Facing the Fire

by Calle J. Brookes

  He’d forgotten to put on his gloves. Hell, he was no better than Clive. Losing it. He was losing it; there was no other answer.

  Marin bent down in front of him. Her hands went to the guy’s chest.

  Jasper changed his mind; he grabbed her by the shoulder and yanked her to her feet. She gasped and cried out. “I changed my mind. I don’t want you touching him. I don’t want you touching another man at all.”

  63

  There was a big Ford sitting in the drive in front of his grandparents’ old place when Clint pulled in.

  Barratt. The man had already loaded a few pieces of furniture Clint recognized from having been stored in the far barn into the bed of the truck. A dining room table that his great-uncle had made dominated. There were a few mismatched chairs in the bed, as well.

  Maggie had been busy.

  Thunder cracked overhead. Clint stepped into the barn, looking for Barratt. The other man was nowhere around, most likely inside the house somewhere, at Maggie’s beck and call. The guy didn’t seem to mind being ordered around. At least, being ordered around by Maggie and Marin.

  Clint rather liked the other man. Barratt had a calming presence, and seemed to enjoy the almost fraternal role Maggie had him in.

  He called out again. Nothing.

  Clint grabbed the last of the dining room chairs and tossed them into the bed. There was a tarp already spread over the table. He made quick work of tying it down, to prevent damage on the drive. The house Jay had been working on was only eighteen minutes away, if they took the back service road. Most people didn’t even know that road was back there; the only place it went was to connect his three properties together, after circling around the old Gregory place behind him.

  He’d grabbed paint swatches at the hardware store. He was going to show them to Maggie tonight, before Rex joined them for dinner with an update.

  Rex and Joel Masterson were searching for Jasper Grady.

  It was taking everything he had not to go out and join the search. Only that he needed this time with Maggie tonight kept him from doing just that.

  Maggie’s cousin Augusta had Violet for the night.

  He was going to take advantage of that to work out a few things with the woman he loved.

  But first, if she wanted that table, she would have that table.

  He called out for her again.

  Maggie was in that house somewhere. It was time he found her, chased off Barratt and Marin and showed her exactly what he wanted their future to hold.

  64

  The way Jasper saw it, he had maybe three options. Clint Gunderson was going to come in guns blazing and take Jasper out. Two, Jasper gave himself up—which was probably the smartest option. Or three—he somehow managed to get himself out of this.

  And got away.

  Someone yelled. Called Maggie's name.

  Jasper could figure out who that was in a heartbeat.

  Her man had found her.

  Jasper put his finger at his mouth. "Don't say a word. Either one of you."

  It would be Marin. She would be the troublemaker he had to worry about. He pulled her closer, put his hand over her mouth. She struggled. He put the gun next to her ear. "You have to be quiet. Be still."

  Gunderson called out again. "Maggie! Marin! Barratt! Where the hell are you?"

  Marin struggled. Pulling against him.

  Jasper didn't mean to do it. His hand tightened reflexively.

  He pulled the trigger.

  She screamed. Her hands came up to her head. She yanked against him.

  Jasper had no choice—he let the girl go.

  And grabbed Maggie instead.

  "Tie her up again." He couldn't handle both women at once. Jasper knew that. When there was more than one hostage, there was more room for error. But he wasn't going to hurt them. Either of them. He had to keep control of this situation. He had to. "Do it."

  Maggie at least moved quickly. She had her little friend tied to the old kitchen chair again fast.

  Jasper grabbed Maggie again. "Come on. We're going to go talk to Clint."

  The front door came open again.

  Clint Gunderson stepped in.

  65

  "Clint!" She was crying, her big blue eyes wide and terrified. Clint pulled his gun instinctively. Quickly.

  "Honey, where are your friends?"

  He could hear Marin yelling from the dining room. Nothing wrong with her lungs, at least. But why wasn't she right there, hovering over Maggie? And where the hell was Barratt? Another armed man on his side would come in handy right now.

  "Dining room Brandt's hurt. And Marin, he made me tie her to the chair." Maggie pulled in a shuddering breath, one hand covering their baby. "Clint..."

  "Put the gun down, son."

  Clint looked at the mayor of Masterson County. "Why are you doing this? We know about Basroni. We even know you weren't directly involved in what happened to the guy's mother. Let Maggie walk outside, right now. You and I will figure out a way to fix this together."

  "You got Tommy? He started off as such a good kid, Clint. I don't know what changed him." Jasper Grady's hand was trembling, but he had a vise on Maggie's sweater. "Hell, I don't know what changed any of us. Hold still, Maggie. I don't want anyone doing anything stupid."

  Clint knew exactly how this situation would play out. And it wasn't good.

  Not with Maggie in the way. "No one is going to do anything stupid. Rex and Joel Masterson have Basroni. Interviewing him right now."

  "It'll finally come out then," Grady said, morosely. "That's what I was trying to avoid. I don't want my past mistakes muddying things up for my kids. You understand that, right? Considering what Clive did to you. I can't ruin their lives like that. Guess I don't have any choice now, do I?"

