For Colton, the timer had been triggered. It had happened the moment the jury delivered the verdict. Colton had put it on pause during his time at his in-laws’.
But the moment he came back to Atlanta, the countdown had resumed. And now nothing could stop it. Perez was likely orchestrating the whole thing from inside the maximum-security facility where he’d spend the rest of his life.
Through his goons on the outside, Perez would keep toying with him until he grew bored or decided Colton’s time was up.
Then it would be over.
The clock would click to zero and...
Boom!
* * *
Jasmine stepped from the front deck into Colton’s living room. This was the third time in the past twenty minutes.
Paige wasn’t doing any better. She was pacing the living room with a whimpering Liam in her arms.
Jasmine shut and locked the door. “Any improvement?”
“He’s burning up.” Paige jiggled him, and Liam cried harder.
“Bryce should arrive with Colton any minute.” Since nothing on Colton’s schedule was to take him away from his desk, Tanner had dropped him off at the courthouse that morning, then headed to the station with plans to pick him up at the end of the day. But Liam had changed that.
He’d been fine when he’d gotten up. By late morning, he’d started to feel a little warm. When he threw up his lunch, she’d called Colton. Tanner was still at work, but since Bryce’s shift wouldn’t start until later, he’d agreed to shuttle Colton home.
Jasmine started her own pacing. Over the past thirty minutes, Liam’s temperature had risen even more. Once Colton arrived, he’d decide how to proceed. Two days had passed since the incident in the Ingles parking lot, and nothing had happened since. But leaving the house with Liam made them all much more vulnerable.
Jasmine stepped back outside. Brutus stood at the bottom of the deck steps, stiff and alert. He’d apparently picked up on her tension.
When Bryce’s Sorento came into view, she hurried to open the gate. As soon as the vehicle stopped, Colton jumped out and ran for the house, an elastic bandage peeking out from one jacket sleeve. All he’d gotten out of Tuesday night’s scare was a sprained wrist and some asphalt scrapes.
“How’s Liam?” He threw the words over his shoulder.
She hurried after him. “Really uncomfortable. His temperature has gone up a half degree since I called you.”
Paige opened the door, still holding Liam. She’d apparently been watching for Colton and Bryce’s return, too.
Jasmine followed him inside, Bryce right behind her. When Colton reached his son, he cupped the boy’s face with both hands. “Liam, look at Daddy.”
Panic laced his tone. Jasmine understood why. Liam had stopped fussing. Instead, he was listless, his eyes unfocused.
Colton ran to Liam’s room and returned with a child-size afghan. “We’re going to the emergency room.”
Paige hesitated. “Shouldn’t we call an ambulance?”
“I’d rather have armed escort.” He wrapped the blanket around his son and took him from Paige.
Bryce unclipped his phone as they headed out the door. By the time Colton had fastened Liam into his car seat in the Highlander, Bryce had finished his conversation.
“A Cherokee County unit is headed this way.”
Paige climbed in next to Liam, and Colton slid into the driver’s seat. “We’ll meet up on the four-lane.”
Jasmine moved toward her own vehicle, calling instructions to Bryce as she walked. “Can you close the gate, then bring up the rear?”
The situation wasn’t ideal. She’d feel better if they’d waited for Cherokee County. But even though Bryce was off duty, he was armed. He’d guaranteed them of that before he’d gone to pick up Colton. Of course, she was, too.
At the end of Hilltop, traffic was clear in both directions. She followed Colton through the left turn onto 64. Or “the four-lane,” according to the locals. Since it was the only four-lane road in all of Murphy, the name worked.
She finished the turn and accelerated, checking her rearview mirror. Bryce should catch up with them shortly. She hoped he wasn’t a slow driver. Colton had almost hit the speed limit and was still accelerating.
On the right, A-1 Mini Storage came into view. An older model Sunfire sat at an angle, as if ready to pull out. She strained to see if the car was occupied, but the windows were too tinted.
