Ford’s reaction was different to that of the others. He called out Deacon’s name like everyone else, but his shoulders sagged as some of the tension in his body melted away before her eyes. He looked . . . relieved, like the cavalry had finally arrived.
Holly was first to run to the door, launching herself at Novak. ‘Deacon! You’re here!’
Novak caught her around the waist, spinning her once before carefully setting her feet on the floor. ‘Of course I did. There was no way I’d miss your wedding.’ He looked around, sobering when his gaze settled on Stevie. ‘You doing okay there, Mazzetti?’ he asked softly.
One side of Stevie’s mouth lifted. ‘Not really. But I am glad you’re here.’
‘Wild horses couldn’t have kept me away,’ he said gently, then perked back up, rubbing his hands together. ‘Where is Joseph? Dillon’s still alive, so I assume he’s not on the lam for murder.’
‘He doesn’t want to kill me.’ Dillon’s grimace was cute. ‘Not anymore, anyway.’
Novak winked at him. ‘Good to know. I could take him in a fight, but it wouldn’t be pretty. For an old guy, he’s got some serious moves. So where is he?’
‘Joseph and my mom are down in the ER, waiting for a potential witness,’ Ford answered loudly, then leaned down to whisper in Taylor’s ear. ‘We are not finished with this conversation. You will not be bait again.’ He strode across the room and pulled Novak into a hard hug, the two pounding each other’s backs.
Beside her, Alec sighed quietly. ‘Not a smart move, Taylor. Don’t push him on the bait thing. He was abducted as bait to draw his mother out. He won’t let you do that to yourself.’
Shit. ‘I hadn’t thought of it that way,’ she murmured.
‘Well, do. If you care anything about anyone in this room, you’ll find another way, because nobody’s gonna want to explain to Clay how they let you get hurt once he wakes up. And he will wake up.’ Alec’s voice had gone hard when he spoke of Clay waking, but his eyes were filled with devastation and Taylor sensed he was simply trying to keep it together. ‘Clay . . . he’s like my dad. Which might be awkward for you because he really is your dad, but . . .’ He trailed off helplessly.
‘It’s all right,’ she said as gently as she could. ‘I didn’t know you two were so close. I knew he was your boss and maybe your mentor, but that’s all.’
‘Yeah, he’s those things too,’ Alec said gruffly. ‘But he saved my life, you know.’
Taylor blinked, startled. ‘No, I didn’t know that.’
‘I was kidnapped when I was a kid, just like Ford, only younger. I was twelve. Ford and I . . . we became friends because we had too much shitty past in common not to. We’ve stayed friends because we have too many good things in common not to.’
‘How did Clay save your life?’
‘He was the one who found me, pulled me out of the rat pit where I’d been stashed, all drugged up and close to . . . Well, if he hadn’t found me when he did, I wouldn’t be here today.’ Alec turned to her, his expression fierce. ‘He has waited for you, looked for you, loved you for as long as I’ve known him. Do not make him grieve for you. Please.’
Now Taylor felt even worse. ‘I really didn’t mean I’d actually be bait, you know. I just meant that we could offer it. Make it an opportunity Jarvis couldn’t refuse.’
‘Okay, I get it. But Ford? I think all he can see is you getting shot at again and maybe not being so lucky a second time.’ He hesitated. ‘I’ve seen him at his lowest. Sat with him when he was so depressed by what Kimberly did to him that he couldn’t bring himself to even speak. She stole more from him than his safety. She stole his light. But when he looks at you, I see that light again. Be careful with him, that’s all I’m saying.’ He put his laptop aside and stood up. ‘I’m gonna say hi to Deacon. You coming?’
Taylor shook her head. ‘No, it’s okay. I’ll stay here.’ She was far more comfortable observing than participating, especially since she didn’t know the man.
Everyone in the room had gathered around Novak, giving him hugs and handshakes. There were smiles and . . . hope. Deacon Novak, she thought, had delivered the hope that Clay’s friends and family had so desperately needed. That Ford had needed.
Novak stepped back to draw the redhead to his side. ‘Everybody, this is my fiancée, Faith Corcoran. Faith, this is just part of my Baltimore family.’
