AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nick’s voice came a few seconds later. “Almostthere.”
“In position,” Ronan said. “Jesus, Nick. What’s taking you solong?”
“Had to cross a stream. It wasn’t on the topographical map,” Nicksaid.
His brothers’ voices were reassuring, a beacon from his life beyond this night when everything would either be resolved or go to shit. Comms was like that — comforting and strangelyintimate.
“Then it wasn’t big enough to slow you down. Hurry up,” Ronansaid.
“Easy for you to say. In position,” Nickgrumbled.
“About time,” Ronan said. “Keep it tight. We need to coordinateentry.”
Declan watched the door at the back of the house. “Soundsgood.”
“Five… four…” Ronan started the countdown, “three… two…go.”
Declan drew his weapon and sprung from the tree line, keeping low as he hurried toward the back door, his gaze on the curtainedwindow.
He caught sight of Nick in his peripheral vision, moving toward the cellar door on the side of the house. He ignored the movement and focused on his owntarget.
His exposure was brief, nothing more than a few seconds as he crossed the minimal grass between the tree line and the house, but after navigating the forest, it felt longer. He felt exposed, and he half-expected the door to fling open, for Neil to be standing there with a weapon he wouldn’t hesitate tofire.
He flattened himself against the house beside the door. “Here.”
“Me too,” Ronan said in hisear.
Nick was next. “At the cellar. I don’t want to open the door until you guys are on your wayin.”
Now that they were in position, they needed to move quickly. The longer they stood outside the house, yammering into the comms system, the greater the chance someone would hearthem.
Declan took the countdown. “Three… two…one.”
He stepped in front of the door and kicked hard. The wood was old, but the impact still sent a shock through hisbody.
The door flew open, a weak beam of light leaking onto the concretestoop.
A crash sounded from the front of the house:Ronan.
Then there was a series of impressions: an older home, shabby furniture that included a faded floral sofa and a lamp emitting yellow light from a dated end table. Beyond the living room a pale, thin man, his face etched like a map, stood in the doorway to what looked like the kitchen, his mouth open inshock.
It took Declan a second to realize it wasNeil.
Declan moved into the room, his gunraised.
The movement shook Neil from his stupor, and he lunged out of the doorway and into a narrow, dimhall.
Declan followed, the smell of musty carpet assaulting his nose. He aimed for Neil’s leg andfired.
The shot rang through the house and Neil went down hard andfast.
Then Declan was on him, straddling his body, pointing the gun at Neil’s forehead while the other man stared up athim.
“Jesus christ,” Ronan said behind him. “Could you be anylouder?”
“It’s not like we were quiet coming in,” Declan said. “Besides, I want to make himbleed.”
He dragged Neil to his feet, surprised by how little he weighed. This was the man they’d been chasing all these months? The man who had the power to tear apart Kate’sfamily?
