LION'S DEN

Rebecca Deel

Copyright © 2026 Rebecca Deel

All rights reserved.

Cover by Melody Simmons

To my husband. I love you more than I can express.

CHAPTER ONE

SEDONA HART FROZE in her tracks, listening intently. She looked around the gloomy hallway outside her kindergarten classroom but saw nothing moving. Why were schools bright, cheerful, and full of life during the daytime and ghost towns when students were gone?

She’d been thinking about the ghost-town feeling since she began teaching, and the only answer she could come up with was that students brought life and energy to the hallways. After hours, janitors and maintenance people did their work unseen in the shadowed halls.

When Sedona didn’t hear the noise again, she turned toward her classroom to grab her bag and go home. She froze. There it was again.

Time to act like an adult and check on the weird noise in the dark. She hoped a monster in the dark didn’t eat her because she did not want to go down in the Maple Valley Elementary School’s history as the teacher who was too stupid to live.

She set her water tumbler on the floor beside her classroom door, grabbed her courage with both hands, and crossed the hall to Mrs. Washburn’s room. As she neared the door, Sedona heard the same rustling noise.

A rat? She hoped not. Sedona wasn’t a fan of mice or rats. She squared her shoulders and felt along the wall to her right for the light switch. The instant she turned on the lights, the rustling noise stopped.

This time, though, she identified the culprit making the noise, and he wasn’t a rat. “Julio Ramirez, what are you doing here at this time of night?” Sedona walked deeper into the classroom.

“I had to come, Miss Hart. Emily left her backpack here, and she needs it to finish her homework for tomorrow.”

“Where’s your mom?”

“At work. Please don’t tell her. Emily and I will both be in trouble if you do.”

“How did you get here? You didn’t walk here, did you?” What a horrible thought. Julio was too young to walk by himself at night from their home to Maple Valley Elementary School.

“Eddie drove me here, but he wouldn’t come in.” The boy wrinkled his nose. “He’s on the phone with his girlfriend. Yuck!”

Sedona worked hard not to laugh. “I see. How did you get into the building? The doors are locked at five, and it’s almost ten o’clock.”

He shrugged. “The maintenance man let me in.”

Of course he did. “I imagine your brother will want to leave soon. Did you find Emily’s backpack?”

Julio nodded. “Finally. She and her dumb friends were too busy talking to remember their backpacks.”

“It’s kind of you to get it for her.”

“I didn’t mind, but don’t tell her that. She might forget her backpack all the time if you do.”

Sedona smiled. “It’s our secret, Julio. If you’re ready to go, I’ll walk you out as soon as I grab my bag.” And knowing her student, she added one more incentive for Julio to stick with her. “I’m glad you’re here. I was just noticing how the hallways are too quiet without students.”

“Are you scared?”

“Not scared, really. I’m uneasy without other people around.”

“Don’t worry, Miss Hart. I’ll protect you. Eddie taught me how to do that.”

“I appreciate that, buddy.”

“Do you have a date?”

Her head whipped toward Julio as they walked across the hall to their classroom. “No, I don’t. Why?” Too bad for her. Sedona wanted a certain sheriff’s deputy to ask her out, but he hadn’t yet. Of course, the deputy had been busy getting settled in Maple Valley and learning the roads of Morgan County, Tennessee.

One day maybe Cam Sims would ask her for a date rather than ask if she needed help with her enormous house. He’d already helped so much, not that anyone who walked through could tell the progress they’d made with help from friends. For all their efforts, the house looked the same as it had for years. Depressing.

“Just wondered. That’s all. You’re okay looking. I figured a guy would hang around you.”

Sedona laughed. “No such luck, Julio.”

He frowned. “Are you going to sleep when you get home? It’s not even my bedtime yet.”

She grabbed her purse and purple tote bag and locked her classroom door. “Where is Eddie parked?”

“Back of the school. He didn’t want anybody to see him here because they might think he’s not cool or something.” He shrugged as if his brother’s reasoning didn’t bother him, but Sedona saw the truth in her student’s eyes. Having Eddie’s approval mattered.

“Do you want me to talk to him?”

“Oh, no, ma’am!” His eyes were wide. “Don’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“It’s embarrassing, like I’m some dumb kid or something.”

Oh, man. This kid cracked her up. “No, I wouldn’t want to do that. Thanks for reminding me you’re practically a grownup.”

“You won’t talk to Eddie?”

“Nope. I promise. So, when does your mom get home from work?”

He shrugged. “About midnight. I don’t know exactly when because I’m asleep most nights.”

Most nights. Her heart ached at the Ramirez family’s tough life. “I can understand that.” Mrs. Ramirez was one of the most hardworking women Sedona had ever met. “Still haven’t heard from your dad?”

Another head shake. “Mom says he wasn’t very nice to her.” Julio turned his head to look at her. “How could anybody be mean to Mom? She’s really nice when she doesn’t make me clean up my room.”

She rested her hand on Julio’s shoulder. “I don’t know, buddy. Sometimes people we love aren’t in a good head space, and they make poor decisions, like your dad hurting your mom. I’m glad he’s not able to hurt you or anyone else now.”

“Me, too.”

Sedona pushed open the back door leading to the faculty parking lot. Julio skipped along beside her.

She paused at the edge of the sidewalk and glanced around. “Is that Eddie in the SUV?”

Julio frowned as he stared at the three men standing near the vehicle. Two men had pushed the third one up against the side of the SUV and were yelling at him. “I don’t see Eddie. Did he leave me?”

Sedona didn’t like the looks of the three men who were casting dark glances at them. “Come on. Let’s go around to the front and see if your brother moved the car because of these men.”

“Who are they?”

“I don’t know, Julio. Let’s leave them to their business.” Hopefully, they’d finish the business and move along to another location before she walked to her car.

“Okay. They’re mean.”

“How do you know?”

“They yelled at me to go home, but I couldn’t, Miss Hart. I had to get Emily’s backpack.”

“They’re the ones who shouldn’t be on school property. Let’s get you to Eddie, then you can go home.” Perhaps she could, too.

The sound of a vehicle idling grew louder as she and Julio circled the building to the front of the school.

Julio brightened. “That’s Eddie.”

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. “I recognize the sound of the motor. It’s my brother.”

“Well, let’s see if you’re right.”

Julio raced ahead and poked his head around the corner of the building. “It’s him. I told you I was right about the motor.”

Thank goodness. The last thing she wanted was for her and Julio to be stuck waiting for Eddie to come to pick him up. Wanting to be sure this was indeed Julio’s brother, she walked with Julio to the vehicle. Mindful of her promise to her student, Sedona smiled at the teenage driver and held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Sedona Hart, Julio’s teacher.”

The teen pumped her hand once. “Eddie.”

“It’s good to meet you, Eddie. Thanks for helping your brother and sister. That was kind of you.”

He gave a curt nod, looking pleased with himself. “Yeah, no problem.”

Sedona opened the passenger-side door and helped Julio into the backseat. Once she buckled him into the booster seat, she said, “See you tomorrow, Julio.”

“Bye, Miss Hart.”

She stepped back and closed the door.

After the brothers were safely off school property, Sedona retraced her steps around the building and walked toward her car. She grimaced when she saw two of the men watching her. Where was the third one?

She almost stopped walking, but thought better of it. Determined not to worry about something that wasn’t her business, even if it was on school property, Sedona increased her walking pace, keeping her gaze firmly on her car. She just needed to get inside and lock the doors. Everything would be fine if she accomplished that goal. All she wanted was dinner and her bed.

The faster she approached her car, the more Sedona’s skin crawled. No doubt in her mind that the two men were still watching her. Although she tried not to make it obvious, she kept her head down while she looked out of the corners of her eyes. Still nothing. Where was the third man?

She’d almost reached her vehicle when a strong, hairy arm wrapped around her neck from behind and yanked Sedona back against a muscular chest. She dropped her purse and her school bag, then clawed at the man’s arm to gain even a fraction of an inch so she could drag in a breath. Her efforts were in vain. The man cursed and squeezed tighter.

“Hurry up,” her captor snapped. “She’s fighting like a wildcat.”

“I’m coming. Tame that kitty,” one of the other men muttered.

Heavy footsteps came near, then Sedona felt a sharp prick at the side of her neck, a burning sensation, and the world went dark.

CHAPTER TWO

SEDONA SLOWLY PUSHED aside the strong desire to sleep and opened her eyes. She saw nothing but unending night. Heart slamming against her ribcage, Sedona turned her head slowly from one side to the other. The only thing she saw was darkness. Was she blind? Where was she? This didn’t feel like home. The air smelled stale and dusty.

Her stomach churned, and nausea built in waves. Oh, no. Sedona swallowed hard. Was she sick? She couldn’t be sick. The kindergarteners were going on a field trip.

Why weren’t any lights on? She never slept in total darkness. Perhaps that was the problem. She had gone to sleep without leaving a light burning.

She frowned. No, that couldn’t be right. She wasn’t lying down. She was sitting in a chair. Sedona wiggled her hands and realized something flexible fastened her wrists to the back of the chair. Flex ties?

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. What was happening? Who had tied her to a chair and why?

Close by, a door opened. The air changed pressure, and she smelled pine. Not the chemical smell of a pine cleaner, though. No, this was natural, like pine trees.

Was she in the woods? If so, how did she get here? Sedona froze. Why couldn’t she remember a detail that important? Had she ridden with someone and ended up here? She hoped so because the only other logical alternative was that she’d been kidnapped.

That was ridiculous. Who would kidnap a kindergarten teacher, and why would they take her? None of this made sense.

“There you are,” a deep voice said. “I’m glad you’re awake.”

Goosebumps popped up on Sedona’s skin. Who was this guy? “Untie me.”

He chuckled. “No can do, kitty. Besides, I like to see my women tied up.”

A rough finger traced an invisible trail along Sedona’s cheek, then continued the journey down her neck and traced the neckline of her blouse. “Such soft skin,” he murmured. “I wonder if your lips are soft too.”

No, no, no. “Don’t touch me,” she snapped.

Hard hands gripped her throat and squeezed. “You’re not in any position to tell me what to do. If you’re smart, you’ll play along because I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Be careful which role you choose for me. Either would be fun for me.”

Sedona fought her restraints, looking for any slack to free herself and pry this man’s hard hands from her throat. The pressure increased more and more until she was positive that she would die.

The pressure on her throat finally eased, allowing her to draw in ragged breaths as he resumed stroking her neck with his finger.

He reminded her of a serpent. Sly and cold. Sedona backed away as far as she could, which turned out to be almost nothing. The chair was hard and unforgiving, leaving her no room to move away from Serpent’s touch.

“Hey,” another man yelled. “We’ve got an idea. Come see what you think of it.”

Serpent sighed. “Duty calls.” She could feel him bend closer. A split second later, his mouth brushed hers. “Soon, we’ll get better acquainted, kitty.”

Yuck. His kiss felt wrong. Poisonous. She didn’t want his touch anywhere on her body.

The second the door closed, and her prison had returned to silence, Sedona tested her bonds. Flexible and thin. Zip ties. Her friends, the Montgomery brothers, talked about them being easy to break if you knew what to do, but they hadn’t shared the secret with her.

Sedona considered her options. First, nothing good would happen if she didn’t free herself from this chair. Second, she must have a blindfold on because Serpent didn’t have a problem seeing or touching her.

Sedona shuddered, her stomach churning again. She couldn’t give in to panic. One step at a time was the way to keep panic at bay. So, step one was to find out if she could stand up with her wrists secured to the chair.

She drew in a few deep breaths, gathered her energy, rocked herself forward, and discovered how awkward it was to stand up with a chair attached to her back. Sedona spread her feet wider than normal and slowly inched backward. Forward meant moving toward Serpent and his friends. Since that was the last thing she wanted, backward made sense.

After an eternity, the chair hit an obstacle. Time to find out if the obstacle would help her get rid of this chair.

In the other room, the men’s voices rose. Although still muffled, she made out a few keywords like problem, dead, second, and money. Who would want to kidnap an overworked and underpaid kindergarten teacher?

Still unable to see anything, Sedona turned and shuffled forward, wishing at least her hands were untied. Hoping she wouldn’t end up with a black eye, she continued forward until her face smacked against the wall.

She flinched. That hurt. Guess she might have a black eye, anyway. Sedona inched to the right, letting her face lightly skim the wall until the wall became a doorway.

Did it lead to a bathroom or a closet? She didn’t care, except this door frame was rough and had the perfect edge to rub the zip ties along its surface.

She stopped. Wait. Would she have to get rid of the chair first? Maybe not. All she needed was enough room to rub the zip ties against the door frame.

Sedona turned her body and the chair to the right, felt for the corner edge, and rubbed the zip tie against the rough wood. Over and over she scraped the flimsy plastic along the door frame and prayed. Hard.

A few minutes later, the zip tie holding one of Sedona’s wrists to the chair loosened. She rubbed harder and faster, gritting her teeth as splinters tore her skin. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but freeing herself fast. Finally, her wrist broke free from the chair.

Sedona shifted her weight to keep the chair from thumping against the floor. She yanked the blindfold off her head, then turned herself and the chair around and went to work on the other zip tie keeping her bound to the chair.

“Come on, come on,” she whispered. “Break already. I’ve got to get out of here.” Faster and faster she rubbed, pulling her wrist as far away from the chair as she could. After a few more seconds of scrubbing her restraint against the rough wood of the door frame, the zip tie broke.

She was just fast enough to shove the chair against the wall instead of letting it fall to the floor. That would have brought Serpent and his buddies into the room for sure.

Sedona set the chair on the floor and looked around the room, searching for a way out of this mess. She did not want to be here when Serpent returned. He gave her the creeps.

She frowned, staring at the blue tarp spread out where she had been tied to the chair. A chair on top of a tarp couldn’t mean anything good. That tarp was another excellent reason to find an escape route.

A quick check of the windows told her someone had installed bars on the outside, so that only left the door.

She checked. Locked. Panic swelled in her gut. This escape plan had holes big enough to drive a semi through. The windows and doors were out.

Sedona turned again, this time toward the bathroom. She hurried inside and noticed a smaller window above the toilet. This one didn’t have bars.

Now to figure out whether the window was locked or screwed shut. If the window was locked with a standard lock, she could unlock the latch and escape. If it was the latter, she was toast because a handy screwdriver wasn’t part of her everyday dress code, although that might change after tonight.

Hoping for the best, she gripped the window lock and twisted it. She stared. The locking mechanism worked, and she didn’t see a screw in the wrong place. If the window wasn’t too swollen to raise, she could be out of here in seconds.

She’d have to hurry because someone was bound to hear any noise she made in here. If she had to guess, the odds of her escaping were 70 to 30 against.

Sedona gritted her teeth. She must try. She refused to lounge around like a house cat, waiting to be petted.

With the seconds until Serpent returned ticking away in her head, she put some muscle into shoving the window up. The window groaned as she shoved, causing sweat to pop out on her body. No way those boys in the other room couldn’t hear that.

She shimmied through the opening, scraping her back on the way through, scanned her options, and chose the one most likely to succeed. Easing down to the roof, Sedona made her way to the far side where tree branches stretched over the building.

Hearing a muffled crash and loud curses, she grasped the nearest branch as the world shifted under her feet.

Sedona gasped. No, no, no. Not now. She hung on until the world righted itself, then climbed higher into the tree where the foliage was thick. If she were lucky, the kidnappers would overlook her high in the tree. Sedona’s lips curved. This had been a good day to wear black after all.

When another wave of dizziness rolled over her, Sedona hung onto the tree until the disorienting ride ended.

The door to the building opened, and three men rushed out. “Find her,” one snapped. “We need to know if it’s true.”

What was he talking about? None of this made sense.

Waiting until the men were gone, Sedona carefully made her way to the next tree whose branches intersected with the one she’d taken shelter in. She repeated the exercise four more times until she approached the tree line.

With a last glance back at the building, Sedona shimmied down the tree and ran on shaky legs.

She sprinted through the darkened woods just shy of midnight. What she wouldn’t give for a flashlight. She’d even take the penlight that some of her friends used during their night missions.

She glanced over her shoulder again. Although she didn’t see anyone, Sedona knew this crew wouldn’t stop chasing her until they’d run her to ground. What had she done to deserve being dumped in a remote part of a forest? Easy enough to answer that question. She had seen something or someone she wasn’t supposed to. But who or what?

She doggedly fled through the woods, stumbling frequently over exposed roots and falling onto the forest floor. She scrambled to her feet, pressing her hand to aching ribs. If Sedona didn’t find a place to hide soon, the three men closing in on her would catch her.

She darted off the path to her right and frantically looked for a place to hide. Where was a convenient cave or grouping of large rocks when you needed one?

Her heart sank. With nowhere to hide and nothing left in the tank, she was losing momentum fast.

Sedona shivered, sure the men were only a couple of minutes behind her. She peered around again, in case she noticed something to give her shelter.

Still nothing.

She was too tired to run, nor was it wise now that the clouds had covered the moon and left pockets of darkness that were black as pitch. An ideal setup for an injury.

With nowhere else to turn, Sedona looked up. This would have to work. She would make it work. When the world threatened to tilt again, she hastily stared at the tree trunk in front of her, controlling her breathing.

Standing on her tiptoes, she gripped a limb and hauled herself up, dismayed at the weakness in her arms and legs. Over and over she repeated the move until she was so high the tree limbs’ leaves closed the gaps and left her with a dense carpet. If she couldn’t see the ground, surely the men chasing her couldn’t see her, right? Yes, she’d used the trick outside of the building, and it might not work again. The trees were the only place to hide. Although uneasy, Sedona reminded herself that high in the treetop was a place very few would follow her.

Hoping she’d climbed high enough to conceal her location, Sedona retreated slowly until her back pressed against the tree trunk. She settled in to watch and wait. It wouldn’t take long for her pursuers to catch up.

She didn’t have to wait long to hear her pursuers under the branches. Three big men intent on capturing her. She already had a taste of their intentions toward her and had no desire for a second helping.

“She has to be around here,” Linebacker muttered to his friends as he glanced around the area. “Ms. Hart can’t have gone too far.”

Thug two said, “Yeah, but I don’t see her.”

Sedona’s eyes widened. Serpent. She’d recognize that voice anywhere.

“Then we keep looking,” Muscle, thug three, said. “If we go back without her, he’ll slice our hands off.” His worry and frustration penetrated through the trees. He scanned the area with a scowl on his face. “We’ll split up and look, then meet back here in an hour if we haven’t found her yet.”

“What will we do if we can’t find her?”

“We’ll think of something,” he muttered. “We must.” In another minute, the three men scattered and disappeared.

Sedona remained still before she believed she was safe for the moment. She breathed easier and peeked through the gaps in the leaf coverage. Her temporary safety wouldn’t last long enough for her to figure out how to get out of these woods without stumbling into the three hoods tracking her every move.

She weighed her chances of a successful escape. Zip. Not only would the terrible trio run her to ground, but the men would haul her out of these woods and take her to their boss. No doubt in her mind that they weren’t in charge of this operation. From the way they were speaking of their boss, Sedona didn’t want to make his acquaintance.

To add to her fear of being caught, there was the small matter of her being hopelessly lost. She grimaced. Only someone with highly specialized skills could navigate out of these woods with nothing but their wits.

Not her. Sedona Hart might wrangle five- and six-year-olds into order each day with no problem. Finding her way out of the wilderness? No way.

The only logical conclusion would be to sit tight and call for help. Sedona swallowed hard. If she still had her phone, and her phone had a signal. She slipped her hand into her pocket and breathed a sigh of relief. The kidnappers hadn’t taken her phone. A mistake, or perhaps they knew the area didn’t have cell coverage?

She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and stared at her screen. One measly bar.

Sedona sighed, wishing she’d been able to call her friend, Cam. He’d find her.

A twig snapped nearby.

She froze, scarcely daring to breathe for fear the thug would hear it. Did he hear her thundering heartbeat pounding in her ears?

“What are you doing back here?” Linebacker said, suspicion clear in his voice. “It’s not time for us to meet here.”

“Then what are you doing here?” Serpent snapped.

“I thought she might double back through here, or that when we left, she’d go back the way she came and return to the cabin.”

A snort from Serpent. “Are you kidding? Why would she go back there? Ms. Hart has to know we’ll return there eventually to collect our stuff.”

“Whatever. I just know that I owe her for the black eye. I intend to collect.”

Sedona’s blood ran cold. She didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, but Linebacker scared her. That look in his eyes was just wrong.

“Come on,” Serpent muttered. “Let’s get out of here. We don’t want Simpson to find us out here doing nothing. He won’t be happy.”

Linebacker shushed him. “No names.”

“What’s one kindergarten teacher going to do with one name? She won’t have a clue how to find any of us based on that.” A slight pause, then, “If she does, we’ll take care of her permanently.”

“I’ll throw that in for free,” Linebacker said, voice just above a growl.

Another pause, then Serpent said, “Why? What did she do to you?”

“I don’t like mouthy, pushy broads. If I had my choice, she’d be dead already.”

“That would be a shame. She seemed nice to me.”

“Nice?” Linebacker barked out a laugh. “Couldn’t you tell? She’s nothing but trouble. You know what I do with trouble? Squash it like a bug.”

CHAPTER THREE

CAMERON SIMS SLAMMED the back door of his cruiser, grateful he’d been able to hose out the backseat with little difficulty. He snorted. Those hard plastic benches in the back of his patrol car were a godsend when you picked up men like Theo, who began their alcohol consumption as soon as their feet hit the floor in the morning. Clean up comprised hosing out the cruiser and a spritz of air freshener, and he called it good.

As he wound the hose around the hose holder, he thought about Sedona Hart, the woman who had fascinated him from the moment she walked into his life. A man could dream, right? He sighed. Sure. He was only hurting himself by reaching for what he shouldn’t look at, much less touch.

He climbed back into his cruiser and drove toward Sedona’s home. He shouldn’t be doing this. It was too late at night to stop for a chat with her. She had a day job while he was working the graveyard shift this week. And yet he still drove toward 303 Summer Lane. Cam couldn’t stop the compulsion to make sure Sedona was safe.

Minutes later, he parked in the driveway in front of her house. Frowning, he climbed out of his vehicle. Her SUV wasn’t in the driveway, and there were no lights on in the house. Was she still at the elementary school?

Cam walked to the front door and rang the bell. When she didn’t answer, he knocked on the door.

Still nothing.

Uneasiness grew in his gut. Being out this late at night wasn’t the norm for her. Finding Sedona just topped his list of priorities.

Cam returned to his cruiser and grabbed his handheld mic. He paused. He should go to the school first and see if her SUV was still in the faculty parking lot. If so, he could offer to follow her home.

Soon, he drove around to the back of the elementary school and parked a short distance away from Sedona’s vehicle. Cam scanned the area before he climbed out of his cruiser and approached the SUV with a large flashlight in his hand.

He aimed the beam of light toward the SUV, pulling up short when the light skimmed over something purple on the ground. Cam crouched beside the bag and the purse. He tugged a pair of thin rubber gloves onto his hands and rifled through the purse and pulled out the wallet to confirm what he already knew. Inside the wallet were Sedona’s license, credit cards, and cash.

He grabbed his phone and punched in David Montgomery’s number. His boss answered on the first ring.

“Go.”

“Sedona’s in trouble.”

“Explain.”

Cam summarized what he knew, which wasn’t much. “I believe she was kidnapped as she was leaving school.”

Man, how would he find her without at least a starting point? He and four other men from his Delta unit had gone on several search and rescue missions while they were in the Sandbox on deployment. Cam knew he could find Sedona if he had a starting point, but he didn’t have one.

“Hold,” Montgomery said. His voice came through the speaker a minute later. “Got her signal. You’ll receive a text message with her cell location. That message will update if her cell phone moves, but you need to get to her quickly.”

“I’m on it. Do I want to know how you got these coordinates?”

“No. Can you live with that?”

“No problem.” He’d crossed a line or two in his time in the Army and as a cop, neither of which he had admitted to his boss. For Sedona, he’d happily cross any line.

“Good. Elliott and I will back you up. Do not engage before we arrive, Sims. If you do, you and I will have a long discussion about following orders, and you’ll find yourself with a reprimand in your file. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” But he’d do whatever was necessary to find and rescue Sedona.

“Sims.” David sounded suspicious.

Cam’s lips curved as he ended the call. David had good reason to be suspicious. Cam didn’t always follow orders.

He ran from the back of the station to his personal SUV and cranked the engine. Cam prayed David’s contact had come through.

A small blip of concern crossed his mind when he thought about someone unknown to him having his personal cell number. These days, however, it was only a matter of time before the information was for sale on some black site.

Cam called up his text messages, and there it was. A text from an anonymous source. Since the sender was so well concealed and the information uncovered so fast, he figured Fortress Security was the anonymous source. As long as he found Sedona, Cam could live with breaking the law in return for getting her location and freeing her.

He tapped the coordinates into his navigation program and drove away from the building housing the Morgan County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department. Cam hung a right, turned on his lights and sirens, and raced from Maple Valley.

In minutes, he drove through wide-open countryside toward the mountains located two hours away if he traveled at the speed limit. He wasn’t. No one and nothing would keep him from getting to Sedona.

Anger simmered in his bloodstream. He should have stopped by the school as he’d planned to do and checked on her. She wouldn’t be in danger if he had. Granted, he didn’t have all the details, but Sedona had been taken about the time he would have arrived at the elementary school.

Cam gripped the steering wheel tighter. This couldn’t happen again. No more second-guessing himself, either. He had to nail down what their relationship was. If he had done it sooner, there would have been no question about his right to stop and see her for a few minutes on his patrol shift.

He coaxed a little more speed from the souped-up engine and concentrated on threading through traffic until he was 50 miles from Silverwood Forest. The traffic thinned out until Cam was the only driver on the highway. Good. Now he wouldn’t have to worry as much about civilians on the road.

His cell phone rang. Cam tapped the hands-free device on his dashboard screen. “Yeah, Sims.”

His boss told him where he and Elliot had parked. “We’ll see you in a few minutes. Kill your lights and siren.”

Although he wanted to run hot all the way so Sedona knew help was coming, Cam obeyed his boss. He liked David Montgomery, even if he had been a SEAL instead of Delta Force.

He sped along the narrow, winding mountain road, praying he didn’t run into one of the many hazards possible in the Silverwood Forest. His gut told him every second that separated him from Sedona was a second too long.

Using his combat-driving skills learned in the Sandbox while deployed with his unit, Cam kept his speed a steady 20 miles over the speed limit. Didn’t want civilians in Morgan County to know he broke the laws he harped on them about every day.

Five minutes later, he skidded to a stop, twisted in the driver’s seat to look out his back window and guided the SUV deep into tree cover. A moment later, his boss and a fellow deputy emerged from the shadows.

Cam turned off the engine, grabbed his Go bag, and exited the vehicle. “Anything new since you arrived?”

David shook his head. “All I can tell you is that the phone hasn’t moved.”

But that didn’t mean Sedona was with her phone. The possibility she and her phone were separated threatened to punch a hole through his self-control. He beat it into submission. Barely.

“Gear up,” Elliot murmured. “We don’t know what’s going on, but it’s a given that whoever took Sedona didn’t have good motives.”

Cam set down his bag, quickly pulled out gear, and tugged it on. When he finished, David dropped a small object into the palm of his hand. “What’s this?”

“Communication device. Put it in your ear. To make this operation work, we’ll have to split up.” Elliot turned to David, his brother. “Right?”

He nodded. “Tap your earpiece,” David said and reached up to do the same with his device, as did Elliot. “We’re ready, Zane.”

Seconds later, a male voice came through the small device in Cam’s ear. “No change in the phone’s location. For the moment, I have access to a satellite feed. Don’t ask whose I’m borrowing.”

“Copy.” David glanced at his phone’s screen. “You’re on speaker with Cam Sims and Elliot. What are you seeing?” He motioned to the others to follow him.

“Three heat signatures. They’ve split up to look for Sedona.”

Cam broke in. “Do you see her heat signature?”

After a momentary pause, Zane said, “I think so. What I don’t understand is why they don’t see her.”

“What do you mean?” Elliot asked.

“About fifteen minutes ago, two of the three kidnappers were in the same area as Sedona. They should have seen her, but they didn’t.”

Thank God they hadn’t. Cam frowned. “She must have found a great place to hide.” Perhaps a large, hollowed-out tree trunk or a fallen log. Maybe rocks out in the open.

“Get moving,” Zane snapped after several minutes of silence. “The three kidnappers are returning to the place where Sedona is hiding.”

David picked up speed, phone in one hand, a Sig Sauer in the other. A quarter of a mile out, he used a hand signal to tell Elliot and Cam to split up and surround the area where Sedona’s signal originated.

Veering off to the right, Cam placed his feet carefully to avoid announcing his approach to the kidnappers. His brows knitted. Who were these people and what did they want with Sedona? For goodness’ sake, she taught kindergartners every day. He couldn’t think of a woman less likely to be involved with criminals than Sedona Hart.

Sedona must have seen or heard something that she shouldn’t have. No other explanation made sense.

The low rumble of men’s voices told Cam he was close to the target coordinates. He closed in on the men, staying in the deepest shadows as he crouched in the darkness and listened to three men argue while he visually looked for Sedona.

The big, muscle-bound man folded his arms across his chest and scowled at the other two men. “You lost her? I practically gave her to you on a silver platter, and you let her escape. The boss will not be happy about this.”

“Then he ought to be out here helping us look for her. It’s pitch black out here. We can’t see our hands in front of our faces without a powerful flashlight turned on.”

Cam looked down at his hands, perfectly visible in the moonlight, and looked back at the skinny guy. Someone wanted to pass the blame to anyone other than himself. He’d known quite a few guys in the military who had the same habit.

His lips curled. Cam had kept his distance from them. The last thing he’d needed then, or now, was someone who didn’t complete his job and pawned off the blame on someone else.

He slid his phone into his pocket, half-listening to the three men in the small clearing argue between themselves while he scanned for Sedona’s hiding place.

When he didn’t spot her right away, his gut tightened into a knot. What if she had escaped again from the three kidnappers, this time without her phone? Once she left this forest, he wouldn’t have a clue where to look for her.

His jaw tightened. That couldn’t happen. He had to find her before she escaped the forest. Cam didn’t know if these three men were the only ones involved in taking Sedona from her school. Staying in the deepest shadows, Cam moved closer to the men and crouched behind a broad tree trunk.

“I don’t care what you thought,” Muscle Man snapped. “So what if she heard the boss’ name? If you had grabbed her like he ordered you to do, it wouldn’t have been your problem,” Muscle Man snapped as he shoved one thug aside, beginning to walk away.

Big Guy scowled. “Are you going to help?”

“Not my problem. I didn’t lose her.” Muscle Man walked from the clearing, blending into the shadows within seconds with his black clothes and running shoes.

Through the earpiece, Cam heard David say, “Elliot.”

“On it.”

The other two continued to argue until David sighed. “They’re taking too long to decide what to do next. Let’s help them with that. You ready?”

“Yeah. Which one do you want?”

“Muscle guy is yours. I’ll take Skinny Boy.”

He rolled his eyes. “Should have known,” he murmured.

“Hey, if you want to switch, I’m good with it. Just thought you’d want the man who grabbed your woman and carried her off. We still don’t know what these men did to her.”

Cam’s fist tightened around the handgrip of his Sig. Didn’t need reminding of that, not if he wanted to do his job the right way instead of the way he wanted to do it at that moment. “Nope. Big Guy is mine.”

“On my count. Do not move early, Sims.”

He scowled. Really? Come on. He wasn’t a rookie.

David started the countdown.

When the boss reached one, Cam surged closer to the clearing, weapon aimed straight at Big Guy’s heart. One wrong move, and Big Guy would no longer be a problem for Sedona or Cam. “Police! Freeze!”

David emerged from the shadows to step to the edge of the clearing, his weapon aimed at Skinny Dude.

Skinny gave a slow grin. His eyes, though, were two cold orbs. This man wouldn’t think twice about pulling the trigger. Big Guy stood frozen in place as though he’d turned into a block of ice.

“Turn around slowly,” Cam ordered. He watched carefully in case Big Guy made a run for it or pulled out a weapon. Of the two, he figured the latter was more likely. The man was loaded down with weapons, like the Montgomery brothers. And himself, Cam admitted. If he’d been pulled over by a fellow officer, he’d have had a hard time explaining the abundance of weapons unless he could flash his badge.

Skinny Boy slowly turned toward Cam and smirked. “Well, look who we have here. The boyfriend, Cameron Sims.”

He stilled. “Who are you?”

“Doesn’t matter. But your being here proves that you care, doesn’t it?”

Yeah, he cared a lot, but he was also a cop. He was bound by his oath to protect the public. Sedona was a citizen of Morgan County. Of course he’d be here.

“What do you want with Sedona and me?” Big Guy’s comment proved that someone wanted both of them. But why? That was the question. Had his past come back to bite him, or had the source of trouble come from Sedona’s past? Either way, they both needed to be on their guard because someone wanted to take them down.

CHAPTER FOUR

SEDONA SAT AS still as a statue on the tree branch, afraid any movement would draw an eye to her precarious hiding place. Should she reveal herself now that Cam was here?

For that matter, how did Cam know where to find her? Tension wracked her muscles as she watched the action play out in the clearing below her.

Linebacker slowly turned to face Cam and said, “Well, look who we have here. The boyfriend, Cameron Sims.”

Sedona’s blood ran cold through her veins. He knew Cam’s name. How did he learn that information, and how much more about them did he know? Even though the thug got their relationship wrong, he had too much information about a law enforcement officer. This situation was too dangerous for Cam.

She swallowed hard. Would he have to move somewhere else and start over? She hoped not. Sedona liked Cam.

Her conscience poked at her until she admitted silently that she more than liked Cam Sims and had since the day they’d met. He was a great man and fun to be around. And yes, Cam was a great help in clearing out her grandfather’s white-elephant house, the gift that just kept on giving.

“Who are you?” Cam asked.

“Doesn’t matter,” Linebacker said. “But your being here proves that you care, doesn’t it?”

Cam remained silent a moment, then said, “What do you want with Sedona and me?”

And that was the real question, wasn’t it? Why did these men want her, or rather, why did their boss want her?

“You know better than that, cop. I’m no easy pushover, unlike most of the wusses you deal with on the job. You might have caught me, but it won’t do you any good because I’m not talking.”

“That’s your right,” Cam said easily. “I don’t recommend it, though.”

Her kidnapper shrugged his broad shoulders. “Not my problem.”

“I suppose not. Too bad. I thought you were smarter than that. Turn around and put your hands on your head.” After Cam patted him down and removed two guns and a wicked-looking knife from Linebacker and cuffed him, he slid the weapons into three bags and tucked them into his pack.

In the meantime, David had searched and cuffed Skinny. “What about Sedona? We can’t leave her out here, but we also need to transport these two and the other thug to the station.”

Skinny gave a bark of laughter. “You’re out of luck, man. She ran. That kitty has to be miles from here by now. You’ll never find her.”

Cam’s lips curved. “That’s where you’re wrong.” He glanced around the small clearing before focusing on the tall oak tree that had given her refuge. “It’s safe to come out now, Sedona.”

As soon as Sedona heard those words, every muscle in her body relaxed, as though she had nothing else to worry about. She carefully turned around on the limb until she could hug the trunk. A minute later, she slid to the ground and headed toward Cam.

He shoved Linebacker toward David. “Watch him.” Cam slid his weapon into its holster and opened his arms wide.

Seconds later, Sedona threw her arms around his neck and held on tight. Now she knew she was safe. If she hadn’t been safe, Cam would have left her in the tree and come back for her. He would never expose her to more danger.

This was what she’d been needing for the past hour as she ran from her kidnappers. What did these men want, and did she have whatever it was?

Although she longed to stay in his arms, Cam still had a job to do, and David needed his help to transport these men to the station.

Taking a chance, Sedona pressed a gentle kiss to Cam’s jaw. Every muscle pressed against Sedona hardened. Beyond that, Cam didn’t move.

She swallowed hard. Had she just torpedoed their chances of shifting from the friend zone to the dating zone? She hoped not. He was the first man to hold her interest in a very long time. If she’d screwed up something special, Sedona would never forgive herself.

She tried to step away from Cam, but his hold on Sedona tightened.

“Did they hurt you?”

She stared, dreading his response. “I don’t know.” How did she explain her answer?

Cam cupped her cheeks. “Sedona, you can trust me,” he murmured. “I’ll never judge you if someone hurts you.”

“I’m telling you the truth.” Her voice came out as soft as his. “I remember going to school, then nothing until I woke up in some horrible cabin.”

He leaned in and kissed her forehead, disappointing her. She wanted a proper kiss. Did a kiss that parents give children mean Cam didn’t see her as a woman he wanted to date?

A whistle soared through the night.

Cam glanced at David, who gave a slight nod. His brown eyes swung back toward her. “As much as I’d love to hold you, we have to meet Elliot

This time when she pushed against his hold, Cam let her go.

He threaded his fingers through her silky hair. “I need to take the big guy off David’s hands. Stay behind me, all right? I don’t want you anywhere near the men who took you.”

She nodded, then stepped back from Cam.

“Not too far,” he reminded her, then walked to David to take Linebacker off his hands. He gripped the kidnapper’s upper arm.

“Let’s go.” David shoved Skinny into motion.

“You’ll be sorry you came to her rescue,” Skinny warned. “Nothing is as it seems.”

“Really? So far, I believe you and your friends kidnapped Ms. Hart.”

“Hey, wait a minute. Nobody said anything about a kidnapping. We offered her a ride. That’s all.”

“All right. You transported Ms. Hart from her school and drove her out of Morgan County without her permission. That, my friend, is the definition of kidnapping, and in Tennessee, that means this is a Class A felony with the chance of a twenty-five-year prison sentence. More if I can persuade the judge to see things my way. Of course, I might be persuaded to ask the judge for leniency.”

Skinny stared at David, suspicion in his eyes. “What do I have to pay?”

“Not a penny.” The sheriff propelled him into motion. “All I want is a name.”

“Whose name?”

“Your boss.”

“Don’t do it,” Linebacker snapped. “You’ll wind up dead.”

Skinny’s face lost all color. “I want a lawyer.”

And there were those magic words no law enforcement officer wanted to hear.

The procession from the forest took a while. By the time they reached the police cruisers and Cam’s SUV, Sedona was frozen to the bone and so tired she stumbled the last few feet to Cam’s vehicle.

Cam stopped Linebacker beside the SUV. “David, do you have room for this big guy, too?”

That’s when Sedona noticed Elliot lounging against David’s SUV.

“I can take him. Why?”

“I need to take Sedona to the hospital.”

Elliot and David’s eyes went as cold as ice. “Do I need to add additional charges against the men?” David asked.

“I’ll let you know.”

Elliot came alongside Linebacker and studied his face for a moment. “Looks like you’ve got a black eye. Who laid into you?”

“That crazy kitten can do more than hiss.”

Elliot laughed. “No kidding? What do you think about that, David?”

“I think these jokers got more than they bargained for when they went after Cam’s woman.”

She blinked. That was the second time someone had called her that, and Cam hadn’t denied it. She frowned. But what did that mean?

As soon as the prisoners were sitting in the back of the SUV, David inclined his head toward Cam’s vehicle. “Run hot until you’re close to the hospital. I want a report as soon as you have one.”

“Copy that, sir.”

A minute later, the prisoners were gone, and the silence between Sedona and Cam seemed larger than the universe. Talk about awkward silences.

Cam cupped her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. Those beautiful chocolate-brown eyes locked with hers. “Do I need to ask one of your friends to meet us here?”

She blinked. “Why?”

Cam’s expression went blank. “You may not feel comfortable being in an enclosed space alone with me.”

She tilted her head. “We’ve spent a lot of time alone.”

“That was before.” His voice petered out.

“Before what?”

Pain filled his eyes. “Before those men might have hurt you.”

Hurt? Oh. She finally understood what he was trying so hard not to say. And just like that, her legs gave out. If Cam hadn’t been close enough to catch her, Sedona would have landed in a heap on the ground. Good thing the handsome deputy was fast on his feet.

“Whoa!” He gathered her close, then slipped one arm across her back and one behind her knees. “Are you all right, Sedona?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Let’s get you to the hospital so a doctor can check you out.” He quickly settled her in the shotgun seat and fastened her seatbelt for her when Sedona fumbled so much that she couldn’t click the belt on her own.

