blow, and heâd brought her down.
Katie said, trying to turn over, âAgent Savich, are you all right?â
He grunted again, then she felt his determination as he pulled himself off her.
She was up in an instant, standing over him as he remained on his knees, head down, breathing hard.
âYour back. Oh God, your back!â
She looked up to see that Miles Kettering had both children pressed against the side of the house, protecting them, just as Agent Savich had told him to. Had he known, too, that the van was going to blow?
âIâm so sorry, I didnât know, Iâm so sorry.â She was on her knees beside him now. âJust hold still.â
But Savich rose slowly, managed to straighten. âI saw the flames, you didnât. We survived it. Iâm all right.â He could feel the rain hitting his back, feel the pain building and building. He could also feel his blood flowing, and that wasnât good. He looked over at the van, engulfed in bright orange flames, black smoke sizzling into the air, rain mixing with it, making it filthy black soot.
âYeah, sure you are, Agent Savich. You just come with me.â She was leaning down to grasp him under his arm, when she heard Beau yell, âAll right, you jerks, itâs my turn now!â
She whirled around to see Beau leaning against the porch railing, his own gun in his hand. She should have cuffed himâeven if she believed he was dead, she should have cuffed him. âYou bastard, you killed Clancy! Ainât nothing left of him but vapor. But now Iâm gonna take that boy.â
Sam was tucked against his fatherâs leg, Keely against him. Miles pressed the children more firmly against the side of the house, shouted over his shoulder, âGive it up, Beau, just give it up.â
âSend the boy over, or Iâll have to kill you, Mr. Kettering.â
âThen do it,â Miles said. âNeither Sam nor Keely is going anywhere.â
Katie could tell that Agent Savich was going to go after Beau again. She couldnât let that happen. She watched Beau raise his gun, watched him aim that gun at Miles Kettering. She leaned down, smoothly pulled her derringer from her ankle holster, and fired.
She got him through the neck.
âAhâ was all Beau said, clutched his throat, and turned to face her, the gun swinging her way.
She fired again, this time a death shot, even for a derringer, through his chest. Beau fell off the porch, landing on his back, his eyes open to the rainy night. The orange ball of flame flickered in his open eyes.
Miles Kettering said, his arms wrapped tight around the childrenâs heads, âSam, Iâve got to see to things here. Promise me that you and Keely wonât move an inch. Keep your faces against the house, that van just might blow up some more. Do you hear me? Not an inch.â
Miles raced down, pulled Savich over his shoulder in a firemanâs carry, and went into the house. Both children raced after him. Good, she didnât want them to see Beau.
âPut him on his belly on the sofa. Iâll call nine-one-one,â Katie said and quickly dialed. She got Marge, who always sounded breathless, told her to get an ambulance out here, and Wade, too, then hung up. âNot more than ten minutes. Now, letâs see how bad youâre hurt, Agent Savich.â But first sheâd have to move her daughter aside.
Savich said, âYouâre Keely?â One of his arms was dangling over the side of the sofa, and his feet hung off the other end.
The little girl gently smoothed her fingertips over his face. âIâm Keely and my mama will take care of you. Shetakes care of everybody. Do you know they pay her to do that?â
Savich didnât want to laugh, but it came out of him anyway. It died in a gasp. His back was on fire.
âIâm glad they pay her, Keely. How bad is it, Sheriff?â
It was Miles who said,
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