Hazel’s seat belt caught and held her tight, though pain radiated through her chest. The two men next to her flew forward. One slammed into Brigham’s headrest from the back, and the other hit the side window. Chase’s head hit the windshield. Brigham seemed to be the only other person who’d had his seat belt on.
Hazel was looking everywhere for Heath, praying he wasn’t in the vehicle they’d just crunched into oblivion. One thing she knew was that she was getting out of this car. One man next to her was groaning, blood rolling down his face as he cradled his head. The other one wasn’t moving. Hazel quickly unbuckled her seat beat, scrambled over the back seat to the cargo space, and pushed the button open to unlatch the rear door.
The back latch lifted much too slowly. She needed to get out, and not only to escape from the men in this vehicle; if another car came around that corner, they’d plow into them just like they’d done to Heath’s car.
“Stop!” Brigham commanded, reaching up to push the rear hatch button up front as he scrambled with his seat belt.
Hazel slid out, gulping in icy air and running toward the side of the road.
“Hazel!” Heath called to her from the opposite side. Nothing had ever sounded so wonderful as his voice.
She turned to dash to him as Brigham popped out of the vehicle, but she heard another vehicle swerving around the corner. Hazel darted back as tires squealed and a huge four-door truck appeared. It locked up its brakes but slammed hard into the rear of the Range Rover. The Range Rover lifted up from the impact, and all three vehicles skidded forward.
Brigham hurled himself down the short slope to the trees, away from the vehicles, to protect himself. Hazel hoped the people in the truck were okay. Horribly, she hoped the men in the Range Rover were dead, or at least knocked out so they couldn’t come after them.
Heath sprinted across the road to her, pulling her away from the accident.
Two large men popped out of the four-door truck, looking angry and concerned. “You called the police?” one of them yelled to Heath.
Heath held her close against his chest and ushered her back down toward the blind corner and the embankment, away from Brigham and his men. “I will!” he yelled back. “We’ll go flag down oncoming traffic.”
“Don’t move!” Brigham hollered, coming toward them with a gun in his hand. He was scuttling up the embankment and far too close to miss.
One of the men from the truck cursed at him. “What are you doing, you idiot? Someone’s going to get hurt.”
“Yes, they are.” Brigham smiled grimly.
Heath curled his body around Hazel’s and threw both of them to the ground. They rolled down the embankment as a gunshot went off. Hazel cried out and buried her head in Heath’s chest.
They came to a stop, and she lay there on her side, facing him with his body curled around her. The sound of police sirens came up the canyon, and she murmured against his neck, “Oh, thank the good Lord.” Glancing up from Heath’s protective embrace, she saw Brigham scrambling down the embankment to get a better angle on them. “No!” she screamed.
Brigham raised the pistol as one of the men from the truck slammed into his side, knocking him off his feet. The pistol flew from his hand. Heath released her and pushed to his feet, rushing toward the two men. Brigham scrambled away from the other man, but Heath reached him, slamming his fist into his face and sending him sprawling to the ground. The other man from the truck was on his way too. Brigham was quickly pinned by three men, and he screamed like a stuffed pig.
Hazel stood shakily. Was it really over? She searched through the Range Rover’s windows, but none of the men seemed to be in a hurry, or in good enough shape, to come help their boss.
Police cars converged on the scene from both directions. Officers spilled out of the vehicles, telling everyone to put their hands up. Heath and the two men slowly moved off of Brigham.
Heath was focused on Hazel. “Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded, trying to keep her lip from trembling. Her body was shaking from a combination of nerves, shock, and the cold. She put her hands in the air but slowly edged her way toward Heath, as the police were busy setting up barriers, checking on the men who were in the Range Rover, and dealing with Brigham.
Brigham was throwing a tantrum worthy of an Oscar. “Do you know who I am? How dare you touch me? Arrest them!” he shrieked, pointing at Hazel, who was almost to Heath. “That woman tried to kill my cousin.”
The police didn’t seem inclined to listen to him, thankfully. More police vehicles and ambulances were arriving. It was bedlam. Nobody seemed too worried about the two guys from the truck or Hazel and Heath.
“Thank you,” Heath said to the two men.
“It was no stress,” one of the men said, slapping him on the shoulder. “I guess you have good insurance to pay for my truck?”
Heath laughed. “Yeah, I do.”
Hazel finally reached him, wrapped her arms tight around his waist, and said, “Thank you, thank you, a million times thank you. You saved me.”
He brushed his lips over her forehead and wrapped his arms around her back. His warmth and his strength infused her with safety and joy. She never wanted to leave this man’s arms. “I can’t believe I found you,” he murmured. “That was some kind of miracle.”
She gazed up at him. “I prayed hard. And you’re a brilliant nutter.”
He chuckled.
“How did you think to put the car across the road?”
“I was desperate and praying I wouldn’t hurt you. But I knew I had to stop them somehow.”
“You are a brilliant and brave nutter.” She stared up at him in awe. “Were you just going to take them all on your own?”
“I didn’t really know, but I knew you were almost to the interchange. They’d obviously figured out I was following them, or they wouldn’t have pulled off. I was so afraid I’d lose you, and that just felt right.”
