by Robin Perini
The detective looked at Amanda. "I'm sorry. I don't know how this happened."
"Sorry doesn't bring my son home to me." Amanda crossed her arms, glaring at him.
The detective flushed, guilt staining his cheeks. "Look, the boss is very, very good at drawing you in. At first you think you're helping get the bad guys who get away with it." He shook his head. "Before you know it, you've crossed a line and he has you."
Amanda gave a snort of disgust. "Coward."
"How many are involved?" Blake asked, giving her a warning look.
"I don't know totals. Farraday and I led the...enforcement team."
"Farraday? From Homicide?" Blake shoved his hand in his hair. "Bad temper. And always a few tacos short of a combo."
"He's dead," Johnson said. "Boss killed him."
"Is that why you're here?"
Johnson stilled. "Look, I know I screwed up, but this thing has gone way too wrong. My family's at risk, too." He turned to Amanda. "Do you want to save your son's life?"
"What kind of question is that? I'd do anything."
"If you let these guys call the shots, you're all dead. But there might be a way to get out of this thing alive. Interested?"
"I'm listening," Blake said, his voice still suspicious.
"I leave here with Amanda. We go to that abandoned warehouse off Ninth Street. I tell him that she doesn't trust you anymore and went to the drop zone early with the evidence, so I snagged her. She gives my boss the evidence, and you surprise them."
"No way in hell!"
Amanda gripped Blake's arm and studied Johnson. "Why would you take Ethan earlier and help us now?"
"Boss has gone too far." Johnson stared at her, his eyes haunted. "I don't kill kids."
Amanda took in a deep breath. She looked at Blake, the man who had sacrificed everything for her and Ethan. Her heart pounded. She glanced at Rafe, who still had his weapon pointed at Johnson. "I'm going with him."
"I can't let you," Blake said, although he stood, his eyes blazing with golden fire. "I won't."
"We don't have time for a debate. If they discover I'm here, I'm dead." Johnson turned, keeping his hands visible and looking nervously at Rafe's gun. "Don't go trigger-happy. I'm taking something out of my pocket."
"Careful," Blake warned.
"Too late," Johnson said. "Take your chances with my plan, or die in the warehouse after the boss has some fun torturing you and God knows what else. He's gone crazy. He thinks he's above everyone and everything."
Johnson pulled a zip tie from his pocket and faced Amanda. "If you want a chance to save your son, give me your wrists."
"It's too risky," Blake protested.
"If it will save Ethan, I have to take that risk." She cupped his face. "I know what will happen the moment he gets the evidence. At least this way, we have a chance."
Amanda sidestepped Blake and walked to Johnson, hands in front of her. "Do it," she said.
Chapter Thirteen
Blake stared at Amanda's stiff spine, her wrists waiting to be bound. How could things have reached this point? All he'd ever wanted to do was protect her.
Rafe put his hand on Blake's shoulder. "It's our best option. You know that."
"It's not right. I'm putting her in the hands of a killer." He clutched Johnson's collar. "How do I know you're on the level?"
"If we don't follow my plan, you all end up at the warehouse in handcuffs. There are too many men. You won't survive."
"Blake, please, let me go with him."
Amanda turned to Blake, her face pale as the ice that had brought her into his life. He couldn't allow this. There had to be another way.
"I know what you're thinking," she whispered. She framed his face with her hands. "Let me protect my son. You'll get there in time. You will save me. I know you will."
Johnson turned to him. "I'll do everything I can to keep them safe."
Blake covered her small hands with his and gripped them tight. He let out a stream of air and hugged her close. "Listen to me. You be smart. You stay alive, however you have to. I'll be there, Amanda. I'll save you and Ethan. I promise."
She smiled at him, her lips trembling. "I know that, Blake. I've always known." She held him close, and her warm breath bathed his ear. "Just like I've always loved you."
His soul split into two. He gripped her tight for one second, then released her. She turned and lifted her arms to Johnson. "I'm ready."
He snapped on the zip ties. "Where's the evidence?"