  “You are their father,” Clint said, remembering his last look of the man who had raised him. The man who should have been the father Clint had deserved. “You have to do what’s right. Make it right for them. Don’t compound your mistakes.”

  66

  Hell, Jasper knew he was just delaying the inevitable. And Clint was right. He wasn't going to hurt these people—and that boy in the back needed medical attention.

  They were just...kids in the grander scheme of things. "How old are you, Gunderson?"

  "Thirty-six as of last month."

  "Four years older than my Cal. And Maggie here...she's the same age as my daughter Cloe. Did you know that?" He remembered her as a beautiful little girl. The red-gold pigtails. They were distinctive on Tyler girls. "She was such a pretty little girl."

  He brushed the gun hand through the hair she'd left down. She smelled good. He tried to breathe her in over his own sweat. "It's ok, honey. Just stay still a few minutes longer."

  He looked back at her man.

  Hell, Gunderson's fear was right there on the man's face. "Put that gun down, Gunderson. We both know you'll never pull the trigger with Maggie here in between us."

  They were cornered animals, he and Gunderson. With the prize, the prey, trapped between them.

  There was one exit at his back, clear down the hall through the kitchen. He could drag Maggie there and outside of the house. Drag her out to his SUV. Let her go there.

  Take off.

  By the time Gunderson had someone after him, Jasper could be an hour or so away.

  Not that that was much, but a smart man who knew the county as well as he did could probably disappear long enough out here.

  He just had to get her to the truck.

  Then he'd get away.

  It was a desperate plan, but what else was he but a desperate man?

  "Come on, little girl. You're coming with me. Gunderson...you just stay right where you are. Or it'll be your girl and that baby of yours that pays the price." Jasper deliberately dropped his hand from her shoulder—to cover the baby she and Gunderson no doubt already loved so much.

  The baby kicked his hand in response, bringing back so many wonderful memories.
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  Tears hit his eyes. He’d never have those days again.

  They were gone.

  He’d never get the chance to see his girls as mothers, to see his boys as fathers.

  He’d ruined all of that.

  Time…it had been his enemy all along.

  Time, and himself.

  67

  His shoulder was on fire. Brandt coughed as he woke.

  "Thank God. Wake up, Brandt. You really need to wake up!" a frantic female voice said from near his feet. Brandt didn't remember falling asleep with a woman any time recently. His body definitely feel like he’d had a good time lately, either.

  Far from it.

  His eyes flew open.

  He stared into beautiful blue eyes and a terrified face. "What happen--"

  She was tied to a kitchen chair. That's when he remembered. "Where's Maggie?"

  "Jasper Grady took her." Marin was franticly trying to untie her hands. “He and Clint have her by the front door.”

  Brandt pulled himself up, one hand going to his right shoulder. It came away covered with blood. He coughed again. "Son of a bitch ambushed me."

  "Yes. He ambushed us all," Marin said. "Hurry. Untie me."

  He forced himself to his feet. His arm felt useless, but he did his damned best. He had her hands untied in less than a minute. "It's not that tight." He kept his words at a whisper.

  She hopped to her feet as soon as the curtain cord fell to the floor. "He made Maggie do it. He didn’t check how tight she’d tied me."

  Brandt tried; he truly tried. But he fell to his knees behind her.

  Marin came to him again. "You have to get up. We have to help."

  Brandt nodded. It took him a second, but he did it. "Let's go."

  She started to the hall. Brandt pulled his gun. "You stay behind me."

  He wasn't about to let her go facing an armed gunman. It was never going to happen.

  68

  Maggie kept her eyes on Clint as Jasper forced her to walk backwards through Clint's grandparents' house. The place was full of old boxes. Things. Trash.

  Secrets, maybe. She didn't know. She didn’t care.

  Her hand rested where their son kicked against her. She pulled in a breath and tried to keep herself from freaking.

  "Mayor, you have to let me go," she said, as calmly as she possibly could. He didn't want to do this, no sane person would ever want to do this.

  It was just circumstances. Dumb bad luck that he was here now. She knew that.

  It didn't make it any easier. "This isn't the answer. Please."

  "Just stay quiet, honey. We'll get out of here, and everything will be just fine." He patted her shoulder, awkwardly. "Just keep coming with me. Don't give the boyfriend time to even think about doing something he shouldn't."

  Maggie looked at Clint. He was going to do something. She could see it in his eyes.

  The mayor pointed the gun right at him. And fired.

  "Clint!"

  Plaster flew around him, where the bullet exploded into the wall. Clint ducked, instinctively.

  "Clint!" She fought, tried to get the man to just let her go. "Don't do anything to make him shoot! Violet needs you!"

  "I'm not going to let him take you from me," Clint said. "I can't. I love you too much to lose you, Maggie Tyler. There is nothing I won't do to keep you safe. From everything."

  69

  Clint saw the movement behind Jasper Grady and he froze. His eyes met Barratt's for just a moment. The younger man nodded, though he looked damned unsteady on his feet.

  Marin was there, too.

  Behind Grady.

  They had the man boxed in.

  "Grady, look around you," Clint said, quietly, as Barratt pulled his gun and held it steady with one hand. "What is it you think is going to happen here? Let Maggie go and we'll let you walk right out of here."

