by Kait Nolan
“Why didn’t you let me out sooner?”
“I parked a ways off and walked in. Didn’t want to announce I was here. It took a while. I ain’t in good shape. Dying takes a lot out of you.”
Was she supposed to feel sympathy about that?
The door was ajar. As he pulled her through it, out into the light, she realized at least a few hours had passed since her abduction. The sun rode just below the tree line.
“My car is about a mile out. There was no good place to leave it nearby.”
Autumn remembered. Only one way in, one way out for vehicles to access the property and wide open spaces around all the roads. The woods behind had been too thick for any kind of truck or ATV. That defensive position had suited her father’s paranoia growing up.
The idea of hiking that far with her battered body had nausea roiling. The idea of still being here when Mark got back was worse.
“Let’s get the hell out of here.”
The unmistakable metallic slide and ratchet of a rifle had them both freezing in place.
“Step away from her or I’ll drop you where you stand.”
“Blue Explorer just behind the house. Do you want us to approach? Over.” The report from the unmarked Wachoxee County deputy’s SUV was exactly what Judd had been waiting for.
He grabbed the radio. “Negative. If he’s in there, we don’t want to spook him. I want units in place at either end of Cedarwood Road, blocking egress. Standby.” Turning to the motley crew of law enforcement assembled at the staging point, he tapped the map currently spread across the hood of his police cruiser. “We split up into three teams. One led by me, one by Sheriff Riggs, one by Marshal Greer. We’ll approach from north, east, and west. As soon as we’re within fifty yards of the place, we all go radio silent. I don’t want anything tipping this guy off. If he’s holed up in there, it could rapidly turn into a hostage situation, and we don’t need that. I’ll exit first to assess the situation, and the rest of you will converge on my signal.”
“Are you sure you’re the best one for that?” Bill asked.
“I spent my entire childhood and teenage years sneaking through these woods and around that house. I know how to do it without being seen.”
The sheriff angled his head in acknowledgment.
Judd met the gaze of every man gathered. “Let’s bring her home.”
They split into their teams and moved through the woods that wrapped around the old Buchanan homestead. Daylight was fading fast, but Judd knew these woods, knew this trail like the back of his hand, though he hadn’t walked it in years. This had been his and Autumn’s place, where they’d met to play and talk and dream. When he got her out of this mess, he was going to spend the rest of his life giving her every single one of those dreams.
Soon.
Autumn was here. He could feel it.
Judd closed in on the west side of the clearing and caught sight of Caulfield’s Explorer parked out beside the garage. He lifted his fist, signaling the other teams to wait. Behind him, Nash went still. The back door was closed, windows dark. He couldn’t see the front door from here. Even as he braced to creep closer for a better look, Judd heard the ratcheting of a rifle.
“Step away from her or I’ll drop you where you stand.”
Caulfield. He wasn’t inside. Who the hell was he talking to?
Reassessing, he looked across the weedy backyard toward Ethan, communicating in hand gestures that he was going to try to get closer, using the SUV for cover. Ethan nodded and melted back into the trees with his team. Signaling to Nash for cover, Judd made his silent way through the grass, to the Explorer. Rising up from his crouch, he peered through the windows and saw the man himself in front of the house, rifle at his shoulder. Beyond him, about ten yards from the edge of the woods, flame red hair glinted in the lowering sun.
Autumn.
The swift rush of relief at seeing her alive morphed to something hot and dangerous as he noted one arm dangling by her side, her shoulder misshapen. Another man had his arm around her waist, obviously helping to keep her on her feet. Judd couldn’t see much to identify him in the lowering sun.
“Turn around. Slowly,” Caulfield ordered.
Hands lifted in the air, Autumn and the other man turned.
Jebediah?
Shock held Judd immobile for long, humming seconds. He’d expected to see her father here. But in collusion with Caulfield, not at the other end of a gun. Was this some kind of a double cross?
“I said step away from her.” Caulfield gestured with the barrel of the rifle.
