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Shifting the gear, Derrick bumped backward into the sedan, sending it sliding. He took advantage of the moment, then propelled forward, gaining momentum as the driver of the sedan raced after them again. She spotted Derrick’s car which they’d parked earlier, and he careened to a stop beside it.
“Get Daisy out of here,” Derrick shouted as he jumped out, weapon drawn.
“I can’t leave you.”
“Just do it, Ellie.”
Ellie didn’t take orders well, but Daisy’s life was at stake so she relented. “It’ll be okay, honey,” she murmured to Daisy. Then she crawled from the back seat, ran to the driver’s side, and took the wheel.
The sedan roared to a stop behind her, the driver throwing open the door. A gunshot pinged her back fender.
“Stay down,” Ellie shouted to Daisy.
Daisy ducked down and clapped her hands over her ears.
“Go!” Derrick shouted.
Ellie gripped the steering wheel with clammy hands, veering sideways as Derrick sought cover behind his car. Stepping on the gas, she pulled the Jeep back onto the road. Through the rearview mirror, she saw Derrick raise his gun and fire at the shooter.
Fear for him nearly choked her. But Daisy’s sobs wrenched her heart and she sped away.
Ninety-One
Derrick hunkered behind his sedan’s open door as the shooter fired at him. He quickly released a round, ejected the magazine from his weapon and reloaded. The man’s face appeared, and he realized it was the same man who’d had Daisy.
Either MWC had figured out he and Ellie were cops or they’d meant to double-cross them from the beginning. Maybe that was part of their game. Sell the children, get the money, then kill the buyers to cover for themselves and sell the girls all over again.
Another bullet whizzed by his head, and he ducked, then inched to the edge of his vehicle. Creeping behind a group of boulders, he snuck up on the man. His foot hit ice though, crunching it, and the shooter pivoted, firing a bullet. It grazed Derrick’s arm, and Derrick released another round, shattering the shooter’s car window. When the man darted toward the pine trees, Derrick gave chase, stooping behind another rock then firing again.
The man vaulted up and shot again, but Derrick was fast and fired a bullet into the man’s gut. His eyes widened beneath his ski cap, his body bouncing backward. Blood gushed from his belly, and he bellowed, dropping his gun as he collapsed into the slushy ground. A crimson stream pooled beneath him as his body convulsed.
Derrick kept his gun trained on the man, then rushed forward and kicked his weapon out of reach. Then he pointed his own at the bastard’s head.
“Do you have Ava Truman?”
The man’s eyes glazed over, his body shook and blood seeped from his mouth as it went slack. Derrick cursed as the perpetrator drew his last breath.
Ninety-Two
Bluff County
As much as Ellie wanted to pull over and comfort Daisy, MWC might have put a tail on her, so she kept driving.
Thankfully, after a few minutes, the motion and warmth of the vehicle lulled Daisy to sleep, as she hugged the unicorn to her.
Questions ticked through her mind. How long had the little girl been with those people? Had they taken care of her? At first glance, she hadn’t noticed any visible injuries, but she needed to be examined by doctors.
While Daisy slept, she fended off images of Derrick being harmed and phoned her captain to fill him in.
“I don’t think I was followed, but I can’t be sure our cover wasn’t blown. I’m driving Daisy straight to the hospital,” she said. “Hopefully Agent Fox will catch this guy and bring him in.”
“The sheriff just called for an update. He can meet you at the hospital. Deputy Eastwood and the Trumans are here for the interview with Gomez.”
“Do me a favor and don’t tell Angelica what happened yet. I don’t want it leaked that we recovered Daisy until we’ve verified her ID and investigated her family situation.”
“Understood. Let me know if you need anything.”
Ellie thanked him, then disconnected and focused on the road. Rain turned to sleet, pebble-like ice pelting her windshield. She flipped on the wipers and defroster, scanning the highway for black ice as she maneuvered the narrow country road and wound down the mountain.