She shot past, then cast repeated glances in her rearview mirror. The car eased onto 64 and accelerated. Soon it was gaining on her. Uneasiness trickled through her.
She moved into the left lane. She didn’t want anyone to get too close to Colton’s Highlander, but if there was a threat, she’d rather it be behind him than beside him.
When she checked again, a Sorento traveled some distance back. The Sunfire was gaining on her, but so was Bryce. Please hurry.
As the small car drew closer to Colton’s vehicle, Jasmine squeezed the wheel more tightly. Maybe the other driver only wanted to get around her. She couldn’t take that chance. She was traveling just off Colton’s left rear quarter panel, the gap not large enough for another vehicle to fit between them.
The Sunfire disappeared from her rearview mirror and appeared in her side mirror. It was now only two or three car lengths from Colton’s vehicle, close enough to be considered tailgating.
The other car’s engine revved, and the vehicle surged forward. Jasmine glanced over her right shoulder, hoping she was facing a case of road rage rather than a killer.
The rear window lowered, and in the midafternoon sun, something metallic glinted. She did a double take, and her heart leaped into her throat.
The rear passenger held a pistol, and it was aimed at her.
She jammed on her brakes and jerked the wheel to the right. The crash of metal against metal reverberated through her vehicle, with the simultaneous explosion of the airbags. The impact set her spinning, tires making a shrill squeal that seemed to go on and on.
Don’t roll the car, don’t roll the car. She squeezed the wheel with every bit of strength she possessed, as if that would somehow keep all four tires on the pavement.
Over the top of the deflating airbags, trees whizzed past. She’d lost sight of the Sunfire. Colton’s Highlander, too.
She slipped off the shoulder and bounced over the uneven surface, momentarily becoming airborne before hitting the ground with enough force to jar every bone in her body.
Through the front windshield, a stand of trees seemed to move toward her at lightning speed.
The next moment, her scream mingled with the sound of twisting metal and shattering glass.
Then everything fell silent.
* * *
Colton jammed on his brakes and pulled off the road, bouncing along the grassy shoulder until he came to a full stop. “Call 911. We need an ambulance.”
He twisted in his seat to look at Liam. His eyes were closed. Was he asleep or unconscious?
“Make that two ambulances.”
One would be for his son, the other for Jasmine. He didn’t know her condition, but it didn’t look good.
With his eyes on the road ahead of him, he hadn’t seen the crash. But he’d heard it and looked in the mirror in time to watch the car that had been tailgating him disappear off the road and Jasmine’s Suburban begin a series of donuts. Now her vehicle was sitting thirty or forty feet behind him where a copse of trees had brought it to an abrupt stop. It rested at an angle, the windshield and driver window shattered.
God, please let her be okay. Please let Liam be okay.
Paige ended the call with the dispatcher and reached for the door handle. “Stay with Liam. I’ll check on Jasmine.”
Colton reached into the back seat and took his son’s hand. Liam stirred. Though his eyelids lifted halfway, he di
dn’t make eye contact. Colton’s chest tightened. God, please bring the ambulance quickly.
He wouldn’t remove his son from the car seat until the men who’d attacked Jasmine were in custody. Which should be soon. An SUV had turned around at a break in the median, a strobing light on its dash.
Some distance behind Jasmine’s Suburban, the vehicle that had tailgated him sat with its front end wrapped around a tree, steam rising from beneath its hood. Bryce had stopped behind it and was approaching slowly, weapon raised.
Colton released Liam’s hand to put the Highlander in Reverse and ease backward. Paige had reached Jasmine’s SUV and was giving the driver door several hard yanks. He couldn’t see well through the shattered glass, but there hadn’t been any signs of movement.
Jasmine’s driver door finally creaked open a foot. Paige gave it another forceful pull and it swung back fully.