Poor Faith looked as overwhelmed as Taylor felt, but waved gamely. And then Novak saw Taylor and went still, causing everyone else in the room to fall abruptly silent. As one, they followed his gaze.
‘Is that her?’ he asked Ford. ‘The one who shot the shooter? Clay’s daughter?’
Baltimore, Maryland,
Sunday 23 August, 6.45 P.M.
God. Gage’s hand shook as he pulled the last stitch taut. It was done. Finally. It had taken for-fucking-ever, because he kept nearly passing out from the pain as he’d dug out the bullet. He’d tried to get Jazzie to do the stitching but her hands shook worse than his did and he was afraid she’d rip the wound bigger, even if she didn’t mean to.
That her fear was real had never been in doubt. He eyed her carefully, wondering if he could trust her to cut the leftover thread that dangled from his arm. He decided not to risk it, because she was green and trembling. All he needed her to do was accidentally rip the sutures from his arm or . . . God. Throw up on him. She looked like she was on the verge.
He slapped a gauze pad on his arm, yelping at the pain that shot through his body. His movements were jerky and less controlled than he would have liked. He’d drunk a lot of booze, the two empty bottles on the table testament to the fact. His stomach churned and his vision blurred.
He handed Jazzie the roll of tape. ‘You should be able to tape the gauze at least.’ He gave her what he hoped was a menacing glare. ‘Do not hurt me or I will end you and your sister,’ he growled. ‘Do you understand me?’
She nodded, her eyes glassy and her skinny body shaking like a leaf, and he felt a wave of shame. Some man you are. Bullying a little girl.
A little lying girl, he reminded himself. He gritted his teeth as she wound the tape around the bandage. She looked at the scissors on the table, glancing up at him, her lower lip caught between her teeth.
He barked out a bitter laugh. ‘No, thank you. You’d stab me with those scissors. Or try to. You don’t have the muscle to jab hard enough to make it hurt.’ She tightened her jaw, confirming his suspicions. ‘Use your teeth to cut the tape.’
Wordlessly she obeyed. ‘Good,’ he grunted. ‘Now get on the floor next to the bed.’
She sucked in a breath, eyes darting toward the door. ‘W-w-why?’ She took a step back. ‘W-what are you going to do?’
Her stutter was back, annoying him further. He rolled his eyes and was instantly sorry he had, because the room tilted. He was fucking smashed. ‘I’m going to tie you up, you little bitch. Then I’m going to sleep. Then I’m going to leave. If you don’t try to cross me, you’ll be back with your precious aunt before breakfast.’ Tuesday morning, he added silently to himself.
He’d wait until he was safely in Mexico before calling Lilah with the girls’ location. They’d be hungry and thirsty, but otherwise unaffected. Physically at least. They’d be emotionally scarred forever. Which was not his fault.
Isn’t it? He lurched to his feet, giving his asshole conscience a hard shove. ‘On the floor, Jazzie. Now. Put your hands behind your back.’
Still shaking, she obeyed. He took a few stumbling steps toward the bed and dropped heavily to his knees, fumbling with the rope. He tied it around her hands, her ankles, then stuffed the gag back in her mouth. Noted the tears coursing down her cheeks.
‘I wouldn’t cry,’ he ground out, hating the way his voice slurred. ‘Your nose’ll get stopped up and then you won’t be able to breathe.’
He lifted Janie off the bed and put her on the floor next to Jazzie. Gently, he realized. He’d handled the child gently. So he wasn’t totally a monster. Just ninety-nine-point-nine-nine percent.
He straightened his back abruptly, disgusted with himself. Whether the disgust was because he was a monster or because of the gentleness he still apparently possessed, he wasn’t entirely sure.
Fuck. Oh fuck. He’d straightened too quickly and his churning stomach began to heave. He barely made it to the bathroom before he puked his guts into the toilet.
At least that would help him sober up faster. He’d just hurled what felt like half the booze he’d guzzled. He sank to his knees, tempted to sleep right here on the floor, but knew his back would go out if he did that. He had a long, long day tomorrow.
According to Google Maps, it was a twenty-six-hour drive to Laredo, Texas, where he’d need to find an unguarded border crossing. Just as Tavilla had predicted, Gage’s face was all over the news. He’d have to stay under the radar as he made his escape, so it might take even longer. He didn’t need the complication of an out-of-whack back on top of everything else.