Jebediah sneered. “You think I’m afraid of you?”
“I’m the one with the gun.”
He continued as if Caulfield hadn’t spoken. “You’re going to let my daughter go.”
Was Jebediah trying to stage a rescue? What kind of parallel universe had they strayed into?
“She came with me of her own volition.”
“That so? That why you had her locked in the closet?”
The dark. The bastard had kept Autumn in the dark. Cold rage cut through the questions still swirling through Judd’s head.
“Just keeping her safe.”
“Only one she needs to be kept safe from is you.”
Beyond them, Judd saw Ethan and his team in position on the east side. Catching his eye, Ethan gestured north. Sheriff Riggs and his team were closing in. All of them were just inside the treeline, waiting for the signal.
“Get away from her,” Caulfield grated out. “You don’t touch her. You don’t deserve to be near her after what you did.”
“It was a mistake, and I’ve paid for it.” But Jebediah did as he said and moved away from Autumn, toward the sheriff’s team.
Judd breathed a quick sigh of relief because the barrel of the gun followed Jebediah, away from Autumn. She shifted, favoring the obviously dislocated shoulder, but managed to stay on her feet.
Caulfield narrowed his eyes. “You really think prison was a sufficient punishment? You tried to kill her!” He clutched the rifle tighter against his shoulder, and Judd tensed, prepared to fire.
Autumn spoke, voice level, the same tone Judd remembered her using to placate her father. “Put the gun down, Mark. There’s no need for that.”
Jebediah continued to edge away from her, drawing Caulfield’s aim, bringing the pair of them closer to Judd. “I was drunk, stupid, and in a blind rage because her mother left me.”
“That’s no excuse.”
“No,” Jebediah agreed. “But it’s the reason.”
“And what was the reason for all those years before that? The beatings, the abuse? I’m not going to let you hurt her anymore.” He dropped his head to sight down the barrel.
“Mark, stop! If you do this, it’s murder. Leave him to the police.”
“The police? They fucking let this animal out of his cage with no regard for you. You think they’re going to get you justice?”
“An error I intend to rectify,” Judd called. “Drop the gun. This is the police, and you’re surrounded.”
Ethan and Bill’s teams emerged from the trees, weapons at the ready. Autumn’s head whipped in his direction. Her eyes closed, and her mouth moved in what might have been a prayer of thanks. But they weren’t out of this yet. None of his men were close enough yet to get between Autumn and Caulfield.
A muscle ticked in Caulfield’s jaw. “Hamilton,” he spat. “Always fucking Hamilton.”
Judd signaled for the others to stay put and stepped out from behind the SUV, keeping his focus and his gun on Caulfield. “You okay, Firefly?”
“No permanent damage.” The rasp of her voice told him she’d been screaming. It was yet another crime this son of a bitch was going to pay for.
“How long have you been out there?” Caulfield asked.
“Long enough.”
“It doesn’t matter. This isn’t about you. It’s about her and who can protect her best. I can do what you never could. I can take him out of this
world, where he can never hurt her again.”
“You think I haven’t thought about that a thousand times over the years? You think the thought didn’t cross my mind when I got notice he was being released?”
“And yet he’s still standing here. Still breathing. I think he’s gotten to do that long enough.”
“Don’t do it, Caulfield. Don’t add murder to your list of crimes today. That’s a mistake you can’t come back from.”
Caulfield turned to look at him then, eyes full of hatred. “Like you’re going to let me walk away from this?”
That’s right. Look at me.
Beyond him, Ethan and his team slowly edged closer, spreading out in front of Autumn in a fan.
“So far everything you’ve done has been to protect her. A jury will go lenient on you for that.” It was bullshit, but he’d say whatever he had to in order to keep Caulfield’s attention on him. “But murder—even understandable murder—is a whole other ball game.”
“How does this end, Hamilton? You think you’re gonna arrest me, take me in, throw me in a cell. And you’re just going to take her home, make her your little fuck toy? She deserves better than that.”