“Thanks,” she murmured.

“I’ll be right back.”

Seconds later, Cam opened the cargo area, then came back to her.

He unfolded a plush blanket and held the warm fabric in front of her. “May I tuck this blanket around you?”

Man, Cam was trying so hard not to trigger a panic attack, which Sedona appreciated. But how did that help when she remembered nothing except that she’d wanted him to touch her for months and still did? “Yes. Please.”

Cam was careful to touch her only enough to tuck the blanket around her, then paused. He held his hand where she could see it, silently asking permission.

Sedona nodded. “Cam, it’s okay to touch me.”

He slowly slid his hand along her jaw until his palm cupped her nape. “Trust me,” he whispered. “Please.” Cam moved toward Sedona slowly, then pressed his mouth to hers, light as a feather.

When he raised his head a second later, Sedona noticed that both of them were breathing fast.

Cam smiled and then eased back, satisfied. “Time to get you to the hospital.” He came around the hood of the SUV and slid behind the wheel. A minute later, they drove from the forest onto a highway.

“Where are we?”

His head whipped toward hers. “Of course you wouldn’t know. I apologize for not telling you sooner. The men took you to Silverwood Forest.”

Sedona scowled. “But why? And why can’t I remember things?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” He reached over and threaded his fingers through hers. “Don’t push to remember. It will come when your brain is ready.”

“What if it never does?” Would she always have a gap in her memory? How frustrating to miss part of her life. If she didn’t recover her memory, Sedona would never know who was friend or foe.

Cam squeezed her fingers. “We’ll deal with it. First, let’s wait for the doctor’s opinion before we make a plan.”

“But wouldn’t you want to know about the missing hours of your life if you were in my shoes?”

“Of course. What the doctor says will determine what type of plans we create.” Another squeeze of her fingers. “I promise I will keep you safe, Sedona. You can trust me.”

“I know,” she whispered.

Cam released her hand to turn on his lights and sirens, then pressed the accelerator to the floor.

For the next two hours, Cam kept the cruiser’s speed at a scary level all the way back to Maple Valley. During the journey, he wove in and out of the sparse traffic. Once they reached the Maple Valley city limits, he turned off the siren but kept the lights flashing until he parked in front of the emergency room entrance.

When she reached for the door handle, Cam said, “Wait. I’m coming around to help you out.”

Never let it be said that she hadn’t given a male companion a chance to treat her like a lady. Although she could easily open her own door, Sedona wasn’t so sure about her ability to remain standing.

Cam opened her door, unlatched her seatbelt, and cradled her in his arms, blanket and all. He carried Sedona into the emergency room.

“Sedona!” A nurse, who had been walking from one treatment room to another, rushed toward her. “What happened? Were you in an accident?”

She shook her head. “I’ll explain later.”

“She needs to see a doctor, Patty. Where do I take her?”

“Exam Room Two. The doctor will be there in a couple of minutes.”

Without responding, Cam angled his body and used his shoulder to push open the door and carry Sedona into the room. He set her on the exam table and eased back to look her in the eyes. “You’re okay?”

What could she say? Sedona nodded. At least she hadn’t had a panic attack. That would have been embarrassing.

A quick knock on the door had Cam turning and placing his body between Sedona and the door.

“What is going on here, Cam?”

Dr. Phil Cunningham walked quickly toward Sedona.

“Sedona was kidnapped, Doc. We need as much information as you can give us because she has partial amnesia.”

Cunningham frowned. “That’s not what I wanted to hear. Wait outside in the hall, Cam.”

For the first time since Cam had walked into the clearing with a weapon in his hand, Sedona felt the first flutter of panic.

“Are you okay with that, Sedona?” Cam asked softly.

She shook her head. “Stay. Please.”

“Are you sure you want that?” Cunningham asked. “Since you have a memory gap, I’ll need to do some testing to find out if you were sexually assaulted without your knowledge.”

Sedona tightened her hold on Cam’s hand.

“It’s okay, Doc,” he said without looking away from her. “I’ll stay until Sedona tells me I should leave.”

“Sedona?”

“I want him to stay.”

“Very well. I expect you to speak up the moment you want him to leave. Understood?”

“Yes, sir. I’ll do that.” When the doctor continued to glare at her, she scowled back at him. “I promise.”

Appearing satisfied for the moment, the doctor examined her after ordering his nurse to take a blood sample and send it to the lab as soon as possible.

Minutes later, Dr. Cunningham helped Sedona sit up. “All right, my dear. This is where you’ll need to make a choice.”

“What kind of choice?”

“Because you can’t remember the hours during your containment, I strongly urge you to let me perform a rape kit on you.”

Her stomach did a flip and threatened to rebel. Sedona shook her head.

“Sedona.”

Cam’s gentle voice brought her gaze to his. Didn’t he understand? She didn’t want him to leave the room. For goodness’ sake, she couldn’t remember anything. For all she knew, Dr. Cunningham could be involved in the assault, and she wouldn’t know that he was guilty. She needed someone she trusted implicitly at her side. How could they get around this impasse?

“I can stay but keep my eyes closed, or I can stand in the hall with the door cracked so I can hear if you need me.”

“Sydney, my nurse, will stay with you every moment,” Cunningham said.

“You need to allow this, Sedona.” Cam squeezed her hand for a moment. “We may need the evidence to add to the charges the three men are already facing.”

Awkward much? She took a deep breath and released Cam’s hand. “Wait in the hall by the door.”

“If you need me, call out. I’ll be by your side in one or two seconds, all right?”

Sedona nodded even though she didn’t want to and felt like a wuss for using Cam as a security blanket. She hoped he didn’t mind or wouldn’t believe that’s all she wanted from him. Her cheeks flamed.

Cam slid his hand around her nape. “No one will get to you through that door. They would have to go through me first, and that’s not happening.” He waited until Sedona’s gaze locked onto his before he slowly leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead.

Talk about disappointing. Would she shock him if she asked for a real kiss?

He eased back. “Are you good?”

She nodded, surprised to realize that she felt better.

Cam gave a slight nod, then glanced at the doctor. “You heard our arrangement, Doc?”

“Yes. I’m satisfied with the arrangement.”

“I’ll be right outside the door.” His tone of voice sounded like a threat rather than a confirmation of their agreement.

Cunningham swallowed hard. “I understand.”

He turned to the nurse. “Don’t leave Sedona for any reason.”

The nurse glanced at the doctor, who gave a slight nod, then returned her gaze to Cam. “Yes, sir.”

When he reached the door, Cam looked back at Sedona. “When the doc is finished, we need to talk.”

She gulped. Why did those words unsettle her?

CHAPTER FIVE

CAM RELUCTANTLY LEFT the examination room and closed the door to a narrow opening. He glared at the barrier between him and Sedona. Even though he was only feet from her, the distance was still too large. He wanted the right to stand by her side through thick and thin, but he didn’t have it, and it was his own fault. She didn’t know how he felt because he’d been afraid to bare his soul.

He leaned against the wall and settled in for a long wait. Having the right to stay by Sedona’s side was the makings of dreams. Cam would give anything to have a real chance with her.

His hands fisted as he considered the repercussions. If she had been assaulted, chances were high that trusting a man to be more than a friend would take a long time. He didn’t care how long it took. He’d wait as long as necessary for her if she would grant him that privilege. But would she?

Cam sighed, watching the foot traffic in the hallway. He should have spoken up before now. He snorted. Some Delta Force soldier he was, letting a little fear stop him from going after the woman he needed more than his next breath.

What would he do if Sedona turned him down? Fight for her. What else could he do?

Because he couldn’t fix the problem right now, he pushed it to the back of his mind. He had more important things to consider at the moment, like how to help Sedona remain safe. Although he hadn’t talked to the men who kidnapped her for long, one thing was obvious. Someone wanted a face-to-face talk with Sedona Hart.

Why he or she couldn’t just pick up the phone and ask for an appointment made little sense to him unless the talk was about something illegal that Sedona shouldn’t have heard or seen. The problem? Their target had partial amnesia. Whether it was permanent or temporary remained to be seen.

Also, he wouldn’t take out an ad in the paper to tell the enemy that she couldn’t remember what they wanted to know. They wouldn’t believe she had amnesia, or they would take care of a loose end before she remembered.

One thing Cam knew. He would be at Sedona’s side until this was over. No one would touch her without him vetting them first.

Cam watched as the foot traffic picked up in the hallway. The sun was just peeking over the horizon when the exam room door opened and Cunningham motioned for him to join them.

Steeling himself for whatever he might hear, Cam walked straight to Sedona and held out his hand, hoping that she would accept his invitation to provide comfort for her.

A second later her dainty hand wrapped around his. Oh, yeah. He could get used to this. Cam turned to Cunningham. “What can you tell me, Doc?”

“No evidence of assault. I’ll still send the tests to the lab to be sure and give you a report when the results are back. I’m concerned that she might have been drugged, so I’d like to keep Ms. Hart until tomorrow for observation. She’s refusing to stay, however.”

“I have to go to school in a few hours.” Sedona rested her hand on his forearm. “I have to be there for my kids, Cam.”

“We’ll talk about it.”

Her eyes narrowed. “We’ll talk about how you’re going to work out the details so I can do my job and keep a promise to my students.”

He squeezed her hand and stifled a grin. He turned back to Cunningham. “How soon can I get her out of here?”

“As soon as her release forms are finished.”

Cam gave a curt nod. “Thanks, Doc. We appreciate you taking such good care of Sedona.”

He turned his troubled gaze back to Sedona. “I wish you’d reconsider your decision, Ms. Hart.”

“I appreciate your concern for my well-being. I promise that if I develop any problems, I’ll come back. No protest.”

Yeah, she would because Cam wouldn’t be more than a few feet from her side for the next forty-eight hours. He’d be on his guard and keep a watchful eye on Sedona. “I’ll monitor her, Doc.”

Cunningham reeled off a list of symptoms for Cam to watch for. “If you see any of those, bring her back in immediately.”

“You’ve got it.”

The doctor hurried from the exam room with his nurse a few steps behind.

As soon as the door closed behind the nurse, Sedona’s shoulders slumped. “I thought they would never leave,” she murmured.

His suspicions rose. “Why?”

She shifted. “Um, my headache might be a little worse than I told Dr. Cunningham.”

“Sedona.”

“I didn’t want him to keep me in the hospital. My kids are scheduled to go on a field trip today. They’re going to the zoo, some of them for the first time. I can’t miss this, and I can’t reschedule. Their school tour slots are filled for the rest of the year.”

Cam’s lips curved. “The zoo sounds fun.” Good thing, since he would also go along for her protection and for the children. “What’s the dress code for visiting the elephants?”

Sedona stared. “Why does it matter?”

“I don’t want to look out of place. Can’t have elephants laughing at me.”

More staring. “You’re not coming to the zoo. You have a job.”

Cam studied her face, noting the guarded look in her beautiful eyes. “So do you. You need to focus on your students. I’ll focus on you, the students, and our surroundings. As good as David is, I doubt he’ll have arrested all the people involved in your kidnapping by the time the bus leaves for our field trip.”

He caught the guilty expression that was on her face for a split second, then banished under a pleasant mask. Cam knew Sedona hadn’t lied to him. She had once told him telling the truth was simpler, so she made it a point to always tell the truth. That didn’t mean she wasn’t holding something back, though. “All right. Let’s have it. What have you been holding back?”

Her gaze dropped.

Gotcha, sweetheart. “Sedona.” He folded his arms across his chest and waited her out. Shouldn’t take long. It didn’t.

She growled. “I got the impression that Simpson doesn’t tolerate failure. The man Elliot nabbed was the leader of the trio, and he was afraid of Simpson, too.”

That’s what he’d been afraid of. The duo he and David captured weren’t smart enough to put together a kidnapping operation. He’d have to wait until he saw Elliot again to get his impression of Muscle Man. He might be smart enough to keep his partners in crime in line, but he didn’t seem the type to plan something this big, either.

Why would anyone kidnap a kindergarten teacher? Sedona didn’t live a high-risk lifestyle. “Did Dr. Cunningham have a guess why you have amnesia?”

Again, her gaze dropped from his. Oh, no, babe. Can’t have that. Cam captured her chin in his palm and lifted her head close to his. “Tell me.”

“He didn’t have any guesses because I didn’t tell him about the bump on my head.”

He scowled. “Those clowns hit you?”

“I don’t know if they did or not. I can’t remember anything except a flash of pain in my neck, and I only discovered the bump on my head a few minutes ago.”

A quick knock on the door interrupted them. Cam turned and put his body between Sedona and the intruder. Seconds later, Cunningham’s nurse walked into the exam room with a sheaf of papers in her hand. “Once I go over these with you, Ms. Hart, you can go home.” Five minutes later, the nurse handed the papers to Sedona. “Please, come back to the ER if you have any problems, all right? We’ll be glad to help.” With that, she turned and left the room.

Cam held out his hand. “May I help you off the table?”

“Of course. Thank you, Cam.”

When Sedona was steady on her feet, he released her and stepped back. Cam glanced down at her sock-clad feet. “Where are your shoes?”

She frowned. “I don’t know. I have flashes of running through the forest with my shoes on. Do you think the EMTs took them?”

Concern knotted his gut. Why did she remember having her shoes in the forest but not remember who took her shoes? “I don’t think so, but I’ll bet someone at the nurses’ station knows where they are.” He gripped Sedona’s upper arm and guided her to the corridor and to the nurses’ desk.

A nurse with blond hair looked up and smiled. “May I help you?”

“I brought my friend in here about two hours ago. Somewhere through the process, someone took her shoes. Do you have any idea where we might find them?”

“Sure.” She stood and came around the desk. “Come with me.” The nurse, Mandy, led them down the corridor and turned left, leading them to another wing of the ER. “This is the clothes morgue. Since you’re wearing street clothes, you must not have been hurt too badly.”

After unlocking the door, Mandy glanced over his shoulder at Sedona. “What’s your name, hon?”

“Sedona Hart.”

Mandy scanned the numbers on the lockers until she came to a particular locker and tapped it with her finger. “Here you go.” She shoved a key into the lock and twisted it.

After a moment, Sedona’s eyes widened. “There they are!”

Cam reached into the locker and retrieved Sedona’s shoes. When he handed them to her, Sedona clutched her shoes with an expression of relief.

He also caught the moment her nausea reasserted itself. Distress filled Sedona’s expression as she glanced around the area. “Thanks for the help, Mandy.”

“Sure.” Then Mandy’s gaze swung to Cam. “Hey, listen, I don’t normally do this, but I want to give you my cell number. I’d love for you to call me sometime.”

Cam smiled. “That’s sweet of you to offer, but I’m involved with someone, and she doesn’t share.” At least he hoped she didn’t. He certainly didn’t share.

Cam glanced down at Sedona, who stared back at him with a blank expression on her face. Was that a good sign? Hopefully, the big hint was obvious.

Mandy shrugged and gave him a rueful smile. “Can’t blame a girl for trying. If you ever dump your girl, come look me up.”

“Won’t happen, but thanks.” Cam steered Sedona to a nearby waiting room and seated her. After placing her foot against his thigh, he slid the shoes onto her dainty feet and tied the laces. “Okay?”

Sedona nodded. “Thank you.”

Still no expression on her face. Cam wanted to smile but held back. He waited until they were in his SUV. After plucking her from the asphalt and seating her in the shotgun seat, Cam fastened her seatbelt, then tipped her face toward his. “Aren’t you going to ask?”

She blinked. “About what?”

“Who I’m involved with.”

Her cheeks turned pink. “It’s none of my business who you’re involved with.” She kept her expression carefully neutral, even as her emotions threatened to spill over. Of course Cam had someone. Believing otherwise was wishful thinking.”

“Sedona, look at me.”

Her eyes flicked up to his. “You don’t have to explain.”

“Yeah, babe, I do.”

Sedona’s eyes widened at his endearment.

“I’m off the market, Sedona, because the only woman I’m interested in is you.”

She stared. “What? That can’t be right.”

“Why not? Do I have some competition for your attention?”

She laughed. “I have dated no one since the day you hit town. Cam, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I thought you knew, so any discomfort or pain you felt is on me. I’m sorry I wasn’t man enough to tell you how I felt.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Easy. Say yes.”

“Yes to what?”

“Dating a retired Delta Force soldier who is now a cop.” And maybe something more if Fortress Security’s Brent Maddox had his way about it. Time would tell if Maddox’s soft inquiry led anywhere.

He had barely finished speaking when Sedona broke in with a fast, “Yes.”

“We’re exclusive, right?”

“What? Of course. Did you think I would run off at the first chance to date someone behind your back?”

“Sorry. I’m a guy. We say stupid things.” Cam dropped a quick kiss on her mouth, stepped back, and closed the passenger door. A moment later, he slid behind the steering wheel and turned to face Sedona. “You won’t regret trusting me with your heart. I’ll take good care of you.”

“Let’s make a bargain. You take care of me, and I’ll take care of you. That’s what happens when you care about each other.”

He more than cared, so that promise wasn’t a hardship. Cam beamed at her. “Exactly. So, we’ll give a relationship a go?”

“We’ll try.”

He stopped. “We do it or we don’t. It’s your choice. If you don’t trust me, we’ll wait until you do.”

“No. I’m sure, Cam.” Her cheeks turned red. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted more time to be sure.”

He slid his palm over her nape, leaned over the console, and took her mouth with his. Not sure? He was nuts about Sedona Hart and had been for months.

Cam finally eased back. “What does that tell you?”

“Our chemistry is off the scale. Holy cow, Cam. How did I not know this about you?”

He chuckled. “I could ask you the same question. You were hiding some serious kissing skills.” Cam drove from the parking lot and headed for Sedona’s home. He glanced at her. “I was serious about going to the zoo with you and your class.”

She yawned. “I’m more concerned with my energy level than your fashion sense. Trust me, no one will care what you wear.” She paused. “Except you’re not supposed to carry weapons into the zoo, and I have parents who oppose any weapons near their children.”

“I understand.” Didn’t mean that he would comply. “I’m a cop, Sedona. I go nowhere without a weapon. I can, however, conceal the weapon so the kids won’t know that I’m armed. Will that work?”

She nodded.

“Thanks.” He settled back in his seat and checked each mirror. Although he saw nothing suspicious, Cam’s trouble-meter was dinging loud and clear. Something was coming, but from where? “Still have your seatbelt on?”

Sedona’s head whipped toward his. “What is it?”

“Just a feeling.”

“Caleb Montgomery always tells me to trust my instincts. Are your instincts telling you that we’re in danger?”

“They are.” His lips curled. “My famous trouble-meter is dinging like mad, but it’s not helpful enough to tell me where it’s coming from.”

A split-second later, a gunshot came from his left, hitting his side window and shattering the safety glass. “Get down, Sedona!” He followed that order by unlatching her seatbelt, cupping the back of her neck, and urging her to curl up on the floorboard in front of her seat. “Don’t get up until I tell you it’s safe.”

“What about you? You don’t have a window to protect you.”

He chuckled. “Looks like it wasn’t much protection to begin with. I’ll be fine.” His primary concern was protecting Sedona.

Cam made a quick right turn, doing a controlled skid onto a cross street, and stomped on the gas pedal. As the SUV leaped forward, more bullets slammed into the rear window.

He handed Sedona his phone. “Call David. Tell him we’re heading to the station and coming in hot.”

Cam hoped the Montgomery brothers arrived before he and Sedona became casualties.

CHAPTER SIX

SEDONA’S HANDS SHOOK as she located Cam’s call list and tapped David’s name. When the call connected, a deep male voice answered on the first ring.

“You’re late.”

“It’s Sedona.” Her voice shook as much as her hands.

“What’s wrong?”

“We’re under fire. Cam says we’re going to the station and coming in hot.”

“Copy that. What’s your ETA?”

She blinked. ETA?

“Ask Cam.”

Right. “What’s our ETA?”

“Ten minutes, I hope,” he muttered as he guided the SUV into another turn and sped ahead. “Hang on.” The vehicle slid into another turn.

Oh, man. If Cam kept this up, she would embarrass herself by getting carsick. This was not the time for her first episode of sickness. “Cam says ten minutes.”

“Where are you?”

“On the floor of Cam’s SUV.” Sedona clamped her hand around the edge of the seat. With another slide and more bullets pinging off the side of the SUV, she needed both hands to hold herself steady. After tapping the speakerphone on her screen, she set the phone in one of the cup holders and gripped the seat.

David chuckled. “Got it. Cam?”

“Anderson Ridge Road. We’re five minutes out. I’m running hot with lights and sirens. We have a black SUV on our tail with two passengers firing shots at us whenever we’re in range.”

“That’s telling.”

“Yep.” He gave David detailed descriptions of the three men in the SUV. “Haven’t seen a fourth person, so I can’t rule it out.”

“Copy that. Anything distinctive about the vehicle?”

“Nothing.” Cam sounded disgusted. “I can’t return fire to leave a mark. Too busy driving.”

“Understood. Caleb and Levi are one minute away.”

Cam scowled. “You tagged me?”

“Remember the friend who helped us locate Sedona?”

“Yeah, of course. I owe him a steak dinner for helping us last night.”

“He’ll be glad to hear that. Anyway, he used the GPS chip in your phone.”

“You know that’s illegal, right?”

“Of course. I’m the sheriff. It’s legal if you know about it, and now you do. Do you want me to arrest the man who saved your woman’s life?”

Sedona’s breath caught. What would he say to that?

“No. Way. I owe him big for that. I don’t mind a little creative law enforcement when there’s a need.”

“Glad to hear that, Sims, because working with the Montgomery brothers could mean skating on the line.”

“Understood, sir. We’re three minutes out.” A pause, then, “I see flashing lights coming toward us at a fast clip.”

“That would be Caleb and Levi. They drew the short straw for working C detail this week.”

Seconds later, flashing blue and white lights brightened the cabin until the deputies raced past, taking the deafening sirens with them.

“Two minutes out,” Cam reported.

“We’re ready for you.”

“Sedona is the priority, David.”

“Who’s the boss here, Sims?”

“Promise me.”

A growl. “Fine. Sedona has priority, and so do you. You’re not made of iron, buddy. You can take a bullet as easily as anyone else, but I’d rather not lose one of my best deputies.”

Cam chuckled. “I’m telling your brothers you said that.”

“I doubt they’ll believe you.”

“One minute.”

“Park beside the back door.”

“Copy.”

Cam glanced at Sedona. “Are you ready?”

“Bring it.”

He grinned. “That’s my girl. Thirty seconds, David.”

“Copy that.” He snapped out orders to various people. David must have slipped his phone into his pocket because his voice sounded muffled. “Kill the lights and siren,” he ordered Cam.

He complied, then said to Sedona, “Hold on tight.”

She tightened her grip on the seat as they slid around a tight turn. They bounced hard, sped up, then seconds later skidded to a stop.

The passenger door flew open. Owen plucked her from the floor and set Sedona on her feet. He tucked her against his side with David on the other side. The men practically carried her into the station and shoved her into the hallway before racing back outside to retrieve Cam. Within seconds, Sedona and Cam were together again.

He opened his arms, and Sedona dove into his embrace. Oh, man. That hug of his was worth everything she owned. His embrace held incredible comfort for her.

Seconds later, she shook uncontrollably. Sedona attempted to grit her teeth, with no luck. “S-s-sorry.”

Cam scooped her into his arms and carried her down the corridor. “It’s a normal reaction. The shakes will pass in a few minutes.”

David squeezed Cam’s shoulder briefly. “Head to my office. I’ll grab a blanket from the first aid supplies.” He loped off and was out of sight in seconds.

Owen eyed them both. “Any injuries?”

“Sedona?” Cam asked.

“N-n-nothing a few ice packs won’t cure. Your SUV’s shocks took a beating.”

“Cam?” Owen watched him closely.

Silence.

Sedona raised her head from Cam’s shoulder. “Where?” If he’d been injury free, he would have said so. She’d missed something. But what?

“It’s nothing,” Cam muttered.

“If it’s nothing, name it and we’ll move on instead of wasting time I could spend with my wife. So spill the news already.”

After sending his coworker another glare, Cam said, “One shooter got lucky. A bullet grazed my left arm and across the top of my chest.”

Sedona gasped. Cam had been shot, and he hadn’t said a word. All of his concentration and attention had been on her.

“How bad?”

“Don’t know. I haven’t had time to stop long enough to check it out.”

“That’s about to change. Go to Interrogation Room One. I’ll bring the Fortress first-aid kit. If you’re lucky, one of us can take care of it for you. If not, you’ll be driven to the hospital, courtesy of the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department.”

More glaring from Cam. “I’m a grown man, Montgomery. I can slap a Band-Aid on a boo-boo as well as the next guy.”

Owen snorted. “I keep hearing you yapping, but I’m not buying what you’re selling.” He opened the interrogation room door and stepped back. “Have a seat. I’ll return in a minute.”

To Sedona’s relief, Owen returned with an enormous first-aid kit. She should have realized David and his brothers would carry something similar to what they needed for their part-time jobs with Fortress Security. Black ops was dangerous work and required more extensive medical supplies than what she kept in her classroom for scraped knees and elbows.

She studied the kit, envy growing. Kindergarteners were prone to accidents during recess. And while the school nurse could treat most things, her kids sometimes didn’t want to miss out on a game with classmates. Like Cam said, she could slap a Band-Aid on as well as the next person. At least this way she would see the contents of the kit for herself. Perhaps she could create a kit like this one, minus the antibiotics and pain medicine, of course.

“This is a waste of time.”

Owen raised one eyebrow. “Depends. Let’s see the injury unless you’re too chicken to strip off your shirt in front of the lady.”

“Oh, bite me, Owen,” Cam snapped.

“If you’re injured and too sore to respond to calls in a timely manner, your injuries could make a difference in whether I make it home tonight.”

Cam’s face reddened, and his beautiful brown eyes glittered. That’s when Sedona realized he was about to explode. She wrapped her hand around his and squeezed gently.

His head whipped in her direction. Despite the strong emotional reaction to Owen’s comments, Cam still responded immediately to her silent query. The significance of that wasn’t lost on her. He gave her a slight nod, then turned back to Owen. “You can check the injury. If you and David think I should go to the ER, I will.”

The other deputy gave a huff of laughter. “You’re some kind of miracle worker, Sedona. He’s never been that cooperative in his life.”

“I can cooperate when I want to.”

“But you never want to. This is a first. If this is the effect Sedona has on you, I’m declaring that all other dating relationships for you are outlawed.”

“You won’t get an argument from me.” Cam nudged Sedona into a chair and crouched beside her. “Will you drink herbal tea if I make some for you?”

She shivered continually. Hot tea sounded heavenly. Sedona nodded. “Thanks.”

“Is there a flavor you don’t like?”

“Anything is fine.”

He stood. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He stared hard at Owen, who gave a slight nod, then Cam left the interrogation room.

Owen pulled out the chair across the table from her and sat down facing the door.

Seconds later, David joined them, carrying a blanket. He wrapped the warm blanket around her and glanced at his brother. “Where’s Cam?”

“Making tea for Sedona. Adrenaline dump.”

Ha. So what she was suffering from had a name. Nice to know what to call this besides out of control shaking that embarrassed her in front of the tough guys.

“Might need to get your first-aid kit, too.”

David straightened. “Who?”

“Cam. He says it’s nothing.”

The sheriff rolled his eyes. “He could be missing a limb and still call it nothing as long as he was mobile. Just like a few stubborn deputies on my payroll.” He stared pointedly at Owen.

He grinned. “You shouldn’t talk about Elliot that way when he’s not here to defend himself.”

“Look in the mirror, bro. Your stubbornness is the same as Elliot’s.” He headed for the door again. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

By the time David returned to the interrogation room with his first-aid kit, which was a mirror of Owen’s, Cam was five steps behind him with a to-go cup of tea for Sedona. David eyed the steaming liquid. “That isn’t coffee.”

“Nope. Herbal tea with a teaspoon of sugar.” Cam handed the cup to Sedona and turned to his boss.

“I hear you’re injured. Let’s find out how bad before we decide if you need more medical help than we can provide.”

Cam’s jaw tightened. “Yes, sir.”

Owen signaled his friend, and a moment later, Cam had unloaded six weapons onto the table and stripped off his shirt.

Sedona forgot about her own problems the second she saw the angry red line scoring the top of Cam’s chest. She set her tea on the table and pushed off the blanket. “Oh, Cam,” she murmured, gaze locked on his injury. How could she have missed this when he was holding her in his arms? “Will the table hold your weight?”

After a quick glance at the piece of furniture, he nodded.

“Sit down, please.” She looked into his eyes. “May I touch you?”

His eyes twinkled. “Absolutely. Any time.”

She flashed him a grin. “I need something to clean his wound.”

Owen unzipped his kit and David’s, pulled out antiseptic wipes from both, and handed them to Sedona. When a ruckus broke out nearby, accompanied by shouts and curses, he motioned for his brother to go on. “I’ve got this.”

Sedona ripped open the package of alcohol wipes and pulled out the cloth. She set it on the wrapper in order to tug on rubber gloves. Sedona picked up the wipe again. “This will hurt, Cam. I’m sorry.”

“I’ll be fine. Just do it.”

Taking him at his word, she applied the wet cloth to his wound. Ignoring his quick hiss, she quickly cleaned every inch of the long wound. “I’m not a doctor, but you probably need stitches. I’m also concerned about infection. I bet the shooter didn’t sterilize his bullets before using them.”

He shook his head until he caught sight of Owen staring him down with his arms folded across his chest and an eyebrow raised. Cam groaned. “I should have kept my mouth shut.”

“Too late.” Owen narrowed his eyes. “I’ll take you to the hospital and interview both of you while the doctor is working on you. How’s that for service?”

“Wonderful. You should receive employee of the month.”

“Thank you, thank you.” He gave a mocking bow. “I will pass along your glowing recommendation to my brother, the sheriff.”

Cam chuckled despite his obvious irritation at their insistence that he go for further medical treatment.

Sedona finished taping gauze over the angry red line marring his muscled chest and threw away the trash.

“I’m fine, you know,” Cam muttered. “It’s just a scratch.”

Two hours later, Sedona scrambled into clothes that Brynn Montgomery, Caleb’s wife, had brought her. “It’s just a scratch,” she mimicked Cam’s deep voice. “Right. That scratch took forty stitches to close, Brynn.”

Her friend laughed. “Welcome to the world of cops and black ops.”

She froze. Black ops? “Cam isn’t black ops.”

“Don’t kid yourself. He was Delta Force in the Army. Do you know what that means?”

“Not really.” Did she want to know?

“Well, I do. Caleb was Delta Force as well. It means these men will do whatever it takes to get the job done. The Army calls them Cowboys because they work outside the lines and find creative solutions to problems.”

That sounded like Caleb and Cam. “Cam isn’t currently in black ops, is he?”

“Not yet.”

She stilled. “There’s a possibility that he will join Fortress Security, too?” Would he be like the Montgomery brothers, on rotation every other month?

“Let’s just say Brent Maddox is after Cam and his Delta unit to join Fortress as a Search and Rescue team.”

That didn’t sound so bad. “No kidding.”

Brynn shrugged. “That’s what I overheard when Caleb and his brothers were discussing Cam’s unit. David wants to hire the rest of Cam’s unit as deputies. That would mean Maple Valley and Morgan County would complete their roster.”

More men like Cam? “Wow.”

Brynn handed Sedona her shoes. “Can you imagine four more men like the Montgomery brothers and Cam?”

“To be honest, no. These men are overwhelming.”

“Truth. I also heard that Lucas Cruz, a detective in Archer, wants to do SAR training with them.” Brynn stood. “Anyway, I have to go. We have a new shipment of plants coming into the nursery this morning, so I can’t be late.”

“I understand.” Sedona hugged her friend. “Thank you for bringing me a change of clothes. I owe you big for this.”

“This is nothing. We’ll talk later after I get home tonight.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “I saw how Cam was looking at you. I want all the details when we talk.”

“We’ll talk. Now, go. Have a good day.”

“Same to you.” Brynn dashed for the door. “Enjoy the zoo.” And she was gone.

Sedona took one last look in the mirror, then hurried toward the door herself. Cam was waiting in the hall for her so he could drive her to school in a black SUV. Maybe it was her imagination, but this area was filled to the brim with black SUVs, just like the ones the Montgomery brothers drove.

She bent to scoop her bag from the floor and gasped.

Cam was beside her seconds later. “Sedona, what’s wrong?”

“My back hurts, but I don’t know why.”

“Did you tell Dr. Cunningham about it?”

She shook her head. “I didn’t realize it hurt.” Would he accuse her of lying to the doctor? She hadn’t. Would Cam believe her?

He frowned, his hand coasting up and down her back in a soothing motion. “Adrenaline can mask many symptoms that show up when the adrenaline is out of your system. It’s not unheard of for soldiers to keep functioning in the heat of battle only to realize when the crisis is over that they need medical attention. We should have Cunningham check your back.”

“Cam, we need to go. I have to be on campus in a few minutes. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind checking it later.”

His hand stopped coasting up and down her back. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea since you might have to take off your shirt.”

Sedona glanced at him, a smile curving her lips. She rested her hand against her back, just above her right kidney. “You would only have to lift the hem a few inches.”

He relaxed. “That I can handle. If your back hurts worse after the field trip, we need to have someone with more expertise than I have to check you out.”

“Agreed, if you’ll get moving right now. I can’t be late.”

Cam chuckled. “Can’t have that.” He took the duffel bag from her, then guided Sedona toward the elevator. “Please tell me we have time for me to purchase a cup of coffee.”

“I have everything you need in my classroom. Let’s go.”

Minutes later, Cam escorted Sedona toward the elementary school. Twenty feet from the door, she gasped. “Oh, no.” She stared at her SUV, which listed to one side. While two flat tires were bad enough, someone had also bashed in every window and tagged the side of the vehicle with red paint. “Oh, man.” The bill was growing by the second in her mental tally of the cost of repairs.

When he saw the damage to her vehicle, he stiffened. “Look at what they wrote,” he muttered.

Sedona’s gaze shifted to the ghoulish red paint that ran in rivulets down the doors. Someone had written, “Send him away or he dies too.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

FURY BURNED IN Cam’s gut. Someone had not only bashed Sedona on the head and kidnapped her, they followed her back to Maple Valley, damaged her SUV, and threatened him. If the kidnappers thought he would turn tail and run, they underestimated him. He didn’t run from a fight. Ever. Especially a fight where the winner’s prize was Sedona Hart's life.

“I’m sorry, Cam.” Sedona stared at her damaged vehicle. “I never thought someone get back at me by threatening you. What would you like to do?”

No. Way. He wasn’t letting Sedona put their relationship back on the shelf. She was too special to wait now that he knew she was interested in him, too. “Will you go to dinner with me tonight?”

Her head whipped toward his, eyes wide. “You want to go on a date?”

“That’s usually what they call dinner and conversation, right? I haven’t been out of the game that long.” Well, to be truthful, it had been that long, but admitting as much to Sedona would make him sound pathetic. A man had to have some pride.

She gestured toward the SUV. “The obvious threat to you doesn’t scare you?”

Not much scared him anymore. After what he’d seen around the world, this was nothing new. “Nope. I don’t run from fights, Sedona. This man wants you. Unfortunately for him, I got to you first. I’m claiming you as mine. So no, I’m not running scared. I’m angry, though. This damage was mean-spirited and unnecessary, and the message was meant for me.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and settled her against his side. “That makes this my problem. I’ll take care of it.”

She frowned. “We need to go inside the school, but so we’re clear, you’re not paying for the repairs to my SUV.”

“We’ll see.” He wouldn’t let her foot the repair bill for her vehicle. Sedona might not like it, but he felt responsible because he hadn’t protected her and her vehicle better. She would learn that he took care of his own.

Sedona waved her card in front of the scanner and opened the door.

Cam followed her inside the building, his gaze constantly in motion. “When do your kids arrive?”

“In thirty minutes.” She blew out a breath.

Not good. Looked like she didn’t have enough time to do everything she usually did before the students arrived on campus. He hated that for her. Cam would help her do what she could in the time remaining. It would have to be enough for today. “How can I help?”

She glanced up and smiled.

Cam’s heart skipped a beat, then raced ahead. Sedona Hart had a knockout smile.

She handed him a stack of blank name tags and her list of students. “Each child needs a name tag filled out. First name only.”

“I can handle that.” He looked around, then turned back to Sedona. “Mind if I use your desk? If I sit at one of the student desks, I might get stuck in the chair.” Why did schools make kids sit in those one-piece-fits-no-one desk combos?

She laughed. “I know how you feel. Please use my desk.” Sedona grabbed a bottle of water and prepped the coffeemaker.

He hoped she remembered how he liked his coffee. On a morning like this, operating without sleep, Cam desperately needed his coffee at the usual potency, strong enough to walk by itself. Forget adding cream or sugar to his manly brew.

His lips curved. Sedona had tried his preferred coffee strength once. She swore she would never drink his magic elixir again. She’d complained about the coffee being bitter, and how it burned all the way down her throat. The woman did not know a perfect cup of coffee when she tasted it.

When the brewing cycle was complete, Sedona poured coffee into a to-go cup, snapped on the lid, and set the cup on her desk.

Cam capped the marker he’d been using on the name tags and set it aside. “You remembered my coffee preference.”

“Of course. It’s even the same strength as you like it. That evil brew smells like burned road tar, which makes the coffee perfect for your taste buds. Besides, we talked about it just a few minutes ago. I may have a small memory issue, but I have forgotten nothing that’s happened since I woke up in that cabin in the woods.”

“Well, in all fairness, the coffee conversation happened before we saw your SUV.”

She flinched. “Let’s not talk about that right now. Otherwise, I might actually cry. I just paid it off and was looking forward to using the payment for other things. Guess I won’t be doing that for a while.”

So, his sweet Sedona was stubborn, too. He could handle that. Stubbornness could be an excellent thing. “Don’t worry about it now. Fun day at the zoo first. We’ll talk about the car repairs tonight. I know some people who can help.”

By then, Sedona would be over the shock. The three kidnappers weren’t responsible for the damage. The timing was off. They’d either been tracking her through the forest or fighting off the Montgomery brothers. He smiled. Could have told them that was futile.

Small feet pounded down the corridor to her classroom. Seconds later, four of her kindergartners jostled each other to get into the room first.

“Ms. Hart! Ms. Hart!” One boy ran straight to Sedona. “Guess what.”

“I can’t guess, Julio. Tell me.”

“Today is field-trip day.” Julio was so excited that he was jumping up and down.

“What do you want to see the most today?”

“The lions. They’re fierce and loud. Everybody’s afraid of them.”

Something in Julio’s tone triggered Cam’s protective instincts as he focused totally on the boy. Sedona wrapped her hand around his and squeezed hard.

He blinked and zoned out from Julio as fast as he’d zoned in. Cam smiled at the kid and held out his hand. “Hi, my name is Cam. What’s yours?”

After a second, Julio shook Cam’s hand. “Julio. I’m in Ms. Hart’s class. Are you her boyfriend?”

Cam nodded. Great. This kid had given him the opportunity to claim Sedona in public. He hoped the kid helped him out by spreading the news far and wide. “I am. I hope you don’t mind, but I invited myself to go along on today’s field trip. I loved going to the zoo when I was your age.”

“What’s your favorite animal?”

“The giraffes.”

“They’re tall.”

“Yeah, they are. But you know what the best part is about them?”

“What?”

“They do zoomies.”

Julio looked astonished. “Really?”

“They sure do, buddy. Maybe we’ll see them in action today.” He grinned at Julio, then asked Sedona, “What’s your favorite animal?”

She thought for a second, then said, “Tigers.”

Julio’s brows shot up in fascination. “They go ‘rawr’ like the lions! He mimicked the giant clawed paws with his hands.

Cam thought tigers were a fitting animal for Sedona. After all, her red hair, dark features, and fierce nature mimicked the jungle cats.

“Better go to your seat, Julio,” Sedona said. “Everyone else is heading for their seats.”

“Yes, ma’am. Oh, thanks for not talking to my brother.” He scampered off and joined his classmates.

Sedona frowned a little, but then turned to Cam. “You sure you want to go, Cam? It’s not too late to back out.”

“Nope. I have to visit the giraffes. It’s been too long.”

