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BLAM! BLAM! POW!More gunshots rang out, and the family ducked behind a tractor.
Rodland turned. “Those didn’t come from the air.”
BLAM!
Blood spurted from Rodland’s shoulder, and he slumped forward.
“Shit,” Rodland grunted.
Blood on the front of his shirt. He pitched forward over Maisie’s head and hit the ground!
“No!” Jane reined in her horse and jumped off him. She held the reins as she ran back to where Rodland lay crumpled on the ground.
Another bullet plowed into the tree next to her as she fell to her knees beside Rodland. His eyes were closed and his forehead bloody. Dead?
No, he was opening his eyes. “Get out—of—here,” he said hoarsely. “You can’t help me. Sniper…”
“Shut up.” She was looking at the wound in his shoulder. “I think it’s only a flesh wound. It’s not bleeding much. But I don’t like the way your head looks. And you’re slurring.”
“That’s because I’m talking to…three of you. Tell the other two of you to go away.” He reached out and grabbed her hand. “No, all of you go away. That sniper will be on top of us soon. He doesn’t…want me. They’ll have orders to grab you. And it might be dead or…alive.”
“I’m not going without you.” She propped him up. “Now stand up and get back on Maisie. You’re strong. I’ll steady you.”
“She doesn’t like me that much. She’s not going to stand still.”
“Just get halfway up.” She had to use all her strength to get him even half mounted on the saddle. Then he fainted. It was just as well. She arranged his body facedown over the saddle and gave Maisie a sharp slap on the buttocks that sent her running down the road toward the castle.
She was praying Maisie wouldn’t start bucking again as she dialed Fergus. “It’s Jane. Stop going toward the gates. There’s a sniper on this side. Rodland’s been shot. He’s on Maisie. Come back for him and take him to the village to be treated. But call MacDuff and warn him that there are snipers on the grounds. I don’t know how many or where they are. We just ran into one here at the groundskeeper’s house. The drones were only the first wave of attack.”
“Are you all right, ma’am?”
“Fine. Just take care of Rodland.” She cut the connection.
Then she mounted the stallion and, avoiding the road, took the route through the forest that led south. The sniper’s bullet had come from the north, and she would have to be super careful because Rodland was right. The chances were that the sniper had been after her because Bohdan would figure that she could lead him to Caleb. That was what this nightmare was all about. Her friend had been killed, a wonderful castle that had survived centuries was in flames, and she had no idea how many people had died today. Bohdan didn’t care what pain and suffering he caused if he got what he wanted. And what he wanted was Caleb’s death. She could feel the anger start to burn within her at the thought.
Screw you, Bohdan. You’re going to start losing. I’m tired of hiding. I’m not letting you take another thing from me. I’m keeping everything that’s mine.
And the first thing you’ll lose is that sniper you sent after me. First I track, then I take him out. How do you think he’ll stack up against the SEAL training Joe gave me…
Chapter
9
Maggiano Lake
Italy
Bohdan didn’t show,” Caleb said tightly when he reached Palik. “Neither did any of his top mobsters. The entire valley is filled with his meth and drug hierarchy screaming and blaming each other, but no Bohdan. I thought sure that I’d be able to zero in on him here. Where the hell is he?”
“Maybe he had something better to do,” Palik said. “Have you heard from MacDuff lately?”
Caleb tensed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I can’t get in touch with Rodland or MacDuff, and I don’t like it.”
“Shit!” Caleb cut the connection and dialed MacDuff.
No answer.