He held out his hand, and Blake handed over the fake documents, then tucked a thumb drive into Amanda's pocket.
As Johnson escorted her out the door, she looked back at him and smiled, the faith in her eyes nearly knocking him over with its strength. How could she do that?
Blake clutched his Glock as his entire body went alert. She was everything he'd ever wanted.
And he'd let her walk away. Alone.
Not for long. Blake grabbed extra ammo and tucked a knife into his boot. "We have surprise on our side. Amanda will do her part. Now we've got to do ours."
* * *
JOHNSON GRIPPED HER TIGHT as he led her into an abandoned warehouse. A man waited across the room, his demeanor calm and satisfied, spinning the revolving chamber of an old handgun. The Colt that belonged to Blake's granddad. He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place him.
She didn't think he'd been to Vince's house, so where had she seen the man's face? Television, newspaper?
He crossed the room to Johnson. "Did you get the evidence?"
Amanda's hands shook as Johnson passed over the fake evidence and the thumb drive.
His boss paused. "Where's Blake?"
"I had to kill him," Johnson said, his gaze down low. "I'm sorry. He came at me. I had no choice."
The man's face flushed. "You'd better hope I get the right answers from this file, Johnson. It might put me in a mood where that's not your third strike."
Johnson swallowed and nodded as he shifted closer to Amanda.
"Are these the only copies?" Johnson's boss gripped Amanda's face and stared into her eyes. Terrified, she looked at the man who'd killed Vince, who'd murdered Blake's family.
A thin smile creased his clean-shaven face. "Scared of me, are you? No need. I get what I want, you go free."
She didn't believe him. He had cold eyes. He wouldn't let them go. And when he found out the files were fake... She had to stall for time. Blake was coming. He'd be here soon.
"I want to see Ethan," she said, channeling the courage the man she loved would have shown in the same situation.
"Yancy, get out here!" Another man walked into the room with a laptop. The boss handed him the evidence. "Check it out. Find out who the traitor is."
"You have the file," Amanda said. "Where's my son?"
"Standing up to me." He ran his hand down her cheek. "Something your brother didn't have the courage to do. He cowered. I could've used someone like you in my organization."
Amanda shivered in disgust, but didn't shrink away from him...or run. Blake had taught her to face her fears. Hiding was no solution. "My son."
"I like your guts," he said, a tinge of regret in his voice. He walked across the room and opened a door. Ethan sat bound to a chair, cringing away from the door.
He was alive.
Her entire body trembled with relief, and her son's terror-filled gaze fueled her courage. This man would pay for what he'd done to Ethan.
Then he saw her. "Mommy!"
He squirmed against his bindings.
"Please," she begged.
"She might be able to control him, sir," Johnson said.
His boss's lip curled up. "Cut the ties. I can afford to be generous."
Amanda ran over to Ethan. With a glare, she untied the ropes around her son and pulled him tight to her. That they let her hold him, scared her to death. She must stall for Blake's arrival.
She rocked Ethan back and forth, reveling in the warmth of his alive bo
dy. "I'm so glad you're okay."
"Mommy!" Ethan hugged her neck and pointed his finger at the man standing in front of her and whispered in her ear. "He has the dragons. He hurt Uncle Vince."
Their captor looked down at his boots. His eyes hardened. "So you did see me. Not that it changes anything."
"Please just let us disappear," Amanda begged. "I promise we'll vanish. We won't say anything. I don't even know who you are."
"Hey, Boss," Yancy said. "We got a problem. The evidence is fake."
* * *
Damn.
Blake watched the plan's implosion from a small gap in the warehouse's steel walls. "Their computer guy is good."
Lieutenant Paul Irving from Internal Affairs rounded on Amanda. He raised the Colt .45. "I don't play games." He turned the weapon on Ethan. "I warned you."
Blake raced around the warehouse followed closely by Rafe. He burst through the door. "Stop. I know where the real file is."
Several men followed Blake in.
"Cover them," Irving said, his smile slow. He turned on Johnson. He raised his weapon and pointed it at the cop's head. "You just sacrificed your family for the Hawthorne kid."