Sedona held up her hands. “All right. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

An hour later, Cam looked over his shoulder at the children in the bus. Absolutely unbelievable. How could children that size create so much noise? Somebody should have warned him. He turned to Sedona. “I’m holding you responsible for me going deaf.”

“I warned you.”

“Not strong enough, Tiger. What happened to the quiet, respectful students who walked into your classroom?”

She chuckled at the nickname. “It’s called classroom control, and I’ve discovered nothing turns down the volume on a bus ride. You just tolerate it until we reach our destination.”

Cam watched the students literally bouncing in their seats and talking at the loudest volume possible. Thank goodness they were staying in their seats at least.

As soon as the bus stopped in front of the entrance to the zoo, Sedona and another kindergarten teacher from across the hall stood at the front of the bus. The driver handed Sedona the PA microphone. She held up her hand and waited for her students to tell the others that was her signal to stop talking.

Cam waited, timing it. Thirty seconds. Pretty good.

“We’ll line up by classes. Follow your teacher and form a line outside the bus. Mrs. Whitmore is our helper today, along with Mr. Sims. Ms. White’s class will line up after my class is outside. Does anyone have questions?”

Miraculously, no one did. Wouldn’t last, he knew. Some children naturally had to ask one million questions and still wouldn’t be satisfied. Sedona nodded at Cam, who began leading students off the bus and helping them line up. Her friend from across the hall took over moving the students down the aisle, while Sedona helped those who needed a hand getting off the bus. Cam corralled students who wandered away from the line.

Once Sedona’s students lined up, she went down the row, checking off children from her list. “Perfect. All my students are present.”

Now if they could just leave with the same ones she came in with, the trip would be a success. He wasn’t holding his breath on that score. Although he might not have children of his own, Cam had nieces and nephews about this age who were notorious for not following the rules, no matter how simple they were.

At the front of the line, she held up her hand again. When her students quieted, she said, “Stay in line and follow me to the front gate.” When a cheer went up, she laughed. “Have to admit, I’m excited about getting out of the classroom today, even if I didn’t sleep last night.”

She glanced at Cam. “Levi wasn’t happy with our answers at the hospital interview.”

He flinched. “I know. David would have tried his hand at interviewing us, but he ran into a boatload of paperwork. The rest of the Montgomery brothers took turns interviewing your new friends. They’ll get around to interviewing us again soon. If they’re still not satisfied, Elliot will interrogate us.” Interrogate was exactly the right word, too. The Navy SEAL was skilled in interrogation techniques. Whatever was missing in Sedona’s sketchy memory, Elliot would find it.

Sedona rolled her eyes at his careful description of her kidnappers. Friends. But the last thing he wanted was to scare the children if they overheard his and Sedona’s whispered conversation. “The Montgomery brothers won’t forget, will they?”

“Not a chance. Even though they’re focusing on the men and processing evidence, they’ll come back around to us before the day’s over.”

“I hope they believe me.” On those mysterious words, Sedona left him in charge of her hooligan kids while she went to the ticket booth to check in and pick up the tickets reserved for her class.

A moment later, she returned. “We’re all set.”

“I’ll meet you on the other side of the gate. I need to purchase a ticket.”

She waved that aside. “I took care of it. Because this is an educational field trip, we get a huge discount on the tickets. If you want to pay me back, you can buy me an ice cream cone at lunch.”

“Deal.” He was an ice cream fan anytime, day or night.

Cam dropped to the back of the line, keeping the kids corralled as the line inched toward the park entrance. As he followed the last kid through the turnstile, he turned Sedona’s last statement over in his mind. I just hope they believe me.

What skeleton hid in Sedona Hart’s past that might cause law enforcement officers to question her honesty?

CHAPTER EIGHT

SEDONA MENTALLY REPRIMANDED herself. What a slip. The lack of sleep was interfering with her normal, rigid control over her mouth. Slipups like that might cause more than trouble. They could cause her death.

She rolled her eyes, grateful Cam couldn’t see her face right now. Melodramatic much? No one had come looking for her in more than a decade. Good old Mom, a gift that just kept giving. She’d tried everything to get away from her past. Nothing worked for long. Her stay in Maple Valley had been the longest without trouble breaking out. If this turned out to be what she suspected, her reprieve was up.

Sedona scowled. Why wouldn’t they leave her alone? She didn’t have what they wanted, didn’t even know what it was.

More important to her situation was what Cam would say. Would he accuse her of lying to him? She hoped not. Cam was special, the kind that made a woman rethink her nomad ways and contemplate settling down in a small town.

She snorted. Might as well give up on that idea. A man like Cam, a cop of all things, valued the truth more than anything because, on the job, people lied to him day in and day out. Shades of truth or wholesale whoppers, the degree of the lie wouldn’t matter to him. If he was like most of the cops she’d run into, he saw the world in black and white. No shades of gray. Unfortunately, she was partial to gray.

Next important question. When he learned the truth about her, would Cam throw her out of his life forever?

“Ms. Hart! Ms. Hart!” Julio tugged on her hand to get her attention. “I saw a lion picture on the sign. We have to go that way or we’ll miss the lions.” His eyes filled with tears. “You said we could see them.”

“Of course we will, Julio. I’m sorry. I was lost in thought.” She pivoted to see her ragged line of children waiting for her to decide which direction to go in. Ironic. That’s what she felt she was doing in real life, too. “What’s our first stop?”

“The cats!” the kids shouted.

Sedona grinned. They were something else. “That’s right. Follow me.”

With a cheer of excitement, her students trailed after her like ducklings following a mother duck. On and on they walked. The closer they came to the lions’ domain, the louder the great cats’ roared.

When her students saw the big cats’ enclosure, they rushed forward and pressed their faces against the tall fence.

A moment later, Cam stood beside her. “I wish I had that much energy.”

“Tell me about it. That’s why I’m exhausted at the end of every day. They keep me busy.”

“They’re amazing, though, and you do a great job with them.”

She grinned, pleased that he’d noticed. The excited chatter became a pleasant background noise when she glanced up at him. “I hope you like children.”

“Love them. Why?”

No hesitation in his answer. Definitely scored points with that. Hopefully, Cam’s comment was conveying a truth rather than about making her think well of him. “I teach children, Cam. I wouldn’t be a teacher if I didn’t love them. If you’re with me, chances are excellent that children will be around, too.” Now she’d see what he did with that bit of information.

“Lucky for me. I have nine nieces and nephews and have done my best to be voted their favorite uncle. According to them, I’ve won the vote by a landslide.”

His smugness made her laugh. Sedona scanned the kids at the railing, counting them one by one, an exercise she would repeat over and over during this field trip. She breathed easier when her count came out right.

She turned to ask Cam a question when he twisted away from her and headed toward Julio at a fast clip. Sedona frowned, uneasiness growing inside her. Cam was a lot of things, but rude was not one of them. Had his protective streak told him something was off?

She hurried after him, following in his wake. Wherever Cam went, people parted like the Red Sea to allow him through. The same thing happened with the Montgomery brothers. Must be the Special Forces tough vibe.

Sedona noticed a muscular man wearing a sweatshirt with the hood tugged over his head. The guy was way too close to Julio for her comfort. “Julio,” she called. When he turned to look at her, she motioned for him to join her.

The boy tried to dart around the mysterious man. Instead of letting him pass, Hoodie grabbed Julio’s arms and dragged him closer to the lion’s enclosure.

Cam sprinted toward the struggling boy. He called out, “Police! Freeze!”

Some girls and women nearby screamed. The crowd milled around in confusion, getting in Cam’s way.

Hoodie picked up Julio and tossed him over the railing into the lion enclosure.

“No!” Sedona raced toward the railing at an angle, leaped, and easily cleared it. She landed lightly on the ledge, then jumped to the enclosure floor, landing in a crouch.

Seconds later, Cam landed beside her. He kept his gaze fixed on the lion.

With people screaming and her kids crying, Sedona inched closer to Julio, who hadn’t moved. “Julio,” she whispered. “I’m here with Cam, buddy. Are you with me?”

Nothing. No sound or movement from the boy.

The lion, however, was a different story. The big cat stared at them, growling deep in its throat. Seconds later, the King of the Beasts rose and slowly approached.

“Got a plan?” Cam asked, his gaze locked on the cat stalking them. “I really don’t want to shoot that cat.”

“Yeah. Make yourself big and loud.”

“What are you going to do?”

“There’s a large rock outcropping to our left. We have to get Julio out of the lion’s sight, and the keeper’s access door is on that side of the enclosure.”

“Keeper’s access?”

“Yeah. It has a metal door that the cat can’t get through.”

“Copy that.” Cam rose quickly, unzipped his jacket to make himself look bigger, positioned himself in front of Sedona and Julio, and yelled at the lion. “Come on, dude. You don’t want to eat this little kid. He’s just a scrawny thing, not even a good mouthful. I know what you need, bud. You need a big, thick, juicy steak that you don’t have to chase down for yourself. Isn’t that right, you beautiful beast?”

While he talked about what the lion ought to eat with that steak, he stayed close to Sedona and her student. When she inched toward the rocks with the boy in her arms, Cam moved with her, continuing his loud dinner order, now on the dessert menu of a steakhouse in Maple Valley.

If the situation hadn’t been so dire, Sedona would have laughed. Here she was, in a lion’s enclosure, trying to save one of her students from a lion intent on making a meal of him, while the man she’d been dying to date for weeks sounded like he was planning a date with the King of the Beasts. “Back toward me,” she said to Cam.

Before he could move, one bystander shouted, “Hey, buddy, I found a large branch.”

“Toss it to me on three. One, two, toss.”

By some miracle, Cam turned just as the bystander threw the stick and caught it. He returned to his litany of menu items at the steakhouse while adding some fancy footwork and strikes and sweeps with the stick.

Sedona didn’t know if he was doing something he’d learned in martial arts, but his movements had the desired effect. The lion was confused and having a hard time deciding if going after intruders in his territory was worth the effort. “Cam, back toward me. We’re leaving this party before the host eats us.”

“Fine with me. I wasn’t having a good time, anyway.”

Cam kept himself between Sedona and Julio and the cat as they moved inch by inch toward the keeper’s access door.

She hoped she wasn’t causing Julio any further injury. The alternative, though, was to stay in the enclosure with the lion, and that wasn’t possible, not if they wanted to save the boy’s life. “I’m taking Julio to the other side of the access door.”

“It’s padlocked. If you’ll take over telling the cat your favorite menu items, I can unlock it.”

“I’ve got it. You concentrate on the lion.” Sedona whipped out her lock picks and made fast work of the lock. “Got it.”

“Need help with the kid?”

“Nope. Just keep the big kitty off me for a few more seconds.” She gripped Julio and hauled him inside the access corridor. The second she finished, Sedona called out, “Now, Cam.”

He backed up, slowly making his way toward the access door. Cam had just closed the door behind him when the keepers arrived with air horns and barriers.

Sedona sagged with relief. Thank God.

The lion retreated, snarling in a bad-tempered way all the way across the enclosure. When he turned and ran into his access corridor, someone activated the reinforced door and secured the enclosure.

Cam’s head dropped back against the corridor wall. “Wow, that was close.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Anybody hurt in there?” one keeper called out as he set aside the barrier he’d brought with him.

“Yeah,” Cam said. “We need an ambulance for the boy.” He pulled out his cell phone. “I’m sending a message to David Montgomery. Since the zoo is in a rural part of Morgan County, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department has jurisdiction. Might as well get law enforcement rolling in this direction.”

“Got it.” The keeper pulled out his cell phone. “What happened? Did he climb over the fence?”

“A man grabbed Julio and threw him into the enclosure.” Fury burned in Cam’s eyes. “Tell the dispatcher that Officer Cameron Sims is on the scene and has called the sheriff.”

The keeper whistled, then began talking to the 911 operator. While he was reporting what he knew, Cam stared at Sedona.

Oh, man. This wouldn’t end well. She’d been here before and could write an entire library of sob-story books about it. Didn’t matter what she said or what her actions said about her. Sedona’s past would follow her until she was a mere memory.

“We need to talk.”

Sedona braced herself for the infamous it’s-not-you-it’s-me speech. She might go down in history for having the shortest dating relationship ever recorded. She spread her arms and gave Cam her brightest fake smile. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The keeper, still talking to the 911 operator, gave her and Cam an odd look, then turned his back on them.

Cam folded his arms across his chest as he continued to lean against the corridor wall, his gaze fixed on hers. “Oh, no, Tiger. I’m not letting you off the hook that easily. You agreed to be mine. Skipping out on me is off the table. You will, however, explain to me how you have a set of professional lock picks and can use them like an expert cat burglar.”

CHAPTER NINE

CAM WATCHED SEDONA close enough to catch the relief flooding her eyes when he mentioned the lock picks. Now that response was more interesting than her carrying lock picks on a school field trip.

He knew what she thought. Miss Sedona Hart convinced herself that he planned to kick her to the curb, and she didn’t know how to stop it. No way would he let go of her. If their relationship failed and broke apart, she would be the one to end things, not him. He’d waited too long to find the right woman, and that woman was Sedona. He knew it down to his bones. “I’ll expect your fascinating explanation over dinner tonight.”

Cam wanted that explanation and dinner with the woman haunting his dreams every night.

Now she did the staring. “Lock pick explanations over dinner. Check. Anything else you’d like to know?”

“Since you’re volunteering, I’d love to know how you learned so much about lions and their enclosures.”

She drew a deep breath. “Right. Well, that explanation is rather lengthy and complicated.”

“Sweetheart, I figured that out the minute you jumped into a lion enclosure to save one of your students. I admire that bold move, by the way, but I’d rather be the one taking the risks from now on instead of you. Lions are optional.”

Sedona’s laughter echoed in the corridor.

At that moment, Julio stirred and moaned.

Cam knelt beside Sedona. “Hey, buddy, it’s Cam, Miss Hart’s boyfriend. Can you hear me?” When Julio nodded, he smiled.

“Where’s the lion?” the boy mumbled.

“In his bed.” Sedona covered Julio’s hand with her own. “He’s taking a nap.”

“Is the bad man gone?”

“Yeah, he is.” Cam moved closer. “Do you remember what happened, Julio?”

“The bad man wouldn’t let me go by him. He grabbed me and threw me.” He frowned. “Did I fall down? I can’t remember.”

Cam sighed. “Seems to be an epidemic of that going around.” Unbelievable. If he weren’t in law enforcement, Cam wouldn’t believe this story, and he’d heard some unbelievable things in the past two years.

Sedona made a face at him for that remark.

Julio looked puzzled. “Huh?”

“Never mind, kid. Did the bad man say anything to you?”

“Something funny.”

“Funny ha-ha, or funny odd?” Sedona asked.

“Funny odd. He said, ‘Sorry, kid. It’s nothing personal.’” Julio looked at Cam. “I don’t know what that means.”

Nice to know their culprit had a conscience, even if it was the size of a gnat. “I think he felt bad about what he planned to do.” Not enough to abort the plan, though.

EMTs, more keepers, and other zoo personnel crowded into part of the access corridor. Cam pressed his back against the wall where Julio could still see him, taking a resistant Sedona with him. “I know you want to stay with him, but we have to give the EMTs room to work.”

“I need to go with him to the hospital, but I can’t leave the other teachers to take care of my class too.”

“His parents will have to be notified about this incident.”

She groaned. “Oh, boy. How am I supposed to tell his mother what happened? Hey, Mrs. Ramirez. Julio was tossed into a lion enclosure at the zoo. Want to meet us at the hospital?”

“Yeah, that would be a tough call to make.” He squeezed her shoulders. “Why don’t you let me make that call? After all, I need to be good for something on this field trip because I’m sure not stellar at providing security.” He grimaced, disgusted with his own performance.

Sedona shook her head. “Julio’s mine, and I’m responsible for his safety. Looks like I did a lousy job. Although I’ll call her, I might hand the phone over to you for the law enforcement explanation.”

“If you think that’s best, we’ll do it your way.” With so many people milling around the boy, Sedona wouldn’t be able to hear Mrs. Ramirez, much less explain coherently what had happened to her son. “Let’s move out of this area so you can make the call.”

The incident made little sense to him. Why didn’t the man drop Julio the instant he knew a cop was in the vicinity and bearing down on him? That would have been the smart move. Instead, the man tossed an innocent child right into the heart of danger. Who does that?

So, the real question was his motive. He’d said it wasn’t personal. Were his actions motivated by a kidnap-for-ransom plan? Or was this somehow connected to Sedona’s kidnapping?

His frown deepened. This incident must be connected. Cam didn’t believe in coincidence, not in his line of work. He escorted Sedona to the outer corridor where the noise level was lower.

Sedona pulled her phone from her pocket and swallowed hard.

“You’ve got this,” he assured her. “It’s not too late to back out. Notifications are part of my job.” A part he hated. At least this one had turned out well. Not all of them did.

Instead of handing off the unpleasant responsibility to him, she squared her shoulders, tapped the screen, then pressed the phone to her ear. “Maria, this is Sedona Hart.” She paused as the other woman spoke. “Well, he was enjoying the field trip very much, but Julio fell and was injured. I need you to meet us at the hospital in Maple Valley. The EMTs are prepping him for the ambulance ride now.” Another pause, then, “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be there.” She ended the call.

The sound of chatter on at least two police radios drew Cam’s attention. As a precaution, he stepped in front of Sedona until he saw David and Elliot striding toward him.

Cam breathed easier with backup. “David.”

“What happened?” David motioned for Elliot to go to Julio, then listened without comment until Cam finished his rapid-fire report to his boss. The sheriff turned to Sedona. “You are either one very brave or very lucky woman.”

When she said nothing, Cam narrowed his eyes. That wouldn’t fly with him when they talked at dinner tonight. Here, silence wasn’t golden. He must be able to trust her, and yes, this was a two-way street. Their levels of freedom to share details weren’t the same, unfortunately. His classified missions from his military days were still classified.

He may never be free to give her details if she wanted to know them. That sticking point had cost him every relationship he’d tried to build since he mustered out of the Army. His crazy work schedule had done the rest. Cam prayed Sedona was different, that she could handle secrecy and crazy schedules because he wanted this to work. Badly.

“Your turn.” David turned to Sedona. “Tell me what happened. All of it, Sedona.”

“I can’t add much more than what Cam told you.”

He pointed at her. “Not a good start. No waffling. Just spit it out.”

Sedona scowled. “We got off the bus at the zoo entrance. We counted the kids and chose our first exhibit to see for the day. Julio’s beloved lions won the toss at school, so that’s where we went first. Everything was fine until it wasn’t.

“A tall, muscular man in a sweatshirt with the hood pulled up was hovering near Julio. I don’t know why, but something about him just set off my trouble radar. As I started toward my student, I called him to me. Julio turned from the enclosure fence and tried to go around Hoodie who caught him by the arms. Hoodie dragged Julio back to the fence, scooped him up, and threw him over.”

“What happened next?” David prompted.

“He ran away.”

“What did you do?”

She studied him for a moment. How would he take this? “Hopped the fence and dropped beside Julio.”

“Why would you do that? Don’t you see how reckless that was?”

“I saw my five-year-old student being stalked by an angry lion.”

“Most people would have run or called for help. You did neither, and I’m wondering why that is, Sedona.”

“Later, all right? I promised Julio’s mother that I would meet her at the hospital.”

“That’s not how this works.”

“David.” Elliot appeared in the doorway. “They’re ready to transport Julio.” He smiled, a rare occurrence for Elliot. “He reminds me of Roman.” The Navy SEAL inclined his head toward Cam. “The kid is asking for Cam and Sedona.”

The sheriff turned his head to stare at Cam. “Don’t let it go to your head, Sims.”

“Hey, I’m making headway with Roman, too. You’re losing ground, buddy.”

“Dream on.” He sobered and said to Elliot, “Tell them to go on.”

“David,” Cam murmured. “I’ll get what you want, but Sedona needs to go with Julio. He’s just a kid, and he’s scared.”

The other lawman scowled. “Fine. You get one chance at this. If you screw up, you will be toast, my friend.”

“Understood. I won’t let you down.”

“Get that description and other information to me as soon as possible.”

“Copy that, sir.” Cam and Sedona waited for the ambulance crew to pass them with Julio immobilized on a stretcher, then followed them through the keeper’s access corridor and outside the enclosure.

“Sedona, what’s happening? Is Julio all right?” her fellow teachers asked.

“I know nothing. We’re going to the hospital with him. His mother is on the way there.”

“We’ll take care of your class,” Mrs. Washburn said. “Don’t worry about a thing. We’ve got this.”

“We appreciate that.” Cam signaled Caleb, who gave a thumbs-up. He relaxed. Excellent. Caleb was great with kids. He wouldn’t have any trouble corralling the students. Now all Cam needed to do was protect Sedona and Julio.

Man, what he wouldn’t give to have Delta teammates at his back. He would never admit that protecting both of them was hard because his attention was split between them, and he wanted to focus wholly on Sedona’s security.

Cam thought through the incident several times on the way to Maple Valley’s hospital and came to the same conclusion each time. This attack on Julio wasn’t about him. It was about Sedona.

That was the moment he realized the truth. For a reason he had yet to discover, Sedona was a High Value Target, and he would need help keeping her safe because he had a feeling that the attacks would only grow more frequent and more dangerous until Cam arrested the perpetrator.

When the ambulance parked at their entrance to the ER, Cam opened the ambulance doors, hopped down, and helped Sedona to the concrete before moving her out of the way. They rushed after the ambulance and into the ER, trailing the entourage into an exam room.

A nurse hurried into the room and glanced at Sedona. “You can’t be in here, ma’am.”

Cam held up his hand to stop Anne Marie’s speech. He’d been in the ER several times with perps and a few for himself. Each time, she’d hinted at wanting a date with him. Not going to happen, and Sedona was the reason he’d turned down Anne Marie. “It’s okay. Sedona is Julio’s teacher. She’s staying until the boy’s mother arrives. Maria’s on the way here.”

“Just until the mother arrives, then,” she conceded. “How are you, Deputy Sims?”

“Excellent since I started dating Sedona. What about you?”

Anne Marie froze, her face blank.

Maybe it was petty of him, but Cam enjoyed the fact that Sedona’s name and position in his life shut down this pushy nurse. He’d apologize to Sedona later for dropping their relationship in front of a woman who also was one of the biggest gossips in town.

“I’m all right,” she said after a moment. “Thanks for asking.”

Frannie Harper hurried into the ER bay, then breathed an enormous sigh of relief when she got a good look at Julio. “Thank God, buddy. I thought I would face a totally different situation here.” She smiled at Julio. “Hi, my name is Dr. Fran. What’s yours?”

“Julio.”

“Well, Julio, do you mind if I look at you while we wait for your mom to arrive? She’ll want to know what injuries you have.” She glanced back at Cam. “What about you, my friend? Do you have any injuries?”

“Not this time, Doc.”

“Who’s your friend?” She inclined her head toward Sedona.

“My girlfriend, Sedona Hart. She’s also Julio’s teacher. They were on a field trip to the zoo when Julio was injured.”

“We were told a lion attacked my little friend here.”

“It was a near thing. Sedona got him out of the lion enclosure.”

“I had help. Cam was right there with me.”

“I think all three of you were lucky.”

Julio hissed.

“Right there, huh?” Dr. Fran nodded. “Anywhere else I should check?”

“It hurts to breathe.”

“Uh oh. I better check that out. You just breathe normally, okay? Let me know if something I touch hurts.”

“Okay.”

When a light tap sounded on the door, Cam shifted to stand in front of Sedona, his hand hovering near his weapon.

Another nurse stuck her head into the room. “Dr. Fran, Julio’s mother is here. She is quite eager to see him and to talk to you.”

“Bring her back. Cam, you and your lady need to wait in the hall. It’s becoming too crowded in here.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He escorted Sedona from the room as the doctor checked Julio’s ribs.

Soon, Maria followed the nurse toward the examination room. “Miss Hart, how is he?”

“I think Julio will be fine. The doctor is in with him now. Why don’t you go in? Julio’s ready to see you.”

“Will you wait? I want to know what happened and how.”

Sedona glanced at Cam, who nodded. He had to talk to Julio’s mom, anyway.

As soon as Maria entered the exam room, Cam drew Sedona into his arms and held her for a minute. One minute led to another, then another. At the end of the five-minute mark, he loosened his hold and looked into her beautiful eyes. “We agreed that most of our conversation would be over dinner tonight, but one piece can’t be delayed. I need a description of our perp to give David. How would you describe him?”

“Tall, about your height, more muscular than you.”

Cam winced. Sounded like he needed to hit the gym more often.

“I didn’t mean that as an insult.” She growled. “I’m not saying this right. His muscles are from pumping iron. Yours are from weightlifting and from actual use.”

Thank God. Although he’d done that while enlisted, Cam hated pumping iron. “All right. So, he’s tall and muscular. What color are his hair and eyes? What was he wearing?”

“Dark hair.”

“Short, long, or in between?”

“Military short. I don’t know his eye color. Do you?”

“Brown.”

“Show off,” she muttered.

“Clothes?”

“Blue jeans, a black hoodie, and motorcycle boots. What did you see?”

“Same.” He pulled out his phone and sent David a description of the perp.

Loud voices came from the examination room. A second later, Julio’s mother barreled out of the room, her eyes filled with rage as she lunged toward Sedona.

CHAPTER TEN

CAM CAUGHT THE furious mother before she laid her hands on Sedona. “Whoa, there, sister. You don’t want to do that.”

“Let me go. She let my baby fall into a lion enclosure. I will kill her for that.”

“Maria,” he said sharply. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Deputy Cam Sims of the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office.”

The woman pointed a finger at Sedona. “You’re a cop? You should arrest her. She tried to kill my baby.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not? You arrest people, don’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am, but Sedona didn’t try to kill Julio. No one told you what happened, did they?”

She shook her head.

“A man in a hoodie grabbed Julio and threw him into the lion enclosure. Sedona and I tried to stop him, but we were too far away to intervene. Without thought for her own safety, Sedona jumped into the lion enclosure and put herself between the lion and your son. I was right behind her, so I saw everything she did. Sedona pulled Julio to safety while I distracted the lion. If it hadn’t been for her quick thinking and actions, you can just imagine what would have happened to Julio. You owe her an enormous debt, ma’am, not threats.”

Maria’s furious expression morphed into one of amazement as her flushed cheeks slowly returned to normal. “Why would you do that?” she asked Sedona. “Why jump into what was likely certain death?”

“He’s one of my kids,” Sedona said simply. “I love them all, and I wasn’t about to lose one of them to someone’s evil scheme.”

Julio’s mother clamped her hand over her mouth. Seconds later, tears flowed down the woman’s cheeks.

Hoping it was safe to let the weeping woman go, Cam loosened his hold on her. Immediately, she closed in on Sedona and wrapped her in a hug.

“Thank you, Miss Hart. Thank you for saving my son. My children are my entire world.”

Sedona patted her back, a bemused expression on her face. “You’re welcome.”

The exam room door opened again. Anne Marie ignored Cam and Sedona. “Julio is asking for you, Mrs. Ramirez.”

“Of course.” Maria stepped back from Sedona. “Contact me later, and I’ll give you an update about Julio’s condition.”

“Thank you.” After the mother rushed back into the examination room, Sedona turned to Cam. “Well, that was fun. Not. What’s next on our agenda of non-stop fun things to do?”

He knew what he wanted to do. If Cam had any choice in the matter, he’d spirit her away from Maple Valley to a place Sedona had never been, a place he knew was secluded enough that he could control the entrances and exits and the perimeter. If he got her there, he knew she’d be safe.

Since he wasn’t there, and he couldn’t leave the area without permission from his new boss, he’d have to make do with going back to the station for interviews. After that, though, he intended to collect on Sedona’s promise to give him answers. If he failed, David would turn Elliot loose on Sedona.

A cold sweat broke out all over his body. No sane person wanted a run-in with Elliot Montgomery. Although Sedona didn’t get it, Cam knew Elliot’s reputation. When all other avenues failed and critical information was needed, the only name to call was Elliot Montgomery.

Sedona liked the deputy, and Cam would rather not hurt their friendship. Elliot was selective about who he allowed into his circle of friends. Sedona passed all the barriers to the sacred inner circle, and Cam didn’t want to mess with that.

So he did the adult thing. “Station. The sheriff needs to interview us in greater depth. More details mean he finds the men who hurt you and Julio faster.”

Sedona grinned as she fell into step beside him. “How much did saying that hurt?”

“More than I’m willing to admit.” He stopped in front of Wilkens. “Guard them with your life, Wilkens. The kid is my buddy.”

“Yes, sir.” Wilkens moved to take up a watch position directly across from the examination room.

Cam led them down the bustling hallway again, alert in case trouble broke out. His jaw flexed. Too many entrances and exits in a hospital for principals to be secure. This hospital was no different. Just too many ways she could be at risk of retaliation.

Instead of taking Sedona to the elevator, he changed direction and took her to the door marked “Exit”.

She didn’t say a word about the odd tactic. A welcome response, but also a curious one. The more he learned about Sedona Hart, the more questions he needed answered.

They quickly descended to the garage level, where Cam checked through the window before leading Sedona into the cavernous garage. A sheriff’s SUV waited for them. Wilkens would catch a ride with someone else when he was off duty.

Wrapping his arm around Sedona’s shoulders, he started the vehicle remotely and rushed her toward the passenger side. After helping her into the SUV, Cam slid behind the steering wheel.

They drove from the garage a minute later and headed toward the Morgan County Sheriff’s office.

They remained silent most of the way. When they were five minutes from the station, Sedona twisted in her seat to face him.

He glanced at her, then covered her hand with his. “What are you thinking?”

“I thought Maria and I were friends. But she would have physically tried to hurt me if you hadn’t stopped her.”

“I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have let her do that.”

She waved that aside. “That wasn’t my concern. I’m disappointed that someone I counted as a friend could turn on me so easily without hearing my side of the story. Who does that?”

Cam snorted. “Everyone in my world.”

“Yeah? Well, they used to do that in my corner of the world. I thought I had escaped that part of my past.” She gave a sad smile. “People are the same no matter where you go.”

Cam parked in the lot at the back of the station. After unbuckling, he remained where he was, slowly scanning the area.

“Are we planning to have David interview us out here?”

“Might be more comfortable than the interrogation room.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m waiting to see if anything changes or moves out here. I think we’re safe. Let’s get you inside the station.”

Cam came around the SUV and opened her door. “Stay beside me every step of the way. Don’t stop for anything. If something happens, do exactly what I tell you without question. Ready?”

“Let’s do it.”

He helped her onto the asphalt, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and hurried toward the back door of the station. Ten feet from the building, a loud pop shattered the stillness. Shards of asphalt flew up to Cam’s right as the shots continued to come closer and closer.

With Sedona clamped to his side, he sprinted the last few feet to the door held open by Deputy Hanover.

David propped his sniper rifle in position to return fire once he located his target.

Cam’s lips curved at the corners. Good luck with that. He’d taken a couple of minutes to find a shooter and struck out. Then again, he didn’t have a scope to his eye either.

As they crossed the threshold, David pulled the trigger just once. And then the shots ceased.

“Did you get him?” Cam asked his boss.

He grunted. “I tagged him. He moved at the last second.”

“Where was he shooting from?”

“I’ve got a pretty good idea. We’ll see when I send Hanover and Carrington to check it out.” David turned back from the door. “You guys all right?”

Cam turned to Sedona and scanned her from head to toe. No blood anywhere. “Well, Tiger?”

“I’m fine except for the shakes.”

“Adrenaline dump. It will pass.”

“What about you, Cam?” David asked.

“I’m good, sir.”

A nod from David, then he motioned for them to follow him. Soon, they trailed the sheriff into his office where he locked his sniper rifle into his gun safe, then gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. “Take a seat.”

“Aren’t we going to the interrogation room?” Cam knew that’s where he’d intended to take them.

“That depends on Sedona. If she spills whatever she knows voluntarily, we’ll stay in decent comfort. If she holds back, we’ll go to the interrogation room and wait for Elliot.” He bared his teeth in a fake smile. “However long it takes for him to finish what I assigned him to do.”

They’d be waiting a long time for the sheriff’s brother, and on top of that they’d have to endure a long interrogation, too. Great. David knew how to hit where it hurt the most.

Cam’s vision of a long, intimate dinner at the steakhouse faded to a mere shadow of its former glory. He wanted badly to have that date with Sedona. He also wanted, no, needed, that conversation where he learned things about her that no one else knew. That’s the level of intimacy Cam dreamed of having with this woman.

David cleared his throat, staring pointedly at him.

Oh, man. He knew that look. Trouble was his middle name today. He closed his eyes briefly, then manned up. “Sorry. I was distracted.”

“No kidding.”

Cam swallowed hard. “It won’t happen again.”

“Better not, Deputy. If it does, you will work nights until you’re ready for retirement. Am I making myself clear?”

“As glass, sir.”

“Report from the hospital on Julio?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

David’s eyes blazed. “I better not have heard that right, Sims.”

“I was driving, sir. No texting while driving. Sedona messaged Maria.”

The other man narrowed his eyes, then turned his gaze on Sedona. “Report. Now.”

“Julio is going to be fine. He has a couple of cracked ribs and a sprained wrist. Otherwise, he’s perfect.”

Relief flooded Cam. What great news! He feared his buddy had internal injuries. To find out that he didn’t have serious injuries was the best thing Cam had heard in a long time.

David dropped into his chair and leaned his head back. “Thank God. I thought he would be in the operating room right now.”

“Same. When can we expect Elliot?”

“In the next thirty minutes. Tell me what you want for lunch, and we’ll have it delivered.”

Cam turned to Sedona. “This does not substitute for our date tonight. I want that understood before we order.”

She laughed. “Got it.”

“Good. Now, what would you like for lunch?”

Sedona shrugged. “I’m not picky. A cheeseburger and fries works for me if a vanilla shake comes with them.”

That sounded good to him, too. “Two cheeseburgers with the works, fries, and two vanilla shakes.”

“That sounds good to me, too.” He walked to his office door. “Esther, I have a lunch order for you to call in.”

While he and his assistant talked about food, Cam turned toward Sedona. Her arms were wrapped around her middle, and her lips chattered. He tugged her gently to her feet and pulled her into his arms.

She moaned. “Oh, man. You’re warm. That’s it, Cam. I’m claiming you and your body heat for my own.”

He chuckled and tightened his grip on her. “Guess I’ll have to stay close so you can collect.”

A moment later, David returned and pulled up short. “Got something to tell me, Sims?”

“We’re dating, sir.”

“Is that right? How long has this relationship been going on?”

Cam glanced at his watch. “About four hours.”

“And you both jumped into a lion enclosure minutes after you got together?”

“Yes, sir.”

“First, you’re both nuts for doing that. Second, congratulations on the relationship. Third, if you do anything to hurt Sedona, you’ll be a kitty treat. I will personally lock you in that lion enclosure and make sure Sedona isn’t there to rescue you. Am I clear, Sims?”

“Absolutely, sir.”

“Good, because I’d hate to lose my new deputy because of his own foolishness.”

“Copy that, sir.”

“If you can let go of the lady long enough, take a seat.”

“She’s cold, David. Adrenaline dump.”

“Ah. Hold on a second.” The sheriff left the office and returned a moment later with a blanket, which he handed to Cam. “This should help.”

He wrapped the blanket around Sedona, then pulled her back into his embrace. “Give me a couple of minutes, David.”

His boss’ eyebrows soared. “This is my office.”

“Have a heart, sir.” For his sake, if not for Sedona’s.

The sheriff rolled his eyes. “You have two minutes to the second, Sims. Make good use of them.”

“Copy that, sir.”

Cam eased Sedona even closer and coasted his hand up and down her back until he felt her muscles relax. “Better?” he murmured.

“Oh, yes. I wish I had an internal heater like you seem to have.”

“You’re welcome to indulge in my hugs anytime you want.”

After a brisk knock, David stepped back into his office and sat in his chair. “Take a seat, please.” He grabbed his notebook and pen. “Let’s begin.”

For the next two hours, David grilled Sedona, taking her through her escape from the kidnappers several more times, including any reference to Simpson. Although he poked and prodded her memory of events when she was kidnapped, David got nowhere. That knowledge was a black hole in her memory.

That worried Cam. Why did she have a gap in her memory? She’d complained of a headache but little else. He scowled. But he’d seen bruises on her face and the telltale bruises on her neck. One of those bozos had put his hands around her neck and choked her. He wouldn’t forget that.

When David was satisfied that he’d gleaned every scrap of information Sedona could remember, he turned his attention to Cam. He grinned. “Your turn for the fun.”

“Yeah. Fun times.” Cam sighed. “Let’s do this.”

They reviewed every detail over and over until Cam was on the verge of telling off his new boss, which wouldn’t have been a wise move. He needed to get Sedona out of the station and to his safe place. “What do you think, sir? Were the two incidents a coincidence, or are we looking at something much more serious?”

“You know the answer to that question.”

Cam swallowed hard. “I was hoping you’d tell me I’m wrong.”

“Sorry, my friend. You’re not.”

Both men looked at Sedona.

“What?” she asked, looking from one man to the other.

“Anything different happen in the past few days?”

She opened her mouth to speak, stopped, and frowned instead.

“Sedona?” Cam covered her hand with his. He deliberately kept his voice low and soothing. “What is it? Do you remember anything?”

“I remember nothing, but I feel like I should remember an incident, like something happened, and it’s important that I tell you what it is. But there’s this black hole where a memory should be. I need to tell you something, but I can’t remember what.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

SEDONA GROWLED. “WHY can’t I remember?” This was ridiculous. She usually had excellent recall, so why couldn’t she remember what was nagging at her?

Cam and David exchanged grim glances but said nothing.

Oh, no. She wasn’t letting any explanation for the hole in her memory slip by without at least hearing it. “Let’s hear it, boys. You obviously have some idea why my memory is sketchy, so I want to know what you think.” She prayed what happened hadn’t damaged her brain.

David gave Cam a chin lift.

Cam grimaced.

Sedona narrowed her eyes. “Someone had better talk before I’m ticked off.” She was running out of patience and half terrified of the explanation.

“Look, whatever we tell you is purely speculation unless you remember significant details that discount our theory. There’s an easy, logical explanation for the gap in your memory.”

“Which is?”

He swallowed hard. “Ketamine.”

She stilled. “Isn’t that used on animals?”

“Yeah. People, too. When it’s used on people, Special K can cause significant memory loss.”

“How will I know if I was drugged?”

“The ER doctor sent a blood sample to the lab. Hopefully, that will give us the proof we need to confirm or deny the use of a drug to subdue you.”

Sedona thought about that for a few seconds. “How is the drug administered?”

“Capsule, IV, or a shot.”

A spark of memory flashed through her mind too fast to grasp and examine. One thing was clear, though. She remembered the pain in her neck. Her gaze locked with Cam’s. “Check my neck.”

Cam scowled as his gaze dropped to her neck. “I know about the bruises.”

“Bruises?” She frowned. “Why do I have bruises?” Another memory sparked. Serpent was angry. His hard hands squeezed her neck. She had thought he would kill her. “This isn’t about those. When you mentioned someone possibly drugging me with Ketamine, a memory sparked of pain in my neck. I’m not even sure if it’s real.”

David went to his filing cabinet and opened the top drawer. A moment later, he pulled out a flashlight. “Which side?”

“Right.” Would the men find anything, or was she imagining the pain?

David stepped closer to Sedona. “I’ll hold the flashlight. You examine her neck.”

After a slight nod, Cam focused on Sedona. “May I touch your neck and face?”

Her eyes flooded with tears as she nodded. He was so careful with her. From seeing him in action for several weeks, she knew that was his norm with female victims or witnesses. Suspects were another matter. The interrogation room was the great equalizer.

“Are you sure, Sedona?” he whispered. “I’ll understand if you would rather no one touch you. I can work around it. I only want to give your neck support for a couple of minutes.”

She rested her hand over his heart. “It’s fine. I’m not in a panic. I won’t run.”

“I haven’t touched you yet.”

“Do it. You’ll see.” Would Cam take her word or assume she couldn’t handle it and come up with another solution?

After a moment spent looking into her eyes, Cam nodded slightly and slowly moved his left hand toward Sedona’s face until his hand settled on the left side of her neck. “Shine the light here,” he said to David.

