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Again using touch, he found the places where she’d been bound and quickly cut the ropes, wrapping her in the blanket and pulling her into his arms. ‘Sshh,’ he whispered, because her sobs had increased in volume. Gently he worked the duct tape from her face, allowing her to drag in a deep breath. ‘You have to hold on,’ he said in her ear, his words mostly exhaled air rather than spoken. ‘Don’t cry. We can’t let ourselves be heard.’
He felt her body stiffen and shake as she valiantly controlled her tears. Shouldering the backpack, he rose with her in his arms and went for the stairs, making it to the top with barely a sound.
He found Scarlett where he had left her, fiercely guarding his safety. Relief filled her eyes when she saw Gayle, but she didn’t say a word. She opened the kitchen door and signaled for him to bring Gayle out. Leading the way, she headed for the exit, pausing in the laundry room to fish the keys to Sweeney’s van from his pocket and give him a quick, bright smile.
Marcus couldn’t smile back. The hairs on the back of his neck were still raised. This had been too damn easy. The other shoe was poised to fall.
As Scarlett opened the door to the garage, the shoe fell. She had no sooner cleared the two short steps down when she was jerked from his view. A split second later, he heard her agonized cry, followed by the clatter of her gun as it fell to the concrete. The gun slid into view, evidently kicked away.
His mind racing, Marcus took cover behind the open door, pressing his body to the laundry room wall and gathering Gayle closer to his chest.
‘Mr O’Ba
‘Go to fucking hell, Sweeney,’ Scarlett said, her breath coming in shallow pants. ‘He didn’t come with me.’
Sweeney had hurt her. Marcus wasn’t sure what the bastard had done, but he could hear the pain in Scarlett’s voice.
‘Oh please, Detective,’ Sweeney said. ‘Of course he came with you. I’m surprised you’re here. I’ll give you that. But whether here or at the designated meeting place, the result will be the same. I won’t be leaving any of you alive.’
‘You stupid sonofabitch,’ Scarlett spat. ‘Do you really think I came alone? This place is surrounded by SWAT and Feds who can’t wait to get their hands on you. You shot up the Ledger office, kidnapped an i
‘I didn’t kill the woman,’ he said mildly.
‘Well she was dead when I found her. Why do think she’s not with me?’
‘Because O’Ba
But Sweeney sounded unsure.
Scarlett laughed bitterly. ‘Right. Like he’s hiding behind the door. You idiot. I wouldn’t bring a damned civilian on a rescue op. Especially one who’s emotionally involved.’
‘Well if he’s not here, then your life means nothing. You hear that, O’Ba
Scarlett scoffed. ‘You’re not going to kill me. Your life is forfeit as soon as you show your face, no matter what door you leave out of. I’m your ticket out of here.’
No matter what door you leave out of. She was telling Marcus to leave her there and exit through another door. In his arms, Gayle had begun to tremble violently. She bit down on the blanket so that her chattering teeth would make no noise.
He had to get Gayle out of here. To an ambulance. She was going into shock.
‘Oh,’ Scarlett added to Sweeney, her voice cocky despite the obvious pain she was in, ‘I hope you have comfortable shoes, because we’ll be walking the whole way.’ She grunted a little, then crowed. ‘Bye-bye, keys. Hello, SWAT. Through the garage door and into plain sight.’
Marcus gri
‘Go on now,’ Scarlett taunted. ‘Go get the keys. I dare you.’
Sweeney just laughed. ‘Good try, dear. Throwing your own keys? Clever. Let’s go. You can drive. I’ll be out of sight, making sure you don’t stop.’ There were sounds of scuffling as Sweeney dragged her across the concrete floor. Then Sweeney’s roar of fury when he realized she really had thrown his keys away.
Marcus knew that this was his chance. Trusting Scarlett to take care of herself, he eased away from his hiding place behind the door and slipped out of the laundry room back into the foyer. He took off for the front door, wrestling it open and hurling himself and Gayle into the night.
The moon was just starting to rise in the sky, giving the property a silvery look. It wasn’t as bright as spotlights, but if he weren’t careful he could be seen. Sticking close to the house, he ran around to the side opposite the garage and through the hole in the chain-link fence in the back wall. A look over his shoulder made his blood grow cold.
Kate Coppola was inching toward the open garage door, a large blond man behind her. He had a gun. Marcus’s heart sank. There were no snipers in the trees.
There was no way he was leaving Scarlett to their mercy. Get Gayle out, then go back. He ducked through the hole in the gate and sprinted for the hole he’d cut in the fence. He ran through, making a sharp left turn toward the main road.
‘Marcus!’
The familiar voice had him stopping in his tracks, turning to see Deacon and Diesel ru
‘Fucking hell,’ Deacon muttered. Phone in one hand, he grabbed Marcus’s arm with his other to keep him from ru
Marcus pulled free. ‘Scarlett doesn’t have a second.’
Cinci
Wednesday 5 August, 11.30 P.M.
Marcus set off at a fast run. He could hear Deacon behind him, calling in for backup. It was about time. He paused at the back chain-link gate, letting Deacon catch up. Together they looked through the fence and Marcus hissed out a furious breath. ‘Fuck.’
‘Fuck,’ Deacon hissed at the same time.
Scarlett was standing in the driveway, dimly visible in the growing moonlight, her hands on the back of her head while Sweeney disarmed her. So far he’d pulled three guns and two knives from her vest and pockets, all while holding his own gun – enhanced with a silencer – at the base of her skull. One of Scarlett’s hands was covered in blood. Sweeney had shot her.
Kate Coppola stood in the same position, hands behind her head. The huge blond guy held a pistol to her back, patting her down. He’d slung Kate’s rifle on his own back.
Marcus wanted to run through the gate to save Scarlett, but there was no cover. Any fast moves at this point would get her killed. Instead he had to stand there and listen helplessly.
‘Thank you, Decker,’ Sweeney said. ‘I wasn’t expecting you, but I’m glad you’re here.’
‘I would have called, but I forgot my phone. It’s still on my desk at the office. I came back because I left my laptop charger on the kitchen counter.’
Marcus frowned, thinking of the spotless kitchen. There hadn’t been any charging cords anywhere.
‘Well, as I said, I’m glad you’re here. You know what to do now.’
‘What does he know to do?’ Scarlett asked belligerently.
‘Kill and dispose,’ the big blond said succinctly.
‘It’s what we do with uninvited guests.’ Sweeney gave Kate an appraising look. ‘Is this broad your SWAT team and Feds? One redhead with a rifle? Who is she?’