Johnson's face lost what little color it had.
Irving pulled the trigger and Johnson's body fell to the floor.
"One piece of business completed. Now on to the next." He propped his boot on a stool, the fire coming out of the red dragon's mouth visible from beneath his black jeans. He stared down Blake. "You've been trouble since you made detective. Do you even know how easy it was to get rid of you?"
"My family's accident."
Irving shrugged. "It was a start, but I needed more. Farraday got the idea. A few fireworks can make a horse a deadly weapon."
Blake's jaw tightened as the realization shot through him. His father, Smithson. He pushed back the fury. He'd grieve later. "You have us, but I can offer you something in return for letting Amanda and Ethan run. I can show you the real file. Just let me at the computer."
Blake started across the room.
"No." Irving raised his hand, and Blake paused in stride. "I want the woman at the keyboard. Alone."
Amanda shook her head. "I'm not leaving my son. Not ever again."
Irving grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the chair, but she didn't let go of Ethan's hand. Blake cursed under his breath.
"Sit down. Keep the kid quiet."
"Go to your email, Amanda," Blake said sharply, hoping the tactic would work.
She looked down at the computer, then glared at him. "I can't believe you're doing this. You betrayed me. And Ethan. You're no better than him." She nodded at Irving. "A murderer." She gave him a look of hatred, her hands planted on her hips.
Good girl. Every second counted.
"Enough of your histrionics!" Irving said. "Show me the file."
Amanda opened the browser, then stared up at him. "How do I know you'll let us go?"
"If you don't show me that file, your boy dies. Now."
Irving grabbed Ethan and held him by the neck.
Damn it. If only Amanda hadn't taken Ethan over there. It would make Blake's job that much harder.
"Please don't hold him so tight."
Irving gripped Ethan even tighter. Blake struggled not to go after the bastard. He sent up a prayer. Patience. The timing had to be perfect.
Amanda played the game well. She had grit, but he could see Irving losing his temper. She stalled as long as she could. But she recognized the danger, because after a few seconds Amanda logged into her email. "It's at this link."
"Click to open it."
The password dialogue box popped up.
"We don't know the password," Blake said.
Irving let out a string of curses. Ethan whimpered in his arms.
"Leave him alone." Amanda stood up and took a step to Irving.
"I want the evidence. I want to know who betrayed me. Vince couldn't have had enough information to tie me to everything."
No wonder. Everything made sense now.
"You really should've been smarter," Blake taunted. "You killed Vince before he could let anyone in on the password. We have two chances or the file will be destroyed."
"Mommy! Mommy! He's hurting me." Ethan squirmed and kicked out against Irving.
Irving spun Ethan toward him. "You saw me shoot your uncle."
Ethan's face was full of terror.
"No!" Amanda screamed.
Blake wanted to rip the guy's arm off, but there were too many guns pointed at Amanda and Ethan.
"I'll do the same to your mom right now if you don't tell me the password."
Ethan's eyes widened, and he started crying.
"The kid is five," Blake snapped. "He doesn't know what a password is."
"You get him to tell me, or I kill you one at a time. Starting with her."
Relieved at the excuse to get closer to Ethan, Blake nodded and walked across to them. He'd be close enough to shield them with his body if bullets started flying.
He knelt in front of Ethan. The boy trembled and his eyes were glazed over. "It's okay, Ethan. It'll be okay. What did Vince say to you before he died?"
Ethan looked at his mother, then at Blake.
"Do you trust me, Ethan?" Blake asked softly.
"Joey's in the clouds," the boy muttered.
"Who's Joey?" Irving snapped.
"Don't you remember? He was my son. You murdered him."
At those words, at least a dozen men streamed into the warehouse. Blake clutched Ethan in one arm and bounded toward Amanda, knocking her from the chair protecting them with his body. The table clattered and the Colt .45 tumbled to the floor.
Shots rang out in the small warehouse. Ethan and Amanda huddled beneath him. Blake raised his head scanning the room, his entire body tense. He reached for the Colt.