The next several minutes were nerve-racking for Sedona, but not in the way Cam had expected. Her problem was not that she didn’t want a man to touch her. Nope, her problem was she wanted just one man to touch her, Cam Sims. She ought to tell him that soon. Talk about putting yourself out there. Worth it, though.

Cam’s hold on her neck was gentle. No pressure, just warmth and comfort, and a light bright enough to illuminate an entire city. She squinted against the brightness.

“Close your eyes,” Cam said, although he didn’t take his attention from his task.

“Why is it so bright?”

“We use it on patrol. Lights up dark spaces, and in a pinch serves as a weapon.”

“A multiuse tool, huh?”

“Everything we carry can be a weapon if you know what to do with it.”

His thumb stroked her skin, causing her to shiver. Wow.

Cam froze. “Everything okay?”

She almost purred. “Oh, yes. Feels good.”

His gaze jumped to hers as David chuckled. “You’re quite a distraction. Close your eyes for me. David, move the light to the right.”

The second Sedona obeyed the order, she knew it was a mistake. No visual stimulation meant all other senses were heightened, including feeling Cam’s touch against her skin. She felt when Cam discovered something.

His muscles stiffened. “David, look at this.”

After a period of silence, the sheriff sighed. “I agree.”

Sedona turned her head to look up at Cam. “What is it?”

“Signs of an injection. You were right. Someone drugged you.”

Relief that she hadn’t imagined the pain of the needle entering her muscle caused Sedona’s knees to weaken.

Cam caught her and pulled her against him. “Hey, are you all right?”

She nodded. “Just relieved I didn’t imagine the shot.”

David said, “Until the hospital lab processes your blood sample, we won’t know what the kidnappers pumped into your system.”

“How long will that take?”

“Don’t know.” He circled his desk to sit in his office chair. “I’ll call and give them a push.”

David pulled out his phone and tapped out the number. In seconds, he was talking to one of the lab techs. A minute later, he ended the call. “They’ll have the results in an hour. We would have already had them, but the tech originally assigned to the case had to leave because of a sick child.”

The block of ice in her stomach melted. “Good. Thanks for checking on it.”

“Sure.” The sheriff shifted his attention to Cam. “You’re off duty until I tell you otherwise.”

Cam said nothing for several long seconds. “Why, sir?”

“You look like a man who never leaves a job undone. Am I correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

He gave a slight nod. “Then you won’t be able to concentrate on your patrol duties if you’re separated from Sedona. Am I correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“So, how do you want to handle this?”

“I’ll protect Sedona until the person behind the kidnapping is in jail.”

David studied his face a moment, then said, “Agreed as long as you have backup and are available for Search and Rescue operations should we have need of you.”

“Copy that, sir.”

Sedona frowned. “Wait a minute. Why do you want him available for SAR operations?”

Amusement filled his eyes. “You don’t know?”

Her cheeks burned. What secret had Cam been keeping? “Obviously not. What have I missed?”

“Your boyfriend is an expert tracker.”

Her head whipped toward Cam. “No kidding?”

He held up his hand. “Truth.”

“Where did you learn to do that?”

“My grandfather taught me. The Army did the rest.”

“Is that how you found me so quickly? You tracked me?”

“In a way.” He shrugged. “A tech at Fortress Security tracked your phone and sent me the information.”

Once again, she acknowledged how fortunate she was. If the men had realized she still had her phone, they might have confiscated it. That would have meant a long, chilly night spent in a tree, praying the kidnappers would give up. “I’m glad you found me.”

He relaxed. “So am I, Tiger.”

His reaction puzzled Sedona. Cam acted as if he feared she would reject him. Why? She’d have to think about it. He must have had a reason.

“Back to my original question,” David said. “You plan to set yourself up as Sedona’s bodyguard. You know you can’t be distracted, and buddy, the lady definitely distracts you.”

Cam inclined his head. “I can’t deny it.”

“Knowing you, you have a plan. So let’s hear it. How do you plan to handle Sedona’s security?

“Draft help from men that I trust with my life.”

The sheriff frowned. “Who are we talking about?”

“Dario Lawson, Rhys Maldonado, Spencer Alford, and Isaac Barker. They were part of my military unit. I trust them to watch my six and Sedona’s.”

“If I run a background check on them, what will I find?”

“The same as mine.”

“Lots of reports of your exploits with ninety-nine percent of it redacted?”

Cam shrugged. “Same as all you Montgomerys.”

“You’re not wrong. If your team agrees to come, where are you taking Sedona?”

“An old Army buddy of mine has a friend with a really pleasant cabin, a three-story structure.”

“No.”

Both men turned to stare at her. “No?” Cam threaded his fingers through hers and motioned toward one of the visitor chairs. When she settled into one, he took the other. “You’ve already been kidnapped, Sedona. Even though we caught the three men, they weren’t the brains behind the plan. Someone is out to hurt you, and I refuse to let that happen.”

“I’m staying here. I have responsibilities at school, and I’m still cleaning out that monstrosity of a house, and one of my half-sisters is supposed to arrive at the end of the week. I don’t want her to see the house looking like someone from The Hoarders lived in there.”

“There are such things as substitutes, you know,” David snapped. “What’s more important, Sedona? Showing up at school where you will draw danger to your kids or protecting them by staying away?”

“That’s not fair.” How did she balance the conflicting needs of her life? Those children needed her, but David was right. If she did her job, the children might pay the price, like Julio did. Why would anyone throw an innocent child into a lion’s enclosure just to get at her? Made little sense. What if the man who sent the three kidnappers after her hired more thugs to grab her? What if this time Cam interfered with their plans?

Tears burned in her eyes. He could die because there was no doubt in her mind that Cam would do his best to stop these men, but he would likely be outnumbered just like she was with the three kidnappers.

Cam’s brows knitted. “Hey, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”

Sedona shook her head and swiped at her eyes. “No, Cam. It’s me.”

“Tell me. Please.”

“You’re planning to stay with me full-time, right?”

“You bet.” He stilled. “Unless you don’t want me.”

Oh, no. He wasn’t going there. She wouldn’t let him. If only he knew the truth. “I’ll always want you. What worries me is that the mastermind understands you will stand between me and danger.”

“Absolutely.”

“I’m afraid he’ll devise a plan to trap or kill you in order to get me.”

His lips curved. “I’m counting on it.”

She stared. “Are you nuts?”

“Jury’s still out on that.”

The sheriff cleared his throat. “You know what he was in the military, right, Sedona?”

She caught that tone, the one that said she’d missed something important and David was reluctant to tell her the truth. She’d heard that same tone of voice when the rest of the Montgomery brothers were worried about their wives being upset. All right, worrying about how their wives took some upsetting piece of news earned them brownie points in her mind. But treating her as though she were a dunce? Nope, not happening.

Sedona raised her chin to look David square in the eyes. “I know he was Special Forces. More specifically, he was Delta Force, the Cowboys of the Army.”

“Do you know what that means?”

“He’ll find a way to reach his objective and complete the mission. The mission is all. No backing down, no giving up. Just do it.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll stop before I sound even more like a shoe commercial.”

Both men laughed. Cam squeezed her fingers with his. “Here’s what you need to remember. If they come to me, we’re on my turf with my rules. If I go after them, they have the advantage. Their rules, their location, their game. I’d rather they came to me.”

She thought for a moment about what he said. “You’re setting a trap for them.”

He winked. “Very good. I knew I had chosen a smart woman.”

“This smart woman took too long to figure out that you were setting yourself up to control the game. You’ll play the victim, then turn the tables on them.”

“Excellent.” Cam beamed.

“I don’t like it.”

David whistled. “Hate to stop a good fight, but I still have questions, and no one is leaving until those questions are answered.”

Sedona grimaced. “Really? Come on, David. Have some pity on me. My head hurts, and I want to go home, even if I have to wade through all the junk Grandfather left me.”

“Nope. I’m all out of pity today.”

Great. Not. She wasn’t joking about the headache. Not only that, but her cheek throbbed like mad and her face felt funny. If she had to guess, Sedona would say that her face was swelling and turning colors like her neck.

Cam kept his hold on her hand as he sat down to face his boss. “What questions, sir?”

“Not you, Sims. I have questions for your lady.”

Of course he did. “What do you want to know?”

“An onlooker recorded the whole incident with the lion enclosure.”

She stared. “You’re kidding.”

“Afraid not. He was recording the lions for his son, who is crazy about the big cats.”

“Wow. Lucky me.” Oh, man. She swallowed hard. “What do you want to know?”

“I saw what you did.” David rose, placed his hands on the desk and leaned toward her. “You knew exactly what to do against a deadly predator. So, tell me, Sedona, how did you know what to do to save yourself, your boyfriend, and your student?”

CHAPTER TWELVE

CAM FELT SEDONA’S slight recoil and squeezed her fingers to encourage her to spill the information. Truthfully, he was dying to know how a kindergarten teacher learned enough about lions and lion enclosures to save their lives. He doubted she had studied the subject despite her habit of having a book or eBook at hand wherever she went. So where did she learn to tame the beast?

“I don’t want to tell you,” she whispered.

David continued to stare hard at Sedona. “You don’t have a choice. Look, the Montgomery wives will have my hide if I toss you in jail, but if you hold out on me, I won’t have a choice. Are you hearing me, Sedona? Don’t make me arrest you.”

Another squeeze of her fingers from Cam. “Look at me, Sedona,” he urged. When she complied, he cupped her nape and drew her closer to him. “This was going to be part of our dinner conversation. Now, we’ll get to talk about something more fun on our date, and believe me, I have a list of things I want to know about you. But before we get to the fun questions, we need to talk. We have to finish this discussion before I can whisper sweet nothings in your ear.”

Sedona laughed. “Sweet nothings?”

He chuckled. “It made you laugh, and that’s what I was after.” Cam sobered. “Ignore David. Forget he’s in the room. Focus on me. It’s just you and me here.”

The minute she did as he asked, every muscle in her body seemed to melt into his. Thank God. Hopefully, her mind would be open to talking about these obviously painful things in her past. “Tell me how you knew what to do with the lions, Tiger.”

She started to turn her head toward David.

“No, look at me. Focus on me. You saved my life. I was planning to grab my weapon and take down that cat. You saved his life, too. To kill a beautiful animal like that would have been a real shame. So, tell me how you knew what to do.”

“I used to be part of the circus.”

Cam stared. Of all the things he’d expected her to say, being part of the circus wasn’t even on the list. “You worked for the circus?”

She nodded.

“How long?”

“Years,” she said simply. “They’re my family.”

“Your parents were circus performers?”

She shook her head.

“What happened to your parents, Sedona?”

“I never met my father. He and Mom were never a couple. They were together until the fun wore off. By that time, Mom was pregnant with me, and my father never wanted to be a dad. He died when I was three.

“Mom was quite the free spirit when she was young and beautiful. After she had me, Mom didn’t want the responsibility of raising a child, so she dropped me off with her sister. From the time I was three days old, it was just me and Aunt Norma Jean.” She frowned. “The day I turned thirteen was the worst day of my life. Norma Jean told me she had cancer. Pancreatic, and it was bad. We had almost no time left.”

“I’m sorry, Sedona,” Cam said. “How did you end up with the circus?”

“With my mom not in the picture, I had only one relative.” She smiled. “Norma Jean Hart. Aunt Norma Jean lived and worked in the circus, so I did, too.”

Cam shook his head. “That sounds like every kid’s dream.”

“That’s the truth. In a family, you have to know how to recognize the ones who are good, kind-hearted people who care about others. Then there are the others who are evil and seek to do harm to others. Even the circus has its share of rotten apples.” She sighed. “Anyway, Norma Jean figured I was old enough to decide about guardianship. She gave me a list of performers willing to be my guardian until I turned eighteen. I chose Amita Moran.”

“What was her specialty?”

“High-wire. She and Norma Jean often performed together. They were very good. I watched them for years and never saw either of them make a mistake.”

“Amazing,” David muttered.

“Yeah, they were. Anyway, after Norma Jean passed, Amita raised me until I turned eighteen. Even though she said I could stay with her as long as I wanted, I felt like I’d taken advantage of her hospitality long enough. Plus, I wanted to go to college.” Her face lit up. “I wanted to be a teacher to help kids like me make it through life. So, I read everything I could get my hands on about applying for scholarships and choosing a college. I settled on Bridgeport University.”

His eyebrows soared. The school had an impeccable reputation, and even the news media raved about the education program. Their graduates were consistently in the top five best teachers in the school from their first year in the classroom. More importantly, their students learned and scored high on their achievement tests. “The school’s reputation is amazing. I also hear the tuition is pricey. How did you swing it?”

“Scholarships and working two part-time jobs. How do you know about Bridgeport? I told no one about that part of my life.”

“I thought about applying to Bridgeport myself, but decided to enlist in the Army instead.”

“There’s something you should know about Fortress,” David said. “They tear apart the lives of potential employees and anyone connected to them. It’s a security protocol.”

Sedona narrowed her eyes to slits. “You’re telling me that your boss dug through my personal files?”

“Those security precautions protect Em and our baby.”

She thought about that for a minute, then said, “I’ll let you slide on that basis alone. However, I want it on record that I don’t appreciate Fortress being nosy.”

“I’ll pass that along.”

“Let’s get back on track.” Cam brushed his thumb over her knuckles again. “Sedona, before you attended college, you lived and worked with the circus. You never said what your specialty was.”

“My aunt and my guardian were both high-wire artists. I followed in their footsteps. Literally.”

When he realized what Sedona was saying, Cam felt the blood drain from his cheeks. High-wire? His woman had worked as a high-wire artist? He wanted to assume Sedona worked with a net under her the whole time, although he was also pretty sure they took the nets away after a certain period.

He shuddered. While he lived, there would never be a time when it was acceptable for Sedona to work without a net. “Please tell me you don’t do that anymore.”

She flashed an amused glance at him. “Not since I earned my first paycheck as a teacher.”

“Thank God,” he muttered.

The sheriff cleared his throat. “I still need clarification. You worked the high-wire act in the circus. That doesn’t explain how you knew what to do in the lion enclosure. Talk to me, Sedona. When you finish telling me the story, you and Cam are one step closer to leaving. Did you work with the lions and the high-wire?”

“I dated the man who worked with lions. Arnie made sure that I knew what to do in case some cats got loose.”

“You dated the lion tamer, huh?” Cam scowled. He hoped she preferred the Army’s Cowboys rather than lion tamers. “Was he any good?”

Sedona’s eyes glittered with amusement. “No accidents, or visits to the hospital or morgue.”

He grunted. “Heard from him lately?”

Rather than answer what he considered a polite inquiry, she laughed.

“Give it up,” David said, shaking his head. “You’ll convince no one that you’re just asking innocent questions.” He turned to Sedona. “What he’s failing so miserably to ask is if you are still seeing this lion tamer?”

“No way, and I don’t plan to either.”

The knot in Cam’s stomach loosened. “Do you know where he is?”

Sedona actually rolled her eyes. “You remember he works for the circus, right? We move on to another town after a few days. I have no way of knowing where he is at the moment unless I ask around, and I haven’t inquired about him for years.”

But she knew something. He knew it in his gut. “How do you know he’s still with the circus, Sedona? How would you contact him if you needed to talk to him?”

“I’d send him an email.”

“Give me his name and email address,” David said. “Also his birthday, if you know it, and any other information that will help me decide if I’ve got the right guy.”

She scowled at him. “Why would I help you hurt a friend?”

David flinched.

Most people wouldn’t have noticed the small reaction unless they had spent a lot of time with the sheriff. Cam had spent many hours training with the Montgomery brothers and had learned their tells. “Sedona,” he murmured.

“No, it’s okay,” David said, disappointment showing in his eyes. “The reaction isn’t unusual.”

Sedona held up her hand. “No, it’s not right. I’m sorry, David. That’s an ingrained reaction learned from my friends in the circus. Usually, people don’t trust us. If burglaries pick up in a town while we’re there, the police usually come to question us.”

“If that’s what happened to you and your friends, that’s wrong on our part. We’re wrong for suspecting circus performers with no basis for the accusations.”

“I can’t say you’re wrong,” she admitted. “Most circus performers are honest, hard-working people. But there are a handful who want to make a quick score before they leave town.”

“Is your boyfriend one of those who wants to make a quick score?”

“Ex-boyfriend,” Cam said. Both of them ignored him.

“He was. That’s part of the reason I broke up with him. I was afraid it would keep me out of college, and college was my way out of that life.”

“Did he try to stop you from leaving him?”

She tried to withdraw her hand from Cam’s hold. He wouldn’t let her. So this was a sore spot. What had the lion tamer done to Sedona? “He hurt you, didn’t he?”

She gave a slight nod.

“What did he do?” And how quickly could he locate this jerk and have a chat with him?

“Nothing you need to be concerned about, Cam. It’s in the past, where it belongs.”

He stared at her. The intimidation tactic didn’t work. She easily ignored him. He’d have to work on his mean stare.

“You should reconsider Cam’s offer of relocation,” David said.

“Why?”

“Someone wants to know what you know. I just received a message from Levi. Someone broke into your house and had a field day with the stacks around the place, then went to your school classroom and did the same thing.”

“My classroom?” Sedona surged to her feet and headed for the door. “It’s broad daylight and school is in full swing. I need to clean it up before the kids see it.”

“You can’t.” Cam stepped in front of her. Interesting that she would be more concerned about her classroom than her enormous home.

“It’s my classroom.”

“Wrong. It’s now a crime scene.” Cam drew Sedona into his arms and hugged her. “I know you’re upset, but you have to let us do our jobs.”

She pushed against him to move him aside, to no avail. “You’re kidding, right? I can go into my own classroom.”

“Of course you can. After I’ve processed it.” David leaned against his desk, folding his arms across his chest. “Not one second before.”

Sedona planted her hands on her hips. “What about my students? I don’t want them to see my classroom torn apart either by the people who broke in or by the police.” She glared at David. “And before you get your feelings hurt again, I don’t want my students to assume the police messed up our room.”

His fierce expression softened. “We’ll explain. Look, I’m sorry, Sedona, but it’s not safe for you to go back to school until we know who sent those men after you.”

“Think about your students.” Cam tightened his arms around her. “You were right, you know. These guys are desperate for information, and they won’t think twice about using your students to get your cooperation. Allowing a substitute to fill in for you will protect those kids. If you’re at school, you’ll draw more kidnappers to you.”

She sighed. “Wow. Don’t be afraid to tell me how you really feel.”

“Hey, do you want me to be honest or to lie to you?”

“Be honest always. If you can’t tell me something because of security reasons, just tell me that rather than making something up.”

“Deal.” Without breaking eye contact with her, he said, “Need anything else from me, boss?”

“I need to know where you’ll be. If you’re wise, you won’t go too far afield. If you’re close, my brothers and I will respond in minutes. We’ll still respond if you’re out in the boonies, but the response time won’t be ideal. Might mean the difference between life and death.”

“Got any suggestions?” His boss had better not suggest they go to the Rocking M, the huge cattle operation he and his brothers ran on the side. Their wives and kids were on the property, too. No way would he take Sedona to a place with children. She would never agree to that.

“Are you bringing in your team, Cam?”

“Yes, sir. I need help, and there’s no one I trust more than my teammates.”

“All right.” David pushed away from his desk. “Give me a minute to check on something.”

While the sheriff had a low-voiced conversation with someone, Cam scanned Sedona’s face. “Are you okay?”

“Not really. Who could do this, Cam? Who wants to get to me so much that they’re willing to endanger innocent children?”

“I don’t know, but I promise you I will find out. That will be my team’s new mission.”

“Are you sure they’ll come help?”

His mouth curved. Sitting on the sidelines while a friend was in the line of fire wasn’t in their DNA. “Yeah, Tiger, I’m sure.”

David ended his call and slid the phone into his pocket. “Got it.”

“Where?”

“Outside of town. Emma’s family home is available for this purpose. Fortress uses it occasionally for its own version of Witness Protection.”

His mind immediately brought up a picture of a two-story home with simple landscaping and a kitchen worthy of the best five-star chef. Too bad most of their unit couldn’t cook. “That’s perfect, sir. Thanks for the help.”

“Get your unit moving. The sooner they’re in place, the better.”

“Copy that, sir. Is there a place I can take Sedona while I contact my teammates?”

“Interrogation Room Two is open, and it’s more secure than an office.”

Too many windows. “Thanks.” He opened the office door and stepped into the bullpen. A quick scan of the room showed that no one was paying attention to them.

Cam reached back for Sedona’s hand and walked with her to the interrogation room. His skin crawled with every step they took away from the sheriff’s office, and that caused some concern. He thought he could trust his coworkers. His gut told him he should do more investigating before trusting any of these officers with Sedona’s life.

As soon as he closed the door, some of the invisible spiders crawling on his back disappeared. Not all, though. That wasn’t good. He needed to get Sedona out of this station as soon as possible.

Cam pressed his finger to his lips and searched the room for bugs. He swallowed hard when he found two. David would hit the roof over this. After disposing of the electronic listening devices, he turned his attention to the camera. In place and off.

He breathed easier. “It’s okay to talk now. Sorry about that, but if I’m to keep you safe, I can’t slip up on basic protection protocols. Rule number one is to make sure you don’t tell anyone your plans, especially your location. You never know who might be listening.”

“What now?”

“Now, we call in The Thunderhawks.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

AFTER MAKING THE quick trip to Emma Montgomery’s childhood home, Cam monitored their surroundings from the picture window in the living room. Shouldn’t be long before his teammates arrived. He admitted to himself that he’d be more comfortable with men he trusted at his back.

He’d been right about David’s reaction to the bugs in Interrogation Room Two. Ticked off was a mild description of his friend’s explosion. He vowed to track down the culprit responsible for the listening devices, no matter how long it took. When he did, the guilty party could expect immediate walking papers.

Cam frowned. Why would anyone plant bugs inside the interrogation rooms? Anything the police learned in those rooms would be suspect. Not only that, but he suspected the two bugs he found wouldn’t be the last ones. It was just too easy to plant listening devices and scoop up information about future raids and planned busts all over the county. No wonder the deputies had come up empty on their raids for the past few months. No one had thought to look for electronic surveillance as a reason the usual tactics failed.

A sudden surge of energy and a loosening of his muscles signaled to Cam that his teammates were near. He turned away from the picture window and headed toward the kitchen.

Sedona looked up from Cam’s laptop. “Everything all right?”

“My team is here.”

“How do you know?”

He shrugged. Explaining the way his awareness shifted when they were near? Impossible. He couldn’t explain without sounding like someone who didn’t have all his faculties. Sometimes he wondered if he had it all together, but he had depended on those internal nudges to keep himself and his teammates alive. He wouldn’t doubt them now.

Sedona rolled her eyes. “It’s too difficult to put into words, right? Let’s try this. Why are you going to the kitchen?”

“The team won’t announce themselves at the front door.” They never had. Doing so on a mission was a good way to die. He still didn’t plan to die today, not when he was hours away from his first date with Sedona. “Want to meet them?”

Her smile was like the sunrise, bright and beautiful. “I’d love to meet your friends.”

He tugged Sedona to her feet and walked with her to the kitchen. In case he was wrong, Cam signaled for her to wait in the entryway. If this wasn’t Thunderhawk, she was to run and not look back while he took care of business. He wasn’t worried that he wouldn’t be able to find her again. Finding people was what his team did.

Cam pressed his back to the wall and eased the curtain aside enough to scan the area. Nothing, just as he’d expected.

Seconds later, one shadow after another separated itself from the darkness of the woods at the rear of the house. They stopped twenty feet from the house and waited for an invitation to come inside.

Cam opened the back door and gave the signal his friends were waiting to see. He stepped back into the kitchen and waited, weapon up and aimed at the door until he was sure.

They entered the home in single file, silent, alert, and armed to the teeth.

Dario greeted Cam with a chin lift. “Sir.” The rest of the team followed his lead.

“Good to see all of you. Thank you for coming to help.”

“We couldn’t let you have all the fun.” Spencer, their medic, grinned, then shifted his gaze to Sedona. “Introduce us to the pretty lady.”

He squashed the sudden jealousy. Cam knew his men. They’d shed blood for each other. Thunderhawk also knew how he felt about Sedona. No way would one of his friends set his sights on her for himself. “This is Sedona Hart. Tiger, these are my teammates.” He pointed at each one as he introduced them. “Dario, Rhys, Spencer, and Isaac. Spencer is our medic.”

“Do the rest of you have specialties?”

Dario inclined his head. “I like to blow things up, ma’am.”

Sedona looked puzzled for a moment, then said, “Oh. You must be EOD.”

“That’s right. How did you know that?”

“Buddy, I’m a teacher. I read everything. You never know what questions kids ask these days, and I like to be prepared.”

Rhys went next. “I’m a spotter, ma’am.”

A moment passed before Sedona said, “Who do you spot for?”

Oh, yeah. Cam sighed. His woman was sharp. He had to give her points for that. Was he about to lose the best woman to walk into his life? When Rhys glanced at him, Cam gave a slight nod. Better to know now than fall deeper for Sedona only for her to dump him and stomp all over his heart.

“I spot for Cam and Isaac, ma’am.”

She rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m too young for you to call me ma’am. My students call me ma’am because we’re trying to teach them manners and respect for their elders. When you do it, I feel ancient. What’s wrong with using my name?”

“Not a thing, ma’am. Uh, Sedona.”

She shook her head, amusement lighting her eyes as she turned to Isaac. “So, you’re a sniper.”

“Yes, ma’am, Sedona. Sorry,” he apologized, holding himself at attention.

Cam realized Isaac expected Sedona to be like many others who had called all of them baby killers and mercenaries for hire to the highest bidder. Those same people spat on them when they came home from grueling missions that took everything they had to complete because failure wasn’t an option.

Sedona held out her hand and shook his. “Thank you for what you did to protect us all.”

Isaac stared. “You don’t hate me?”

“Why would I? I’m glad someone is doing the job so those who want to hurt us all can’t come here and kill innocents like my students.”

“I…thank you, Sedona.”

“You’re welcome.” She turned to Cam. “Where are the rest?”

“This is it.” Would she kick him to the curb for trusting her safety to a small team rather than bringing in an entire unit?

“Okay.”

Cam exchanged wary glances with his teammates, then refocused on Sedona. “That’s it? Just ‘Okay’?”

She held up one finger. “Actually, no.”

Here it comes. “Let’s hear it.”

Instead of talking to Cam, she included Thunderhawk. “Do any of you cook?”

The silence seemed as loud as thunder in the kitchen. Finally, Dario held up his hand. “I can hold my own, ma’am. I’m no professional chef, but what I fix is usually edible.”

“You’re hired as my helper.” She smiled at the others who were shuffling their feet. The relief on their faces was obvious. “The rest of you are on dish duty.”

Their expressions darkened.

“What is dish duty?” Spencer looked at his hands. “I can’t damage these magic hands.” He winked at her.

Cam glared at his friend.

“Tough, buddy. If Dario and I have to cook, the rest of you will clean up the kitchen and table afterward. If you don’t work, you don’t eat. Simple rule.”

“Man, Cam, she’s a tough one.” Rhys chuckled. “She reminds me of you.”

“You have seen nothing yet. Sedona can keep thirty kindergartners in line and make it look easy. We’re nothing compared to those munchkins.”

Sedona motioned to the table. “Sit down. Coffee will be ready in a few minutes, and I might come up with a meal if you’re hungry.”

“Anything easy, ma’am.” Isaac smiled.

“Sedona,” she corrected. “My name is Sedona.”

He glanced at Cam, who gave him a nod of permission, before he said, “Sedona, anything easy will be great. We’ve eaten and survived MREs. We’re happy with whatever you give us.”

“I hope my half-sisters will be as accommodating.”

“Half-sisters?”

She waved them toward the table. “It’s a long story.”

“We’ve got nothing but time,” Rhys said.

“We’ll get to a place where we don’t have time soon.” Cam measured out the coffee. “Did you catch anything on the Internet?”

“Plenty, and none of it’s good.”

He paused for a few seconds, then grabbed the carafe and filled it with water. “Let’s hear it.”

“There’s a posting on the dark web for The Collector.”

Cam stilled. “You’re sure?”

Rhys gave a curt nod. “Sorry, man. There’s no doubt. They’re asking The Collector to contact them for an HVT. The fee is negotiable.”

So, that’s how it would be, huh? If this man thought he would put his hands on Cam’s woman, he would be disappointed. He had no intention of allowing anyone to take Sedona away from him. The only way they’d be separated from now on was by Sedona’s choice, and he wouldn’t give her that option until she was safe.

“The fee is negotiable?” Sedona frowned. “What does that mean?”

“No limit on the fee.”

She swallowed hard. “Is that bad news?”

“It’s the worst thing they could have said.”

“Why? What does it mean?”

“They’ll pay any amount of money for The Collector to take the job.”

“And I’m the job?”

No one answered. They didn’t have to.

“What’s the plan?” Dario asked.

“What we always do. We protect what’s ours. Period.”

Spencer frowned. “Wait. What about Sedona’s sisters? The Collector isn’t above using them to get what he wants.”

“At the moment, none of them are in Maple Valley.” Sedona wrinkled her nose.

“Where are they?” Cam asked.

“Wherever they have been living. After what I’ve been through in the past twenty-four hours, I’m grateful they’re not here. I just met them a few days ago, but I don’t want them caught up in anything like this.”

“I understand.”

His teammates, however, exchanged puzzled glances. “We don’t.” Dario folded his arms across his massive chest. “How about letting us in on the secret?”

“This is a weird situation,” Sedona said. “The short version is my mother was a serial dater and had children by five or six men. DNA results haven’t come back on the sixth girl. Anyway, instead of bringing the girls home and raising them with a family member’s help, my mother, Laura, dumped the kids with child welfare wherever she had them, except for me. None of us knew about the other sisters. Good old Mom didn’t tell anyone, including her father, William Hart.”

Cam’s teammates watched Sedona with sympathy in their eyes. That’s not what he wanted for her, nor was it what she sought. He could tell by the tilt of her stubborn little chin that she’d caught their sympathy and hadn’t liked it one bit.

“I’m fine,” she snapped. “I’m not like the others. I didn’t grow up in the system.”

He didn’t think Sedona was telling the truth about being all right, but this wasn’t the time to chase that rabbit.

Sedona drew a deep breath and plunged ahead with her tale. “Two months ago, my sisters and I received letters from a lawyer, informing us that Mom had passed away from cancer and left each of us a letter. Grandfather William also had a letter from Laura informing him about his granddaughters and encouraging him to find them.”

Rhys whistled. “Cold.” He sent Sedona an apologetic look. “Sorry.”

“Why? You’re right. My mother was as cold as ice until a few weeks before she died. According to her letter, she knew she’d made a mistake in giving away her children and she wanted to make amends.”

Sedona’s laugh was bitter. “Right. Make amends. There’s no way she could do that thirty years after her first child was born. Do you know what she did? Laura Jane Hart dumped us once again, this time on her dying father. He did what he could to prepare all of us for what was coming. In his last days, he heard about this house in Maple Valley known as the hoarder house.”

Isaac’s eyebrows soared. “Seriously?”

“There’s no other way to describe this place.” She glanced at Cam, who took over the story.

“This house is everyone’s worst nightmare. Sedona wasn’t wrong. Every room is packed almost to the ceiling with objects someone once viewed as important or a collectible. Now, it’s just junk. I’ve been helping her clear out one room at a time. I think we’ve had to call the company renting Sedona the Dumpsters in her front yard five times already, and we’ve only cleared two rooms so far. And that was with Mrs. Grady’s help.”

Spencer frowned. “That doesn’t sound like much progress.”

“If you knew how many items were crammed into those rooms, our progress would astonish you.” Sedona sat on a bar stool. “The house Grandfather bought is absolutely massive. Three floors with at least ten rooms per floor. I wanted to clean the rooms before my sisters showed up and moved in. Now, it won’t be finished before they arrive.”

Dario held up one hand. “Wait. Are you telling us that you and your half-sisters are going to move in together for the first time at thirty years old?”

“If we want to inherit the money Grandfather left for us, we have to live together under one roof for one year, and the hoarder house is the roof he chose.”

Spencer said, “Look, you don’t have to tell me anything because I’d understand not wanting a stranger to nose into your business, but your grandfather must have left each of you a substantial amount if his instructions were so specific.”

“Five million dollars each.”

He stared a moment. “Wow.”

“Living together for one year seems easy enough,” Rhys said.

“No way.” Isaac shook his head. “You know how these things work. Strings are attached when you least expect them. So, what are the strings?”

“Grandfather and his lawyer located five of us. Apparently, we have one more half-sister. We have to find her and convince her to move in before the year is up, then she must live in the house for one year.”

Dario snorted. “Not such a terrible deal if you’re the only one living there. The rest of you can move out if you want, right?”

“Nope. Sorry, but you lose the grand prize, Dario. The lost sister must live in the giant house with the rest of the sisters.”

“She’s tied to the house?” Rhys’ astonishment was obvious. “And you’re okay with this, Cam?”

“Nope, but I’ll deal.”

Dario frowned. “What’s with the lost sister? I thought there were only five of you total.”

“Turns out there’s a sixth sister, and we have to find her and bring her into the family.”

“People don’t just disappear,” Isaac said. He looked to his teammates for support.

“Let’s change that to people rarely disappear.” Cam found coffee mugs in one cabinet and filled them with the hot, steaming brew. “How much looking have you done, Sedona?”

“Almost none,” she admitted. “With Grandfather dying and me still sorting out and getting rid of as many items as I could before my half-sisters move here permanently, I haven’t had time to consider where Phoenix is.”

Dario straightened. “Phoenix?”

“Yes. Why? Do you know her?”

He shook his head. “I used to know a girl named Phoenix. She was a ward of the State, like me. We were great friends until one day I came home from school and she wasn’t there. I looked all over town, everywhere I could think of, but came up with nothing. Her face haunts me every night. I hear her begging me for help, but when I wake up, I’m alone.”

Oh, man. Looked like Dario had a woman of his dreams, too. “I’m sorry, D.”

His friend waved it off. “Can’t go back in time to fix things. So, what’s the plan, Cam?”

“We need to figure out why The Collector wants Sedona.”

Spencer looked amused. “Well, did you ask her?”

He almost snapped at his buddy, but the medic didn’t know about the drugs and the amnesia. “She can’t help us.”

Silence, then, “Why not?”

“Sedona was drugged and kidnapped while she was unconscious. When she was awake, the kidnappers kept her blindfolded.”

To a man, all of his friends scowled. “Drugged? Did someone give her an injection?” When Cam nodded, the medic said, “Show me.” Spencer rose and approached Sedona with an easy, nonthreatening stride. He glanced at Cam. “I won’t do it unless you and Sedona both sign off on it.”

Cam turned to Sedona. “Our medic wants to touch your neck, Sedona. Yes or no?”

She glowered at him. “Yes. For goodness’ sake, I’m not that sensitive.”

“You didn’t see your attackers’ faces. You identified them by voice and by tattoo on one of them. We don’t know who the man employing The Collector is. Tiger, you could pass him on the street and not know it was him.”

She stared. “Thanks for scaring me to death.”

“I’m sorry. I just want you to know why we need to keep pushing on this. We have to find the person paying The Collector to bring you to them.” Cam cupped her cheek. “Please, let Spencer look at your neck.”

“It’s fine. Go for it, Spencer. Right side.”

Spencer pulled out a penlight and turned the beam on to illuminate the side of her neck as Cam’s arm circled her waist.

“I hate this,” Sedona whispered.

Cam froze, then removed his arm from her waist. “I apologize for overstepping my bounds.” Yes, he sounded stiff, and no, he couldn’t help it, just as he couldn’t help feeling as though a mule had kicked him. How could they move forward if Sedona hated his touch?

She grabbed his hand and wrapped his arm around her waist again. “Not this. I hate the situation. I should be taking care of my students, not dodging kidnappers and a hit man.” Sedona lowered her voice. “I love your touch, Cam. Every time.”

The tension wracking his muscles drifted away. “You’re sure?”

She nodded. “If that changes, you’ll be the first to know. But it won’t ever change.”

Cam gave a slight nod. “Spence, what can you tell me?”

His friend straightened away from Sedona, a grim expression on his face. “You were right. Someone drugged her. Did the doc at the ER run blood tests?”

“He did. The results weren’t ready at the time we left the hospital.”

“I received a report a few minutes ago,” Sedona said. “I haven’t had time to review them yet.”

“Do you mind if I look at them?” Spencer asked.

“Go for it.” She unlocked her phone, pulled up the report, and handed over her phone.

Everyone was silent while the medic read the reports generated by the hospital lab.

In his arms, Sedona remained stiff, waiting for Spencer to render a verdict. Cam cupped her nape and held her against him lightly.

After a million minutes had passed, Spencer finally looked up.

“Well?”

“The kidnappers used Ketamine which also explains why she can’t remember part of the incident.”

“Will I remember more?” Sedona asked.

“It’s possible. Memory loss is a common side effect. It shouldn’t have long-term repercussions.”

“Aside from not knowing who sent the kidnappers after me,” she muttered.

He inclined his head in agreement. “Except for that. If it helps any, I doubt the man in charge was with the three men who took you.” He looked at Cam. “What happened to the flunkies?”

“They’re in jail.”

His teammates exchanged glances.

“What? I’m a cop. Did you expect me to take them out behind the station and teach them a lesson?”

“Would have been more satisfying,” Dario said.

Yeah, he didn’t want to admit tossing them in jail felt like a cop-out. But he was a law enforcement officer first, before anything else. He had to follow the law. “Perhaps, but that wasn’t an option.”

“What now, sir?” Isaac asked.

That was the question. Even he wasn’t positive of the next move. “We turn Rhys loose to track down this dark web information. If we can track it back to the source, Sedona won’t have to look over her shoulder every time she goes to school or church.”

She sighed. “And thanks for that picture now lodged in my head.”

“Sorry.”

“You guys have a really terrible outlook on life. Did you know that?”

The group exchanged more glances between them, then Rhys said, “It’s not a terrible outlook so much as it’s the plain truth. We hunted the most evil people on the planet in the Army. That gives you a dark outlook.”

“Right. We’ll have to work on that.”

Huh. Cam didn’t know exactly what that meant, but he figured The Thunderhawks could handle whatever Sedona Hart dished out.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

SEDONA CLAPPED HER hands. “Come on. You’re going to love this.” Okay, maybe they wouldn’t love this, but she would. These guys were all doom-and-gloom all the time. She understood where Cam’s team was coming from. She couldn’t be around the Montgomery brothers without having a good dose of reality right in front of her face.

“I don’t know about this.” Rhys scowled. “This isn’t in my wheelhouse, Sedona. I’m telling you, this is a big mistake.”

“We could burn the house down,” Isaac added. “We’re all thumbs in the kitchen. Now, if you wanted a pipe replaced or a drippy faucet fixed, we’re your people. But baking cookies?” He shook his head. “You are asking for trouble, lady.”

She planted her fists on her hips. Did he really think that would scare her out of this plan? Ha! Not a chance. The Thunderhawks needed some fun, and kindergarten teachers could do fun. “Are you trying to back out of our deal, Isaac?”

Dario narrowed his eyes. “There was no deal. Tell her, Cam. I would have remembered a deal that dealt with baking.”

“You said you could cook.” She inched closer to stand toe-to-toe with him. “Did you lie to me?”

“No, ma’am. But there’s a world of difference between cooking, which I can do, and baking, which I can’t.”

“You’re EOD. You can build bombs. Why can’t you bake cookies?”

He shrugged. “Give me a bomb manual, not Grandma’s cookie recipes.”

“I think you can bake cookies. Let’s find out which one of us is right.”

Dario sighed heavily. “If you insist, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Three hours later, the members of Thunderhawk wolfed down the piping hot chocolate cookies as fast as they could.

Amused at their childlikeness, she set down her tray and distributed a glass of cold milk to each man. When they stared wide-eyed at the milk without moving, Sedona couldn’t help but laugh. How could men as dangerous as this team be so innocent? “It’s just milk. Honest.”

“What are we supposed to do with it?” Spencer asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

He was joking, right? She studied his face and realized, nope, he wasn’t joking. “You dunk the cookie into the milk before you eat it.”

The medic looked skeptical.

“Try it,” she urged.

He squared his shoulder as though he was a soldier heading into battle, picked up a cookie, and dunked it in the white liquid. He popped it into his mouth. A second later, his eyes closed, and he groaned. “Oh, man, this is amazing,” Spencer said around a mouthful of cookie and milk. “Try it, you guys. You’ll see what I mean.”