He needed the bed. He grabbed the sink, pulling himself to his feet. A few steps later his body hit the mattress face first and he welcomed the blackness of sleep.
Baltimore, Maryland,
Sunday 23 August, 7.10 P.M.
Ford looked across the waiting room to where Taylor sat alone, her expression one of extreme discomfort at suddenly being the center of attention yet again. He knew he should hold out his hand and draw her over to where the rest of them stood, but he was still too shaken at the ludicrous, infuriating notion of her making herself bait. Again. He couldn’t trust himself to be gentle, or even civil. Not just yet.
Tanner’s wife, Nell, got the conversation going again, bless her. She took Faith by the arm and introduced her to everyone, taking the focus off Taylor. Taylor slumped into her seat wearily, her eyes closed. Ford’s heart squeezed hard with compassion, but the fear did not subside.
Bait, my motherfucking ass, he thought grimly. Just . . . no.
But he controlled his voice when he answered Deacon’s question. ‘Yes,’ he said quietly. ‘That’s Clay’s daughter. She’s called Taylor Dawson, though. Not Sienna.’
‘I see. I haven’t heard the whole story yet, but I imagine you’ll tell me.’ Deacon gave Taylor an appraising look before turning back to Ford, his white brows crunching together in concern. ‘After you tell me what the hell’s going on with you. Joseph said you were shot.’
‘Just a graze and a few bruises. I didn’t even need stitches. But Clay . . .’ He sighed, glad that Nell had led the group away, leaving them alone to talk. Because his one sigh would have destroyed the positive vibes Deacon had released into the room. Still, he felt better now than he had before Deacon’s arrival.
Seeing Deacon again was like a shot in the arm. The good kind of shot. Not the bullet kind that got you bandages and antibiotics. Or surgery, he thought, unable to drag his mind away from Clay. Still, Deacon had helped. He’d only got off an airplane an hour ago, and just by walking in the door he’d perked up the whole room.
Of all the cops Ford had met after his escape from his abductor, he’d liked Deacon the best. The man had understood his pain at Kimberly’s betrayal and had never minimized the situation by giving him false platitudes, focusing instead on what Ford needed to do next, giving him goals to aim for. They’d simply clicked and they’d been friends ever since.
Of all the cops and ex-cops that Ford knew, Deacon was most likely to approve of their plan to lure Gage Jarvis out. He was a good man to have on your team. For the first time, Ford felt a smidgen of hope.
‘Clay will be all right,’ Deacon said with absolute certainty.
Holly had wandered back over to them and wound her arms around Deacon in sweet, unfettered affection. ‘I hope so,’ she said, her voice small.
Deacon kissed the top of her head. ‘You’ll see. He’s too ornery to let a little thing like a bullet take him out. Besides, he has a speech prepared for your reception. He was gonna make everyone bawl their eyes out. Maybe he’ll let one of us read it for him.’
Holly’s eyes filled. ‘He won’t be able to come to the wedding. It’s tomorrow. He’s gonna miss seeing me get married.’
The conversation all around them dulled at Holly’s distress. She was so incredibly well loved. No one wanted to see her sad.
‘We can video it,’ Dillon said, patting her back to comfort her.
‘It’s not the same,’ she cried, turning into Dillon’s embrace, leaving Deacon looking as helpless as any of them to fix this for her.
Again the room was quiet until Taylor, still sitting at the back of the room, cleared her throat. ‘We can use Skype,’ she suggested. ‘He can watch you in real time, from his hospital bed. He won’t be there in person, but it’s the next best thing.’
Suddenly Holly was smiling again. ‘Can we, Alec? Can we do that?’
‘Absolutely, Holls,’ Alec said fondly. ‘Good idea, Taylor.’ He returned to sit beside her, and Ford tried not to feel jealous when the two of them leaned in to see Alec’s laptop screen, their heads nearly touching.
Fucking bait, Ford thought with a snarl. Taylor was not going to make herself bait.
‘How long have you known her?’ Deacon asked, amused.
‘A day,’ he snapped.
‘Oh, Ford.’ Deacon shook his head. ‘You got it bad, boy. Puppy-dog eyes and all.’
