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She sagged against the seat and succumbed to exhaustion.
* * *
Blane couldn’t help running for the helicopter. At the last second, he was tackled by Kade.
“We’ll get her back. You’re going to get shot if you keep it up.”
Blane instinctively fought against Kade’s hold until reason came to him, and he stopped. He tasted blood from scraping the asphalt with his face.
“Get off me,” he growled. “I’m good.” He knew he shouldn’t be angry with Kade, but his frustration had no other outlet. “Where’s our ride?”
“About a half mile down the road. Only place we could find to put down. Too many damn trees.” Kade sneezed twice in a row. “Fucking trees.”
“Let’s go.” Blane headed down the road at an easy jog. As he ran, he spoke to Kade.
“We need something on Smithson,” he said. “He’s been after me for years, but never gone this far.” His anger was under control, but simmered deep in his gut. “It’s time to end it.” Personally, would be his preference.
“Will do.”
A few minutes later, they arrived at the chopper. A few minutes after that, they were airborne.
* * *
The trip home was a blur for Anne. Flashes of empty air outside the window and the roar of the helicopter. Then being moved to the back of an SUV. She was covered with a blanket, then the world went dark again.
The pain medication was starting to wear off by the time Anne was carried into her parents’ house and put into bed in her old room. Her mother was in a tizzy and busy calling for her dad.
“What happened? We thought you had died in the plane crash.” Her mother was simultaneously crying and patting her hand while she sat on the side of the bed.
Anne managed to grab hold of her hand and held it in a tight grip. It really was true that sometimes you just needed your mom to make you feel better.
“I’m okay. Just a broken ankle.” Talk about skipping over a lot of information. But Anne was too tired to go into the details right now.
“I’ll have Juanita make you something,” she said, her eyes were still wet with tears.
“Thanks, Mom.” Her mother got up and Anne suddenly thought of something. “Wait.”
Her mother turned. “Yes, dear?”
“I don’t want to see anyone, okay? Just you and Dad. And Juanita.” Their beloved cook was probably wanting to see Anne, too. Anne felt the need to surround herself with the warmth of her family. People she could trust.
“Of course, dear.” She placed a kiss on Anne’s forehead. “I’ll have Philip turn everyone else away. You need your rest. No doubt those nasty newspaper people will be here banging down our door soon.”
Yes, Anne thought they probably would be. “They gave me some pills. For the pain. One of the men grabbed them, I hope.”
“I’ll check. And Dr. Morris will be here soon.”
“Mom, I don’t need a doctor,” she protested, though it sounded more like a whine. “They’ve already put a cast on me.”
“It’ll make me feel better. You’ll let him examine you for me, won’t you?”
Ugh. The infamous Mom Guilt Trip.
“Fine,” she groused.
Her mother tucked the blankets around her and fluffed her pillow. “Thank you, dear.”
She left the room and Anne was finally alone. Everything that had happened seemed to hit her all at once. Falling utterly for Blane. A brief moment of pure joy. Then…his lies and betrayal. Meeting Kade. The murderer.