Isaac shook his head while staring at his friend. “I can’t believe he likes it. He hates anything new.”

“He just wants to make a good impression on the lady,” Rhys said.

Cam stiffened.

Spencer held up his hand to hold off on a response from Cam. “No. It just tastes amazing. Come on. You can’t tell me Delta Force soldiers are too chicken to eat a chocolate chip cookie. We have reputations to protect. So do it, soldiers. Dunk and eat.”

With obvious reluctance, the other four members of The Thunderhawks grabbed a cookie and dunked the treat into their milk. With a last glance at each other, they shoved the dripping cookie into their mouths with the enthusiasm of someone taking medicine.

One by one, their eyes widened. Dario groaned. “He’s right.”

“Yeah,” Isaac said. “Who knew cookies and milk were a thing?”

Sedona smiled and did a happy dance inside. Yes! She brought some fun into the lives of soldiers who had seen almost nothing but blood and death for over a decade. She mentally checked off the fun activity for today. Her goal was to do something fun with these men every day that they were together.

Although she hoped The Collector was caught and would turn on his employer soon, Sedona planned to take advantage of each hour she had with The Thunderhawks. Still, she needed to get back to her classroom and her students. No substitute teacher could do for them what she could. Love them.

Fifteen minutes later, six dozen cookies were in The Thunderhawks’ stomachs along with a gallon of milk. Incredible. She had to admit, about halfway through the process of making cookies, Sedona was afraid her first fun project would be a bust. Dario wasn’t kidding when he said he couldn’t bake. They worked around it and now had empty serving platters with only a few crumbs left to prove the experiment succeeded.

Now she could set her mind on figuring out the next fun thing for this challenging group of men. Never mind telling them to go play a round of golf. Sedona had a feeling they didn’t know what to do with golf balls and clubs.

“Now that we’re stuffed with cookies and milk, we need to talk about our principal,” Cam said.

Sedona frowned. Their principal? “Who is that?”

“You.”

She blinked and said the first thing that popped into her mind. “I don’t want to be your principal.”

Cam’s face lost all color.

Spencer held up his hand to prevent The Thunderhawks from commenting. “Why don’t you want to be Cam’s principal? Is there a problem you haven’t told him about?”

“I’ve told him as much of the problem as I remember. I can’t help what I don’t have in my memory.”

“Then what’s the issue?”

“I don’t want to be Cam’s principal. I just want to be his.”

Slowly, the members of The Thunderhawks grinned and turned to stare at their leader. Cam couldn’t take his eyes off Sedona. That was good, right? She realized that she’d hurt him with her statement and hadn’t been fast enough to fix the damage immediately. Thank goodness Spencer was quick on the uptake.

“What do you say, Cam?” Spencer asked. “Think you can work with that?”

“Oh, yeah. I can handle it.”

“What about you?” Dario asked. “Don’t you have something to say to the lady?”

“What I want to say doesn’t need an audience.”

“Oh, no.” The EOD man shook his head. “That won’t do. We’ve had to put up with you mooning about her for weeks during our weekly meetings. We deserve to see the payoff.”

Cam scowled at his grinning teammates. He pointed at them. “I’m making a note of this. Every one of you, remember that your time is coming. I will gladly make you pay up.”

He turned his back on his teammates. Focusing solely on Sedona, he held out his hand to her, thrilled when she placed her hand in his without hesitation. “We call you our principal because we’re tasked with protecting you from the men who want to harm you, including The Collector.” Cam drew Sedona close to him. “About the other. Tiger, you have been mine since the day I met you. I just didn’t have the courage to pursue a relationship with you.”

“And now?”

“Now, you’re everything. You are mine, and I’m yours. I don’t know how to put what I feel deep inside any plainer than that.”

“Sedona?” Spencer winked at her. “Put him out of his misery, please. He’s pitiful right now.”

Pitiful? The medic was blind as a bat. Cam Sims was magnificent. “If I’m yours, then you are mine. All the way mine. No give backs. No takeaways. Mine. Female encroachers will be dealt with swiftly.”

Cam laughed and hugged her tightly. “Same. No encroachers allowed near you, either.”

“Deal.”

He dropped a light kiss on her mouth and led her to a cushioned loveseat. Once she was settled, he turned to his teammates. “So, here’s what we know. Three men waited for Sedona near the faculty parking lot behind her elementary school. She stayed late that night to put together her lesson plans and catch up on grading homework.”

“I had my lesson-planning notebook in my bag.” She scowled. “I wonder what happened to that bag? My computer was in it, too.”

“I’ll check on that,” Rhys said. “Shouldn’t take me long to do some exploring.”

Cam flinched. “Dude, you have to quit telling me things like that. I keep reminding you I’m a cop. I don’t want to arrest one of my teammates.”

“You need proof, Sims, and you won’t find any.” His friend grinned.

“In this case, you don’t have to break the law. Sedona’s book bag, purse, and computer are at the sheriff’s department. They’re evidence in an ongoing investigation.”

Isaac held up his hand. “Let’s rein it in, boys. Cam, might be best to let us ask Sedona questions. If we push too hard, you can tell us to back off.”

Cam turned his head. “What about it, Sedona? Are you okay with that plan?”

“Let’s do it. We have to figure out why they want me so much that they willingly put one of my students in danger just to get to me. I don’t want that to ever happen again.”

He gave a curt nod. “All right. Go easy on her. She’s been through the wringer in the past two days.”

“We’ll remember,” Spencer said. “We just want answers to our questions, and maybe us asking them instead of you will spark a memory for her.” He pointed at Isaac. “You’re up, my man. You heard the boss. Don’t push too hard.”

“Copy that.” The sniper sat on the floor in front of the couch and leaned back against it, his posture relaxed. “Cam, Sedona doesn’t trust us yet. Sit beside her and put your arms around her. Help her feel safe.”

When Cam did as he suggested, Isaac said, “Close your eyes, Sedona. Feel Cam holding you. Take a deep breath. Take another. And another. Good. I want you to start at the bottom of your feet and consciously relax every muscle and tendon in your feet. Now your ankles. Your calves are next. Relax every muscle.”

On and on Isaac went, his low, soothing voice lulling Sedona into a state of utter relaxation. A little more time, and she would fall asleep against Cam. Although he wouldn’t mind, the point of the exercise was to tease more information from her.

“Go back to the day you were taken from the school. Recount your day from the time you woke until Cam found you.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You’d be surprised what we might discover. So, your alarm went off at what time?”

Sedona wrinkled her nose, but began her recitation of her day. When she reached the point where she arrived at school, Isaac asked, “Did you notice a vehicle you didn’t recognize in the area or near the faculty parking lot?”

After a few seconds, she gasped and her eyes popped open. “Yes, I did. How did you know to ask that question?”

“It just made logical sense to me. If they planned to take you anyway, they’d be wise to case the area to see what kind of traffic, vehicles, and people for which they’d have to plan contingencies in order to pull off the kidnapping.”

When Sedona shuddered, Cam tightened his hold on her. “I should have told someone about the unauthorized vehicle on school property.”

“Why didn’t you?” Cam asked.

“I was running late that morning. I had so much to do to get the kids ready for our field trip the next day that it slipped my mind as soon as I walked into my classroom. I just dove into the work and didn’t come up for air until later that night. By then I was so exhausted that I planned to crawl into bed and drop off to sleep after I finished making my lesson plans.”

“You said earlier that you stayed late to grade. You went outside the school building alone, and there it was. What happened when you saw the vehicle?”

She froze.

“Sedona?” Isaac asked. “What is it?”

“I wasn’t alone.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CAM EASED SEDONA back enough to see her face. “You weren’t alone at the school that night? Who was with you?” Could this be the clue to get them started on the right path? They needed a break, fast.

If they didn’t get one and the attacks kept coming, Cam may have to resort to asking his boss for a favor. David would do it, no question, but it could put his job with Fortress Security in danger to get Cam the help he needed to protect Sedona.

“Julio was there.”

“What was he doing at school that late?”

“His sister forgot her backpack, and she had homework that she still needed to finish for the next day. Their mother was at work, and Julio’s sister didn’t want her to find out that she’d forgotten the backpack.”

Spencer frowned. “Wouldn’t Mom have picked up on it when the backpack was nowhere to be found the next morning?”

“Well, the kids didn’t want her to be angry when she got home from work.”

“Wait a minute.” Cam held up his hand. “Julio is in kindergarten. How old is the sister?”

“Seven or eight.”

“Please don’t tell me that young children are staying home by themselves until midnight or after.”

“They have an older brother who drove Julio to school that night. I remember because Julio was griping about his brother parking at the back of the school so no one would see him. The brother was also talking to his girlfriend, which Julio thought was icky.”

The Thunderhawks chuckled.

Isaac said, “He’ll change his mind about that in a few years. Let’s go back to when the school bell rang to dismiss classes for the day. Tell me what happened from that point on.”

Sedona recounted her day again, this time mentioning that she’d heard a strange noise in the room across the hall and thought maybe her fellow teacher had rats in her room. But no, it was just Julio who had left the lights off so that no one inside the school would know that he was there when he should have been at home.

“Did he find the backpack?”

She nodded. “After that, I returned to my room to grab my bags, and then Julio walked me out the back door.”

“His brother was waiting?” Rhys asked.

“Yes, but not where he was supposed to be. I don’t know if he got spooked because of the vehicle with the three men, but he’d moved his truck to the front of the school to wait. Julio was relieved to see him. I think he was afraid his brother had left, and he’d have to walk home by himself.”

Cam growled. “If he had done that, that teenager and I would have had a serious talk about taking responsibility for his siblings’ safety.” Just the thought of that little kid walking home alone at night made him furious.

“All right, Sedona.” Isaac patted her hand. “You walked Julio around the building to the front where his brother was waiting and helped him into the truck. Then what did you do?”

“Returned to the faculty parking lot at the back of the school. That’s where my vehicle was parked.”

“Close your eyes again. What do you see?”

“Two men.”

“What were they doing?”

“Talking and watching me.”

“Did they say anything to you?”

She shook her head.

“You said three men were there when you left the building, but when you came back around the building after seeing Julio off, you mentioned two men. Where was the third man, Sedona?”

“I didn’t see him, but I just kept going. I should have stopped. I should have gone back into the school.”

“Sedona, stop.” Cam couldn’t stand by while she blamed herself for what happened. “You had no reason to suspect that someone was waiting to kidnap you.”

“Do you know why they were behind the school?” Isaac asked.

Another head shake from Sedona.

“I’ll look around online to see if something went down in the neighborhood,” Rhys said.

“I didn’t even think about that.”

He shrugged. “That’s why you have us in your corner.”

“Did Julio mention seeing those men before?” Isaac asked.

“Not to me.”

“Would he have talked to someone else? Perhaps his mother?”

“Not about that night. Remember, his sister didn’t want their mother to find out that she’d forgotten the backpack at school.”

“What about before that night? Is it possible he mentioned the men or their vehicle to his brother or sister?”

“Not his sister. He’s very protective of her. That’s why he volunteered to come back to school to get her backpack.”

Cam frowned. “Don’t instructors lock their doors at night?”

“Yes, we do. Well, I do, at least. I remember now that Julio mentioned talking to the janitor. Perhaps he let Julio into the room if Jill locked her door.”

“Janitor’s name?” Rhys had his laptop booted up and ready to go.

“Alan Cromwell. He’s a really nice guy and would never hurt one of those children.”

“Maybe not intentionally, but it happens, Sedona.”

Cam turned to Rhys. “Look for traffic cams in the area around the school, as well as security cameras.”

“On it.”

He shifted his attention to Sedona again. “Let’s go back further into your past.”

“Why? Nothing in my past connects to what’s happening here.”

His lady protested too much. What could be in her past that she was trying to hide? “Do you know that for certain?”

“Yes, of course.” She paused, then sighed. “No, I don’t.”

“Good answer.” He cupped her chin in his palm and leaned in to kiss her lightly. “So, let’s go back to before you started teaching. Isaac?”

“I wondered if you were going to include me in this conversation.”

“Shut up, Barker,” he said mildly. “Remember, I know where you live.”

“Back at you, Sims. Ignore him, Sedona.”

“Hey,” Cam protested.

“You can hassle me when I’m on the hot seat. Right now, it’s your turn.”

He’d insist that Sedona inform him when she was working late from now on. Never again did he want to experience the fear that had nearly eaten him alive when she was in the hands of the kidnappers. Her being taken in the first place was on him. He wouldn’t let her down again.

“Back to business, Cam. Even though you weren’t involved in the kidnapping, you may know more than you realize.”

Right. Hadn’t he considered that a few minutes earlier? If Sedona could endure a grilling from Isaac, Cam supposed he could as well. “Go for it, my friend. I hope I can be helpful.” Although he doubted it. He hadn’t spent nearly enough time with Sedona in the past few weeks. That’s what happened when he spent too much time up in the forest and the mountains getting to know the trails in the area. He had to do it, though. Search and Rescue training required an excellent knowledge of the area so the search volunteers wouldn’t end up becoming victims themselves.

“Good. Let’s see what you noticed.”

Minutes later, he was forced to raise a white flag in defeat. For a professional observer, he had lousy memory retention. “This is embarrassing,” he muttered.

Isaac chuckled. “It’s hard being on the other side of the questions, isn’t it?”

“Don’t gloat. I still know where you live.” Not close enough yet. Soon, he hoped to persuade his team to move to Morgan County so they could use their Search and Rescue training. He’d spent a lot of time on the trails for training. While hiking those trails, he considered how to approach Sedona about a relationship beyond friendship.

Cam sighed. He was pathetic. That was all he could say. He’d wasted too much time trying to figure out how to approach her when all along, Sedona had been open to dating him.

“Focus, Sims,” Isaac snapped.

He stared at his teammate. How long had he been lost in his own head? “Sorry.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s try that question again. Did Sedona mention anything out of the ordinary that had been happening at her school?”

He thought about that for a minute, then shook his head. “No, I would have remembered that.”

“What about in her personal life? Any trouble there?”

“You mean except for her problem with Sims?” Dario teased.

Again, The Thunderhawks laughed. Cam could have gotten angry, but Sedona laughing as well made him back down and take the verbal jousting. He’d let himself be embarrassed a lot more than the pokes of fun from his teammates if he could break the tension for her. “Ha ha. You’re not funny, D.”

“You should ask your lady about that. She approved of my joke.”

Cam scowled. “Let’s get this interview back on track.”

“Yes, sir.” Isaac rested his forearms on his thighs and leaned toward Cam. “What about in her personal life, sir? Has anything unusual happened there? Perhaps an old boyfriend who popped up unexpectedly. Maybe a guy around Maple Valley not taking no for an answer. A dispute with her neighbors.”

“Hey,” Sedona protested. “I’m a good neighbor. I don’t play loud music late at night, and I don’t have a dog that barks all hours of the day or night.”

Isaac held up his hand to prevent her from making any further remarks. “I’ll get to you in a minute. Sir, has anything stood out?”

Cam stood up and walked to the window to look out. “Give me a minute.”

His teammates remained still and waited. That didn’t surprise him. What did surprise him was Sedona’s response to his request. She remained still. He shouldn’t have been shocked. She was intuitive and could read a room almost as fast as he and his team could.

He combed through the past few weeks to the few times and hours he’d spent with Sedona and their friends from the sheriff’s department. And remembered a face, one that had pinged on his internal radar to watch for. The same man paying a little too much attention to Sedona. He couldn’t run a man through the computer database for looking at a beautiful woman, and Sedona was the most beautiful woman Cam had ever seen.

Feeling sick that he’d likely disregarded a man who might have kidnapped Sedona, Cam turned from the window to face her and his teammates. “Yes.”

Rhys lifted his hands from his laptop keyboard. “Talk to us, sir.”

“I noticed a man watching Sedona. I thought little of it because Sedona is beautiful and men notice beautiful women.”

“Looking back on it now?”

“His interest was too intense for a casual acknowledgment of beauty.”

“What does that tell you?”

“His interest is specifically in Sedona. The question is why? Second, when we track him down and question him, will the danger to her stop?”

“What does your gut say?”

He scowled. “I’m missing something vitally important. I don’t know what it is, but I’m positive we’re missing a key piece of information that will turn what we know or believe upside down.”

Isaac’s expression darkened. “Then we better get busy because I think your instincts are right on the money.”

Dread grew in his gut. Not good at all. His men had good instincts, honed in the crucible of war. If they said something wasn’t right, you could take that to the bank.

“Where and when did you see this guy?” Rhys asked.

“I noticed him the first time a month ago at the town festival.”

“You would recognize him if I found recordings of the crowd?”

“Of course.”

“Where were you specifically when you noticed this guy at the festival?”

He thought about that for a moment. “Outside the bank. That’s where the hot apple cider vendor was set up. I bought Sedona a cup of cider near dinner time.” He’d timed their unofficial date that way so he would have a natural excuse to ask her to have dinner with him.

He smiled slightly. It had worked like a charm, too. If only he’d known that he didn’t have to come up with excuses to ask her out, his stress level would have been considerably lower.

“Give me a minute.” Rhys’ hands flew over the keyboard for a minute, then two, then three. “Got it. Come see.”

Cam joined Sedona in looking over Rhys’ shoulders at his laptop screen. He tapped a key, and the crowd on the screen shifted into motion. Seconds after the crowd’s movement began, Rhys pointed to Cam and Sedona walking through the crowd toward the apple cider booth. When they reached the booth, Sedona placed her order and conversed with the vendor. Cam split his time between watching Sedona and scanning the milling crowd. He noted the exact moment when he spotted Sedona’s watcher for the first time.

He leaned closer and pointed to one man on the screen. “There. That’s the guy who’s been showing up all over town wherever Sedona is.”

“Let’s see if this guy is in the system somewhere.”

“I didn’t hear that,” Cam muttered. “So don’t get caught.”

Rhys chuckled. “You got it, sir.”

“Do you remember seeing him, Sedona?”

“Yes, of course. That’s Nick Stephens. We run into each other at least once or twice a week. He’s a nice guy.”

“That’s what the neighbors always say about serial killers,” Dario said.

She shook her head. “He’s no serial killer, that’s for sure.”

“How do you know?” Cam prompted. “Can you prove it?”

“How can you prove a positive?” she countered. “I just didn’t get any strange vibes from him during our conversations.”

The ball of ice in his stomach grew larger. “How well do you know this guy?”

“We’ve shared a table at The Carafe a few times.”

“You’ve gone on dates with him?” How did he not know this? Usually, people in town were good about keeping him informed if someone showed signs of interest in Sedona. They’d let him down this time.

“Not dates, just sharing coffee and tea, maybe a muffin or something.” She pointed at him. “Stop that. It’s not a date if it’s not planned.”

“He may not have asked you beforehand, but he knew your schedule and planned the dates. He planned them, all right. You just didn’t know about it ahead of time.”

“Got a hit, sir.” Rhys’ grim expression told Cam this wouldn’t be good. He turned his computer so they could see the man’s mugshot on the screen and his list of priors.

Holy smoke. Cam grimaced. The man had a list of priors as long as Cam’s arm. “Let me see that.” When Rhys handed over his computer, Cam led her to the couch and sat down beside Sedona.

“Nick Stephens’ real name is Dominic Simpson.” He studied the list of priors, growing more concerned as the list went on. Assault, assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit murder, vehicular assault, and many more. The list was bad enough. What concerned Cam the most was the fact that he’d never been convicted of anything, only charged.

He frowned. Who was this guy’s attorney? Cam scrolled down until a very familiar name was listed as his attorney. How did Dominic Simpson afford an attorney as expensive as Ivan Rollins?

“Dominic Simpson?” Her cheeks drained of color. “But he told me his name was Nick Stephens.”

“He lied.”

“Why? He never pressed me for information or for a date.” She flinched. “At least not obviously.”

Isaac studied her a moment. “I’d say he accomplished his goal. Simpson wanted to ease his way into your life in a manner that wouldn’t alarm you. When did you first see him?”

“Like Cam said, about a month ago.”

“And nothing else out of the ordinary happened that might raise your suspicions?”

She shook her head. “No, nothing.”

“What about your student, Julio? Did he mention seeing this man hanging around the school or other places he went?”

Sedona remained silent for a beat, then said, “Not that I can recall. He usually tells me everything.” She smiled. “They all do. Just a word to the wise when you get married and have kids. They tell their teachers absolutely everything.”

Isaac grimaced. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“What do you want us to do, Cam?” Dario asked.

“Find this guy. I want to talk to Dominic Simpson. He has to be staying somewhere in or near Maple Valley to keep track of Sedona.”

“Copy that, sir,” Rhys said. “Anything else?”

“Track his movements for the past week. I want to know where he’s been.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Got something on your mind, Cam?” Spencer asked.

“I have a feeling Julio is involved in this somehow. We need to talk to him.”

“He’s still at the hospital. I checked a few minutes ago.”

“Please tell me that boy has a guard on him,” Dario said. “The sheriff was a SEAL. He has to know what he thinks is an accident might be something more.”

“Either the sheriff or one of his brothers is always with Julio and one of the other experienced deputies.”

Thank God. Cam breathed a little easier. Seconds later, his phone vibrated with an incoming call. He glanced at his screen. “It’s the sheriff.”

He swiped the screen and tapped the speaker button. “It’s Cam. You’re on speaker with Sedona and my team.”

“Understood. We have a problem.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CAM’S STOMACH TWISTED into a knot at David’s words. “What’s the problem, sir?”

“Julio is missing.”

Sedona gasped and gripped Cam’s forearm with her fingers. “How could he be missing? He’s five years old and was guarded by two of Morgan County’s finest officers.”

“You’re right. Two of my men guarded him. Everything has been going according to plan, but we forgot about the human factor. To a child, stepping out into the world to explore is normal. Right now, nothing is normal if it concerns Julio or you, Sedona.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I should have known about this immediately.”

“Not necessarily,” Cam murmured.

“Why not?” she snapped. “Julio is my student, and my ignorance caused this mess. I must know if my students are suffering from my actions.”

“What can you do about it?”

“At the very least, I can quit doing what’s causing so much trouble.”

“Tiger, none of this is your fault. I think you were in the wrong place at the wrong time and got caught up in events that had nothing to do with you.”

Sedona shoved her fingers through her hair. “I wish I believed you. I’m afraid you’re wrong.”

He didn’t blame her, but he knew Sedona Hart. She wasn’t into a lifestyle that lent itself to the criminal underworld. This kindergarten teacher was as innocent as her students. “Do you trust me?”

“Absolutely.” No hesitation in her voice or response.

Excellent. “I’ll figure out what’s going on and why. We’ll find the man behind everything.” If it was the last thing he ever did, Cam would see that Sedona was safe again.

“Julio, too? You’ll protect him?”

“We all will,” Spencer said. “We know how much he means to you, Sedona, and to be honest, we have a soft spot for kids.”

“What a coincidence. So do I.”

“Then you’ll know whatever actions we take are with your students’ best interests in mind.”

She gave a slight nod. “I understand.”

“When we find Julio, we need to talk to him,” Cam said. “Do you think he’ll talk to us?”

“Probably. He considers you one of the safe people since we’re together. Your problem will be his mother.”

Cam frowned. “I can be persuasive when I want to be.”

His teammates laughed.

“Maria is very protective of her children. She may not allow you near any of them.”

“Do you have suggestions?” He already knew where this conversation was going, and he didn’t like it.

“Take me with you when you look for Julio.”

Nope, he didn’t like it one bit. “At the moment, you’re safe right here. If we take you outside of this house, we’ll do our best, but we can’t guarantee your safety.” He shook his head. “The risk is too great, Sedona.”

“I’m willing to take the risk.”

“Is anybody interested in what I have to say?” David Montgomery snapped.

“Yes, sir.” Cam wrapped his arm around Sedona’s waist, taking a chance that she wouldn’t reject him outright because of their disagreement. “Go ahead.”

“You’ll have to decide whether Sedona goes with you or stays with me in the car. I need you at the hospital. That’s the last place he was seen.”

Ground zero. Good. They needed to start there. Cam paused. “Sir, I’d like to bring my teammates with me. They have as much training as I do in Search and Rescue.”

“Bring them. We need every advantage we can get. Montgomery out.”

Cam looked at his waiting teammates. “You heard the man. Gear up and team up. We don’t want a caravan of vehicles to draw even more attention to ourselves.”

The other four members of The Thunderhawks scattered to grab their gear from their rooms or their vehicles.

Cam turned to Sedona. Before he said a word, she shook her head.

“Don’t bother arguing with me. Go get your gear. I’ll grab what I can and be back in a couple of minutes.” Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t leave me behind, Sims.”

“No man left behind,” he recited. “Including my tigress girlfriend.” Even though the thought had crossed his mind. However, Cam believed she was in danger without The Thunderhawks surrounding her. If they ended up back in the forest, the going might get rough. “Wear something comfortable but tough.”

She frowned. “For looking around the hospital?”

“No guarantees that’s where we’ll stay.”

“Got it. I’ll be right back.” She dashed from the living room and up the staircase.

His teammates returned in less than a minute. “Where is Sedona?” Spencer asked.

“Changing clothes. I need to grab my gear. I’ll be back in a minute.” He took the stairs two at a time and rushed into his assigned room. After a quick perusal of his supplies, he slid his weapons into place and pulled on his bullet-resistant vest at the last second. Picking up his badge, Cam hooked it onto his belt. He didn’t know exactly what he was getting into, but no question it was dangerous.

After sliding his Go bag onto his shoulder, Cam left his assigned room and met Sedona coming out of hers. A quick perusal told him she had chosen her outfit well. Although she didn’t have hiking boots, Sedona was wearing a lightweight long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and good running shoes. She also carried a wide-brimmed hat in her hands. “This is perfect.” He took her hand and walked side-by-side with her down the staircase, and they joined the others in the living room.

“Ready?” he asked the others.

His teammates nodded and slid their Go bags over their shoulders. Spencer fell in behind Cam. “We took a vote while you were upstairs. I won the privilege of riding with you. The rest of our team is riding together.”

When Cam glanced over his shoulder, his medic inclined his head toward Sedona. He nodded slightly and opened the SUV door for her. After helping her inside, he handed Sedona the seatbelt and circled the hood to climb behind the wheel.

The small caravan turned left at the road and headed to Maple Valley’s hospital. The minutes passed fast as the two men remained alert for trouble mile after mile. Twenty minutes later, Cam turned into the parking lot filled with police vehicles from several agencies. He parked near other Morgan County law enforcement vehicles and came around to open Sedona’s door. With her hand firmly in his, he held up his badge as they approached various perimeters set up by law enforcement. The one closest to the hospital was manned by one of his coworkers. “David asked me to come in,” he said to Carl Greenway.

“He’s in the first-floor lobby, waiting for you.” He nodded at Sedona, then looked at his men. “Introduce me to your friends.”

Really? Did he look like he was out for a summer stroll? “Officer Greenway, these are my teammates from the military: Spencer, Dario, Isaac, and Rhys. This is Carl Greenway.” He lifted the barrier tape for Sedona and they passed Greenway.

“Hold it,” Greenway snapped. “Nobody said anything about letting her in there.”

Cam stopped and turned to his coworker. “What did you say?” he asked, voice soft, gaze laser-focused on the man.

“Your arm candy can’t go inside. She ain’t a cop.”

He took a step toward Greenway with his hand clenched. Spencer grabbed one arm, Dario the other.

“No, Cam,” Spencer murmured. “He’s not worth the trouble it would cause you.”

Fury burning a hole in his gut, Cam held up his hands to show that he was in control. Barely. “Sedona is beautiful, but she isn’t arm candy, Officer Greenway. She is mine, and I protect what’s mine.”

Greenway’s face paled. “Sorry, man. I didn’t know you were involved with her. Still, you can’t take her inside a crime scene.”

“The sheriff is the one who called me back to duty. He knows Sedona is with me.”

The officer was shaking his head before Cam finished his calm and reasonable explanation, stoking his temper even higher. He’d had about all he could take of Greenway’s attitude.

Cam moved his hand toward his pocket. “I’m getting my phone.”

Greenway’s mouth gaped. “I know you wouldn’t pull a gun on me or anything. We’re coworkers.”

Then he wasn’t as smart as he believed himself to be. Cam pulled out his phone and called his boss.

“Where are you?” David snapped. “I expected you to be here ten minutes ago.”

“I ran into a problem at the inner perimeter.”

“What’s his name?”

“Greenway.”

“Hand him the phone.”

He did as ordered. “The sheriff.”

The next two minutes were painful for Officer Greenway. The longer David’s dressing down went, the paler Greenway became. Finally, he swallowed hard and handed the phone to Cam. “Sorry, sir. You’re free to go on. The sheriff is on the sixth floor.”

Cam gave a slight nod, threaded his fingers through Sedona’s, and walked toward the hospital entrance.

Inside the building, there was pure chaos on the civilian side of things. Law enforcement officers of every stripe moved about with efficient movement in and out of the first-floor lobby. Two officers who kept watch at the elevators nodded at Cam.

“They with you?” the older of the two officers asked.

“Yes, sir. You can confirm with Sheriff Montgomery.”

The officer waved him away. “Go ahead.”

Once inside the elevator, the silver doors closed silently. Cam glanced at Sedona. He raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry. Something was up with her, but what? Was she upset because he’d defended her? He hoped not, because that would be his default as long as she was with him. What did it say about him when he couldn’t see himself with anyone else?

Perhaps that wasn’t the issue at all, though. He’d basically waved a flag out there in the parking lot and announced to Maple Valley that he and Sedona were together now. Greenway was a lot of things, some of them good. Besides his oversized ego, he had one downfall. He loved to gossip. Cam figured the odds were even that the word would spread around town by tomorrow morning. That could be good or bad, depending on how Sedona saw it.

When they reached the sixth floor, the elevator doors slid open to reveal David Montgomery waiting for them with his hands propped on his hips.

“Finally.” Relief glimmered in his eyes. “I’ll take you to Julio’s room so you can examine the last place he was seen. Security is bringing up video footage of every entrance and exit at the hospital. We’ll see if that will give you anything.”

“Have you looked at it, sir?”

David shook his head. “Hospital security just finished copying everything.”

Cam glanced at Rhys. “I hope you brought your computer.”

“Never leave home without it.”

A uniformed security guard exited the second elevator and approached David. “Sheriff Montgomery.” The guard handed him an envelope. “This has everything you need. We copied the footage from every entrance and exit, as you requested.”

“The hours?”

“The past twenty-four hours, sir, as ordered.”

“Excellent. Thank you, Ron. I will convey my appreciation to your supervisor, too.”

“Thank you, sir.”

After the security guard left, David handed the envelope to Rhys. “As fast as you can, Rhys. Every minute counts.”

“I need a place to work.”

“I figured. Come with me.” The sheriff led him to a small waiting room. “Will this work?”

“It’s perfect. Thanks.” Rhys dropped into the chair farthest from the door and the flow of corridor traffic. He pulled out his laptop and got to work.

“How long will it take him?” Sedona whispered to Cam.

Rhys snorted. “Longer than it should if I keep getting interrupted.” His fingers didn’t miss a stroke while he talked.

“Sorry. I want to do something useful while we’re waiting for you to finish.”

“Good idea. Go, and take these yahoos just staring at me with you.”

“You’ve got it. You heard the man. Leave him alone to work.” She tugged Cam’s hand and urged him toward the corridor. “What’s next, and how can I help?”

“You mentioned Maria might prevent us from talking to Julio when we track him down. Do you think you can talk to her, convince her to talk to us freely and allow Julio to do the same?”

“I’ll try.”

“Good. Spencer will stay with you while Isaac, Dario, and I examine Julio’s room and scout around the hospital.” He turned to his boss. “Where is Julio’s mother?”

“In the nurses’ lounge. I can take you there.”

“If you’ll escort Sedona and Spencer to Maria, the rest of my team and I will look around the hospital and the grounds. What room was Julio in?”

“Room 653.”

“Got it. We’ll return soon.” He stared at his boss, who rolled his eyes and gave a curt nod of agreement. Excellent. The last thing he wanted to do was be distracted any more than he already was. David Montgomery had been a Navy SEAL. The man was tough to the bone. No one would slip past him to get to Sedona without paying a heavy price. Few would go that far to fulfill a contract.

He signaled his teammates, and they walked down the corridor to room 653. Cam would have known which room was the crime scene because of the police guard outside the door and CSI activity going on inside the room. Camera flashes went off continuously.

He flashed his badge at the officer guarding the door and peered into the room. Pleased that the CSI team was the one who worked frequently with the sheriff’s office, he motioned Tracy over.

“Hey, Cam. How’s it going?”

“It’s been better. What do you have for me?”

She remained silent for a beat. “Sheriff Montgomery is handling this case himself.”

“I’m not surprised. We’re not here to take over his case. David called us in as his Search and Rescue team.”

Her eyes widened. “Seriously?”

He shrugged. “It’s what we do best. The military thought the same thing.”

“Huh. Well, that’s good, I guess. I thought if he got a credible lead on the boy’s location, Sheriff Montgomery would bring in Ethan Blackhawk from Otter Creek.”

“He still might. David wanted us to look around Julio’s room and see if we picked up a trail to follow.”

Sympathy filled Tracy’s eyes. “He’s hoping the kid ran away.”

“That’s better than Julio being kidnapped by a professional killer.”

“That’s the truth.”

“Show me where it’s safe to walk, then we’ll take it from here and try not to impede your techs.”

She showed him where the safe walking zones were, then excused herself to continue her work.

Cam signaled Dario and Isaac to join him. He showed them the safe zones, then assigned them to a zone and took the last one for himself. Ten minutes later, they met in the hallway. “Well?” he asked his teammates.

“Nothing,” Isaac said.

“Same,” Dario agreed.

“Make that three goose eggs because I found nothing either.” He frowned, watching the activity in the room. “So our guy is a professional. He left us zip to go on. I wonder if he was as careful in his haste to flee the hospital. Think we can find his exit route?”

“Already working on it,” Isaac murmured as he swiped the screen of his phone and gazed at the photo.

This was why he loved working with The Thunderhawks. “What do you have?”

“Julio’s room is conveniently close to a stairwell.” Isaac turned to look at the marked door two hundred feet from where they stood. “I’d say either the kidnapper went that direction or Julio struck out on his own in that direction.”

Dario glowered. “Why would a five-year-old boy want to run away?”

“I can think of a lot of reasons, the most important one being fear. I don’t know if he saw or heard something at the hospital that spooked him, but being tossed into a lion enclosure is enough for me to have nightmares for a lifetime.”

“Same,” Isaac said.

The three men walked the two hundred feet, and Cam covered his hand with the hem of his shirt and twisted the knob to open the door. He followed his men into the stairwell and grabbed a penlight that David insisted all of his officers carry.

“Isaac, you and Dario take the door and the railing side of the stairwell. I’ll take the wall and behind the door.”

“Copy that.”

With their backs toward each other, the men slowly made their way down the stairs, stopping every few feet to examine marks and scuffs. Halfway down the stairs, Cam said, “Here.”

Isaac and Dario joined him in examining the groove skimming along the rail. “Did anyone report hearing a gunshot?” Isaac asked.

“I’ll ask.” Cam pulled out his phone and shot his boss a text. Seconds later, he read the response on his screen. “Nope.”

“Silencer. That’s why no one heard the shot.”

“Where’s the bullet hole?” Dario asked, studying the groove. “If the bullet rode the rail, where’s the bullet hole?” His expression was grim. “If he hit the kid, I don’t see how he would have had enough time to clean up the blood before someone walked in on him.”

The knot in Cam’s belly eased a little. The logical conclusion was that the shooter missed the mark. Had Julio escaped? He hoped so. Cam liked the kid with more guts than anyone he’d met in a while.

They took pictures and sent them to David along with a detailed location for his crime scene technicians.

Isaac inclined his head toward the wall at the stairwell landing below them. “I’m betting the bullet is in that wall.”

“I just hope the bullet didn’t pass through the kid before it sunk into the wall,” Dario muttered.

“It’s possible, although I doubt it. Too much mess to clean up, and the area looks as pristine as a stairwell in a busy hospital can be.”

“Let’s see if you’re right, Isaac.” Cam led the way to the landing. Sure enough, the bullet had slammed into the wall. He couldn’t see the shooter carrying the kid out of the hospital if he’d been hit and then coming back to clean up. Nope, somehow Julio had escaped a professional hitman. Pure speculation, but the signs added up to The Collector working in Maple Valley today.

If he was right, Cam had to consider who The Collector’s primary target was. Julio or Sedona?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

SEDONA FOLLOWED SHERIFF Montgomery to the room where they took Maria. The closer they walked to the small waiting room, the more her nerves ramped up. Cam was depending on her. She couldn’t let him, or Julio, down.

Had the Collector captured Julio, or had her student escaped and hidden somewhere? If that were the case, where was he? How far could a five-year-old run?

David glanced at the officer at the door. “They’re with me.” He continued into the waiting room. “Maria, how are you holding up?”

“How do you think she’s holding up?” snapped a young male’s voice.

Sedona flinched. That was Julio’s brother, Eddie. His teenage attitude was out for all to see today. She walked into the room to see the sixteen-year-old with his arm around his mother’s shoulders, glaring at the sheriff.

“Hello, Eddie. I’m sorry to hear Julio is missing.”

“We’ll find him.” Eddie’s hate-filled gaze shifted back to David. “With or without the pigs’ help.”

“I’m glad you don’t have to depend only on you and your mom.” She sat on Maria’s other side and clasped her hand. “Have you heard anything from Julio?”

Maria stared. “Why would I hear anything from him if kidnappers took him?”

“Julio is very resourceful. Even though kidnappers might have taken him, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn he’d escaped and found help.”

Julio’s mother smiled. “You’re right. My son is clever. He wouldn’t give up no matter what he was told.”

“How is Emily doing?”

“She blames herself. She says if she hadn’t let Julio go back to the school for her backpack, none of this would have happened. He would be safe.” Maria sighed. “I can’t tell her she’s wrong.”

This was the opening she needed. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I understand why you might be uncomfortable talking to the police. However, Sheriff Montgomery and his deputies are determined to find Julio no matter how long it takes. To do that, they need your help.”

Eddie snorted. “They need to do their job instead of standing around the hospital, hoping Julio will take care of their problem for them. Tell them to skip the coffee and donut breaks, and they might make quicker progress in the case.”

“That’s unfair, Eddie. Have you ever seen the sheriff or his deputies sitting around and doing nothing while they’re on duty?”

The teen glowered at her for a moment before looking away. “No,” he muttered. “But I can’t be everywhere at once. I might have missed them wolfing down donuts and coffee.”

“First, if any of them wolfed down their coffee, you’d have heard about an emergency room for burns to their throat and mouth. Second, I don’t know why you want to run down the law enforcement officers who are trying to find Julio, but I know firsthand that the sheriff and the deputies won’t rest until they find your brother. Have a little faith in our law enforcement officers, Eddie. If you really want to find your brother, give them your full cooperation.”

The teen remained silent for a beat, then gave a slight nod.

Thank God. Now, if Cam would return before Eddie changed his mind, the Search and Rescue team might have more information, perhaps the starting point they needed so badly.

David crouched in front of Maria. “Do you need anything? A drink or a snack?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I just couldn’t.”

“What about that herbal tea stuff you always drink? You said it helps you calm down. What about a cup of that?” Eddie asked.

“That’s a great idea,” Spencer said. “Herbal tea is well known for its healing properties. The cafeteria must have some available. I think a bag each of chamomile and mint would help both ladies.”

David reached into his pocket and scanned his phone screen. “I have to go. Cam might have a lead, so I’ll have one of my officers bring the ladies some herbal tea soon.”

“Never mind.” Eddie stood. “I’ll get it.”

“Thanks.” David clapped his shoulder. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. What Cam discovered could give us the start we need to find your brother.”

“We gotta do it fast, Sheriff.” He swallowed hard. “Julio’s just a little kid, not like me.”

David stilled. “No, he’s not like you. Do you know something that might help, Eddie?”

“I know nothing.” He scowled at David, once again a sullen teenager.

“You know what? I think you do. You’re sharp. You notice things.”

A careless shrug from Eddie. “Maybe.”

“So, what did you notice that seemed wrong?”

“Those dudes at the school who took Miss Hart.”

“What about them?”