When Colton eased up next to the Suburban, his heart almost stopped. Jasmine was slumped forward, head resting against the steering wheel. Two rivulets of blood traced paths down the side of her face.
As he lowered the passenger window, Paige reached into the vehicle and pressed her fingers against Jasmine’s throat. She was checking for a pulse. Dear God, she can’t be...
A lump formed in his throat. Jasmine would say putting her life in danger was part of the job. But she’d done this for him and his son. If anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.
A distant squeal pierced the silence. Paige put a hand on Jasmine’s shoulder and murmured something to her. The soft timbre of her voice reached him, but not the words.
Colton killed the engine. When Jasmine lifted her head, he released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Thank You, Lord.
She rubbed the back of her neck, then stiffened. “Liam—”
“—is safe.” Paige straightened. “You should stay put. There’s an ambulance on the way.”
“No.” She released the seat belt and struggled to her feet. Once standing, she put a hand on her weapon and swayed. “I need to check on Liam.”
“You need to sit.” Paige grasped her arm and helped her into the Highlander’s back seat.
Jasmine took Liam’s hands in hers. “He needs a doctor. He’s burning up.”
“Help is on the way.”
She leaned back against the seat, the tension draining out of her.
Colton studied her. Her head was cut and bleeding. She also likely had a concussion. But there apparently weren’t any broken bones.
“What happened? Did he hit you?”
“I hit him...after I saw the passenger had a pistol pointed at me.”
Colton’s gut filled with lead. The gunman had intended to take out Jasmine to get to him.
A shout from Bryce drew Colton’s attention toward the Sunfire. He still stood facing the car, his posture stiff, weapon trained on the man in the back seat. “Hands in the air.”
For several tense moments, Bryce didn’t move. Colton held his breath. He couldn’t see into the car at that distance, but he had a good idea of what was going on. According to Jasmine, the man had aimed a pistol at her. That weapon was somewhere inside.
The sirens grew closer, and Colton looked toward town. Flashing blue lights appeared around a gentle bend in the road. Two ambulances trailed behind.
The sheriff cruiser flew past, then turned around at the first break in the median. After stopping behind the wrecked Sunfire, a deputy jumped out. Bryce gestured toward the rear driver’s-side door, and the deputy swung it open, weapon pointed inside. After pulling a cloth from his back pocket, he reached in and removed a pistol.
When Colton looked at Jasmine again, her hands had fallen into her lap and her head was tipped back against the seat. Her eyes were closed.
“Hey, don’t go to sleep.”
She roused herself to look at him. It seemed to take a lot of effort.
“You’ve probably got a concussion.” He glanced back up the four-lane, where the ambulances were completing their U-turn. “Help will be here in a minute.”
“No, I don’t need to go to the hospital. It’s just a bump on the head.” She touched the side of her face. When she saw blood smearing her palm, her eyes widened.
“You’ve got to go, let them check you out.”
She touched her head again. “This is nothing. Head wounds always bleed profusely. A wet cloth and a couple of Band-Aids, and I’ll be fine. I just need rest.”
Colton heaved a sigh. He’d never gone head-to-head with Jasmine. She definitely had a stubborn streak.
“If you won’t listen to me, maybe you’ll listen to someone else.” He snatched his phone from his side and pulled up his contacts. Burch Security’s administrative assistant answered after the first ring. A half minute later, Colton had Gunter Burch on the line.
After briefly relaying what had happened, he looked at Jasmine. “She got seriously whacked in the head and is insisting she’s fine. I think she needs some tough love.” He handed Jasmine his phone.
After a brief pause, Jasmine spoke. “Colton’s exaggerating. I’ve got a few cuts, nothing that can’t be remedied with some butterfly bandages.” Another pause. “So I’ll have a headache. I’m not confused. I know my name and my address and what day it is. I can even go into all kinds of detail about my overprotective boss, who’s under the deluded assumption that he’s been commissioned to play the role of my father.”
Colton bit back a smile.