She pressed up onto tiptoes and kissed him, hoping to show how she would never leave him. His warm lips enveloped hers, and the world exploded with joy and warmth despite the wind chill outside.
“Heath!” A man’s voice pulled them apart. Hazel looked around to see a nicely built man with dark hair and startlingly blue eyes pounding down the highway to them.
Heath kept one arm around Hazel but turned just as the man slammed into Heath, almost pulling him away from Hazel, but he stayed standing. The man hugged him fiercely, then pulled back and shook his head. “You crazy …”
“Nutter,” Hazel supplied. “That’s what I’ve been calling him.”
Heath shrugged. “I had to do something.”
The man stared down at Hazel, and a smile broke over his face. “Hazel Longhurst, I suppose.”
“Yes, sir. And who might you be?”
“Jed … Jed Beckham.” He released Heath and extended his hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Hazel.”
She shook his hand. “You as well.”
He looked around at the mess. The crunched vehicles. The men they were hauling out of the Range Rover on stretchers. “And you thought this was a good plan?” he asked Heath.
“Heck no.” Heath shrugged. “Stupidest thing I’ve done in a long time, but best option I had at the moment.”
Jed shook his head, then laughed. “Stick to making money, my friend.”
Heath laughed too. “Gladly.” He squeezed Hazel’s waist. “As long as I can stay with you.”
Hazel felt all lit up. She snuggled into Heath’s side. She wanted to go back to Gavin’s house, shower, and then cuddle with Heath while she met all of his family members and had the best Christmas of her life in the beautiful mountains with the man she was falling so hard for. She probably should find her parents and give them hugs and apologies too.
Important-looking blokes in suits strode up to them. They didn’t extend their hands or smile. “Heath Strong?”
“Yes.”
“You need to come with us for questioning, sir.”
“In regards to what?” Jed stepped in front of Heath.
“And you are?”
“Detective Jed Beckham, Park City Police Department.”
The man on the right smirked slightly. “You’re a little out of your jurisdiction here, Detective Beckham.” He flipped out his badge. “Special Agent Nickels.” He opened his hand to Heath and gestured. “And you are coming with us for questioning. Now.”
“You need to go,” Jed ground out. He looked imperiously at Agent Nickels. “But I’m staying right with him, and we won’t hesitate to call his team of lawyers.”
The man nodded. “Fine.” He grasped Heath’s elbow and started to tug him away from Hazel.
“Not without Hazel,” Heath said, yanking his arm free and turning back for her.
She smiled despite herself. He was in danger of being arrested, and he was worried about her.
“Hazel Longhurst is a citizen of Great Britain and will be working with their consulate,” the first guy said.
So they were splitting them apart. When would she see him again? “Go,” she said, trying to be brave. “I’ll be fine.”
He shook his head, resolute.
Four more FBI-looking dudes surrounded him. “You are coming with us.” One of them grabbed Heath’s arm.
Someone tapped her on the arm. “Hazel Longhurst?”
“Yes,” she murmured. Her eyes stayed focused on Heath, who was arguing with the FBI, telling them that while he would be happy to comply, he wasn’t leaving Hazel.
“I know some people who are going to be ruddy happy to see you.”
She stared at him. He sounded like home. “Am I wanted for questioning too?”
He smiled. “You’ll need to answer some questions for the Americans, but I’m taking you to the British consulate. Where your parents are waiting.”
Her parents. Her heart leapt. She’d missed them horribly. “Are they all right?”
“They’re fine, just fine. Especially now you’re safe. Are you ready to go?”
She looked back to Heath. He was surrounded by men but peeking through to get a glimpse of her. She waved at him. “I’ll see you soon,” she promised.
He shook his head in frustration, but finally let the men tug him away. It hurt to watch him go. She’d see him soon. She needed to hug her parents, answer some questions, and then she’d be back with Heath. They’d snuggle at Gavin’s house, make Christmas cookies, and ski on the slopes. She could hardly wait to meet his mum and dad and all of his family, go with him to see all of his resorts, and date him properly. She was free now. Brigham was arrested, and Jamison was all right.
If that was all true, why did it hurt down deep to turn and walk away from Heath?
Chapter Twenty-One
Hazel sat in the back of a small sport utility for far too long, and eventually they arrived at a boring government-looking building. They escorted her into a small room where her mum and dad were waiting. Her parents jumped to their feet and rushed to her, hugging her over and over again. Then her mum pulled back and gave her a piece of her mind. She was miffed, to put it mildly.
Hazel listened to her rebukes and received more hugs, and then she was taken to another room to answer questions with the British authorities and an American FBI representative. They asked about everything from her relationships with Jamison and Brigham to why she’d run and hidden from the authorities, and there were lots and lots of questions about Heath. She reaffirmed time and time again that Heath had been nothing but a gentleman in protecting her from Brigham. When she told the American representative that maybe they needed to investigate Brigham’s cohorts in their police and government and get rid of the mafia in America, he paled, narrowed his eyes, and his questions became a little more snarky after that. He got angrier as time went on that she’d evaded authorities and believed that the American police were corrupt.