“You’re right. She does. But she’s not gonna be getting it from you.”
“Fuck you, Hamilton.” The rifle snapped up and Caulfield fired.
Chapter 20
All around Autumn, gunfire exploded. She didn’t even have time to scream before someone tackled her to the ground, covering her body. Terror ripped through her, a rabid animal stronger than the screaming agony of her shoulder. No, no. Not again. Not now.
Judd.
She needed up, needed to see, needed to breathe.
In the booming silence, she struggled against the man shielding her. “Judd,” she gasped. The weight above her shifted, and she sucked in a breath. “Judd!”
“I’m all right!”
At the sound of his voice from behind her, somewhere closer to the house, she went limp with relief, pressing her face against the ground as her chest loosened for the first time in hours. He was safe. She hadn’t lost him.
“Ethan, keep her over there.”
“Got it.”
The man—Ethan—sat up, keeping himself solidly between her and whatever was behind him. Death. She knew that much. Could smell the blood in the air. Her stomach roiled from it.
“You okay?” Ethan asked. “Did I hurt anything when I tackled you?”
Her wounded shoulder screamed, but what did that matter? Judd was safe. “Nothing that wasn’t already hurt.”
Ethan helped her into a sitting position. “Shit, that shoulder looks bad. Here.” He whipped off his belt and fashioned a sort of sling to keep that arm close to her body.
Past him, she saw a single, jeans-clad leg outstretched, unmoving. Mark. He’d tried to fire his weapon at a cop. She knew protocol. Knew there was no possible way he’d survived. It was over. Really, truly over.
Judd rose from a crouch, murmured some orders, and then he was coming for her, long legs eating up the ground. He dropped to his knees and, at last—at last—his hands were on her. He cupped her face, his own expression caught between rage and a fierce tenderness. “He hit you.”
“I backtalked him.” The corner of her mouth twitched as she tried for some shadow of her usual levity and failed. “Apparently I didn’t learn my lesson.” The last words came out on a hiccuping sob. She couldn’t stop the tears, didn’t even try as she let loose all the worry and fear of the past hours.
Mindful of her shoulder, Judd pulled her into his arms, rocking them both, while the other officers went about the business of processing the crime scene.
“You came.”
“Always.”
“How did you find me?”
“Your father reported your abduction and Livia helped us figure out it was Mark. He had quite the shrine to you at his house.”
“What?”
“He’s been following you for a long time. He had articles, transcripts from the trial, pictures. There was even a box of stuff from your apartment. Some of the memories you thought had burned.”
An odd sort of relief and gratitude mixed in with the crashing adrenaline. “Will I get them back?”
“Yeah. Yeah once everything is over.”
That was something. She’d be grateful for it later. “But how did you get from there to here?”
“I knew he had to go to ground with you somewhere, and given his obsession, this seemed a viable location.”
She turned her bruised head into his shoulder. “He was coming after you. When I rejected him, he was going to finish what my father started.”
He brushed a kiss to the top of her head. “I thought they were working together.”
“No. Jebediah was trying to save me when Mark got back. We might have made it if I hadn’t fought him about it. I owe him thanks for that.”
Judd went still, and she understood that Mark hadn’t been the only casualty. “How?” she asked softly. “Did he get caught in the crossfire?”
“He jumped in front of Mark’s gun.”
Stunned, Autumn stared at him. “What?”
“He took the bullet meant for me. I was wearing a vest, but he maybe didn’t know that.”
“Why would he…?” She tried to wrap her brain around the idea, but it made no sense. Nothing about his actions today fit with the man who’d terrorized and haunted her all of her life.
“Maybe it was his way of making amends. And going out on his own terms.”
Autumn had no idea how to feel. She’d hated her father most of her life, been terrified of him, terrorized by him. He’d been the source of the worst memories of her past. And he’d just sacrificed himself for the man she loved. There was a kind of circularity to that. Closure.
“We’re free,” she whispered.
“Yeah. Yeah we are.”
“Judd?”