  "I suppose that makes the most sense, doesn't it?" Grady said, glancing over his shoulder for just one moment. "Just walk away. Put this place behind me. Lose my kids. You're a father, Clint. Could you just walk away from your girl forever?"

  "If it was what was best for her, in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t even hesitate, if it meant she had a fighting chance."

  "A father is supposed to protect. I thought that was what I was doing."

  "Talk to me. Tell me why," Clint moved closer.

  70

  Brandt wasn't going to be able to do a damned thing, even with the guy's back to him. Not with the way his shoulder was going numb. But he was for damned sure going to try.

  He was blocking the guy's only way out. Marin stood still, right there in the wide hallway. Right there, exposed. Brandt took a risk, took his eyes off the gunman long enough to check on Marin.

  She stumbled.

  He reached out for her.

  The gunman jerked around, yanking Maggie with him. "Don't move. Nobody move! Gunderson, we both know you won't be shooting that gun anywhere near your Maggie."

  "I'll do what I have to do to protect my family," Gunderson said.

  Brandt took a step closer.

  "Marin, you just head up the stairs and stay there until all of this is over. Just go!"

  "Mayor Grady, I-I'm not going anywhere. Not without Maggie. Or the other people I care about. Don't do this!"

  71

  Something about Marin triggered the sonofabitch. Clint hadn't forgotten his years on the force. He knew had to read a man's tells.

  Grady was holding himself together, for the most part.

  He was just trapped.

  But when he looked at Marin...he turned chaotic. Erratic.

  Almost like an animal.

  Someone without Clint's training wouldn't have seen it. But Clint did. Marin did something to Grady. Changed him, or drew him.

  What in the hell that was going to do for them now, he didn't have a clue.

  "Why do you want Marin to go upstairs, Grady?" Clint asked softly, risking taking another step forward. "Why don't you let her take Maggie upstairs with her? We'll talk this out down here. Man-to-man."

  "I can't do that. Marin, you get upstairs now. I don't want to hurt you. I've always cared about you." Grady pointed the gun at Marin. His hand trembled on the trigger. Clint braced himself to attack. "And you tell my girls, and those boys of mine that I never intended it to be this way. Just...go. Get out of here. See to it that the town doesn't turn against them, will you? They are completely innocent of every one of their father's sins."

  Clint waited.

  Marin was frozen in the hall. Exposed. If Jasper squeezed the trigger, Marin wouldn’t have anywhere to escape.

  "She's not going anywhere without Maggie, Jasper. We know that. Marin wouldn't leave her friend behind. Just let Maggie go with her. We'll work this out. Marin will leave, if you just let Maggie go with her."

  72

  It all hinged on her. Maggie wasn't stupid. No one was going to do anything to risk her. Her or the baby.

  They couldn't stay like this forever. It was going to have to end.

  She just didn’t know how. Not without someone she loved getting hurt.

  The baby kicked her again, harder than he ever had before.

  "Ooh!" She cried out and doubled over. Grady's hand yanked on her sweater so hard it rose up to choke her.

  She coughed.

  A cramp across her abdomen had her breath stopping for just a moment. Then it eased.

  Intense.

  The baby kicked again.

  "Maggie, Maggie, honey..."

  She looked up in time to see Clint step closer. They were almost within touching distance now. "I'm ok...just..."

  Mayor Grady pulled her back a few steps.

  Away from Clint.

  Just as Grady pulled the trigger again.

  73

  Clint moved as the shot echoed through his grandparents' old place.

  Marin and Maggie both screamed.

  Barratt crashed to the ground with a yell.

  "Brandt!"
Marin dove over the other man, her hand going to the wounds on his chest. "Brandt! Just stop this, Grady! Stop it now! Don't do this to your children! You’re not a murderer! I know you’re not!"

  Grady yanked Maggie closer.

  As long as Grady had Maggie in his hands, there weren't a whole lot of choices.

  "What do you want, Grady? To end this now? So I can take Maggie home to our daughter? So I can get Barratt some help? The guy is bleeding out right before my eyes. He’s a nice guy who just wanted to help Maggie today. And Marin—she’s now terrified of you. Just let them go, and we'll take a few minutes together. Let Marin get him out of here. Marin and Maggie. Do you really want it to go down like this? You a murderer? What will that do to your daughter's career? It’ll ruin Claudia’s life if you kill someone. Don’t do that to her. She’s got a fair chance now. I’ll talk to her commander myself. He’ll protect her from some of this fall-out. I promise. You have my word. Talk to me about Clive. And what happened. Why does Basroni hate you so much?"

  "I suggest you find Arthur Talley if you want the whole story," Grady said. "He always did like to play games with people. One time, one got to be too much. I came up after. Heard about what happened from Clive. Never saw anything more incriminating than a damned bloody scarf. That was it. That was enough to get Tommy's attention. I think he was the angriest with me because I stayed here. Made a life for myself. Never spoke up about the truth."

  "I can understand that." Clint stayed where he was. But he never lowered his weapon.

  He had to get some space between Grady and Maggie. That was the only real option. He had to get Maggie out of the line of fire.

  And then he was going to take that bastard down.