‘Shut up,’ Ford said, but without any heat, because it was true. ‘Listen, I may need your help. It’s important. And maybe dangerous. Two little girls – and one older girl who’s too foolish to be allowed to roam alone – might be in big danger, and the clock is ticking.’ Yes, he’d used the word ‘foolish’. And he wasn’t going to apologize. Make herself bait, will she? Fuck, no.
‘Tell me what you’ve got.’
He and Deacon went out in the hall, where Ford gave him the abridged version, Deacon nodding in all the right places. ‘And now Taylor wants to make herself bait,’ he finished, disgusted. ‘Just because he tried to kill her once before, she thinks she should offer herself up again.’
‘Well,’ Deacon said practically, ‘beyond the obvious no-way-in-fucking-hell, her offering herself as bait doesn’t make sense. Gage wants to kill her. You want something that tempts Denny to roust himself, get in the car and drive to wherever Gage is hiding. Right?’
‘Right,’ Ford agreed warily.
‘Taylor won’t tempt Denny because Denny doesn’t want to kill her. We tempt Denny with something that’s important to him.’
Ford nodded. ‘That sounds better to me, all the way around.’
Deacon grinned. ‘I’ll bet it does, Romeo.’
Ford rolled his eyes and ignored his teasing. ‘The question is, what’s important to Denny? I’d bet anything that Lilah knows what’s going on, but she’s not telling anyone anything.’
‘We’ll figure it out.’ Deacon sobered. ‘But first we tell Joseph your plan. He has to control all communication with anyone involved in this mess.’
‘No way.’ Ford’s temper bubbled up. ‘Dammit, Deacon, I thought you’d understand.’
‘I do understand. More than you know.’ Deacon took off his wraparound sunglasses to squeeze the bridge of his nose, and Ford sucked in a breath. Deacon’s odd bi-colored eyes were turbulent and full of grief and pain that made no sense.
Nobody here had died. Not today. Not yet.
Ford gripped Deacon’s shoulder. ‘Deacon? What’s wrong?’
‘Look, Ford, I’ve just finished a hard case in Cincinnati. I’ve seen more people die the past two weeks alone than I hope you ever see in your whole damn life, so believe me when I say I understand the urgency. I’ve seen my Faith terrorized by a motherfucker holding a gun to
her head – after she made herself bait, so believe me when I say I understand your fear.’
Ford drew a breath, surprised to find himself calmed even more by Deacon’s burst of anger than by his logic. ‘Taylor got wrapped up in the moment, I guess. I’m sorry, D. You’re right.’ He smiled wryly. ‘You usually are, but you didn’t hear that from me.’
Deacon slid his shades back on. ‘Temper happens under stress. To all of us.’
Ford raised his eyes in mock disbelief. ‘Even to you?’
Deacon chuckled. ‘Yes, even to me, you shithead. The truth is, you’ve both conducted yourselves admirably considering all the stress and tension of the day. Now, I do agree with you that Joseph is being a little too cautious under the circumstances.’
Ford shrugged, even though Deacon’s words warmed him from the inside out. ‘He has to be. Otherwise he gets blamed when a judge throws his case out of court and a killer gets away. I get that. That’s why I figured we could engineer this so that Gage was flushed out of hiding and right into the arms of the cops who’d followed Denny to his hiding place. Nobody gets blamed and the job gets done. Two kids are safe. If they’re not already dead.’
Deacon sighed. ‘Let’s hope he’s holding them for concessions of some kind.’
‘Like ransom?’ He’d thought it, of course, but it helped his ego that Deacon had too.
‘It’s not out of the question. You told me that the aunt wouldn’t talk to the police. She must believe that Gage is watching her. He’s already shown he’s capable of murder by killing the kids’ mother.’
‘And based on the few times I’ve talked to her at the farm when the girls were riding, she doesn’t seem to be the type to shrink away from danger to herself,’ Ford said.
‘Would she have talked to Taylor alone?’
‘Maybe. There’s a better chance with Taylor than with anyone. Man, you should have seen the look on Lilah’s face yesterday when Jazzie threw herself into Taylor’s arms and started to cry. It was like Taylor was a miracle-worker or something. I still think trying to get Lilah to talk to Taylor is a good plan.’