A flash of heat scorched his shoulder, but he ignored the pain. At least his arm hadn't gone numb. Making sure Ethan and Amanda weren't in a line of sight, he gripped the butt of the gun.
Irving cursed and dived toward them, gun drawn.
Blake raised his granddad's Colt. He took aim at the traitor's eyes and pulled the trigger.
* * *
THE WAREHOUSE SWARMED with men. Amanda stared at what was left of Irving--the evil man responsible for so many deaths. His brains spilled onto the concrete floor. She shifted Ethan's face away from the gore. Irving had deserved the undignified death.
Blake's weight rested on top of her, warm and comforting and very heavy. "Is it safe?" she asked.
"Maybe," Blake said.
She pushed at his shoulder a bit, and he groaned, shifting off her.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Ethan whimpered and stuck his hand up to her face. "Blood, Mommy."
She gasped. "We need a doctor!"
"Not me, Mommy," Ethan said, tears streaming down his face. "Sheriff Blake. He got shot like Uncle Vince."
Blood seeped through Blake's shirt, and her heart sank. She reached out a shaking hand. "What did you do, Blake Redmond?"
He shrugged and couldn't hide the wince, but that didn't stop him from tugging Ethan onto his lap. "I'm not going to die, son. It's just a scratch." He brushed back the boy's hair. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
Ethan shoved up his sleeve. "I fell down. I got a scratch, too."
Blake made a show of checking out Ethan's skinned elbow.
A paramedic ran to them, took one look at Blake's shoulder and kneeled down. "The boy comes first," Blake said, his face harsh.
The EMT didn't argue. Amanda wouldn't have, either. The man certainly got what he wanted when he turned into the great stone face. After checking out Ethan, the paramedic pulled out a pair of scissors and turned to Blake. "You're still bleeding," the man muttered. "You need stitches."
"Later. I have some business to take care of."
Amanda hovered near Blake, holding Ethan in her lap. Even though he squirmed, he didn't want to
leave her side. She didn't intend to let him out of her sight for a very long time.
Irving's body had been carted off, and several others were led away. Half the men were in uniforms and the other half weren't.
"Can we trust them?" she whispered to Blake.
"No," he said. "A lot of answers died with Irving."
His face intent, he studied the room even as he held her hand, his thumb caressing her palm.
"Are we still in danger?" She clutched his hand and pulled Ethan closer.
Blake tugged the knife from his boot. "I'm not taking chances. Rafe's covering us."
She turned her head, and noticed the man, silent, holding his weapon at the ready.
Ethan looked up at Blake in awe. "You made the bad man with the boots go away," he said. "Uncle Vince said you would."
Blake ruffled his hair. "You were very brave, Ethan. I'm proud of you."
Ethan's chest puffed out, and Amanda's heart warmed, even as uncertainty shifted through her. What would happen now?
How long would they have to be on guard? Would Blake want to be a part of their lives when her family--her, Ethan and Vince--had cost Blake his family?
She rubbed her eyes. She loved Blake. As she watched him with Ethan, she recognized she'd never felt this kind of trust. Before, she'd never felt certain of anyone or anything. But she could count on Blake. Through the best and the worst. Through anything.
Ethan tugged on Blake's shirt. "Are we going to stay with you?" he asked.
Blake stilled and his face took on a cautious expression. "I think I'd like that, Ethan." He glanced at Amanda. "I guess it's up to your mother."
A skip of hope flittered through Amanda, its shimmer of warmth reawakening the optimism she'd buried for so long.
"Did you bring my truck?" Ethan asked. "Do you think Joey would mind if I kept his?"
A wave of hurt dimmed Blake's eyes, but he smiled at Ethan. "Your truck is safe. And I think Joey would like you to have it." Blake looked at Amanda. "Joey. Joey's in the clouds. What was it Zane said about the cloud?"
Amanda bowed her head and ran through the conversation in her mind. "That Vince had stashed the file in the cloud somewhere."
"Joey's in the clouds."
A cop had grabbed the laptop, and Blake raced over, despite his injury, and took it from the uniform.