.
She punched him on the arm. “That’s all you have to say? What about ‘I love you, too, Dani’?”
He swallowed hard and nodded. “I do. God, I do.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You do, but you can’t say it?”
“Give me a sec.” She had no idea what her words meant to him. The sound of his men escorting Ballard away came to him. Not wanting her to have to see the man ever again, he pulled her against his chest and left the shelter of the trees.
Logan put his mouth to her ear. “I love you, Dani Prescott, but if you ever put me through something like this again, I’m going to lock you away for the rest of our lives.”
Her laughter was the sweetest sound in the world. “Good luck with that, ninja boy.”
The ambulance sped away, its lights flashing and the siren blaring. Dani stood next to Barbie as it disappeared into the night. “Do you think he’s going to be okay?”
Eli had been unconscious when they’d loaded him into the back. She’d wanted to go with him, but Logan wasn’t letting her out of his sight. She had argued a little, but since she didn’t want to leave his side either, she hadn’t put up much of a fuss.
Barbie wrapped her arm around Dani. “I don’t know, honey. The boss will take you to the hospital as soon as he finishes up.”
Hopefully it would be soon. This place gave her the creeps, and the sooner she was away from it, the happier she’d be. Ballard’s men sat on the ground, guarded by Logan’s guys. Nearby, a group of women huddled together, all their gazes on Herbert Ballard. Did they expect him to talk his way out of this?
Although handcuffed and surrounded by the FBI, the man somehow managed to give the impression his arrest was all just a silly mistake. For a few minutes, she listened to him try and blame Eli and Samuel for everything. Disgusted, Dani turned and walked a few feet away. The sun was peeking up over the trees, and she stopped, took a deep breath of the pine-scented air, wishing it was her mountain air she was breathing. Or the salty breeze of Logan’s ocean. Anywhere but where she was.
Logan finally came to her. She slipped her hand into his. “Can we go to the hospital now? I’m really worried about Eli.”
“The FBI wants a statement from you, but Moore will meet up with us later. He’ll need to anyway because we’re taking his car.”
“I’ve always wanted to steal a car. Is grand theft auto worse when it’s an FBI car?”
“My woman’s nothing but trouble,” he cheerfully grumbled.
Logan held her hand all the way to the hospital, as if he couldn’t bear to let go of her. She closed her eyes, thinking to catch a catnap, but the image of Eli bleeding from his chest was there, as if it had been painted on the back of her eyelids. Had Logan lived with that image of Evan? How did he stand it?
“I keep seeing Eli getting shot. Does it ever go away?”
He squeezed her hand, but stayed silent so long, she didn’t think he was going to answer.
“I wish I could tell you yes, but it’s still there for me,” he finally said. “I know this sounds like a cliché, but it does get better with time. I just try to think of Evan as being in a much better place. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn’t.”
“And I wish Evan had known about his brother.” She swiped at the tears streaming down her face. “In the end, Eli tried to do the right thing.”
“I don’t blame him, Dani. Ballard had him from the age of two, and he never had a chance for a normal life.”
No, he hadn’t, but she was going to do everything in her power to see that he had a better life going forward.
When they arrived, Eli was still in the emergency room. The hospital was small, with no trauma center, and only one doctor on duty, Eli the only patient.
“I’m having trouble stabilizing him,” Dr. Brooks said after introducing himself. “We’re moving him to Little Rock. Helicopter should be here any time.”
“Can we see him? I’m his sister-in-law,” Dani said.
“Are you Irish?”
“Yes, it’s what he likes to call me.”
“He’s been asking for you. Come with me.”
Logan put his arm around her waist, and she leaned into him as they walked up to Eli’s bed. He appeared to be sleeping. She took his hand, and his eyes fluttered open.
“Irish, I was worried about you,” he said, and then his gaze moved to Logan. “I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt her.” He coughed and gasped for breath.
“Hush, Eli,” Dani said. “As you can see, I’m perfectly fine. As soon as you’re well, you’re coming to live with me and Logan.”
She caught the brow Logan raised and ignored it.
Eli tightened his grip on her hand. “No, there are things I have to say. Will you take care of my dogs?”
“They’re with my friend, Andre Decourdeau, right now,” Logan said. “As soon as you’re well, he’ll get them back to you.”
“Not getting well.” Eli looked past them and smiled. “He’s waiting for me. My brother’s here and he doesn’t hate me.”
Dani looked over her shoulder, half-expecting to see Evan. It might be the ramblings of a medicated man, but just in case, she leaned down and whispered in Eli’s ear. “Tell him I love him, and that his daughter’s beautiful.”
“He knows, Irish. He wants you and his friend to be happy.” His eyes closed and his breaths faded to nothing.
Dani buried her face in Logan’s chest and wept for the boy who’d only wanted to be good like his brother.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The October day promised to be perfect. Logan stood on the deck outside his bedroom and watched the sun come up over the gulf. At his feet, Luke yawned mightily.
“No one said you had to get up,” he told the Doberman. Luke’s answer was another yawn.
The baby monitor crackled to life. “Wont Uke.”
The dog scrambled to get his feet under him and took off. Logan chuckled. It was a toss-up which of the two was more besotted. Regan considered Luke hers, while Luke thought the baby belonged to him. Sadly, they hadn’t been able to save Matthew, but John and Mark were deliriously happy hunting alligators with Decourdeau. Logan thought Luke had gotten the better deal.
He turned back to the sun, rising bright yellow over the water. Yellow was a happy color, and he hoped her toenails were painted that glittery color that day, their wedding day. He looked out over the gulf and thought of his friend. “I’m marrying her, Evan. I hope you’re okay with that.”
Crazy for Her (A K2 Team Novel) Page 26