AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The first priority is getting those kids out safely,” Buck said. “A trained hostage negotiator could make all the difference. But there’s nobody available, not even in Cottonwood Springs.”
That’s where you’re wrong.
Cooper’s throat jerked tight. He had a decision to make—and he knew in a flash what the decision must be. He’d promised Jess that he would protect her privacy. But if her skills could save three innocent lives, he had no choice except to betray her secret.
Not even if it meant losing her.
“Find Jess Graver,” he said. “She can do it.”
“Jess? But she’s a psychologist, not a—”
“She can do it, Buck. She’s had the training and experience. I left her at her motel last night, but she’s angry with me. I don’t even have her phone number.”
“I do. She gave it to me when Ed was arrested. But we’ve been playing phone tag. When Ed was bailed out, I left a message at the motel. She called back and got dispatch. The last I heard she was going to find Ruth and warn her that Ed is free. That’s all I know.”
“So Jess doesn’t know what’s happening here.”
“Not unless she’s called dispatch again. But she was worried about the boy—Skip. There’s a chance she’ll show up here.”
“So for now, all we can do is wait and hope.” Cooper mouthed a curse.
Damn it, where are you, Jess? I need you. We all need you.
* * *
It had taken Jess twenty minutes to replace the flat with the small emergency tire and another half hour to find a shop that would patch the leak without making her wait. An extra fifty dollars had persuaded the attendant to drop everything else and do what she needed. Now, with four sound tires under her car once more, she was headed down the highway, about halfway to Branding Iron.
The asphalt surface had been scraped and salted, allowing most of the snow to melt. Jess pushed the speed limit, anxiety pumping adrenaline through her body. All her instincts told her that something was wrong—and whatever it was, she needed to be there.
Traffic on the road was light today. Jess gunned the engine to pass slower vehicles, urgency making her reckless. When she heard the wail of a siren behind her, her heart sank. The last thing she needed today was a speeding ticket. Muttering, she pulled onto the shoulder of the road and waited.
To her surprise, the vehicle, marked with the logo of the Cottonwood Springs Police Department, sped on past her, red lights flashing. It wasn’t the usual police cruiser but a white van, outfitted to carry a crew and needed equipment to the scene of a serious emergency.
A serious emergency.
Her heart slammed like a wrecking ball as she swung the Taurus back onto the road, switched on her headlights, and floored the gas pedal. Only when the powerful car had closed the distance behind the van did she ease off and follow. Maybe the emergency had nothing to do with her or the McCoy family. But given the timing, she had to believe that the boy she’d promised to protect was in grave danger—if she wasn’t already too late.
* * *
The McCoy house remained silent as Cooper and the sheriff waited for more help. Once or twice Cooper thought he saw movement behind the warped venetian blinds, so he knew the two of them were being watched. But like them, Ed McCoy was waiting for whatever was to happen next.
Cooper’s thoughts dwelt on the three young hostages—Trevor, who was just beginning to discover his own strength; spunky little Maggie; and Skip, the boy he scarcely knew. All of them had to be terrified, and with good cause. He would trade places with any one of them in a heartbeat, even give his own life. All that mattered was getting the three youngsters to safety. Then Ed McCoy could blow himself to hell for all he cared.
The thought vanished as Sam’s pickup came roaring up the road, tires spraying snow as he swung the big vehicle around and parked next to the sheriff’s SUV. Sam switched off the engine and leaped to the ground. His expression made it clear that he was taking charge. He was more experienced than Buck and had infinitely more to lose.
On Buck’s face, there was nothing but relief.
Cooper strode around to the passenger side of the truck and helped Grace to the ground. Her face was drained of color, her expression stoic. Cooper knew that she loved Maggie like her own flesh-and-blood daughter. She would do anything to save the little girl.
Neither of them had been raised with much affection, but now Cooper took his sister in his arms and hugged her tight and hard, each of them drawing strength from the other. When they parted, they saw that Sam was fastening on an oversized Kevlar vest, probably his own from his old job.
The adults were armored. The children unprotected. Maybe Grace was thinking of that, too, when she declined the vest that Buck offered her. “I’ll just stay out of the way,” she said.
Buck had handed Sam a bullhorn. Sam’s deep voice boomed as he spoke.
“Ed, this is Sam Delaney. So far, no harm’s been done. Let those children go now, and we’ll work a deal with you. Otherwise, we’ve got a SWAT team on the way, and you’ll have to deal with them.”
“Go to hell, Sam.” Ed McCoy didn’t need a bullhorn. “I don’t care if you’ve got a whole damned army out there. As long as I’ve got your little girl and the two boys, nobody’s gonna touch me. Now, bring my wife and kids, and don’t take too long about it. Then we’ll talk. Otherwise . . .kaboom!” He laughed, a chilling sound.
