Mercy cracked the SUV door open. ‘He’s lying, Rafe.’
‘I know,’ Rafe hissed. ‘He’s not going to just walk away. He’ll kill us all. Close the door and get down.’
‘No. Look at Farrah. Watch her mouth.’
Rafe did and immediately felt a wave of relief. Farrah was mouthing over and over again, He’s okay. Your brother’s okay.
‘Oh thank God,’ Rafe whispered. ‘Where the fuck is Gideon anyway? We need a diversion. Anything to get him to loosen his hold on Farrah.’
Mercy scrubbed her face with her palms. ‘He’s not going to let Farrah go. He wants me and he wants his damn safe-deposit box key. Let me open the door wider. I want to talk to him. And I won’t leave the car, I promise,’ she snapped before he could warn her not to do just that.
Rafe sighed and opened the door, because he had a very bad feeling that backup wasn’t coming. Not only were Gideon and Hunter AWOL, the SWAT team that Molina was supposed to be bringing was not here. And they should have been. He was starting to wonder if Schumacher was really in the woods waiting for Ephraim to lower his guard. He thought she would have shown herself by this time, maybe even crept closer. Something was very wrong.
Daisy’s face was pinched and drawn. She knew Gideon should be back by now as well. But she was holding it together.
‘Ephraim,’ Mercy shouted. ‘Let her go. I know you want me. I know you want this damn key, whatever it’s for. I know you don’t want your mother dying alone in some prison ward, but she will if you hurt any of my friends or family. So let her go and deal directly with me.’
Ephraim’s answer was a gunshot through the SUV’s side window.
Everyone hunkered on reflex, but the glass didn’t shatter. Rafe chanced a look around the SUV, hoping that Ephraim had pulled both guns away from Farrah while he was shooting, but he still had the revolver shoved firmly under her chin.
‘That window won’t hold forever,’ Ephraim shouted back. He pushed Farrah a little closer. ‘And when it breaks, someone inside that SUV will get the next bullet and I’ll aim for heads.’ He shot again and the glass pebbled.
‘He’s right,’ Rafe said, his jaw clenched. ‘The glass will take two more hits, tops. If he gets much closer he’ll be climbing in the damn window.’
Dammit, Gideon, where the fuck are you? This was Rafe’s worst fear for how this situation would end. With him having to put Mercy directly in Ephraim’s crosshairs.
‘What do you want?’ Rafe yelled. ‘Be specific, Burton.’
‘I want that SUV!’
‘Take the other one.’
Ephraim had continued inching closer and now Rafe could hear him laugh. ‘Fine. As long as Mercy is in it.’
Mercy crouched on the floor of Hunter’s SUV, pale but determined. ‘Where is Molina’s SWAT team?’
‘Good question,’ Rafe growled. ‘But a better one is what do you think you’re doing?’
Because Mercy was sliding across the floor to the open door. ‘I’m going to do what I did in Snowbush. Except this time I’ve got a vest and helmet. And this time you’re going to be ready. Daisy, can you climb a tree?’
Daisy nodded. ‘I’ve done it before. You want me to be your sniper?’
‘Well, I think we’re on our own,’ Mercy said. ‘Don’t you?’
‘Yes,’ Rafe agreed. ‘I expected the cavalry to have ridden in by now.’
‘Amos,’ Daisy whispered, ‘how good are you with a rifle?’
‘Very good,’ Amos said seriously. ‘Good enough to keep my son and daughter’s family safe.’
Daisy gave Amos’s arm a quick squeeze. ‘Keep him in your sights while I’m crawling to the woods. If you see him drop those guns away from Farrah, shoot. Okay?’
Amos nodded once. ‘I will.’
When Daisy was safely in the forest, Mercy leaned forward to kiss Rafe hard. ‘I am not a sacrifice,’ she whispered. ‘I am a diversion. Watch his hands. The minute he doesn’t have the muzzle of a gun on Farrah’s body, shoot him. I don’t care where. I want this over.’ She kissed him again, softer this time. ‘I trust you.’
Rafe swallowed hard. ‘Dammit, Mercy.’
She gave him a sad smile. ‘Let’s get rid of the baggage I’ve been carrying all these years, okay?’ Then she patted Amos’s cheek. ‘You were a good shot when I was little. I bet you’re a lot better now. And if you’re tempted to do anything stupid, remember that Abigail needs her papa. And so do I.’
Amos shuddered out a breath. ‘I’ll remember.’
She nodded once, then slid from the SUV to the ground. Staying bent at the waist, she walked to the front end of the vehicle and straightened to her full height.
‘All right, Ephraim,’ she called. ‘I’m right here. Let Farrah go and we can talk.’
Dunsmuir, California
Wednesday, 19 April, 5.10 P.M.
Mercy was a lot calmer than she thought she’d be under the circumstances. Of course, she was digging her nails into her palm so hard, she’d be surprised if she wasn’t drawing blood.
Ephraim had advanced another few feet and now stood in the middle of the road, less than ten feet from Hunter’s SUV.
Mercy met Farrah’s frightened eyes. ‘Hey, Ro. You okay?’
Of course Farrah didn’t answer or nod. But she blinked once. For ‘yes.’
Mercy’s throat was suddenly so thick that she couldn’t swallow. ‘I love you,’ she said quietly.
Farrah’s eyes narrowed. And she blinked twice. For ‘no.’
Not that she didn’t love Mercy back, but because she was forbidding her to do anything stupid.
‘That’s very sweet, wife,’ Ephraim snarled. ‘But I don’t want you here. I want you in the vehicle. Now.’
‘Let her go and I’ll go with you.’
‘You’re lying,’ he spat.
Mercy met his eye. ‘Maybe, maybe not. But you won’t know until you let her go. You can’t handle both of us. We’re not twelve years old.’
He sneered. ‘Tell your guard dog to come out and throw his guns to me. Even his backups.’
Mercy heard the light thump-thump of Rafe’s cane as he came up behind her and her heart sank. Rafe, no. What are you doing?
When Rafe stopped next to her, he tossed his gun to the side. It landed on the road, skidding until it came to a stop about ten yards away. ‘I have no backups,’ Rafe said. ‘If you don’t believe me, feel free to check for yourself.’