“I’ve seen them before around the school.”

Sedona gasped. “When?”

“For the past two weeks.”

“What were they doing?”

“Just hanging around the elementary school, watching people.”

“Did you interact with them? Did they talk to you or threaten you?”

He shook his head. “They just stared at me. It was creepy, man.”

“Oh, Eddie,” Maria murmured. “Why didn’t you report it? You could have prevented them from taking Julio or Miss Hart.”

David held up his hand to stop Eddie from saying something he would regret. The teenager was fired up and ready to blast anyone within reach. “We don’t know that, Mrs. Ramirez. Let’s find him first, then we’ll figure out the rest.” He looked at Spencer. “Everyone stays here until I return. If anyone slips past the officer at the door, stop them. Understood?”

Spencer’s eyebrows rose. “Yes, sir.”

The sheriff gave a slight nod and left the waiting room.

“I don’t know about you, Maria, but I can really use that cup of tea.” Sedona squeezed her hand. “I’d feel better if you stayed here, Eddie. Spencer can use help to protect us. Are you much of a tea drinker, Maria?”

Sedona sent one of the other Montgomery brothers a message, asking for two herbal teas. While they waited for an officer to deliver their drinks, she did her best to keep Maria’s mind off her missing son.

Ten minutes later, Levi Montgomery walked into the waiting room with a carrier filled with drinks in his hands. “Gather around, folks. Never let it be said that the Sheriff’s Department doesn’t know how to treat its people and citizens right.” He freed one cup and handed it to Maria. “For you, Maria. Special order.”

After freeing anther cup, he handed that one to Sedona. “This tea is special ordered as well. David contacted Cam for suggestions since there were a million choices. Those were his words, not mine. Anyway, Cam seemed to know which one you’d want. That was a relief to the sheriff, let me tell you.” Levi motioned to the cup. “At least take one sip so I can report back what you thought of it.”

“That’s a good idea. He pays attention to detail, though, so I’m sure it will be fine.”

“Try it, please.” Levi waited.

Knowing the Montgomery brothers as well as she did, she knew he would wait all day if necessary. The brothers took stubborn to a new level. Sedona sipped the drink.

Her eyes widened. “Oh, wow. This is wonderful.”

He beamed. “Good. According to Cam, it’s a blend of mint and cocoa.”

“It’s perfect.”

“He’ll be glad to hear that.” Levi freed another cup and handed it to Spencer. “You look like a guy who can handle the strongest coffee on the planet. Am I right?”

The medic chuckled. “You’ve got it, my friend.”

Levi held out his hand. “Levi Montgomery, deputy sheriff, Morgan County.”

“Spencer Alford.”

“How are you connected to Cam?”

“Teammate. I’m a medic.”

“Good to meet you, Spencer.” Levi freed the last cup, handed it to a surprised Eddie, and tossed the carrier into the trash. “Do you need a quick break, Spencer? I can stay long enough for that.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

After Spencer left, Levi focused on Sedona. “My wife is concerned about you. Are you okay?”

“Not really, but you can’t do anything about it.”

“Except to catch a potential kidnapper.”

“You’re already working on that. In a way, I feel sorry for the kidnappers. They don’t know the skills of the people tracking them. They won’t stay hidden long.”

Levi gave a slight nod. “Cam left word for you to call him if you need him.”

She frowned. “He needs to focus on finding Julio, not worry about me.”

“He’s good at compartmentalizing.”

Which meant what, exactly? That Cam could follow a kidnapper’s trail and still be concerned about her safety? Must be nice. She couldn’t compartmentalize that well when the stakes were high, and the victim was part of her inner circle of friends, even if he was five years old.

“Have you remembered anything more from your kidnapping?”

“I haven’t thought about it. The men who took me from the school were all captured and arrested.”

“You should think about it. Looks like your kidnapping incident isn’t completely over, so any piece of information might be the clue that breaks open this case and shines a spotlight on the person behind it all. I know they drugged you, Sedona. But anything will help if your memory starts to return.”

“What little I remembered, we told David.”

“Good. He passed along information to us as he learned it. If you remember more, call David and tell him. He’s the clearinghouse for information among the deputies.”

“Got it.”

He reached down and squeezed her shoulder gently. “I’ll be around if you need me. We all will.” He nodded at Maria. “We’ll find him, ma’am. Everyone is working double shifts until Julio is back home.”

Sedona noted that Levi didn’t promise Maria they would bring her son home safe and sound. The harsh reality was that Cam and his teammates might not fulfill Maria’s deepest longing. Instead of giving the desperate mother false hope, Levi gave her something more valuable. Truth.

Spencer returned. “Thanks.”

“Yep. Later.” And Levi was gone.

“Wish we knew what was taking them so long to find Julio.” Eddie glowered at the cop in front of the door. “He’s just a little kid.”

“They’re working hard, Eddie, and they’re good at the job. Cam and the others won’t leave your brother in the hands of kidnappers or alone on the streets.”

He stared at her. “Are you saying he might have run away?”

“They’re considering that option as well.”

“He’s five years old,” Eddie scoffed. “Julio wouldn’t run away. He’s got nowhere to run and nobody to help him get food and stuff.”

“If he ran away, why would he take off?”

“I’m telling you he wouldn’t!”

“Let’s say he did, just to consider another possibility. Why would he run?”

Eddie thought about that for a beat. “If he ran away, he did it to protect someone or because he was scared.” His hands fisted. “Somebody is going to pay for this.”

“Eduardo,” Maria snapped. “That’s enough. We don’t want the police to think you had something to do with this.”

“Let them. I got nothing to hide, Ma.”

Sedona needed to do something before this spat between mother and son became a shouting match. “Eddie, Julio told me you’re dating someone, but he didn’t tell me her name. Would you mind sharing it? I might know her.”

Although his first response was a shrug, a sparkle of excitement lit his eyes for the first time. “Her name is Daisy Cole.”

She smiled. “I know Daisy. She’s a beautiful girl. Have you been dating long?”

“A month. She’s special.”

Excellent description for such a smart and sweet girl. “Yes, she is. You’re a lucky guy, Eddie. She’s a jewel.”

They remained silent for a few minutes, then Eddie glanced over at her. “What about you? Are you dating someone?”

She nodded. “Cameron Sims.”

He frowned. “Julio didn’t tell me that, and he tells me everything.”

“He didn’t know until Cam accompanied us to the zoo.”

“Have you been dating long?”

She shook her head. “It’s new.” So new that the shine hadn’t worn off yet. The longer they dated, the more the relationship would have dings. And it was more than time to take the spotlight off herself and back onto him. “You’re a sophomore, right?”

A nod.

“Ah, then you’ll be attending the prom next year. Are you looking forward to it?”

“I am now.”

Adolescent love could either be amazing or the pits. Sedona hoped Eddie and Daisy were still together when it was time to go to the prom. They’d make a cute couple.

While Eddie and his mother talked, Sedona shifted her attention to Spencer, who stood at the window looking out at the street below. She joined him. “Everything okay?” she asked.

“For now.”

She shivered. “That is not what I wanted to hear.”

“I’ll always tell you the truth.”

She studied him a beat, then said, “All right, then answer a question for me.”

“Shoot.”

“Why isn’t Cam back yet?”

“I don’t know exactly.”

“But you know something. So let’s hear it, Spencer.”

“Like the sheriff said, he’s following a lead with Isaac and Dario.”

Sedona pounced on his statement. “What does that mean?”

His eyebrows soared. “Exactly what I said. He’s following a lead.”

She inched closer and lowered her voice. “What kind of lead?”

“One that we hope will lead them to Julio.”

“Did they say what the lead was?”

“No, and I can already tell that you want to grab your phone and call Cam. Do yourself a favor and don’t. Let him run this lead as far as it takes him. I promise you he’ll be back here as soon as they run into a dead end or when they find the boy.”

“Doesn’t it bother you that they left you behind?”

“Why should it? Everyone has unique skills, Sedona. It would be foolish of me to be angry about being separated from the rest of the team. Cam needs me here so he can focus. They don’t need me at the moment, so I’m doing what I can to help Cam concentrate. Because he knows I’ll take care of you and he trusts me, that is one less worry on his shoulders.”

She sighed. “I wish I could help.”

“Your skill is communication, and you’ve already used that to ensure Maria will let the boy talk to Cam and the others when they find him.”

Sedona turned to face him. “Will your team find him?”

“It’s what we do, Sedona. We find people.”

She chuckled. “That’s what Cam said.”

“He’s right. We’re military-trained trackers. That’s what our Special Forces unit did. We tracked high-value people. We found them no matter where they hid.”

Spencer didn’t say what they did with the people their Special Forces team tracked, and she was wise enough not to ask. “That’s good for Julio.”

He grinned. “We’ll get him back, Sedona. We don’t give up. Ever.” Spencer paused and pulled out his phone. He glanced at the screen, then turned it around for Sedona to see.

The text message was from Cam. “Coming back for now. We need Rhys’ help.”

“What do they need Rhys for?”

“They would have lost the trail they could follow on foot if the perp got into a vehicle.”

Ah, she got it. “Rhys can pick up the trail through traffic and security cameras, right?”

“You got it.”

She waited with him for thirty minutes, and yes, she had kept such a close eye on her phone that she saw the numbers change almost each minute of time that moved forward. Finally, Sedona heard the voice she’d been longing to hear. Cam and the rest of his teammates paused for a minute in front of the officer guarding the door, then entered the waiting room.

She eyed the group of men. Holy smoke. These guys were big enough that they made the waiting room seem tiny. Cam was the last one to enter the room. As soon as she saw him, all her jitters and anxiety over his safety vanished.

When he stopped walking and opened his arms, Sedona finished the final few feet at a dead run. Man, those muscular arms closing around her felt so good. Still, she needed to be sure he was safe. “You’re all right?”

He squeezed her a little tighter. “You can’t tell?”

“You’re good at hiding things behind a blank expression, and that’s what you have on your face right now.”

Cam chuckled. “You’re too observant for your own good. I’m fine, Tiger. I admit I’m a little ticked that we ran out of lead.”

Dario snorted. “A little? I think you would have taken a baseball bat to your own SUV if it had made any difference.”

The rest of his teammates chuckled.

Cam signaled his team members, and one by one they introduced themselves to Eddie and Maria.

“Thank you so much for helping to look for Julio,” she whispered. “You didn’t find him?”

Cam stepped forward. “No, ma’am. We found the kidnappers’ trail and traced them to the woods across the street, through to the other side. They had a vehicle parked there.”

“They?” Eddie swallowed hard. “There was more than one of them?”

“That’s right. Based on the evidence we saw, at least two men came after your brother.”

“Did they get him? Do they have Julio?”

Cam glanced at Isaac and gave a slight nod.

“Based on the evidence we found in the woods, we believe they have your brother,” the sniper said.

“What evidence?”

“Scuff marks, boot impressions in the dirt, and part of a shredded pediatric hospital gown where the vehicle was parked.”

“How do you know they parked there?” Eddie demanded to know.

“The driver burned rubber leaving the area. He left us a nice trail to show which direction he went.”

“Why aren’t you following him now?” Eddie hopped up, evidently ready to go out there himself to hunt these men down.

“As dumb as these guys are, the driver didn’t burn rubber all the way to their destination. Once we reached the end of Philmore Street, we didn’t know which way to go. That’s why we needed Rhys’ help.”

“Well, where is he?”

“Right here.” Rhys hustled into the waiting room with his laptop in hand. “What do I need to know?”

Cam glanced at Dario, who dropped into a chair beside Rhys. While Rhys brought up a search engine on his laptop, Dario spoke in low tones with occasional glances at Maria.

“My turn,” Cam said. “Are you okay, Sedona?”

She thought about breezing over his concerns, but that would be a serious mistake. Cam must trust that she’d be honest with him. Otherwise, he would continually worry about her. “No.”

He loosened his hold on her and eased back enough to see her face. After one look, he clasped her hand and drew her to the opposite side of the room and into a corner. Cam cupped Sedona’s nape. “What’s wrong, and how can I help?”

“I don’t understand why The Collector came after me, and now it seems he has Julio. We’re nowhere near important enough for him to focus on us. It makes little sense.”

“I’ve been thinking about that.”

“Come to any conclusions?”

“Yeah, and you won’t like them.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Try me.”

“Have you considered the possibility that The Collector was originally after Julio, not you?”

Her breath froze in her lungs. What did that mean? He couldn’t be serious. Julio was five, for goodness’ sake. Why would a killer-for-hire be after a kindergartner? She waited a beat, expecting him to grin and tell her he was joking. He didn’t. “You’re joking, right?”

“Nope.”

More waiting. He was serious. “How could that be true?”

Cam wrapped his arms around Sedona and held her close. “It’s easy. Julio had to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, like we think is true of you.”

“So, what does that mean? What would a killer-for-hire want with a five-year-old boy?”

“The same thing he wants for you. Dominic Simpson wants you and Julio dead, Sedona, and he’ll do anything necessary to see that his mission is completed.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

BY BEING BLUNT, Cam had scared Sedona. For that, he could have kicked himself. The problem was, his gut said he was right on the money. Somehow, Sedona and Julio had seen and or heard something that Dominic Simpson’s client deemed a threat to himself, and he wanted the threat eliminated.

He pressed a hard kiss on her mouth. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I don’t want to scare you, but you need honest facts, not platitudes that could get you killed.”

“You’re right. I’m an adult. I can take it.”

She sounded like a petrified child, and that was on him. “We’ll find Julio and figure out who’s behind this.”

“And then?”

“Then I focus on something more important to me.”

“Is that right?” Her lips curved slightly.

“Oh, yeah. I’m already planning our first official date without chaperones.”

She laughed, her eyes sparkling.

“Got something, Cam,” Dario said. “Come look at this.”

They crossed the room. “What is it?” Cam asked.

Rhys turned his computer so Cam and Sedona could see the screen. “Watch.” He tapped a key, and the screen showed people at the main hospital entrance walking in and out of the hospital lobby.

Seconds later, The Collector strolled into the lobby as though he owned the place. At his side was a muscular man, similar to the three they’d already arrested. “The Collector has a new sidekick.”

When Sedona shivered, Cam wrapped his arm around her shoulders and settled her against his side. More than cold chills were affecting her. Stress, anxiety, total fear, and more were wreaking havoc on her body.

The screen showed a new view, and seconds later The Collector and his companion walked down the corridor. Cam scowled, recognizing the hallway to Julio’s room. Soon, the assassin and the second man walked to the boy’s room. Although stopped by an officer, he wasn’t deterrent to the two men.

The second man distracted the guard by asking something, allowing Dominic Simpson to slip behind the guard. Simpson reached into his pocket, pulled out a hypodermic, uncapped it, and shoved the needle into the man’s neck. The officer slumped and would have fallen if Simpson and his buddy hadn’t caught him and hauled him into Julio’s room.

A split-second later, Julio raced from the room and headed straight toward the staircase. Simpson and the second man were after him in a heartbeat.

Cam mentally rooted for the kid, even though he knew they had captured Julio and the boy was still in The Collector’s hands. Too many signs pointing in that direction to ignore the evidence.

When the figures on the screen froze, Rhys tapped a key on the keyboard again, and the scene changed again. This time, the shot was outside the hospital waiting room at the entrance doors.

As they watched, Julio sprinted from the hospital and across the grass toward the forest with Simpson and his buddy hot on his heels. In Simpson’s hand was a Sig with a silencer screwed into the barrel. “That’s how he fired at Julio with no one hearing it.”

Sedona looked at Rhys. “Please tell me you picked up Julio when he left the forest.”

Forest. A big word for a shallow two acres of trees. If Julio had a good sense of direction, he would have been through the woods in five minutes, tops. Cam scowled. If one man snagged him and tossed the kid over his shoulder, he’d be through the woods faster than the allotted five minutes.

If the men had to track the kid down because he was sharp and fast, it might take a few extra minutes.

They all watched the screen as the action froze. Again, Rhys tapped the screen and set the action moving forward again. This time the screenshot was of a dark SUV sitting to the side of the road. Nothing happened for several seconds, then two men jogged out of the woods. Simpson had a struggling Julio draped over his shoulder.

When they reached the SUV, Sidekick unlocked the vehicle and opened the back door for Simpson and Julio. The boy, however, was wild in his efforts to escape the hitman’s hold.

Suddenly, Sidekick reached out and grabbed the boy in such a way that he was forced to remain still. Simpson grabbed another hypodermic needle from his pocket and shoved the needle into Julio’s neck. Seconds later, the boy went limp. Simpson scooped him up, put him in the SUV, and climbed in after him. Sidekick sat behind the wheel, and they drove off.

Maria sobbed. “Oh, please tell me you picked them up again somewhere.”

Rhys glanced up. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Oh, thank God. Show us.”

He looked at Cam, one eyebrow raised.

“Go ahead. Show us as far as you have.”

“Copy that, sir.”

For the next several minutes, Rhys played the footage he’d cobbled together from security and traffic cams. The last recording showed an unconscious Julio being carried inside a home by The Collector with Sidekick on his heels. The recordings stopped with a picture of the house frozen on the screen.

“Is that all?” Maria demanded to know.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What does that mean?” Sedona asked. “Is Julio still at that house?”

“I’ve tapped into the live security cam feed. What you’re seeing is live. To the best of my knowledge, Julio is inside that house.”

“Can you find the address?”

“I already have it.”

She and Maria stared at Rhys. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, but I am. I know where Julio is being held.”

Eddie wrapped his arm around his mother. “Then why are we just sitting here? Do something.”

“Whoa, Eddie.” Cam rested his hand on the teen’s shoulder. “We are doing something. For one thing, my teammates aren’t law enforcement, but I am. I have to secure permission from my boss for us to go after Julio and have the documents signed to give us legal clearance. Second, we need satellite images of the house and surrounding area to make a plan to get your brother out of there safely.”

“I’ll tell you how to keep him safe,” Eddie snapped. “You kick down the door, kill the creeps who took him, and bring Julio back to us. That’s how you keep him safe.”

Dario chuckled. “I say the kid has the right idea.”

“Let’s get the satellite images first, then we’ll make a plan.” And he’d wrangle permission from David Montgomery to take his team on another hunt.

“Orders, Cam?” Rhys asked.

“Send a copy of what you showed us to David, then give me that address. Do it fast, buddy, or Fortress Security will have all the fun.”

“You’ve got it.” Rhys grabbed the laptop, set it on his lap, and got to work.

Five minutes later, Cam’s phone rang. “How hard did giving me a copy of that footage hurt?”

“You don’t want to know, sir.”

The sheriff laughed. “I bet. Good work, whichever one of you is the computer geek.”

“That would be Rhys, sir.”

“So noted. I’ve worked with you long enough to know that’s not all. Tell me the rest of what you need.”

“Rhys will give us the address. Once we have that, I want to take my team into the field to rescue the boy.”

“I’m okay with it as long as your teammates know they’re bound by the same rules as we are. No Cowboy antics. I’m not military now, but I will nip in the bud anything which will mess up a case against Simpson and his buddy. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” His boys wouldn’t be happy. That meant their freedom to act as they saw fit had been cut. He would hear about it, too.

“How is Sedona?”

“Better than I thought at this point.”

“You shouldn’t underestimate your woman. She will repay you for that.”

He froze. Uh oh. The sheriff had a point. “Noted, sir.”

“I want to know where you are at all times, Cam. We just brought you to Maple Valley. Losing you is not an option. We also want to provide backup in case you need us.”

This was why he loved working in a small town that valued its law enforcement. It all started with respect for the officers at the top of the food chain. At the top of his food chain was Sheriff David Montgomery. “I appreciate that, sir. Do you want a call every fifteen minutes?” Doing that would drive The Thunderhawks crazy, but he’d do it if that’s what it took to remain a Morgan County deputy sheriff.

“Nope. Call me before you infiltrate the perimeter, and shove the phone into your vest pocket. Leave the call live and take care of business the right way.”

“You ask little.”

The sheriff snorted. “You’re supposed to be the Army’s Cowboys. Now prove it by being creative. Whatever it takes legally to free the boy.”

Nope, not asking much at all. Just freeing a hostage with his hands tied behind his back. “Copy that, sir.”

A ding from Rhys’ laptop had the rest of The Thunderhawks turning to Rhys. “Well?” Dario asked. “Did you get it?”

“Of course.”

Of course. Cam blew out a breath. “Where is he?”

Rhys turned his computer around so they could all see the pin with the address on the screen.

Cam sucked in a breath. Man, this was not good news. Of all the places to hide the kid, this was one of the worst in the county.

“Hey,” David snapped. “Silence doesn’t help me. Where is Julio?”

“Rattlesnake Canyon.”

Silence, then, “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Can’t. Sorry.”

David groaned. “We’ll all be sorry except for Elliot. For some strange reason, he says the place is an excellent challenge for his skills, and he enjoys it.”

“Respectfully, sir, your brother is weird.”

“You’ll get no argument from me on that score. Send me everything Rhys put together. You won’t see us, but we’ll be around to lend a hand if you need us, and we might bring a few friends to the party.”

“Fortress?”

“Who else?”

“How will we know they’re friendlies, sir?”

“They’ll be wearing all black with no reflection, plus tactical boots.”

That should do it, but he wanted to be sure they didn’t make a mistake. “How do we confirm in a split second? The Collector’s man at the hospital was wearing all black. What if he has friends who dress like he does?”

“Makes sense,” David admitted. “They’re going to a lot of trouble to grab a kid.” He thought for a minute. “All right. How about this? Each Fortress Security agent will wear an armband with the letters FS. We use them when we work security gigs.”

“That works.”

“Good. I’ll pass the word to our comms expert. He’ll pass the word to the backup team to wear the armbands.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“You can thank me when Julio is back with his mother. Any changes on that front?”

“No, sir.” Maria was still devastated and destroyed. The longer this kidnapping dragged on, the angrier and more confused Eddie became.

He frowned and glanced around the room. Where was Emily? She should be here with Eddie and her mother. None of the family should be home alone right now. “Where is Emily?”

“At a friend’s house.” Eddie squared his shoulders as though preparing for battle. “Sheriff Montgomery said it was fine for Emily to go to her friend’s house.”

“Sir?”

“Eddie is correct. The friend is the daughter of another officer. He’s at home with the girls and has two members of his squad with him. No one will get through them to Emily and Lilah.”

“Yes, sir.” He didn’t like it, but that was because Cam trusted very few people, and four of those men were here in this room. “We’ll send you the information and let you know when we’re on the road.”

“Excellent. What about Sedona? You are leaving her in our custody, right?”

“You don’t have anyone available to do bodyguard duty, and I will probably need my teammates to spring Julio.”

“I’ve got her, Cam. I’ll be at the lounge in five minutes. The officer at the door has several years of experience.”

Cam snorted. “He looks twelve.”

David laughed. “I’ll tell him you said that. Look, he has fifteen years of experience, much of it while working as a bodyguard for those wanted for their expertise in something. This will be right up his alley.”

“I don’t like it, David.”

“No choice, my friend. You can’t take Sedona into the heart of the lion’s den this time. If you want to help Sedona, distract her with work. Researching how to prevent animal abuse will be worth its weight in gold. We’ve had a run of animal abuse cases in the county, and we can’t find the perpetrators. They just leave their abused animals for the neighbors to find.”

“I’ll talk to her.”

“Make her listen. The last thing we need is a civilian interfering with our investigation and getting hurt. I’ll send one of my experienced officers to guard Sedona. He’ll be there in five minutes. Call me when you’re ready.” The sheriff ended the call.

Cam slid his phone away and glanced down at Sedona. “We have to go soon. You can’t come with us, Sedona. We’re going into what could be a rough battle. If we have to be constantly worried about your safety, we won’t be as effective or careful.”

Disappointment glimmered in her eyes. “I understand.”

Relief swept over him. “Good. I promise you’ll know what’s happening soon after we breach the house. All right?”

She nodded.

He wrapped his hand around hers and went to the officer guarding the door. “Is there an empty room nearby?”

The guard inclined his head across the hall.

“Thanks. We’ll only be a couple of minutes. A bodyguard for Sedona should be here soon.”

“Yes, sir.”

He led Sedona into the empty room and closed the door behind them. Cam gently nudged Sedona backward until her back pressed against the wall, and he caged her in. “I can’t go on this mission without one favor from you,” he murmured.

“What is it?”

“A kiss, Sedona. I’ve been dying for a real taste of you.” His gaze shifted to her full lips. “Will you allow me to kiss you?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

Thank God. He didn’t know if he could go another minute, much less the number of hours it would take to rescue Julio and bring him back to his mother.

Cam bent his head, slid his hand to her nape, and took her mouth with his. Lightning sizzled through his veins at the touch of her lips. Holy smoke. This woman just did it for him in every way. She tasted of heat and spiced honey. Delicious. From now on, every time he tasted that flavor, Cam would think of her.

He sank deeper into the kiss, shoving all other worries aside for these two minutes with Sedona. Although careful to keep the bulk of his weight from her, he couldn’t resist the temptation to tug her against his chest.

Oh, man. Cam uttered a soft groan, and a moment later lifted his mouth from hers. “You don’t know how much I hate to stop.”

“Then don’t.”

“Tiger, if I don’t stop right now, I won’t be able to stop. The military trained me in the art of self-control and I don’t have any. Do you understand?”

Her cheeks turned pink as she nodded. “I never dreamed a kiss could heat me up to my bones.”

He chuckled. “Same.” With the mission clock running in his head, Cam sobered. “I’ll be gone for a while. Hopefully, we’ll have Julio when we return. Although we’ll do our best, kidnappers are unpredictable. I don’t know what the outcome will be.”

“I understand.” She paused, then said, “Cam, do you really think Julio is the primary target? A five-year-old boy?”

“Criminals don’t care about age or innocence. They have an agenda or a mission they’re being paid to carry out. I don’t know what Julio saw, but we better find out fast. His life might depend on us knowing what triggered all of this and who wants to silence him.” And Sedona. Anyone who tried to harm his woman would find retribution burning them down to the ground.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CAM SLID BEHIND the wheel of his SUV with the sweet taste of Sedona lingering in his mouth. Since the chemistry between them was off the charts, he had to break the kiss when he did. If he hadn’t, they both would have burned to ashes.

Two members of his team joined him in his vehicle. The final two Thunderhawks were in Dario’s SUV.

Cam drove from the hospital’s parking lot with Dario falling in line a few car lengths behind him. He handed his phone to Rhys, who sat in the shotgun seat, working on his laptop. “Call David Montgomery.”

“I wonder how good these comm devices are.” Rhys pulled the device from his pocket and slipped it into his ear. “I’ll contact Dario and Isaac so their listening devices are in place for this Zane guy to hook us into a loop.”

The computer geek sent a message to both men, then called David, who would contact Zane from Fortress Security. He put the call on speaker.

“Montgomery,” the sheriff said.

“It’s Cam. We’re on the road and ready to loop our communications.”

“Copy that. Hold.”

Less than a minute later, another man’s voice came through the comm device. “Cameron Sims, I’m Zane Murphy. It’s good to meet you. I’ve heard impressive things about your work since you joined the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department.”

“I appreciate that.”

“David asked me to be your tech support for this mission. Are you okay with that?”

He stilled. “What does tech support do for us on a mission?”

“I make sure your comm devices stay connected, and I monitor you through a satellite if one wanders by while you’re working.”

“You can do that?”

Zane chuckled. “I do it all the time for our black ops teams. I don’t have to do tech support if you prefer using what you normally use.”

Only a fool would turn down that kind of help. “We would appreciate the help, Zane. When can we expect your aid to start?”

“I’m already working. The way ahead of you is clear, as is the road behind you. So far, it doesn’t look as though The Collector sent a team to prevent you from reaching the house where they’ve taken Julio.”

Huh. He could see why the comm support was a serious advantage. “Thanks for the information.”

“Yep. I’ll remain quiet now unless I see something you should know.”

“Copy that.” Cam glanced at Rhys. “What have you got for me?”

“Nothing good.” His expression was grim. “On the dark web, no one has reported The Collector failing to accomplish his mission.”

“You’re sure?”

“That sounded suspicious to me, so I double-checked the reports. It was no mistake.”

Cam whistled. Unbelievable. He hoped Simpson padded his reputation because if he hadn’t, this guy had a perfect average. As good as Cam was, he had an occasional miss. Sounded like Simpson was more robot than man. “Keep digging. We need to uncover the boss’ identity fast.”

“Yes, sir.”

Dario broke into the conversation. “At the risk of sounding like a little kid, how long until we get there?”

His teammates chuckled. “Forty minutes,” Cam said. “Why?”

“Rain is moving in an hour from now. We need to get there, spring the kid, and book it out of the area.”

“Piece of cake,” Spencer said.

Cam smiled, glad to be back with his team. “I’m afraid they brought in reinforcements.”

“We’ll handle them,” Isaac said, confidence in their ability to handle the enemy in his voice.

“Of course we will,” Dario chimed in. “This is what we do, Cam. We find the lost and bring them home.” Left unsaid was their entire goal. Find the lost, dead or alive, and bring them home.

“Four-way stop ahead,” Spencer said. “Left turn.”

“Copy that. Keep us updated on the time until we reach our destination.” His teammates weren’t the only ones pushing to reach the site as fast as possible.

“Yes, sir.”

During the rest of the journey, Cam and the others drove in silence, except for Spencer calling out directions. Twenty-five minutes later, the medic gave directions to a small clearing to park behind a grove of trees.

With nothing else around, Cam maneuvered the SUV into the grove and turned off the engine. “Check your gear, then we’ll meet the others and cobble together a plan. Zane, any updates?”

“No satellite in place. Give me another eight minutes, and I’ll be able to help.”

“Copy that.” Once he and his men checked their weapons one last time, they climbed from the SUV and met Dario and Isaac in front of their vehicle.

Leaves on the trees fluttered wildly as the wind whipped around them, bringing with it the promise of rain. Cam eyed the surroundings. Once the rain began to fall, it wouldn’t take long for the trail to become a slippery and dangerous journey. “So, here’s what we’re going to do.” He talked for a solid two minutes, then paused. “Questions or suggestions?” When no one said a word, Cam gave a slight nod. “The Collector must suspect we’re on his trail. He’s ready for us. So, watch your backs. Let’s move.”

Leading his team single file through the grove toward the house and The Collector and his crew felt natural. Knowing Sedona was safe at the sheriff’s office gave Cam the freedom to focus on his surroundings and on protecting his team.

“Zane, you did research on The Collector’s habits, right?”

“Yeah. What do you need?”

He had this feeling. Cam hoped he was wrong, but his gut wouldn’t shut up about this being a trap. “Was one of Simpson’s tricks to set up a trap for those coming after him?”

“Yeah.”

“What traps does he use?”

“The kind your friend Dario would appreciate.”

Bombs. Great. Just great. “What about perimeter traps?” He held up his fist, stopping his teammates in their tracks.

“Landmines and other explosives. He’s also fond of grenades.”

Dario growled.

Yep, that’s how he felt. If The Collector was standing in front of him right now, Cam would be tempted to choke the guy. He’d seen too many good men die because of IEDs. He didn’t want to be responsible for the injuries or deaths of his best friends. “That’s not what I wanted to hear.”

“I bet. Look, there’s something weird going on here.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You didn’t hear this, but I hijacked a satellite link.”

Cam groaned. “I definitely didn’t hear that. You know I’m a cop, right?”

“I figured you were a Montgomery kind of cop.”

Oh, boy. Did Zane have his number or what? “Okay, okay. You’ve got me. I might bend the law a little here and there. So, what’s bugging you?”

“A vehicle arrived an hour ago. From what I saw, no one left after the SUV arrived. I pulled the latest thermal pass. The building shows six heat anomalies that weren’t there before. None have moved toward an exit. Two of those signatures are concentrated in the same interior zone. One’s small. One adult-sized.”

“That has to be them,” Spencer said. “We’ve got to get to them, Cam. Julio could be hurt.”

“Zane, where did the satellite pick up the two overlapping signatures?”

“Back bedroom on the east side. Corner room.”

The skies opened up, and the promised rain arrived in a steady downpour. Within minutes, the path became as slick as ice.

The mission clock continued to tick in Cam’s head along with the familiar need to get moving and end this assignment on a wonderful note. Except this wasn’t just an assignment, and a small boy’s life was at stake.

They were close to finding his buddy. Cam knew it to his core. “Fall into line. Watch your footing. I need all of you to get this done. Julio is depending on us to find him and bring him home.”

“Copy that, sir.”

Cam continued on the path that he and his teammates decided was the safest and least likely to attract attention from inside the house. Thank goodness for thick trees and foliage cover this time of year. He could do without the rain.

Five hundred yards ahead, a thin silver wire lay stretched across a clear path. Cam held up a fist and pointed out the hazard. Not wanting to waste time dismantling an IED, he opted to give the danger a wide berth.

He skirted more IEDs the closer he walked to their target. Although Cam grew impatient with all the delays, speeding up would endanger his team.

Finally, the trees thinned out, and there it was. “Target house in sight. Back room, east side, corner is our priority.”

“Copy.”

He signaled Dario and Isaac to take the front door while he, Spencer, and Rhys took the back door. Cam waited five minutes to time the guards’ rounds. When no one appeared, his gut knotted. Zane was right. Something was off here, but what? Glancing at his men’s grim expressions didn’t make him feel any better. Yeah, they knew something was wrong, too.

So, what now? Go ahead or hang back? He debated for a split second, then turned to Dario. Was there a choice? Not if he wanted to free Julio today. “Set the charge on the front door and wait for my signal to go.”

A slight nod from his friend, then he and Isaac took off. Cam waited five seconds, then gave the signal for his team to fall in behind him.

Seconds later, he placed a charge on the assigned door. “Team One in position.”

“Team Two in position,” came the response.

“On my count.” Cam counted down from three, then snapped, “Go, go, go!” He pressed the button.

The door blew inward, and a second later another explosion rocked the front of the building. Cam’s team streamed into the kitchen behind him.

The beams from multiple flashlights sliced through the dim, silent interior. Throughout the building came, “Clear left, clear right, hallway clear.”

Cam stood still in the entryway to the hall. No gunfire. No movement. Nothing but silence. The knot in his gut grew.

He gritted his teeth. He had a job to do, and they hadn’t checked the target room. They still might find Cam’s buddy. He prayed they found the boy alive and unharmed. “Let’s go.”

Together, they checked every hiding place in the kitchen, then moved on to the living room and bathroom.

All empty.

They hadn’t reached the target room yet. There was still hope. There had to be. Cam couldn’t bear the thought of telling Sedona that not only had he failed, but her student was…. Nope. He couldn’t say it or think it.

“Team Two, report.”

“All clear. Nothing on the front, first floor.”

“Copy. Nothing on the back, first floor. Go to the second floor.”

“Copy that.”

Both teams surged up the stairs. They repeated clearing rooms until they reached the closed back room door, the one intel said held Julio.

Cam signaled the team to fall in behind him. He was taking this door himself.

“On my count. Three, two, one.” He raised his booted foot and kicked in the door.

He pushed in, weapon up and tracking. His teammates surged in behind him, weapons up and ready.

Empty.

Cam wanted to puke. The room was empty.

He drew in a slow breath and forced himself to really look at the room where they believed Julio had been held.

He was right the first time. The room was empty, but it wasn’t clean.

“The room’s empty, sir,” Dario said softly.

“No, it’s not empty,” Cam insisted. He walked over to the far corner of the room where the bed was and picked up a child-sized blanket. He stripped off his left glove and coasted his hand over the bare mattress.

Cam looked at the others. “It’s still warm.” Pain and disappointment speared him in the heart.

“Cam.” Rhys cradled a cut zip tie in the palm of his hand.

Cam straightened. “He’s gone, and we just missed him by minutes.”

He ran from the bedroom, down the stairs and out the kitchen door with the rest of his team on his heels. To Cam’s eyes, nothing had changed in the past five minutes. His gaze scanned the yard again and came to a sudden stop on the detached garage. The detached garage with the door now up when it had been closed. “Door’s up.”

Spencer hissed. “It was closed when we arrived.”

Cam shifted mentally to search mode. Time to get to work. They had a job to do.

The men split up, carefully scanning the ground for any signs to give them another starting point. Less than a minute later, Dario called out from behind the detached garage. “Back here.”

His teammates found him crouched beside a muddy patch of ground. Cam crouched beside his EOD man. “What do we have?”

“Tire tracks.”

He studied the marks in the mud. “SUV. A big one.”

“Hey,” Spencer called. “Here’s another set of tracks. The tracks all lead in the same direction.”

“Let’s hope The Collector likes to park in different parking spaces each time,” Rhys said.

“Load up. Rhys, you’re with me. Spencer.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. You’re kicking me out.”

The rest of his teammates gave the medic a hard time as they ran to their vehicles.

Soon, Cam climbed behind the wheel and cranked his engine. “We missed him by two or three minutes, at the most.”

Rhys’ fingers flew over his laptop keyboard. Then it was his turn to growl. “We’ve got three vehicles leaving the area on traffic cam. Black SUVs. No plates. They’re definitely traveling together at a high rate of speed.”

Cam’s fingers clenched around the steering wheel as rage swept over him. “Simpson knew we were coming. They were already in the SUVs when we arrived here.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

AS SOON AS the SUV’s tires gripped the asphalt, Cam pressed the accelerator to the floor. “Get your drone into the air, Rhys. I want eyes on that road.”

“What’s the play, sir?” Dario asked.

“It’s time to go hunting, boys.” He tapped the comm device. “Zane.”

“I heard. I didn’t have a satellite in position.”

“Can you track that caravan of SUVs?”

“For a few minutes.”

“Until Rhys catches up to them with his drone. We’ll handle it after that.”

“You’ve got it. What kind of drone do you have?” Inside the SUV’s cabin, they heard Zane’s keyboard clicking as his fingers flew over the keys.

“DJI Matrice 30T.”

“Good choice. Got them. They turned right on Highway 58.”

“Copy that. You get that, Dario?”

“Yep. We’re right behind you, sir.”

Cam yanked his cell phone from his pocket and punched the speaker button. “Did you get all that, David?”

“Oh, yeah. Heads are going to roll when I find the leak. I’m sorry, Cam. I trust my people, or at least I did. Not anymore.”

“Yeah? Well, save one of those heads for me, will you? Rhys has his drone in the air. Once he catches up with them, he can follow in the air until we close the distance.”

“Good. What do you need us to do?”

“Set up roadblocks.” He gave his boss a list of roads to block off so they could box the caravan in.

“Got it. Anything else?”

“Is Sedona all right?”

“Although I can’t figure out why, she’s worried about you. I told her you were as tough as old shoe leather.”

He snorted. “Thanks a lot. Way to support me, sir.”

“Trying to give her an accurate picture of you.” He paused, then said, “We’ll find him, Cam.”

He couldn’t know that for sure, but his boss was wise enough to offer hope and encouragement when he and his team were at their lowest. “We’re not losing him, David. I don’t want to tell Sedona I failed to find and protect her student.”

“Copy that, my friend.” David paused, then said, “Roadblocks are moving into position as we speak. My brothers and a few deputies were in the area, so none of them are far from the roadblock locations.”

“Excellent.”

“Watch yourself. The Collector is sharp. Apparently, he’s outsmarted us every step of the way.”

“And isn’t that a kick in the ego?” Cam muttered.

“Stay focused, Sims. You hear me?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve got it.”

“You better, because if you don’t, you’ll end up on a slab in the morgue. Without you, your lady will make decisions with her heart instead of common sense, and she’ll join you in the morgue within forty-eight hours, tops. Do you want that to happen?”

“No, sir,” Cam snapped. “No way, sir.”

“Good. Then you better keep your mind in the game. If you don’t, I’ll be burying a good deputy.”

“Copy that, sir. Rhys, can you make the plates on any of the three SUVs?”

“They don’t have one.” A pause, then, “They’re splitting. Three directions.”

“Hold steady. Don’t commit to a chase.”

“Which one has the kid?” Isaac asked.

“We can’t guess. We have to get it right.”

Cam forced himself to take a breath, then another, and another. He hated with a white-hot passion what he was about to say. However, chasing the wrong one could doom Julio. A bright, sweet, innocent boy could be gone forever, and that possibility gutted him.

He swallowed against the lump in his throat. “Rhys, push the drone higher. I want a direction of travel on all three vehicles. Zane, do you have a satellite in position?”