Finally, she was done and reunited with her parents. With an arm around each of them, she said, “I love you both very much. I’ll be home sometime in the next month to check in and bring Heath to meet you.”
Her mum looked at her like she’d lost the plot. “No. You are coming home with us. Now.”
Hazel backed away, shaking her head. “I’m on holiday here. I’m not going home. Not without Heath.”
“Your holiday is over, little miss. You’re coming home.”
“I’m not an ankle-biter. You can’t force me to come home.”
The man from America, who she’d obviously offended, looked at her snidely. “They can’t, but I can.” He gave her a fake sympathetic smile. “Your passport is temporarily invalid on American soil, Miss Longhurst. If you ever come back to our country, maybe you’ll respect authority a little more.”
Hazel’s jaw dropped. “Can he do that?” she asked the British representative.
The American cut in again before the British guy could say anything. “Yes, I can. It’s only temporary—” The way he smiled suggested he was lying about that. “—until we sort out Brigham London’s case. For your safety.” He walked past her parents and murmured to her mum, “You’re welcome.”
Hazel’s heart was sick. What could she do? Could she fight this?
“We’ve got you on the next flight,” the British guy was saying to her dad.
Her mum looked at her with sad green eyes. “I’m sorry, love, but it’s for the best.”
Hazel didn’t know what to say. She realized she was knackered and maybe she had lost the plot, but she’d fancied herself in love with Heath Strong. How could she be getting kicked out of his country? Would he come for her? She shook her head, highly doubting it. He’d seemed taken with her, but he had all those resorts to run and his huge family was here. He couldn’t just up and leave it all for Hazel.
As she was escorted out of the consulate toward a waiting car with her parents, tears silently streamed down her face. She wondered if she’d ever see America, and more importantly Heath, again.
Heath paced around the sterile room in the FBI headquarters in Denver. He’d gone round and round with the agent assigned to his case. He wasn’t trying to be impertinent, but he just wanted to be done and get to Hazel. The guy was asking the same questions in a different manner over and over again. It was infuriating. They knew Brigham was to blame and Heath had simply been protecting Hazel, but apparently the fact that he’d aided and abetted a fugitive, no matter that she’d done nothing wrong, meant he was in serious trouble. He’d probably already be under arrest if they hadn’t allowed Jed to stay with him and mediate his frustrated responses. He’d threatened to call his lawyers, but they reassured him he wasn’t going to be arrested; they only needed the information he had.
Hours later, they finally released him but cautioned him to not leave Colorado until he had permission from the FBI. That permission had better come soon. He was ready to find Hazel, spend some time with his family without having to hide her, fly her to England so he could meet her family, and then take her on a proper holiday to visit each of his resorts. He’d have her skiing black diamonds by the end of January, and he hoped he’d have a ring on her finger sooner than that.
He grinned at Jed as they walked out into the cold air. “Let’s find Hazel, and then I’ll buy you dinner wherever you want.”
Jed smiled. “You do owe me big.”
“I know.” Heath clapped him on a shoulder. “Let’s start with a steak dinner and then those free passes to the resort. What else do you want?”
“I want to come stay with your family for Christmas, and we’ll call it square.”
Heath tilted his head. Jed had a rough story. He’d been raised in foster care, but he’d found a great family right as he turned eighteen who Heath had thought treated him as one of their own. Some nice older people and their three married children.
“We’d love to have you.” Heath said. “The Olliver’s gone this year?”
Jed nodded. “Mama and Pop Olliver are on a cruise. Rest of the family are with their in-law
s.” He was hiding a smile.
“What?” Heath was confused.
“I really like your family.”
“The only one you’ve met is Cassie.” Heath’s eyes widened as Jed’s grin grew. “Oh …” He jabbed an elbow in Jed’s gut, making Jed grunt. “I thought you said you ticked her off last time you met her.”
Jed splayed his hands innocently. “Time to remedy her opinion of me.”
Heath could hardly believe Ella and Cassie were old enough to have men looking at them, yet here Ella was already engaged. Jed was one of the best men he knew, but he was in for a rude awakening. Cassie traveled the world with different humanitarian groups, and Heath and Gavin sponsored her. She was an angel and a wanderer. She wouldn’t settle down with a detective whose roots were firmly planted in Park City. No way. “Good luck,” he said.
“Thanks. I’m going to need it.”
Heath didn’t press it. Cassie was so sweet that Heath was pretty certain she’d forgive Jed. “Can we go find Hazel now?”
“Sure.” Jed pulled out his phone.
A black Lexus sport utility pulled into the parking lot, and Heath smiled as his family spilled out of it. Mama rushed to him and about knocked him over. Everyone was talking and asking questions, and he kept trying to sneak glances at Cassie to see how she was reacting to Jed, but she was hiding behind Gavin and Stetson. Looked like Jed would need more than good luck to go after his sister.
“So how did you find me?” Heath asked.
“We got home a couple hours ago,” Mama informed him, “and heard the whole story from some of the staff workers; then the police chief from Vail filled me in on where you were. We headed straight back this way. Where’s this girl you’ve been hiding from me? Austin’s quite taken with her.”
“Hottie Hattie is the best,” Austin said.
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