Finally, Jasmine heaved a sigh. “Okay, I’ll get checked out.”
She ended the call, then frowned at the phone before handing it back to him. “I hate hospitals.”
“They’ll just look at you, probably run some tests. They may not even keep you overnight.”
“They’d better not.”
She unfastened the straps on Liam’s car seat and pulled him onto her lap. For several moments, she held him close, rubbing his back with one hand. Emergency medical personnel would soon take him away from her. One ambulance had stopped behind the Highlander and two paramedics were moving their direction. The other ambulance was parked near the Sunfire.
When Jasmine’s gaze met Colton’s, it held a softness he’d never seen. Her guard was down, every barrier crumbled. Emotion rushed through him with the force of a tidal wave.
She’d risked her life to save his and Liam’s. She could have simply evaded the men, but slamming into them ensured they wouldn’t be able to reach him and his son.
And he’d almost lost her.
A black hole opened up inside him. It was more than guilt, deeper than a feeling of responsibility.
He closed his eyes, trying to get a grip on his runaway emotions. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t be falling for his son’s bodyguard.
The job was ending. The men who’d threatened them for the past three weeks were heading to the hospital for treatment, then straight to jail. It was time for Jasmine to go back to Atlanta and move on to her next assignment.
He tried to tell himself that was okay. He wasn’t looking for someone to replace Mandy. If he was, it wouldn’t be Jasmine. Not that she wouldn’t make a great wife for someone. She would. But she wasn’t his type.
He wasn’t hers, either. Young and full of life, she’d probably go for someone more like his fun-loving brother.
He stepped from the vehicle to meet the paramedics. His mental arguments were logical. Persuasive.
Of course they were. That was his specialty. He could convince judges and sway jurors with his words.
But his own heart wasn’t even listening.
EIGHT
Jasmine stepped out the double doors of MountainView Community Church and squinted in the midday sunshine. Liam was in her arms, Colton behind her carrying their coats. The temperature had risen considerably since early that morning.
Liam w
as a different boy than he’d been three days earlier. He’d been treated in the emergency room, then released once his temperature had come down to a less scary level. He’d had a bad virus. Fortunately, it was the twenty-four-hour kind, or more like thirty-six hours. He’d gotten up yesterday morning ready to play between naps. This morning he’d insisted on going to church.
Her own emergency room visit hadn’t gone as well as Liam’s had. The doctor had been concerned about the possibility of a concussion and ordered a CAT scan. The cuts had needed nothing more than butterfly bandages. But the visit had evolved into an overnight stay, and it had been late in the day Friday before she’d been able to convince everyone she was fine.
Andi slipped a hand into Bryce’s. “See you at our place in a few.”
They’d talked yesterday about the seven of them, Paige and Tanner included, having Sunday dinner in town, then decided instead to do a cookout at Bryce’s. For the time being, everyone was remaining on alert. The men who’d threatened them on the highway were in custody. They weren’t Perez’s brothers, according to their identification. Of course, those names could be aliases.
After strapping Liam into his car seat, Jasmine climbed into the front. Colton cranked the engine and glanced over at her. “I’m glad you sat with us today.”
She shrugged. Liam hadn’t given her a choice. Instead of going to children’s church, he’d insisted on sitting with the “big people.” In Liam’s mind, “big people” had included her. As Colton had carried him down the aisle, he’d stretched out his arms and pleaded in that sweet little voice, “I want Jasmine.” How was she supposed to resist that?
So she’d sat in the third row, nestled between Liam and Paige, Colton on his son’s other side. Sitting that close to the worship band, the song lyrics and the meaning behind them had been hard to ignore. And too many times, she’d found the pastor’s message unsettling.
As expected, it had a Christmas theme—“Emmanuel, God with Us.” He made it relevant to today by talking about God’s presence through the storms of life. But she wasn’t looking for a God who promised to be with her through the storms. She wanted to avoid them altogether.
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