“For one more minute,” Zane said. “We’re right at the edge of the pass window.”

“Watch them as long as you can. David?”

“Right here.”

“Let’s see how accurate the leak was. As soon as Rhys confirms the direction, I’ll pass it along to you. Hopefully, the men assisting your brothers aren’t responsible for the leak. We need a break. I want at least one roadblock to capture an SUV. If we’re lucky, that one has the child.”

“Copy that. Roadblocks are ready.”

Rhys’ voice came through, tight and focused. “Drone altitude increasing. Stand by. Okay, I’ve got all three. Eastbound, northbound, and westbound.”

Zane broke in. “Tracking. Okay, I’ve got them. Eastbound SUV holding forty miles an hour. Northbound accelerating. Westbound holding fifty miles an hour.”

“Keep eyes on all three,” Cam said.

“Trying,” Rhys said. “But they’re maneuvering like they know we’re overhead.” A beat, then, “Westbound SUV just went dark. Looks like it slid under a bridge. I’ve lost the radar return.”

“Mark last known,” Cam said.

“Done. Eastbound SUV entering a tunnel now. Hold. Lost track. Northbound SUV just slid under a bridge. All three are dark. Drone can’t see them. Structures are blocking everything.”

Zane’s voice sharpened. “They’re no longer visible to the satellite, and the satellite is out of range in ten seconds.” He counted down. “Out of position now. No movement from any of the SUVs. No thermal signatures before the vehicles hid from the satellite.”

“So we don’t know which vehicle Julio was in?”

“Nope. Sorry, man. Satellite’s out of position now. I’ll try to pull another one, but I can already tell you the nearest bird is fifteen minutes away. They timed this. They knew exactly when to disappear.”

“Cam, we have a location on those SUVs,” Isaac said. “We pick one and chase it down. If we’re lucky, Julio is inside. If he’s not, we still have the team inside the vehicle. You give me those men, and I guarantee they’ll talk, sir. I’ll make them tell us where the boy is.”

“I didn’t hear you say that.”

“Which one do we take?” Dario asked.

Silence filled the SUV one beat, then two. Man, he didn’t want to think it much less say it. But what choice did he have? He knew the truth. It was time to own it. “We don’t have a target.”

“Sir,” Dario said. “We take one each. That’s decent odds, two out of three. One of us might get lucky.”

“We both might chase the wrong SUV, and then he’s gone for good.”

Silence filled the cab of his vehicle, the silence of failure.

Rhys said, “They’re outpacing us, sir. I’m losing them. I can’t track all three.”

Cam gritted his teeth. This sucked so badly. How could he tell Sedona? She would be so disappointed in him. In his mind’s eye, he saw Julio’s blanket and the cut zip tie. “Bring the drone back. We regroup.”

Dario snapped, “We’re just letting him go?”

“The Collector slipped past us. He planned every step and outsmarted us. We’ve got to be better than this. Also, we don’t chase blind. Ever. Hopefully, the roadblocks will pick them up, but I’m not counting on it, not with The Collector’s track record. Rhys, bring the drone back. Zane, do you have time to help us?”

“What do you need?”

“Pull traffic cam footage within a ten-mile radius and send a copy to Rhys. Rhys, build a trail. I want to know where these guys go.”

“If I can figure out what vehicles they switched to,” he muttered.

“What else can I help with?” Zane asked.

“Cell tower activity mapping.”

“Copy that. I’m on it. Rhys, I’ll let you know when to check your email for traffic cam footage.”

Their tech man’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t remember giving you my email address.”

“You didn’t. Cam, anything else?”

“Nope. Thanks for all your help. We owe you.”

“Not yet. You can owe me a favor when we find the boy. Murphy out.”

“David?”

“Right here.”

“We found three sets of tire treads on the SUVs around the detached garage. The rain has likely destroyed the tire treads by now, but see if we can match treads to vehicles.”

“You’ve got it. Nailing it down might take us a beat. We have three crime scenes to process.”

“Move this to the top of the list. This might give us that break we’ve been looking for.”

“Copy that. I’ll call when I have something to report.”

The corners of Cam’s lips curved. In other words, don’t bother him with questions he couldn’t answer yet.

He glanced in the rearview mirror and noted that Dario was tailgating him. Only one reason for that. Much as Cam understood and longed to keep going, continuing the pursuit could endanger Julio. “Break off pursuit, Dario.”

“We can still catch them.”

“Break it off. That’s an order.”

A growl of frustration filled the SUV’s cabin. “Copy that, sir,” Dario spit out.

“Dial it back, or when we have a confirmed location on Julio, you’ll be riding the bench.”

“Yes, sir.” He remained silent a beat, then added, “I hate dead ends.”

Cam chuckled. “Same, my friend.”

“Where are we going now, sir?” Spencer asked.

“You have to ask?” Isaac chuckled. “Buddy, you are slacking.”

“Ha ha. I was just making sure we were headed to the police station to pick up Sedona.”

“Of course.” Cam glanced in the rearview mirror, where he could see the medic’s face in the reflection. “Why?”

I thought you might avoid facing Sedona and Maria as long as possible. After all, the news you’re bringing is bad.”

“Missing Julio is on me. I can’t avoid the truth. I know Sedona well enough to worry she’ll do anything to help Julio, even if it’s bad for her safety.”

“That was obvious when you told us she jumped into the lion enclosure. That took a courage we’ve rarely seen.”

Boy, didn’t he know that. “She’ll do anything for her students. That’s why I brought the rest of The Thunderhawks in to help guard her.”

“Looks as though that will be a lifetime commitment for the team,” Isaac said.

The team’s lifetime commitment? “Explain that.”

“It’s exactly what it sounds like, sir. We know you’re gone over this woman, and now that we’ve met her, we understand why you’re crazy about her. In fact, we talked about it on the way to Hartman.”

“And?”

“Do you realize that you’re in love with her?”

He froze. “What? Are you serious?”

“About you being in love with her, or that we recognized it before you did?”

Cam swallowed hard. “Both,” he choked out.

His teammates laughed loudly and long. Finally, Spencer said, “We’re serious, bud. Figure out how to tell the lady you love her.”

“If she’s smart, Sedona will run for the hills as fast as she can.” Cam felt sick. A good scare could do that to you. This was nuts. How could he fall in love with Sedona that fast? Worse, why would she love him back? He was just an old soldier who wanted to use his military skills to bring lost people home to their families instead of tracking terrorists and bringing them to justice.

Rhys reached over and thumped him hard on the shoulder.

“Ouch! What was that for?”

“For doubting yourself for even one second. Knock that off, or we’ll do it for you. You’re a catch for your lady.”

Right. If that was true, why was he going back to her empty-handed? “You need your eyes checked.”

“You need your view of yourself to come up out of the basement,” Isaac said. “Don’t let Amelia’s view of you distort the accurate picture.”

Amelia, the woman whom he’d dated for a few months simply because she was beautiful. It didn’t take long to realize her outward beauty didn’t carry over to beauty on the inside. Every time he got ready to break up with her, she would have a full-blown crisis where she threatened to take her own life. Over and over this happened until Isaac had thumped him on the back of the head and told him to open his eyes. Thank God he’d listened to wise advice. “You’re right.”

“Of course I am. You should always listen to me.”

That led to more jeering from the rest of The Thunderhawks. Cam let it roll for a while. Humor was good for the team, and he deserved the teasing. If he could, he’d kick himself for allowing Amelia to influence him one iota.

Thirty minutes later, Cam used his identity card to scan into the sheriff’s department parking lot. When they exited their SUVs, Cam led his teammates into the station. Once he settled them in the squad room with his coworkers, Cam went in search of Sedona. He found her in the break room, fast asleep on the couch with a pillow under her head and a blanket wrapped around her.

His heart clenched in his chest. She was so beautiful. He longed to kiss her, but didn’t feel like he had the right without her consent, especially since he’d failed her.

He stilled. Where were Eddie and Maria? Surely, they weren’t still at the hospital? Perhaps they’d gone home to wait for word of Julio. He’d check on their whereabouts after he talked to Sedona.

Allowing himself to touch her for a few seconds, Cam ran the backs of his calloused fingers down her cheek. Man, her skin felt like velvet. He’d felt nothing this soft in his life. Praying she wouldn’t hate him for what he was about to tell her, Cam murmured, “Sedona.”

She woke immediately. Her gaze locked with his, and a second later, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Instead of a soft, light kiss he’d expected, she took his mouth with hers, as if they hadn’t left off from their earlier kisses.

A long minute later, she broke the kiss and smiled at him with swollen lips. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

Sedona studied him for a moment, sobering. “What’s wrong?”

His heart sank. Of course she would pick up on what he felt so deeply. This was yet another clue that this woman was meant for him, and he’d botched this relationship up good.

When he remained silent, she sat up and tugged him to the couch beside her. “Tell me.”

“We missed him by five minutes.”

She moaned. “Oh, no.”

“We tried to follow them, but The Collector has a team large enough to divide into three SUVs. We used a drone to follow them as far as we could, but they split up and went in three different directions. The SUVs parked in tunnels or under bridges. The satellite went out of position, so Fortress lost its visuals of them, and our drone had to stop because it was out of range. Roadblocks netted nothing. I’m sorry. I failed.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

SEDONA CUPPED CAM’S cheeks and leaned in to press her lips to his, her touch as gentle and light as butterfly wings. “You didn’t fail.”

“How can you say that?” Pain filled his eyes. “He’s not here with you or with his mother.” He closed his eyes for a beat. “I’m not looking forward to telling Maria that Julio slipped through our fingers. Some Special Forces team we are.”

“Are you giving up?”

His eyelids flew up, anger simmering in the depths. “No. Never. We made a promise to find him and bring him home. The Thunderhawks don’t renege on a promise. Our team will bring him home.” Cam watched her for a moment. “If someone took you from me, I’d burn the world down to find you.”

She stared at his beloved face. “Cam.”

“I mean every word, Sedona. You are everything to me.”

Her eyes widened. “I feel the same about you.”

His grip tightened around her arm. “Don’t say that unless you mean it to your soul.”

“You are the beat of my heart,” she whispered. Did he understand what she was telling him? She knew many people would tell her this was too fast, that she couldn’t know in a few weeks. But she knew. Deep in her soul she’d known the truth of what he was to her the first time she’d seen him.

“Sedona.” Cam’s voice dropped until it was just above a growl. “I’m serious. You can’t say such things unless you mean them. To give me paradise, then take it away would shred my soul.”

She rested two fingers against his lips to stop the flood of words, then took a leap into the unknown. “Cam, I love you.”

He stilled. Every muscle seemed made of stone. But those eyes, his beautiful eyes, glimmered with a million stars in their depths. “Say it again,” he demanded, pulling her into his arms.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too, Sedona.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight against his chest. “More than I can express. I know the timing is wrong, that I should have waited, but I was afraid I had royally screwed things up between us. I am sorry, Tiger. All of us are heartbroken that we missed Julio.”

“Stop. You got confirmation that he’s still alive. That’s worth its weight in gold to me. I’ve heard rumors about your team.”

“You have?”

“The Montgomery brothers have been talking about you and The Thunderhawks at family dinners. The hot topic of conversation at the dinner table is how to persuade the rest of your team to come on board as Morgan County’s first Search and Rescue team.”

His mouth curved. “Won’t take much. They’re already planning to apply to the sheriff’s department to work as deputies.”

Thank goodness. At least she didn’t have to worry about Cam moving somewhere else if his teammates were here. Then again, every school system needed teachers, and Sedona was sure her principal would give her a good reference. “You’re not planning to move?”

Cam shook his head. “The day I met you, everything changed. I no longer wanted to be temporary. I’m here to stay, Sedona, and so are my teammates. If David doesn’t want us as a search and rescue team, we can volunteer with a SAR organization. We’ll find an opportunity to do what we’re trained to do. We want to find people and bring them home because every family deserves to be whole.”

Sedona hugged him tightly. “You’re amazing.”

“I’m contributing my skills to help those who can’t help themselves. If you were trained, you’d do the same.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Well, there aren’t many calls for voluntary high-wire acts.”

“I would hope not.” He shuddered. “I know you’re good at the work, but I really hope no one needs you to risk life and limb to save someone.”

“Unlike jumping into a lion enclosure?” She couldn’t resist teasing him.

“Tiger, don’t tease me about that. I don’t want to go through that again. My hair is turning gray just thinking about it.”

David tapped on the door. “Sorry to interrupt. Interrogation Room One. Five minutes.”

Sedona released Cam. “What does that mean?”

David wants to see us. Something’s happened.”

Her stomach twisted into a knot. “I hope it’s good.”

Cam’s expression was grim. “Around here, the news is rarely good.”

How did any law enforcement officer bear a job with such a dark outlook on life? She couldn’t do his job. She was a kindergarten teacher for a reason. Loving sunshine, kittens and puppies, and young children made Sedona’s job perfect for her. She didn’t want to face such a grim outlook on life.

She glanced at him as he seated her at the scarred wooden table in the interrogation room. Becoming an officer wasn’t in the future, but becoming an officer’s wife could be on the agenda. Although dealing with the worst of the citizens of Morgan County wasn’t part of her training, she’d have to help Cam deal with the aftereffects of his job.

“Do you want anything to drink? We have coffee, tea, soft drinks, and water. What would you like?”

“Water. I’ll go for hot tea later.”

He flinched. “If that’s what you want.”

Sedona laughed. “I know you’re not a tea drinker.”

“The cold and sweetened variety is great. The herbal stuff is unpalatable.”

The sheriff strode into the room with his brother, Elliot, a step behind. They sat on the other side of the table. “The Collector knows where Julio lives. We’ve had to move the family into protective custody.”

Cam stiffened. “What happened?”

“Caleb drove them home and found this.” David turned his phone around so they could both see the photos as he scrolled from one picture to the next.

Each photo showed more and more destruction. Holes in the wall, the refrigerator shoved onto its front, food tossed everywhere, and that was just in the kitchen.

As David swiped on, showing more damage in each room than the one before, Sedona grew sick to her stomach. Was she responsible for this? Had something she said or seen caused these people to lash out at Julio and his family?

Frustration filled her. If she had caused this, she didn’t know how. Nothing stood out except Julio talking about the three men who stared at him behind the school building.

But that made little sense. She’d been back there, too, and had seen nothing that should trigger this kind of payback. Sedona felt helpless, and she hated that feeling. She hadn’t experienced that since she joined the circus and didn’t appreciate having her peace and security ripped away again.

“Are they safe?” Cam asked.

“For now,” Elliot replied. “It won’t last long.”

“Why not?” Sedona asked.

“If The Collector is as good as he’s rumored to be, he’s already searching for Maria and Eddie. We can’t let Simpson get to them.”

“How can we help?” Cam asked.

“You can’t.” David slid his phone into his pocket.

Cam’s face lost all expression and color. “You don’t trust me.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Elliot snapped. “This isn’t about our trust in you. If we didn’t trust you, you’d be out of a job.”

David snorted. “Except for the leak we have yet to find.”

“Caleb’s narrowing it down.”

“He needs to work faster, bro.” David refocused on Cam. “Elliot’s right. Don’t be stupid.”

“Somebody write that down,” his brother said. “Doesn’t happen often.”

David turned to look at Elliot.

Elliot held up his hands and mimicked zipping his lips shut.

The sheriff rolled his eyes and turned back to Cam. “You already have a job. You’re Sedona’s bodyguard and, if I’m not mistaken, much more.

“I love her,” Cam admitted. “Don’t bother telling me that’s a conflict of interest. Sedona is everything to me. She will always be my top priority. No one will touch her again.”

“If you can’t focus, I need to know about it yesterday. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

A sigh from the sheriff. “But you won’t tell me to reassign you.”

“Respectfully, no way, sir.”

“Then you better balance your priorities so Sedona is unharmed and your team comes back in one piece.”

“I’ve got this, sir.”

“I hope so, Cam, because The Collector will dice you up into little pieces if you give him a tiny opening. Don’t do it. You’re growing on me.”

“Copy that, sir.”

“Wait a minute,” Sedona said. “What about Julio? You can’t forget him.”

“No one has forgotten him,” David said. “He’s uppermost in all our minds.”

“Who is going after Julio?”

“We are. Cam’s sole focus is you.”

She shook her head. “No way.” Beside her, Cam sat as still as a statue, and his face was as blank as a clean slate.

David studied her a moment. “Are you telling me you don’t want Cam protecting you, Sedona? Do you feel unsafe with him?”

Cam shoved back from the table. “Are you kidding me?”

Elliot, also on his feet, shoved Cam back into the chair. “Don’t move,” he said, gaze locked on Cam.

“You heard what he said.”

“I’ve got ears.” His attention didn’t shift from Cam for one second. “Bro, you have zero diplomacy.”

David ignored all the byplay. “Sedona, answer my question. Do you feel safe with Cam?”

Her man’s growl rumbled deep in his chest.

“Now who’s being stupid?” Sedona glared at the sheriff. “Of course I do. I love Cam Sims. He would never lay a hand on me in anger.”

“Then what did you mean by your statement?”

“Cam and his team have already found Julio once. They’re his best chance, David. Allow them to continue their work. They’re already running down leads as we speak.”

“Say I let him and The Thunderhawks search for Julio. Who will protect you when they go hunting?”

“If I’m not with them, then send Elliot and Levi to watch over me. Deal?”

His eyebrows rose. “You’re going with them to hunt for Julio?”

“I’ll do whatever is necessary to bring that boy back to his mother, even if it means tramping through the woods again.”

Respect filled his eyes. “You are one tough cookie, Sedona Hart. I hope your sisters are as feisty as you are.”

“We’ll find out soon. The first one will arrive in a few days. I’d rather not have a hired assassin after me when she arrives, if you don’t mind.”

He inclined his head in silent agreement, then turned to Cam. “Do you agree with Sedona? Should you and your team have another shot at finding Julio?”

“The military trained us to find people. Sedona is right. We’ve already found him once. We’ll find him again and free him from The Collector and his cronies. If you’re asking whether we want the chance to right a wrong, you bet we do. Julio is a good kid, and he’s ours. We’ll find him, David. You have my word.”

After a long minute of enduring David’s scrutiny, the sheriff gave a slight nod. “All right. We’ll try it your way for now. If I don’t like the progress you’re making or any tactic you try, I’m pulling the plug on this mission and sending you back to the original one of only guarding Sedona. We’re clear on that?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Dismissed. I want reports on my personal cell only. If I’m unavailable, report to Elliot on his phone.”

Cam frowned. “Should we have met somewhere besides the station?” He glanced at the camera attached to the ceiling. The indicator light on the camera was red.

“I checked this room myself, so I know there are no unauthorized bugs or small cameras in here. The only thing the traitor will know is that I met with you and your team to discuss the case.”

Cam’s lips curved slightly. “Mighty small team, sir.”

“Ha ha. Talk to the rest of your team. If The Thunderhawks are on board, get moving on this op. We just reset the mission clock, and we probably have twenty-four hours or less to get this done.”

“You said The Collector completes his missions no matter how long it takes.”

“He is not behaving in a manner that is reported to be normal for him.”

“Do you know why?” Sedona asked. This couldn’t be good news for Julio. Why was this man in such a hurry to complete the contract?

David shook his head and glanced at his brother. “What’s your take on it, Elliot?”

“The client is pressuring Simpson for results.”

“But he kidnapped Sedona.”

“Yeah, and lost her. Then he tried to take out Julio with a lion and failed, thanks to Sedona. He finally got his hands on Julio, but I don’t think he’s getting what he wanted.”

“Which is what?” Sedona asked. “A scared little boy? I can guarantee Simpson has accomplished that mission.”

“My assumption is the client wants information. If he’s not receiving what he wants from Julio, he’ll try again with the next most likely candidate.” Elliot stared hard at Sedona.

“Me?” She scoffed. “Got news for you, pal. They tried with me and utterly failed. I might have escaped, but I skipped out on their question-and-answer sessions before they got started. They don’t know that I know nothing. I have holes in my memory after they injected me with Ketamine.

“Keep trying to remember, Sedona.” David stood. “Stay alert, Cam. If your team needs people to trade off night watch, let me know. I’ll contact Personal Security International, Fortress Security’s training arm, and ask for a team almost ready for the field as a black ops unit to give us a hand.”

“All right. Thanks.”

“Sedona, do everything Cam tells you to do without question. If you don’t like or understand an order, wait until the crisis is over, then sit down with him and talk.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Get going. Watch your six, Cam.”

“Copy that, sir.” Cam stood and offered his hand to Sedona. When she was on her feet, he threaded his fingers through hers and led her toward the door. He paused with his hand on the doorknob. “David, Elliot, I apologize for my earlier behavior. I was out of line. It won’t happen again.”

Elliot snorted. “Don’t lie.”

Cam glanced over his shoulder and grinned at his fellow deputy. He opened the door and escorted Sedona to the squad room, where his teammates waited.

When they saw Cam and Sedona, the rest of The Thunderhawks followed them to the lobby. Cam took a step toward the front doors.

Dario wrapped his big hand around Cam’s upper arm. “Let us go first,” he murmured. “We do this by the book.”

The team formed a loose circle around Sedona and Cam and started for the door. Dario reached for the doorknob as Cam wrapped his arm around Sedona’s shoulders. He tucked her close to his body. “Stay with me,” he murmured. “You’ll be safer once we're inside the SUV.”

Safer. Not safe. She shivered and inched closer to Cam. This wasn’t good. Back in her teenage years, she thought walking the high-wire without a net was the most terrifying thing she could do. She’d found something scarier: walking from the relative safety of a building out into the open.

The men moved at a fast clip toward the SUV with Cam almost carrying Sedona. Suited her. The faster she was inside the SUV, the better for her peace of mind.

Dario reached the SUV first and opened the back door for Sedona. Cam lifted her into the vehicle, thrust the seatbelt into her hand, and circled around to the driver’s side and climbed behind the wheel. When Dario dove into the shotgun seat, Cam cranked the engine.

As Cam drove toward the parking exit, the windshield spiderwebbed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

BEFORE CAM COULD give the order, Dario kicked out the windshield. Even though they were more vulnerable without the glass, at least he could see to drive. He glanced over his shoulder, looking for any blood on the woman he loved.

Clean.

Thank God. “Sedona, lie flat on the seat. Don’t sit up until I tell you.”

“Go, go, go,” Dario snapped.

Cam whipped back around and slammed his foot on the accelerator. He and Isaac, who was driving the second SUV, weaved in and out of traffic in a way guaranteed to attract the attention of the closest law enforcement officers. He hoped his fellow deputies ignored the erratic driving.

His phone rang. Dario tapped the talk button on the dashboard screen. “You’re on speaker with Cam, Dario, and Sedona.”

“The deputies are reporting gunfire outside the station. What happened?”

“Ambush. Sniper shot my windshield.”

“Everybody okay?”

“10-4.” He glanced at Dario who had been texting furiously. His friend glanced up and gave a sharp nod. Cam breathed easier. “No injuries.”

David sighed. “Thank God. I was concerned.”

He’d been more than concerned. Cam had been terrified for his friends and especially Sedona. To lose her to a sniper’s bullet was in his top five worst fears. “Same.”

“Anybody get a bead on the shooter?”

Dario said, “Isaac said he was on the courthouse roof, right side.”

“Hold. Elliot, you get that?”

“On it. Tell Sedona to keep her head down.”

“I am,” she called out.

Elliot chuckled. “You’re all right, kid. Just keep listening to your security team and you’ll be fine.”

“I’ve heard that somewhere before in the past couple of days.”

“Good. Gotta go follow a clue. Later.”

David said, “Has your safe house been compromised?”

“No sign of it yet.”

“Go back to your safe house. Watch your six for signs of a tail. Did you check your SUV for a tracker?”

“No, sir.”

“Find a place off the main roads and search your vehicle before you go any further. We don’t want to take chances with your lives.”

“Copy that, sir.” He made a quick right turn, then a left, and drove into a large parking garage with the second SUV carrying his teammates close behind him. “Stay where you are, Tiger. This won’t take long.” Cam exited the vehicle and searched for a tracking device. He came up empty. Excellent news.

Isaac scooted out from under his SUV. “It’s clean.”

“Same. Let’s get out of here.”

“Copy that.”

The caravan started again on the journey to the safe house. Although the safe house appeared not to be compromised, he and the others would search the house before he accepted Sedona was secure for the moment.

Cam took detour after detour until he was positive they were free of a tail, then headed for the safe house to regroup.

When they arrived at the safe house, Dario and Spencer unlocked the back door and went inside to search. Five minutes later, Dario appeared at the back door and gave the all-clear signal.

Cam glanced at Sedona. “Wait for me to come around for you.” When she saluted and smiled with a twinkle in her eyes, he chuckled. He appreciated her taking their orders with grace and a sense of humor.

With his hand on her door, he carefully scanned the area with Isaac and Rhys flanking him. “Nothing. You?”

“Zero,” Rhys said.

“Same.” Isaac rested his hand on his pistol. “Let’s get her inside.”

Cam opened the door, extended his hand, and gripped Sedona’s wrist. He pulled her quickly from the SUV, tucked her against his side, and hurried toward the back door where Dario had his weapon up and tracking.

Seconds later, Cam rushed her over the threshold, stopping in the middle of a kitchen lit only by the light over the stove. The rest of the room was in deep shadow, thanks to blackout curtains. He looked into Sedona’s beautiful eyes. “You’re all right?”

“Of course. Who wouldn’t want a big, strong man to haul her around between one breath and the next?” She winked.

Although his teammates laughed and clapped him on the shoulder, Cam only smiled back. The guys could tease him as much as they wanted. The only thing that mattered to him was Sedona understood why he manhandled her so often.

Dario stood close enough that when his stomach growled, everyone heard it.

“Hungry, Dario?” Sedona asked.

“Maybe.”

“Anybody in the mood for hamburgers and French fries?” When the team enthusiastically agreed, Sedona said, “Good. Wash your hands. If you want to eat, you’re going to help.”

Although the men grumbled for a moment, one glance from Cam and they headed off to wash their hands without serious protest.

“After dinner, what’s next?” Sedona asked.

He turned back to study her for a moment. “How do you feel about a field trip?”

“Depends on where we’re going. The last field trip I was on didn’t end so well.”

“Back to where I found you in the woods.”

She stared, then said weakly, “Yay.”

He couldn’t help it. Cam laughed. “Don’t oversell your enthusiasm.”

Sedona rolled her eyes. “Go wash your hands.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He dropped a light kiss on her mouth and followed the sound of his teammates giving each other a hard time.

Minutes later, Sedona had organized them into an assembly line of choppers and hamburger patty makers.

“Are you sure about this, Sedona?” Rhys asked as he awkwardly squeezed the hamburger meat into an oblong patty.

“No, like this.” She showed him how to make a rounded patty with the hamburger in her hands. “Got it?”

The computer genius winked at her and made a perfect patty. “Yeah, I got it. You’re an excellent teacher.”

Cam knew his friend was flirting with Sedona just to mess with him, but he acted like a jealous boyfriend, which he kind of was, for the benefit of the team. Anything to create team unity, right? He growled, glaring at his friend. “Knock it off.” On cue, the rest of the team jumped in to razz him.

When they settled down, Sedona folded her arms across her chest. “The more you goof off, the longer it will take to finish preparing dinner.”

The men looked at each other and sobered. “We’ll behave,” Isaac said. Soon, the hamburgers were patted out, and the grill was heated and ready.

Cam picked up the plates loaded with hamburgers, ready for the grill. “Get the door, Isaac.” The sniper checked outside before opening the door for him, then accompanied him, shutting the door on the rest of the crew with Sedona.

Isaac waited until the burgers sizzled on the grill before turning to look at Cam.

“What?” Yeah, his tone was curt. In fact, he was just plain rude. Isaac was tough. He could handle a grumpy leader.

“We can’t wait for trouble to come to us.”

“You know it’s coming.”

“But this time, we can’t wait for it. Julio’s life is at stake.”

Cam grunted. “Hadn’t planned to just sit here. I’m well aware of the price if we wait.”

“Then you have a plan?”

“Sort of.” Not one he liked. He hoped one of his teammates would nix the idea. The plan would take Sedona to the place where she’d run from her kidnappers, bringing back terrible memories. The problem was, Cam couldn’t see another way to do this.

“Glad to see you have so much confidence in your plan,” Isaac said dryly.

“If the woman you loved would go through mental torture, would you be eager to put her through that?”

The other man stilled as only a sniper can. “You’re in love with her?”

Now it was Cam’s turn to stare. “That’s what you focused on?”

“It’s the most important part of your sentence. Answer the question.”

“I’m head-over-heels for this kindergarten teacher, Isaac. I can’t see my life having any meaning without her in it.”

A soft whistle from his friend. “I never thought I’d see the day when you fell for a woman.”

“Well, mark it on your calendar because today’s the day.”

“I guess my next question is, how does she feel about you?”

“I don’t know how or why, but she loves me, too.”

“I’m glad,” the sniper said simply. “What’s the plan?”

He told Isaac everything and waited for his friend’s response.

“It’s the right call.”

Relief swept through him. Isaac had a way of cutting to the heart of everything, and he didn’t mince words. If the plan had been terrible, he would have told Cam what he thought. “Do you have another option? I’m open to just about anything right now.”

“Sorry, man. There is no plan B. It’s the best way to stir Sedona’s memories.”

“But you know how Ketamine is. She might remember what happened. Then again, she might not.”

“Remembering how they kidnapped her isn’t necessary. We know where we captured the men chasing her. We’ll work backward from there.”

Cam nodded in agreement, although just the idea of taking Sedona to the woods where he’d found her made him feel sick. That was the last place he wanted to take her, but if it led to more information that pointed them to Julio, the pain and suffering Cam put her through would be worth it.

“When will you take her to the woods?”

“After dinner.”

“It will be dark by then.”

“Sometimes your other senses can help you remember different things if you can’t see.”

“While you finish grilling, I’ll study the map and form a plan of approach.”

By the time the hamburgers were grilled to perfection, the rest of The Thunderhawks had heard of the plan for the evening. They devoured their hamburgers and were soon on their way to the woods where Cam had found Sedona.

The closer they came to the place where they’d walk into the woods, the more Sedona trembled. He hated that he was to blame for her reaction. Making her relive her worst nightmare was wrong. He should have found another way to get the information they needed.

Cam squeezed Sedona’s hand. “Are you sure you want to do this? You can still back out, and I’ll have one of my teammates take you back to the safe house. The rest of us can pile into the second SUV after we search the areas where we arrested your kidnappers.”

Wouldn’t do them much good, though. To be truly effective, they needed Sedona’s memory jogged. The way things stood, they had just about nothing to go on. Why kidnap a five-year-old? What could Julio possibly tell a criminal that held any weight?

Sedona’s icy fingers squeezed his hand. “You and your teammates said this was the best way, and I think you’re right. If we’re to have any chance to learn something that helps us find Julio, we have to do it here.”

He glanced at her, genuinely curious about her answer to his next question. “Would you put yourself through this for any of your students?” Cam thought he knew the answer.

“Yes.” No hesitation in her answer.

Just as he’d thought. And now they were out of time because they had reached the place where he had parked his SUV. “All right. We’re here,” Cam said as they approached the place where he had parked his SUV. He stopped and backed into the woods as he had the night he’d rushed here to find Sedona.

After turning off the engine, he came around to open Sedona’s door and extended his hand.

“Wow.” Sedona glanced around, her lips curving upward. “You bring me to the best places on a date.”

The Thunderhawks chuckled.

Cam scowled at them. “Laugh it up, boys. One day soon, you’ll be the one in the hot seat because of your woman.”

Isaac held up his hands and backed away. “Take that back, man. No wishing trouble on me like that.”

Sedona poked him in the chest with her finger. “You don’t know what a jewel you’ll miss if you keep that attitude about women, Isaac.”

From behind Sedona, his teammates grinned at his dismay.

Cam said, “Gear up and let’s get moving. I want to get this done in the next three hours.” Didn’t know if being in these woods at the same time as she had been here before would help or not. To give her the best chance of remembering sights, sounds, or scents, Cam would be glad to give up a few hours of sleep.

Cam and his teammates slipped on their Go bags and checked their weapons one last time, then set out in single file, except for Cam and Sedona who followed Dario through the darkened woods lit only by weak moonlight shining through the tree cover.

Although Cam longed to speed up, Sedona struggled to stay on her feet. She tripped over exposed tree roots and stumbled on rocks.

Minutes later, Cam said to his teammates, “Here is where I found Sedona.”

Spencer glanced around, frowning. “But there’s nothing here. Didn’t you say they held her hostage in a building, but she escaped?”

“That’s right. David and his brothers weren’t able to narrow down how far Sedona had run.”

“Why not?” Dario asked.

“She couldn’t help them. The kidnappers gave her Ketamine.”

“And that messed with her memory,” Spencer said. “How can we help Sedona the most?”

Taking her back to the safe house would have been his first answer. That would only delay the inevitable. Cam knew of one thing that worked to prod her memory, or rather, one person. “Spread out and do a grid search of eight hundred feet. Isaac, you’re with me.”

“Yes, sir.”

The others decided on sectors and spread out to search the area.

“How can I help, Cam?” Isaac asked.

“Sedona, would you object to sitting on the ground?”

She shook her head. “Why?”

“I want to try something with Isaac’s help.” Once she was seated close to the tree where she’d been hiding, Cam sat on the ground behind her and pulled her deep into his embrace. “Is this okay?”

“This is wonderful. You’re like a furnace.”

He chuckled, glad she would have good memories to counteract the bad ones from this place. Cam urged Sedona to rest her head against his shoulder. “Relax into me. Think about the warmth and know you’re safe. Nothing will happen to you while you’re with me.” He’d die before letting harm come to her.

When she followed his suggestions, Isaac said in a soft voice, “Close your eyes, and let your mind drift.”

She tensed.

“Relax, Sedona. You’re safe and surrounded by a team of men whose sole purpose is to keep you safe. Relax and breathe.”

Three minutes later, she gasped.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

SEDONA’S HEARTBEAT SOARED into the stratosphere. How could she have forgotten? Her eyelids flew upward. But would this team of tough Special Forces soldiers think she was out of her mind?

Cam’s arms tightened around her. “What is it, Tiger? Did you remember something?”

She nodded. “It makes little sense, though.” Maybe she had imagined the noise.

“Don’t second-guess yourself,” Isaac murmured. “What did you remember?”

“A sound.”

“Describe it.”

She sat for a moment, trying to figure out how to describe the sound. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever heard before. I heard a chuff-clank, chuff-clank, like something heavy exhaling.”

Cam and Isaac glanced at each other, then back at her. Both of them had thoughtful expressions on their faces.

At least they weren’t laughing at her. Sedona would take thoughtful over outright hilarity any day.

Cam stilled, then glanced around the small clearing. “Rhys, did you bring your computer?”

“Never leave home without it. What do you need?”

“A detailed map of this area.”

“Coming right up.” Rhys sat on the ground beside Cam and Sedona and booted up his laptop. His fingers flew over the keyboard. A minute later, he turned the computer around so they could see the map. With a couple of taps of his fingers, the view expanded so they could see what businesses were around the area.

Cam pointed at the screen. “There. Campbell Rock Quarry.”

“You’re kidding.” Sedona looked from one man to the other, but they were both in agreement. “A rock quarry? You got that from my lousy description?”

“The sound you heard was a rock quarry conveyor system paired with a pneumatic compressor that cycles every few seconds.”

“How do you know this?”

“We’re a search and rescue team. We’re trained to recognize industrial audio sounds among other noises, and nothing else makes that exact rhythm. Tennessee has quarries, gravel pits, and aggregate yards all over the place, so it’s not unusual to hear those sounds you described.”

“One problem, though,” Isaac said.

“Yeah, I know.”

Sedona scowled. “Well, I don’t. Let me in on the secret.”

“Even though we’ve identified the noise you heard, sound carries over a mile in open terrain. You’re in good shape, but you’re not a marathon runner.”

She snorted. “Not on your life.”

The men chuckled.

“Did you hear the noise clearly?” Cam asked.

Sedona thought back through the impressions and memories muddled by fear and Ketamine and prayed she didn’t lead Cam and the others astray because of a fake dream. “When I escaped out the window, I heard that sound clearly.”

Cam froze. “You escaped out the window. Was it a one-story building?”

She shook her head.

“You escaped out a second-story window while you were still feeling the effects of Ketamine?” Spencer asked.

“What choice did I have?”

Again, The Thunderhawks exchanged grim glances. Cam looked like he would puke any minute. “That was incredibly risky, Sedona.”

“I wanted to see how our story spun out. If you and I could be together, I wanted us to have that chance.”

Cam turned her partway so he could see her face. “I’ll say one thing, then we need to get back on track. Thank you for thinking of me, for giving us this chance to be together.” He pressed a hard, possessive kiss on her mouth. “Much as I’d like to do that again, there’s no time. So, I’d guess with the fear and adrenaline running through your body, you probably covered about a mile. While you were running, was the sound you heard getting louder or softer, more indistinct?”

“Softer. Definitely more of a rumble than the chuff-clank I heard outside the building.”

“You can probably track her trail back to the building she escaped from,” Isaac said. “If the trek is too hard for Sedona, one of us can stay with her while you and the others go on.”

“No.” Sedona couldn’t let them see her as weak, even though without the adrenaline fueling her flight she might have a harder time covering the same distance. Still, she could do this. She would do this if it meant finding Julio. “Let’s go. I can’t stand thinking of Julio in Simpson’s hands.”

The rest of Cam’s team joined them a moment later. “What’s the plan?” Dario asked.

A wintry smile curved Cam’s mouth. “We’re hunting.”

Isaac rubbed his hands together, eyes sparkling. “It’s about time. Let’s roll.”

Spencer resettled his medical kit on his back.

Sedona’s gut tightened into a knot. She hoped Julio needed nothing Spencer carried in his bag.

Cam stood and helped Sedona to her feet.

She shivered. Oh, yes, she’d enjoyed the heat Cam’s body had generated.

They trekked ahead of the rest of The Thunderhawks. “If you notice something familiar, sing out,” Cam instructed.

“I doubt that will happen. I was in a blind panic when I ran from those men.” She shuddered.

“You paid attention to the sounds of the quarry when you ran from the building. Now pay attention to what your subconscious is telling you about what you see and the scents of areas where you ran.”

She’d try, but didn’t think it would do much good.

Cam squeezed her hand and aimed the penlight toward the ground in front of them.

“How can you see to find anything? It’s pitch black out here.”

“I’m not seeing much,” he admitted. “This field trip is more to prod your memory than to expect a big breakthrough, although we might get lucky.”

They continued to walk through rougher paths than she thought necessary. She lost count of the number of times they could have taken an easier path, yet Cam chose one on rockier ground rather than on the grass or the dirt.

He pulled up short and crouched beside the dirt path. “Here.” Cam looked at Sedona. “This is your footprint. I’m glad the tree cover was heavy enough that the rain didn’t wash the print away.” He turned back to the dirt path and pointed. “The kick out back here shows that you were running.”

Cam panned the penlight further ahead, then moved slowly beside the path, studying what he found. His facial expression hardened. “Three of them were chasing you.”

“Hardly seems fair,” Dario said.

“They’re in jail, man,” Isaac said. “Those three aren’t our priority anymore.”

“No, they aren’t,” Sedona said. “Julio is. That creep Simpson has Julio in his clutches. Julio is our priority. Nothing else matters.” Well, that wasn’t true. She wanted to find Julio, but she didn’t want to sacrifice Cam or his friends to do it.

Cam followed the same pattern as they walked closer to the start of her panicked flight.

The sound she’d described, that chuff-clank, chuff-clank, grew louder the further they walked. And now, something else was nagging at the edges of her memory, but what?

Cam stopped several more times and pointed out a broken branch here or a deep and indistinct footprint where she stumbled and almost fell.

Sedona breathed deeply and froze. She grabbed Cam’s arm.

“What is it?”

“That smell. I know that smell. Sharp, oily, like tar mixed with damp soil. How could I have forgotten that scent?”

Cam breathed deep. “Railroad ties.”

“Old utility poles, too,” Dario said.

“This scent is familiar to you?”

“I smelled tar mixed with damp earth as I ran from my kidnappers.”

“Did it smell as strong the whole time you ran, or did the scent fade the longer you ran from the men?”

