paperwork for me to do.”
Nate thought that was a bluff. But then, maybe not.
“Get Darcy and the babies out of here,” Mason told Nate. He hauled the boss to his feet and muscled him toward the front. “Marlene, too. And hurry.”
Nate took Kimmie from Darcy. “Is the outside secured?” Because he didn’t want to bring the children out of the house if the gunmen were still out there.
“Kade’s people found some explosives,” Mason informed him. “They disarmed the ones they found, but they might not have gotten them all.”
“Explosives?” Darcy asked. There was no relief in her voice now.
“Yeah,” Mason verified. “We must have tripped a master wire or something because they’re all set to detonate in about five minutes. Get out of here now. ”
Chapter Seven
Run!
The word kept racing through Darcy’s head as she, Nate and Marlene rushed out of the house with the babies cradled in their arms.
Mason was behind them, dragging the boss along, but Darcy concentrated only on her own steps. Running in high heels put her at a huge disadvantage, but she couldn’t fall. Couldn’t stop. Even though her lungs were already burning.
She had to get her baby away from a possible explosion.
“This way!” someone shouted.
It was Dade, and he was motioning for them to follow him onto the road. Beside him, on the ground, was one of the gunmen, and he was either unconscious or dead because he wasn’t moving. There was no sign of Grayson or Kade.
Nate dropped behind her and used his free hand to latch on to her arm. Good thing, too. Because she stumbled, and if it hadn’t been for Nate she would have fallen.
“I’m taking genius, here, this way,” Mason let them know.
And he started in another direction through the woods where Darcy had last seen Mel. Maybe because Mason didn’t want the boss anywhere near the children. Darcy was thankful for that, but she also hoped the gunmen wouldn’t attack again and help their boss escape.
The sound that came from behind them was deafening, a thick blast. Darcy just held her son closer and didn’t look back, but it was clear that something had blown up. She prayed Nate’s brothers, Mel and the FBI agent hadn’t been hurt or killed.
Both Noah and Kimmie were crying now, and their sobs tore at her heart the way nothing else could.
Mercy, what they’d been put through.
And for what?
To rig the investigation so that her client would be arrested and convicted of his wife’s murder. Once they were safely away from this place, Darcy wanted answers about who had orchestrated everything. No one was going to get away with endangering these children.
Dade led them back toward the start of the path, where they’d left the vehicles. It seemed to take forever, and each step was a challenge.
“Get in the SUV,” Nate ordered, and he jerked open the door and shoved Darcy into the backseat. He pushed Kimmie into her arms and looked behind him.
“Where’s Marlene?” Nate asked.
Dade, who was breathing hard, looked behind them, as well. He only shook his head and cursed.
Marlene was nowhere in sight. God, no. Had she fallen? Darcy certainly hadn’t heard her, but then she hadn’t been able to hear much over the roaring in her ears.
“Go ahead,” Dade insisted. “Get them away from here. I’ll look for her.”
Nate didn’t argue. He ripped the keys from his pocket, jumped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. He gave Dade one last glance before he hit the accelerator and sped away.
Darcy held a crying baby in each arm, and she pulled them to her and tried to soothe them. “Shhh,” she whispered, brushing kisses on each of their heads. “It’s okay. Mommy and Daddy are here.”
Kimmie looked up at her, the tears spilling down her cheeks, and she glanced at Nate, whose attention was fastened to the road. For a moment Darcy thought the little girl might sob again, but Kimmie rubbed her eyes, smearing the tears on her little hands, and she
Nate thought that was a bluff. But then, maybe not.
“Get Darcy and the babies out of here,” Mason told Nate. He hauled the boss to his feet and muscled him toward the front. “Marlene, too. And hurry.”
Nate took Kimmie from Darcy. “Is the outside secured?” Because he didn’t want to bring the children out of the house if the gunmen were still out there.
“Kade’s people found some explosives,” Mason informed him. “They disarmed the ones they found, but they might not have gotten them all.”
“Explosives?” Darcy asked. There was no relief in her voice now.
“Yeah,” Mason verified. “We must have tripped a master wire or something because they’re all set to detonate in about five minutes. Get out of here now. ”
Chapter Seven
Run!
The word kept racing through Darcy’s head as she, Nate and Marlene rushed out of the house with the babies cradled in their arms.
Mason was behind them, dragging the boss along, but Darcy concentrated only on her own steps. Running in high heels put her at a huge disadvantage, but she couldn’t fall. Couldn’t stop. Even though her lungs were already burning.
She had to get her baby away from a possible explosion.
“This way!” someone shouted.
It was Dade, and he was motioning for them to follow him onto the road. Beside him, on the ground, was one of the gunmen, and he was either unconscious or dead because he wasn’t moving. There was no sign of Grayson or Kade.
Nate dropped behind her and used his free hand to latch on to her arm. Good thing, too. Because she stumbled, and if it hadn’t been for Nate she would have fallen.
“I’m taking genius, here, this way,” Mason let them know.
And he started in another direction through the woods where Darcy had last seen Mel. Maybe because Mason didn’t want the boss anywhere near the children. Darcy was thankful for that, but she also hoped the gunmen wouldn’t attack again and help their boss escape.
The sound that came from behind them was deafening, a thick blast. Darcy just held her son closer and didn’t look back, but it was clear that something had blown up. She prayed Nate’s brothers, Mel and the FBI agent hadn’t been hurt or killed.
Both Noah and Kimmie were crying now, and their sobs tore at her heart the way nothing else could.
Mercy, what they’d been put through.
And for what?
To rig the investigation so that her client would be arrested and convicted of his wife’s murder. Once they were safely away from this place, Darcy wanted answers about who had orchestrated everything. No one was going to get away with endangering these children.
Dade led them back toward the start of the path, where they’d left the vehicles. It seemed to take forever, and each step was a challenge.
“Get in the SUV,” Nate ordered, and he jerked open the door and shoved Darcy into the backseat. He pushed Kimmie into her arms and looked behind him.
“Where’s Marlene?” Nate asked.
Dade, who was breathing hard, looked behind them, as well. He only shook his head and cursed.
Marlene was nowhere in sight. God, no. Had she fallen? Darcy certainly hadn’t heard her, but then she hadn’t been able to hear much over the roaring in her ears.
“Go ahead,” Dade insisted. “Get them away from here. I’ll look for her.”
Nate didn’t argue. He ripped the keys from his pocket, jumped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. He gave Dade one last glance before he hit the accelerator and sped away.
Darcy held a crying baby in each arm, and she pulled them to her and tried to soothe them. “Shhh,” she whispered, brushing kisses on each of their heads. “It’s okay. Mommy and Daddy are here.”
Kimmie looked up at her, the tears spilling down her cheeks, and she glanced at Nate, whose attention was fastened to the road. For a moment Darcy thought the little girl might sob again, but Kimmie rubbed her eyes, smearing the tears on her little hands, and she
Similar Books
