The gun went off.
She winced and kept moving, going as fast as she could. Tessa didn’t give him any chance but to accommodate her. She got all the way around, just a step. He had to move his feet so he didn’t fall over, and she got him between her and Caleb.
Edwards had to move his feet so he didn’t fall over, and she took the chance to get him between her and Caleb.
Caleb fired.
She felt the bullet impact Edwards, and he fell toward her. She lurched forward and Edwards landed on her on the ground. Her hip hit something hard on the ground, and his weight pinned her to the dirt and gravel.
Tessa tried to move but couldn’t. She needed air!
Edwards rolled off her.
She looked at him, and he stared back at her with sightless eyes. Tessa screamed inside her head, but no sound came out of her mouth. She scrambled back, crying out when pain flashed through her body. She had to… She needed to…
“Whoa, whoa. Honey, it’s okay. He’s dead.” Caleb touched her shoulders, then her arms, stalling her backpedal across the dirt. His face swam into view and she realized he was holding her face.
Tessa tried to breathe. “He…”
“It’s okay. It’s over.”
Her breath hitched in her throat. “I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t get away.”
“I know.” His voice was so soft. He tugged her to him and she buried her face against his shirtfront.
“He dragged me from your house. He was going to kill you and I knew that if you came here he would do it.”
Caleb shook his head, and she felt his chin against her hair. “That’s not what happened. God protected us both.”
She drew in a shuddering breath and clung to him. “He was going to kill you.”
“That might’ve been his plan, but it isn’t what happened.”
“I’m glad you’re okay.” She felt the rumble of laughter in his chest and looked up. “What?”
He shook his head, smiling. “I thought for sure that bullet would’ve gone through him and into you, but you barely have a scratch on you. It’s a miracle.”
“Sounds like God protected us both.”
He touched his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. “Amen to that.”
Tessa held on. “He hurt Pops.”
“It’s going to be okay. Everyone is all right.”
She didn’t know how much she’d needed to hear that until just then. “He called that guy you’re looking for and got orders. It sounded like Edwards was screwing up and this was all about saving face.”
“He spoke to Kessler?”
She nodded. “I heard the whole thing. He didn’t sound pleased with Edwards, and I think maybe he figured win or lose this would be when it was over.”
Caleb nodded. “That’s really helpful, Tessa. Thank you.”
He shifted and pulled out his phone, putting it to his ear. A second later he said, “Yes, it is. How’s Pops? Okay, good. I have a dead dirty FBI agent here if you wanna make a call. Get the state police here, and the FBI. Someone will want to clean up this mess.” After a second of pause, he said, “Thanks, Sheriff.”
Then he hung up the phone. “Are you okay for a minute if I let you go?”
She didn’t want to say yes, but she nodded anyway. Caleb kissed her forehead. “Someone is coming to pick us up. Or we can walk back to the house and drive from there. But I need a minute.”