They both looked up as Sheriff Riggs strode over. “Listen, we’ve got all this taken care of if you want to get her out of here.”
“Not your jurisdiction.”
“We’ve got Officers Brewer and Blanchard from WPD. I think we can get it sorted. Go take care of your woman.” He flashed a smile at Autumn. “Glad we got you back.”
“Thank you.” She raised her voice. “Thank all of you.”
There was a chorus of acknowledgments around her.
Judd got to his feet, then scooped her up. “Hospital. You’re getting a full workup.”
“Want a ride?” Ethan stood, car keys in hand. “Since I’m not exactly here in an official capacity, I’m not real helpful at this stage.”
“I’m sorry, who are you exactly?” Autumn asked.
“Ethan Greer, U.S. Marshal Service, ma’am.”
She looked to Judd. “You called in the Marshals?”
“Actually no. Ethan’s interviewing for the position as Chief, and he volunteered to help.” The look Judd shot him was full of respect. “Thank you. And a ride would be much appreciated.”
Autumn insisted they run on silent into town. “I don’t want to draw any more attention than absolutely necessary. I was kidnapped under the noses of the press. They’ll want to be all over the fact that I’ve been rescued.”
But apparently it was too late. News vans were all over the hospital parking lot and a crowd of reporters were mobbed around the entrance to the Emergency Department.
She stared. “How?”
“Somebody probably had a police scanner. Pull on around to the ambulance bays. We’re going in the back.”
As soon as Ethan pulled the car inside, people were coming toward them. A familiar blonde was leading the pack, the white tails of her coat flapping.
“You can’t be back here! This is for ambulances only!”
Ethan slid out of the driver’s seat, not batting an eye. “We’ve got a dislocated shoulder, probable concussion and possible orbital fracture here, and the ER entrance is currently mobbed by reporters. We figured you
could make an exception.”
Standing toe to toe with him, Doctor Miranda Campbell’s brows drew together before she hunched down to look into the backseat. “Oh, Jesus. Get me a gurney!” She yanked open the back door. “Autumn?”
“Hey, Miranda. Didn’t know you were on duty tonight.”
She hissed through the pain as Miranda helped Judd ease her out of the car.
“Shit. I know you want the inside scoop on the pool about our new Doctor McHottie, but this was not the way to get it.”
Autumn barked a laugh that instantly turned to a groan. “I promise, I’m not that desperate.”
They settled her on the gurney a couple of orderlies wheeled out.
Face grim, Miranda looked to Judd. “You get who did this to her?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Get her inside.” She pointed at Ethan. “You, Cowboy, get that car out of my ambulance bay.”
The stoic marshal’s mouth twitched and he lifted a hand to his brow, as if tipping an imaginary hat. “Yes, ma’am.”
Miranda blinked once, and even through the haze of pain, Autumn noted the crackle of energy between them. If Ethan took the job as chief of police, Dr. McHottie wouldn’t be the only pool she’d be betting in.
With a sudden flurry of motion, Miranda was on the go again, snapping more orders, and Autumn was rushed inside.
Later—much, much later—Autumn was resting in a quiet back room of the Emergency Department. Judd perched on the edge of the bed, one hand stroking her hair, the other holding tight to her hand. They hadn’t talked much. She’d been too exhausted for that. But he warned her that, while she was having her CT scan, he’d had to call the family to give them the update. Apparently a full Hamilton clan reunion was being planned in honor of her survival, just as soon as she was healed up, whenever that was.
Miranda finally returned. “Well, you are remarkably lucky.” She pulled up the scan on a screen mounted to the wall and started pointing at things. “The orbital socket isn’t fractured, which is a freaking miracle. You sustained a mild concussion, assorted minor lacerations and contusions. That shiner’s gonna be with you a while, too. But the shoulder is the worst of it. Now that it’s been reset, you’ll need to wear a sling for the next few days. Light activity after a couple of weeks. It’ll be about three months before you’ll be cleared for any heavy lifting.”