“The scent faded the longer I ran.” Sedona frowned. Was she wrong? Had she imagined the scent? Perhaps her mind played tricks on her. Couldn’t Ketamine do that too? She’d been terrified while she ran and afraid that if the kidnappers caught her again, she would never see Cam or find out how their story ended. “Maybe I imagined it.”

Cam stopped and gripped her upper arms. “Don’t do that, Sedona. I don’t want you to second-guess yourself. That sharp smell of tar mixed with damp soil is called creosote. The scent is distinctive, and it’s common to smell it near quarries and rural industrial sites. When it gets into the wood, the stink lasts for a long time.” Cam glanced at Rhys. “How many places out here have both ingredients?”

Rhys held up his left hand while continuing to type with his right one. Seconds later, he studied his screen. “There’s only one place out here with railroad ties close by.”

“Don’t keep us in suspense,” Spencer said. “What place?”

“Dunvale Quarry, out by Millhaven Road, and it’s conveniently near a rail line.”

Sedona’s eyes widened. That explained the old railroad ties.

“Show me,” Cam said.

Rhys turned his computer around and handed it to Cam. “Bottom left.”

The longer Cam stared at the screen, the stronger the satisfaction in his expression. “Oh, yeah. That will be the place to explore.”

“Where are we going now, Cam?” Dario asked.

“We follow the trail as far as we can to the place where the kidnappers held Sedona as a prisoner. If I’m right, we’ll be heading in the right direction, anyway.”

“Copy that.”

Cam threaded his fingers through Sedona’s and continued to lead the team through the woods.

Sedona stumbled along beside him, wishing that this was broad daylight instead of the dead of night. Here she was, tripping over tree roots, stepping in holes instead of around them, and stumbling on rocks that shifted when she stepped on them, while The Thunderhawks walked quickly with sure-footed grace. Their extensive training was showing itself, for sure.

She concentrated so hard on putting her feet in the right place, she missed Cam stopping at the edge of a large clearing with a two-story cabin in the middle. A familiar two-story cabin with a sense of emptiness about it.

A ball of ice formed in her stomach. She squeezed Cam’s hand.

One glance at her, and he turned to face her. “What’s wrong?”

Sedona nodded toward the cabin. “That’s the place.”

“This is where the men held you captive?”

She gave a curt nod. “I recognize the back of the cabin.” Sedona pointed at a large tree whose thick branches spread near the building. “The room with windows on both sides of the corner is where I was held.”

He said nothing for long seconds, then gathered her in his arms. “You are fearless.”

She laughed. “Definitely not true. At the moment, I’m so scared I could throw up.”

“Memories affect us in a lot of ways, especially when the emotions attached to the memories are strong,” Spencer said. “Ketamine is still affecting your emotions. Cut yourself some slack.”

The group moved into the clearing, ready for anything, including an attack by more of Simpson’s cronies if any were still hanging around the area.

Nothing moved. No one came out to confront them. No one attempted to recapture her and leave The Thunderhawks behind.

Couldn’t say that surprised her. They would be foolish to stay at a place the police might have discovered and searched for clues.

“Let’s look around.”

“But David’s crime scene investigators must have combed this entire house.”

“If they discovered this place. Sedona, you were being held in the middle of nowhere, and you couldn’t remember much at the time David questioned you. You’ve recovered just enough pieces of your memory to help us pinpoint a couple of important locations.”

“Do you really think what I’ve remembered matters?”

“Don’t know. That’s why we need to look around.”

Sedona nodded. Why was she so afraid? Cam wouldn’t let anything happen to her, and neither would his friends.

They crossed the open area with Cam and Sedona in the center of the loose circle. When they reached the back door, Cam signaled Dario to go around front with Isaac.

Dario rolled his eyes, but gave a curt nod.

When Spencer and Rhys approached the back door, Rhys twisted the knob and shook his head. He crouched in front of the knob with his lock picks in hand and went to work. Seconds later, he stood and gave a little bow with a smirk on his face.

Sedona rolled her eyes. These guys were such jokers, which was a good thing considering the work they had done.

Rhys slid his lock picks away, stood, and opened the door a crack. After a moment, he slipped into the kitchen. She, Cam, and Spencer waited in silence for Rhys to return.

Five minutes later, he appeared in the doorway and pushed the door open wide. “No occupants,” he murmured. “I haven’t checked for electronic signatures, so be careful what you say while we’re in this building.”

Cam walked into the building with Sedona by his side.

She recognized the kitchen from her flight from the building and shivered.

“Cold?” Cam’s voice came out low.

She shook her head. “Nerves from being back here.”

“Recognize it?”

She nodded. The only saving grace might be the men who stood with her, including the pair at the front of the building. These brave men stood between her and any danger that still lingered. Her lips curved. The only danger lingering here was dust bunnies and maybe a mouse or two.

The kidnappers were in jail. Others Simpson or his boss might have recruited were at least smart enough not to use the same place twice.

But an empty building meant Julio was still being held somewhere else. Tears burned her eyes. Where was he?

She gripped Cam’s hand tighter. What price would they have to pay to free Julio?

Dario leaned toward Cam. “We need to get moving, sir.”

He gave a slight nod. “Spread out. Ten minutes max.” Cam led Sedona up the stairs to the room at the end of the hall with the closed door. He turned to her. “Are you ready?”

She nodded. The sooner they did this, the better. She didn’t want to lose her nerve in front of this brave man. That would just be embarrassing.

Cam tugged on a pair of thin rubber gloves. The knob turned easily under his hand. After pushing open the door, he stepped inside first, then motioned for her to join him.

He turned on the light and stared at the chair near a closet and the blue tarp spread out on the floor near the center of the room. The muscles in his jaw twitched.

Sedona tilted her head. Something was bothering him at the sight of that tarp and chair. “What?” she whispered.

“Show me what you did, step by step.”

She thought about insisting that he tell her what was on his mind and remembered her promise to ask questions later. Then, that’s what she would do. Question Cam later about the furious expression on his face when he saw the chair and tarp.

For the next couple of minutes, she reenacted every step, going from one window to another until she ended up in the bathroom with the window she’d climbed through to haul herself to the roof, catch a convenient tree branch, and made her way to the ground.

Sedona said, “I’ll be glad to show you how I crossed the roof and shimmied down the tree.

Cam shuddered. “No, thanks. I’ll take a pass on that.”

She laughed softly. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m positive. I don’t think my heart can take it.” He wrapped his hand around hers again. “Come on. Time’s up.”

Why were they on a time clock? Yet another question she planned to ask as soon as there was an opportunity.

The Thunderhawks met by the back door, and Cam signaled Dario. His second-in-command opened the door just wide enough to see if they were walking into an ambush. Seconds later, he closed the door, a grim expression on his face. “We’ve got a problem.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

THOSE WERE THE last words Cam ever wanted to hear from his teammates. “What kind of problem? Company?”

Dario gave a slight nod. “At least a dozen men out there, armed for more than a midnight stroll in the woods.”

He and his men exchanged grave looks. The mole. The mole must have leaked their location in his department. What was so important that they kidnapped a little boy, kidnapped and lost Sedona, and were now actively trying to reacquire her? “Prepare to engage.”

Cam shot off a brief text to David and turned to Sedona. “Did your captors mention a hidden passage out of here?” he asked, only halfway joking. He didn’t want to engage with Sedona in the line of fire.

She shook her head. “Sorry.”

Cam’s phone vibrated with an incoming call. He glanced at the screen. David. He swiped across the glass. “You’re on speaker with my team and Sedona.”

“How many?”

“At least dozen or so. Unknown if reinforcements are in the area.”

“The Thunderhawks can handle them with ease, but would you like some help, anyway?”

“I’d appreciate the assist.”

“We’re three minutes out. How did they catch up with you?”

“No trackers on us or our gear. We checked before we drove to the woods. No tails.” He let David draw the obvious conclusion.

“Where are you?”

“The place where Sedona was held.”

“Does one of your people have loose lips?”

He stiffened briefly, then relaxed. He understood where David was coming from. David didn’t want his department to have a mole. Any answer would be better than having to take the blame for so many things going wrong.

But Cam knew his team. Dario warned them about possible listening devices in this building. No one had spilled important information to the enemy. “They’re vaults.”

His boss groaned. “I was afraid you would say that. All right. I have the information I need. I’ll take care of the problem after we tie up a few loose ends. ETA one minute.”

“Copy that.”

“Seattle Solution?”

He smiled. “Perfect, sir.”

“Excellent. Montgomery out.”

After Cam slid his phone away, Dario folded his arms across his chest. “Care to enlighten the rest of us?”

Since Cam was the one who introduced this plan to David and his brothers, he’d named the maneuver Seattle Solution.

Cam moved in close to Dario and lowered his voice. “Can you rig up an explosion to take out a window at the back of the building on the left side?”

A slow smile curved Dario’s mouth. “In my sleep. How big do you want it?”

“Shock and awe, and a big hole in the wall.”

His smile widened. “You’ve got it. Time?”

Cam glanced at his tactical watch. “Is ninety seconds long enough?”

Dario reached for his Go bag. “Plenty.”

Excellent. He sent a message to David and Elliot, then slid his phone away, satisfaction swirling in his gut. That done, Cam signaled the rest of his team and quickly laid out the plan.

Mission clock ticking in his head, he wrapped his hand around Sedona’s. “Come with me.”

She looked curious, but didn’t ask questions.

He led her from the kitchen, up the stairs, and down the hallway to what should have been a library full of books. Instead, the shelves were empty of everything except dust. He would have enjoyed filling this room with volume after volume of books.

Cam stopped in front of a built-in window seat with a hinged storage compartment. He gripped the edge of the cushioned lid, raised it, and motioned toward the dusty interior.

Sedona stared into the box and swallowed hard. Just when Cam was convinced that he’d have to pick her up and put her in the hollow rectangle, she took his hand and stepped inside the window seat.

“I’ll return as soon as I can.” This confrontation shouldn’t take long. He hoped.

She kissed him lightly. “Be careful.”

“Always.” He had more reasons than ever to watch his six. Cam wouldn’t be careless with his life or the lives of his teammates. He helped her lie down inside the window seat. “No matter what you hear, don’t come out. I’ll tell you everything that happens later.” Cam kissed her and closed the lid.

He stepped back, scanned the window seat, and saw no clues that Sedona was inside. Perfect. Cam glanced at his tactical watch. Fifteen seconds to go. He drew his weapon and readied himself for a hard and fast fight.

He set up in the doorway of the empty library and counted down the remaining seconds to Dario’s surprise. Right on schedule, a loud explosion rocked the house. Outside, men yelled and snapped out orders as many of them repositioned themselves to cover the hole Dario left in the wall during a faked escape attempt.

Seconds later, David murmured through the Fortress earpieces, “M Team infiltrating now.”

“Don’t shoot us by mistake,” Levi drawled.

“Good thing we insisted they take our extra comm devices,” Caleb said.

“Oh, yeah,” Elliot murmured. “It’s a more efficient way to insult them.”

“Not an insult when it’s true,” Owen whispered.

Cam rolled his eyes. Bunch of comedians. “Leave me a couple to interview.”

David snorted. “Is that what they call it these days? You heard the man. Cam needs a friend with info.”

“Depends on them,” Elliot said.

“Copy.” Cam understood. His fellow sniper would pull the trigger if necessary to protect his brothers, Cam, Sedona, and The Thunderhawks. “Same.”

“Figured.”

“Focus,” David snapped. Instantly, the comm chatter died.

“Ready to engage,” Dario said.

“Do it,” Cam murmured.

Soon, The Thunderhawks and M Team were at work. Sporadic gunfire erupted inside and outside the house, accompanied by screams, curses, and groans from the enemy who were down in and around the building. Over the comm system, both teams counted off the enemy combatants now out of the skirmish.

A noise caught Cam’s attention. He watched the mirror, perfectly positioned to give a view of the entire length of the hallway. From the room with the hole in the wall came a mercenary, weapon up and tracking. As the stranger passed through the dim moonlight streaming through a dirty window, several places on his belt and vest gleamed and pinpointed his location nicely for Cam. Had to love it when your target did most of the work for you.

The stranger stopped in front of each room, threw open the doors, turned on the lights, and surged inside, only to wander back out and repeat the same sequence at the next room.

Cam shook his head. Really? Where was the man who hired this mercenary getting his recruits? The back of graphic novels? Anybody with common sense knew you didn’t turn lights on and off. That ruined your night vision long enough that someone could easily get the drop on you.

He waited until his quarry was across the hall, testing the doorknob. This door was locked, much to the chagrin of the mercenary. Cam had locked the door to slow down enemy soldiers tasked with searching the building room by room.

Fortress Security had definitely not trained this man because picking the lock to check the room took ten long, boring minutes.

He waited for his quarry to come to him. From the sounds inside the house, The Thunderhawks and M Team were taking down the enemy one at a time. Every few minutes outside the building, Elliot fired his sniper rifle.

When the mercenary reached inside the room across the hall to turn on the lights, Cam shut his eyes and turned his head. Those few seconds of his eyes not having to adjust were worth his weight in gold. He narrowed his eyes to slits and waited.

Mercenary cursed bitterly, turned off the light, and turned toward the last room where Cam had hidden Sedona.

He waited until Mercenary reached for the light switch. Cam slipped up behind him, wrapped his arm around the stranger’s neck, and squeezed. Although Mercenary fought against the sleeper hold, Cam compensated for every maneuver the man tried. Finally, the lack of blood flow to the brain did the trick, and he slumped against Cam.

He grunted as he hauled Mercenary across the room to a small bathroom. Cam dumped the bruiser on the floor, used zip ties to cinch his wrists together, slapped a piece of duct tape across his mouth, removed all his weapons, and called it done.

After putting the weapons on the floor in front of the window seat, Cam raised the lid and looked down at Sedona’s beautiful, pale face. He tapped his earpiece. “Report,” he murmured.

As each man reported room by room that the building was clear and the perimeter secure, Cam reached into the box and helped Sedona from her hiding place. “Are you okay?”

She nodded.

Cam wasn’t convinced. He wrapped his arms around Sedona and held her close. “Tell me.” Yes, he knew the rest of the men could hear whatever she said. Still, he had a feeling this was important for all of them to know. “Please.”

“Don’t worry about me. It’s silly.”

“Sedona, there should always be truth between us.”

She sighed. “Promise you won’t laugh.”

“I promise. Talk to me.”

Sedona’s cheeks turned pink. “Inside the window seat was dark.”

“I didn’t know you were afraid of the dark.”

“I wasn’t until I ran for my life in the woods with little light.”

“Kind of like tonight.”

“At least you had a tiny flashlight. That’s more light than I had.”

“If you had used the flashlight app on your phone that night, you would have pinpointed your location for the men hunting you.” He hugged Sedona. “I’ll make sure you aren’t in the darkness again.”

“I’ll be fine. Do what you have to do.”

“Focus,” David snapped over the comm device.

“Yes, sir. Thunderhawks and M Team, report. Any sign of the boy?” When the reports were all negative, he glanced at Sedona and saw the grief in her eyes as she listened to the reports through her earpiece.

“I might have something,” Owen said. “Someone forgot to take out the trash.”

“And?”

“They left behind part of a map of the area near Dunvale Quarry.”

“Recommendations?”

“Explore the area.”

Cam’s heart skipped a beat. Yes. He should have thought of that sooner. “The quarry has several outbuildings. It’s the perfect place to hide someone.”

Sedona’s eyes widened. “You think Julio might be there?”

“Only one way to find out. Check the grounds of the quarry.”

“Well, you have a few problems to deal with first.” She motioned to the two men who were bound, gagged, and unconscious, lying on the kitchen floor. “What will you do with them?”

“Want a suggestion?” David’s voice came through the comm devices.

“Go for it.”

“Let me take care of them. Fortress Security has black sites to hold enemy combatants until it’s time to dump them on government agencies. While they’re guests of Fortress, operators trained in interrogation converse with them. If they learn anything that will help us find Julio, they’ll pass it along.”

Excellent idea. In truth, Cam didn’t care what happened to the men still alive as long as they were no longer a threat to Sedona or Julio. And if experts in interrogation worked on the men, all the better. “Do it. How long will it take for someone to pick up these men?”

“Hold.” A minute later, David said, “Ten minutes. Fortress has a black-site team in the area. Brent Maddox, Fortress Security’s CEO, will send a clean-up team to take care of the rest if The Thunderhawks listen to his employment proposal. What do you say?”

“Why should we consider employment with Maddox? I already have a job as a deputy, and you’re holding spots open for the rest of my team. We don’t need to work for anyone else.”

David and his brothers chuckled. “You will regret not hearing him out.”

Elliot said, “David’s right. You don’t fill out applications for Fortress because they get tossed into the trash. Maddox has to invite you to come for an interview.”

Spencer said, “We should hear him out. If we don’t like the terms, we turn him down.”

Rhys shook his head. “We made a commitment to David. It’s not right to make that promise, then go back on it.”

“Hold it,” David broke in. “If you want to work for Maddox, you can choose to work on a case-by-case basis. Think about it and hear him out. That’s all Maddox requires for his help with these mercenaries.”

Isaac looked skeptical. “I’ll listen, but that’s all I promise to do, and we have to talk before we decide. Agreed?”

Cam gave a slight nod. “We need to go, David.” The mission clock ticked loudly in his head. Julio was running out of time.

“Go. Elliot and Owen, go with them. Levi, Caleb, and I will watch these guys until Fortress arrives, then we’ll join you.”

Levi cut in. “Except we’re smart enough to drive.”

“Ha ha.” He had a point, though. Sedona wasn’t used to tramping all over the woods, and this was the second night she’d done just that. “Did you come in two vehicles or one?”

“One,” David said.

“Meet me out back and I’ll give you our keys.”

“Copy that. Thirty seconds.”

Cam threaded his fingers through Sedona’s and led her outside.

David walked around the corner of the house and stopped in front of Sedona. “You doing okay, Sedona?”

She nodded.

Just like before, she said one thing, but her body language said something entirely different. What Sedona didn’t have in skill and experience, she made up for with heart and courage.

David flicked him a pointed glance.

Cam held up his free hand. Yeah, he got it. Help her, or else. “Sedona, there’s no need for you to wear yourself out. Do you want to ride up with David?”

She shook her head before he’d finished. “No. I’m going with you. If I can help Julio, I want to be there to do it.”

“Sedona, I’m going to the same place as Cam,” David said. “He’s going the hard way. You’ll get to ride in an air-conditioned cruiser. You sure you don’t want to change your mind?”

Sedona shook her head again. “I’m fine.” When no one said anything, she corrected herself. “I will be fine.”

Cam wrapped his arm around Sedona’s shoulders. “We’ll meet you there, David.”

“If you change your mind, message me, and we’ll choose a rendezvous point.”

“Copy that.” He glanced down at Sedona. “Ready?”

“Let’s go. I can’t stand the thought of Julio with Simpson.”

She wasn’t the only one worried. He still couldn’t figure out why an assassin would take a little kid.

Cam considered the problem from every angle, but nothing felt right until he hit on one idea. He poked at the idea mentally, circled around it, and poked it again.

No matter how often he poked and prodded, the idea felt like the right one. The question he couldn’t answer was who? The boy was a pawn to put pressure on someone. Was that person Sedona or someone else?

Sedona maintained she hadn’t seen or heard anything. Was she right, or did Sedona know more than she realized?

Taking any of her students would be an effective way to pressure her. By taking Julio or Sedona, who was affected the most?

He thought about that as he scanned the area on each side and in front of them. Not too many options where Julio and Sedona’s worlds intersected.

Sedona didn’t have family to pay a ransom for her, if that’s what the kidnappers wanted. Except Cam. He would pay anything to save Sedona’s life. Once she was safe, he’d hunt the kidnappers to the ends of the earth until he found each one of them. But how would the kidnappers know unless they had watched him with Sedona?

That left a connection at school or with Julio. Couldn’t be anything Julio did. Did he see something? Perhaps, but what criminal couldn’t laugh off whatever Julio claimed and make up a plausible lie?

So, Maria, Eddie, maybe the father, the father’s people, or school was the connection, and Sedona was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. She saw or heard too much and was a risk to someone’s operation.

He glanced over his shoulder at Rhys, who instantly moved up.

“Yes, sir?”

“We need information on Maria, Eddie, Julio’s brother, the father, and the father’s people.”

The computer man chuckled. “Reaching for anything, huh?”

“Yeah. Mama Bear Maria will gut me like a trout when she finds out I missed Julio at a second location.” Cam frowned. “Nothing makes sense if the action instigator is Julio. What could a little kid know that threatens a criminal? For that matter, who would believe a five-year-old?”

“Makes sense. What am I looking for?”

“Anything that connects Sedona, Julio, and any of these people and the school.”

“As soon as I’m in one place longer than a couple of minutes, I’ll get on it.”

“Thanks.”

“Yep.” Rhys dropped back into position again to resume guarding Sedona and Cam.

“Why are you investigating Maria?” Sedona glared at him. “She has nothing to do with what’s going on. Maria would never put her children in harm’s way.”

He’d have to disagree with her on that one. “What do you call working from eight o’clock in the morning until after midnight five nights a week and leaving your children in the charge of a surly teenager?”

“Survival. Maria works two jobs to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.”

“What happened to the father?”

“He’s not in the picture. I’m not sure if he’s dead or simply walked out on them. All I know is Julio never talks about him, just his mother.”

“We’ll confirm that.” Cam felt it was only fair to issue the warning.

Her head whipped in his direction. “Of course you will. I didn’t expect otherwise.”

“What do you know about Eddie?”

“He’s cranky and acts like his brother and sister are pains in his butt.”

Cam chuckled. “All younger brothers and sisters fill that role.”

She blinked. “That’s good to know. Maybe in being an orphan, I had it better after all.”

No, she hadn’t. Nothing was better than fighting like cats and dogs with your siblings, and having a brother or sister take on the world with you when you needed them. “What did Julio tell you about his brother on the night you were kidnapped?”

She smiled. “He said Eddie was acting dumb over a girl. His brother was supposed to be waiting for him behind the school, but when we walked out of the building, Eddie and his truck weren’t there. Just the two creepy men were. They stared at us so hard that Julio and I walked around the side of the building to the front to see if Eddie was there instead. Sure enough, I think he’d moved to get away from those men, too.”

“Did Eddie say anything about them?”

“Not really.”

“Why did Julio thank you for not talking to Eddie?”

Another smile. “He wanted to fight his own battles. He said Eddie would make fun of him, so I promised not to tell Eddie anything Julio said to me.”

Cam thought about that for a beat. “Eddie was afraid of the men at the back of the school?”

“Julio said he was, but he didn’t act like it when I talked to him for a minute.”

“Of course not. You don’t let an attractive woman know you’re afraid. Ever.”

“Oh, come on. Eddie doesn’t think of me as attractive. I’m just his brother’s kindergarten teacher. Eddie barely knows I’m alive.”

“Don’t kid yourself, Sedona. You’re gorgeous, and every male with a pulse notices you as soon as you walk into a room.”

“If you say so.”

Elliot said, “Can we drop this conversation for a time when I don’t have to hear it? Makes me miss my wife.”

Sedona grinned as the sniper’s brothers teased him mercilessly.

Good. Cam wanted her distracted for a few minutes. Every fighter in a war zone and law enforcement officer recognized the value of humor in the middle of the horror. Those moments saved your sanity.

“I’m with Elliot,” Dario grumbled. “Makes me wish I had a wife.”

More chuckles from the rest of the team.

When the laughter petered off, Owen Montgomery said, “We need to find the leak.”

“You still think it’s one of our own?” Elliot asked.

“Has to be.”

He grunted. “We can’t leave a traitor in our ranks. If he sold out once, he’ll do it again, and this time a cop may pay the price.”

Cam’s cell phone vibrated. He stopped, pulled the phone from his pocket, and swiped the glass screen. “It’s Cam. You’re on speaker with The Thunderhawks, Elliot, Owen, and Sedona.”

“Eddie is gone.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

SEDONA STARED AT Cam, horrified by this latest setback. How could Eddie be gone? What did that mean? Had more kidnappers working with Simpson slipped onto the Rocking M’s grounds and taken Eddie by force? But how could that be? The Montgomery brothers had the latest high-tech security for their home and sprawling property. With their jobs in law enforcement and as black ops soldiers, they couldn’t afford to take chances with their safety. Their wives and children would pay the price if they did.

Owen scowled. “That kid just walked off the property, and no one noticed?”

“If that’s the case, we need to fire every one of our security people,” Elliot said.

“It’s not our security detail’s fault,” David said.

“Are you serious?”

“Would I kid about something like this?”

“One of our own cops did this?”

“That’s right.”

“Who?” Owen snapped. “We left four cops on duty on the inner perimeter along with twenty cowhands. Who broke our trust, David?”

“Joe Wilkens.”

“Are you sure?” Cam asked.

“Oh, yeah. The head of our security team sent me a copy of the security footage. Eddie sneaked out of a bathroom window an hour ago and worked his way off the Rocking M. Joe Wilkens saw him and turned away without saying a word.”

Cam dragged a hand down his face. “Unbelievable. I trusted him with Julio’s safety at the hospital. No wonder the boy was kidnapped. It’s my fault he’s gone.”

“No,” Owen snapped. “You have no power to hire or fire, Cam. Don’t take that on yourself. If anything, it’s our fault for not running Wilkens through the Fortress Security database and keeping closer tabs on him. This isn’t on you.”

Based on Cam’s expression, he wasn’t convinced.

“Who is on duty at the ranch besides Wilkens?” Elliot asked.

“Ross, Stanton, and Jacobs.”

“Have Jacobs arrest Wilkens and ask one cowhand to go with them for backup. Keep Ross and Stanton close to the house.”

“Agreed. I’ll contact Jacobs. We need to have Wilkens back at the station as soon as possible. If we don’t find Julio soon, we may lose both boys. Got a feeling Eddie is heading straight for Julio and Simpson.”

“We have to stop him,” Cam said, expression grim. “Simpson will kill him and his brother. He doesn’t leave witnesses behind.”

“We’ll have to find Eddie before we can stop him,” Owen said.

“ETA?” David asked.

“Ten minutes.”

“Copy that.”

Cam threaded his fingers through Sedona’s. “Let’s move. We need to get to Eddie before he makes a huge mistake.”

The group moved at a faster pace through the woods. Sedona did her best to keep up with them, but these men were in great shape. They did not spend their days chasing after five-year-olds the way she did.

“Are you doing okay?” Cam asked.

“A little winded.” Ha! That was an understatement. She was still moving by sheer will alone. All she wanted to do was curl up on her couch and take a nap. “You know, when I was a teenager, I thought staying up all night was fun.” Sedona shook her head. “What was wrong with me? All I want to do now is take a nap.”

Cam chuckled and took a little more of her weight. “Same, especially when I work C detail.”

Sedona frowned. “C detail?”

“The overnight shift.”

Minutes later, they joined David, Caleb, and Levi in the tree line on the outskirts of Dunvale Quarry. In the distance, the machinery continued to run as men worked the night shift. Workers paced along the machinery as if they were patrolling. Someone banged a metal bar against something, making her jump. Two men talked near a control panel, watching the belt in case it did something wrong. One worker swept a flashlight beam across the machinery as though searching for something.

Sedona stared at the activity at the other end of the compound. Was Julio somewhere close? Cam and the other deputies were following a hunch. What if they were wrong?

She shuddered. What if they were right? How would they find Julio in this compound? Sedona didn’t know if the men who worked in the quarry were friends of Simpson or Simpson’s boss, but Cam and the others could blend in if necessary, something she couldn’t pull off. A woman running around the compound would be noticed.

“What do you see?” David asked Cam.

“A quarry running at full tilt at three a.m.”

“What else?”

Cam scanned the compound again, this time stopping at the far end. “On the east end, there’s only one building with lights on and guards around it.”

Elliot’s eyes narrowed. “That’s weird. Having lights on in a building or two makes sense when you have a crew running at night, but putting guards around a building is odd.”

“Think you can get a bird’s-eye view inside that building?”

Elliot studied the scene a moment, then said, “I’ll let you know when I’m set.”

“Something is up with that building,” Cam said. “Elliot’s right. I understand having guards if you’re concerned about worker safety. What makes no sense is having a building all the way across the compound staffed for a night crew who won’t walk that far to have a question answered.”

David snorted. “No chance the decision-makers are working the graveyard shift. How do you want to do this?”

“Front’s too well lit.”

“Agreed. Let’s check the back and see if the coverage is thinner.”

“What if it’s not?” Sedona asked. She didn’t see how this small group could take on the guards surrounding the building.

He grinned. “Then we’ll thin out the ranks.”

The rest of the men nodded.

Insane. They treated this like a game. Unless those guns hooked to the guards’ belts were water pistols, they were loaded with real bullets. Cam and his friends, however, acted as though this situation was business as usual, and perhaps it was for them. Special Forces work wasn’t for the faint of heart.

“Let’s move. We’ll work our way around to the back of the building while Elliot scopes out the situation inside.” Cam wrapped his hand around Sedona’s and set off, careful to keep either a line of trees between them and the building or to walk in deep shadows.

When Sedona tried to hurry, Cam shook his head slightly and murmured, “Fast movement draws the eye.”

“Tell my racing heart that.”

He flashed her a grin.

Minutes later, they stopped just short of the tree line at the back of the building. The group spread out.

David tapped his comm device. “Elliot, got anything?”

“Plenty outside. Nothing inside except one compact figure huddled on the floor.”

Sedona gasped. “That has to be Julio.”

“Maybe,” Cam said, voice just above a whisper.

“Who else could it be?”

“Not who, Tiger. What. This could be a trap.”

She scowled. “How does Elliot know about the figure? If he can see through a window, he should be able to tell if Julio’s in that place or not.”

“The lady has a point,” Owen said. “What about it, bro?”

“The room where the person is located has only a dim light on, and he or she isn’t moving.”

Sedona’s heart sank. Julio was always in motion when he was awake, and in one of their quick conversations, Maria had laughed about Julio being a restless sleeper. “If that’s Julio, something is wrong.”

Spencer crouched on the other side of Sedona. “How do you know?”

“He’s never still, and according to his mother, that includes when he sleeps.”

The medic glanced at Cam, his expression grim. “We need to get in there. I doubt any of these guys have medical training or know the correct dose of Ketamine to knock out a kid.”

Sedona gripped Cam’s forearm. “Please help him.” She saw the reluctance in his eyes. “Cam.” She’d beg if necessary. Sedona knew down to her bones that her student needed help, and if this team didn’t get to him soon, they would lose him.

Cam turned to the team. “Here’s what we’re going to do.” For the next couple of minutes, he explained the maneuver. “Does anyone see a weakness in the plan?”

“One,” Owen said. He inclined his head toward Sedona. “I’m sorry, Sedona, but under these circumstances, you are our team’s greatest weakness, especially for Cam.”

His words cut deep into Sedona’s heart. Was it so wrong to want to help? “Well, ouch. Don’t hold back how you really feel, Owen.”

“Watch yourself,” Cam warned.

“I’m watching out for you since you don’t seem capable of doing it yourself.”

David held up one hand. “Owen’s right. Take care of it, Cam, or I will.”

“Mission clock,” Elliot said and went silent again.

Sedona frowned. What did that mean? From the resignation in his eyes, she probably wouldn’t like it.

Cam gave a slight nod. “Everyone into position.”

The rest of the men scattered. Only Caleb remained behind. “Good luck,” he whispered as he walked a few feet away.

Sedona inched closer to Cam. “What’s wrong?”

“Do you remember when I asked for your promise to follow orders without question until after the danger was past?”

“Of course.”

“I need you to stay hidden here.”

She longed to demand an explanation, but she’d given her word and wouldn’t go back on it. Sedona nodded.

Relief flooded Cam’s eyes. He leaned over and captured her lips in a brief and possessive kiss. Cam pointed to a fallen log and nudged her in that direction.

Great. A dead tree. She hoped whatever critters were now making that log home didn’t transfer their attention to her. Sedona shivered as she walked several feet away from Cam.

Although she dreaded lying that close to the fallen tree, she sucked it up and did it without complaint. Every second Cam was delayed taking care of her was another second Julio was in the clutches of The Collector.

Sedona prayed it wouldn’t take Cam and the others long to get to Julio because she was pretty sure a spider had just walked across her forehead. It took everything she had not to jump up and scream like a girl while frantically swatting at her face and hair to get the eight-legged creature off her.

She could handle this. Cam and the others were counting on her to handle a spider situation herself. The last thing she wanted was to hinder the men in their quest to save Julio. She taught kindergartners. Sedona could handle anything.

Minutes later, the men quietly took care of the guards at the back of the building without alerting the others stationed at the sides and front. Nearby, she heard a faint scuffle, then nothing. The silence around her, however, was unnatural, as though the woods were waiting with bated breath for either side to come up with the next move.

Through her earpiece, Cam said, “Caleb, report.”

Silence.

“Caleb,” David said, his whisper somehow crystal clear.

Nothing.

“Elliot.”

“He’s not in an open space. No luck in the woods, either.”

Here was a chance for her to help. All she had to do was sit up just enough to see if she could locate him. Perhaps his comm device had quit working. “I’ve got it,” she whispered.

“Stay put,” Cam said. “Consider that an order.”

“It will only take a second.” She ignored all the clamor on the comm system and raised up just enough to look around the small clearing.

That’s when she saw Caleb sprawled on the ground. Sedona gasped. “He’s down. Caleb is down.”

She scrambled to her feet and raced to the fallen officer’s side.

“Get out of there, Sedona,” Cam snapped. “It could be a trap. Run, Tiger.”

David chimed in with more orders to flee.

Sedona ignored them both as she dropped to her knees, scanning for injuries. “Caleb! Can you hear me?” Her gaze stopped on a rapidly growing bloodstain on Caleb’s inner thigh. Oh, no. His thigh looked as though he had a knife wound to his femoral artery.

He groaned.

“Hey, right here, Caleb. Open your eyes and look at me.” When he slowly raised his eyelids, Caleb’s eyes widened.

“Run,” he said, voice hoarse.

“Can’t. I need your belt.” Sedona unbuckled his belt and quickly slid it from the belt loops.

“Sedona, please.” He looked desperate.

That wasn’t a good sign. She didn’t see anyone in front of her, so that meant danger was sneaking up behind her. Doggedly ignoring the danger she could feel bearing down on her, Sedona wrapped Caleb’s belt around his thigh and cinched it tight. “I think Caleb’s femoral artery has been nicked. I cinched his belt around his thigh to slow the bleeding.”

A strong hand wrapped around her throat and squeezed. The man jerked her back against his chest and pointed a gun at Caleb. “Come with me, or your friends die, starting with Caleb.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CAM TURNED AND started running down the hall toward the back door. His hand grasped the knob. Through his earpiece, Sedona’s next words made him freeze.

“Don’t open any door or window. They’re all rigged to explode.” A slight pause, then, “Mr. Simpson has a remote detonator that he will hand to one of his people before he takes me away.”

Cam’s hand gripped the knob tighter when her voice broke. He’d messed up this op from the beginning. He should have stepped down as mission leader. His only focus from the beginning had been Sedona, and now his entire team could die because of it, as well as the M Team.

He carefully released the knob and took a step back. “Understood,” he said, voice flat. If he showed Sedona anything other than total confidence in her ability to handle this situation until he found her again, and he would find her, she would falter. That might get her killed. “Ask Simpson what he wants. Whatever it is, I’ll get it for him as long as he doesn’t hurt you.”

Silence greeted his statement, then an unknown male voice came over the comm system. “You have nothing to offer me, Cameron Sims. Besides, you’re not my target.”

His hand gripped the phone tighter, thinking about the young boy in the room down the hall. “Julio is just a kid. What danger could he possibly be to you?”

Simpson laughed. “You’re right, of course. Besides, I have some morals and a code I live by. One of those codes is that I don’t harm children.”

“Yet you’ve rigged every exit in this building to explode with a child trapped inside. How is that not harming a child?”

“Simple. To protect the child, you wait. When my business is finished, the remote detonator will be turned off.”

“Why should I believe you? How do I know that you’re telling the truth?”

“You don’t have a choice but to trust me, Officer Sims. I do not wish to harm the boy, and I haven’t to this point. I could have killed him hours ago, but I didn’t. That should be enough proof for you.”

“I also heard you don’t hurt innocents.”

“Correct.”

“Then leave Sedona here. If you need a high-value hostage, take me.”

Simpson chuckled again. “A very generous offer, indeed. However, you don’t serve my purpose, Officer Sims, nor are you as beautiful. I prefer the finer, refined things in life. That is not you. Now, I’ve just placed the remote detonator into the hand of my associate. Your lovely Sedona can confirm that.”

“He’s telling the truth, Cam. Please, you must let me go with him. Caleb needs help quickly, or he’ll die.”

“I understand. Forgive me for failing you.”

“You didn’t. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Do everything necessary to survive. Everything. We have a bright future together when this is over. I want you to focus on that, all right?”

“I will.”

“How touching and sappy,” Simpson drawled. “I have to admit, you surprise me, Officer Sims. I didn’t think you were capable of that much powerful sentiment. Now, before you waste the time of your friend, Rhys, I’m leaving Sedona’s phone with my associate, so don’t bother doing a trace. The phones I use are untraceable. Use your time planning where you will take this lovely young lady when my mission is complete. As long as you don’t interfere, she’ll be fine,” the assassin reiterated. “If you don’t cooperate, Officer Sims, Sedona will make funeral arrangements instead of wedding plans. Of course, she’ll need comforting after her devastating loss, and I’m excellent at offering comfort. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

His grip tightened further. The jerk. He planned to keep Sedona with him if Cam died. He wouldn’t let that happen. “Understood.”

“Good. Relax, and this will be over soon.”

Yeah, but could he trust the word of an assassin? That was the question. Who was he kidding? Of course he couldn’t trust the word of The Collector. Cam knew from his own research that Simpson hadn’t lied about not harming children. The assassin also didn’t leave witnesses behind.

His gut twisted into a knot. This could go bad in more ways than he cared to think about.

“Remember, Officer Sims, my associates will watch you. Step out of line even once, and you will never get to say goodbye to your girlfriend.” He ended the call without waiting for Cam’s reply.

David tapped his comm device. “Elliot.”

“On it. You take care of things in there. I’ll take care of them out here.”

“Watch your six.”

“Copy that.”

David turned. “Who’s The Thunderhawks’ EOD man?”

“That would be me, sir,” Dario said.

“Get us out of here, fast. Elliot will need a hand transporting Caleb to the vehicle.”

“Copy that, sir.”

David continued to dole out assignments to each member of their team until he turned to Cam. “Get out of your head, Sims.”

“With respect, sir, you wouldn’t be handling things much better if Emma was in the hands of The Collector.”

“He was pitiful when she was in WITSEC,” Levi said.

David slid a glance in his direction. “Thanks a lot, bro.”

“Just telling it like it was. You got the job done, but it took every ounce of discipline you had to focus on the job during your shifts. Once the shift ended, you went back to your brooding and surly self. If you had been a drinker, you would have drowned your liver in those days.”

Owen chuckled. “He’s got you there, David.”

“What, you too? I won’t forget this when it’s time to figure out the personnel for shifts. I foresee many night shifts for the Montgomery brothers.” David glanced at his tactical watch and tapped his earpiece. “Sedona, can you hear me?”

Nothing.

“We know who and what you are, Simpson. You’re a coward who is a bully, beating up on kids and women.” He waited for a heated response.

Silence.

“I think we’re clear. Elliot, how is he?”

“Bad. I called in reinforcements. We need the chopper.”

“How far out are they?” Owen asked.

“Five minutes.”

“Will he make it?” David asked.

“It’s going to be close, so quit playing in there and come help me. I need help to get Caleb to the SUV.”

“Copy that.”

Cam looked at Dario and gave a slight nod of permission. “Make it fast, D.”

“I’ll try. Too fast means dead.”

“Let’s not do that,” Owen said. “I didn’t bring a body bag.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Dario said wryly. He slung his Go bag over his shoulder and set off for the opposite end of the building.

A glance at Rhys had him scooping his laptop and bag from the floor and trailing behind his teammate.

“Lights off,” Cam instructed and set off to do a room by room check. Once all the lights were out, the guards left outside couldn’t see what was happening inside the building without night-vision goggles. At last check, none of the guards were wearing them.

Chalk one up for the good guys. At least something was going their way. With luck, none of the guards would grab a pair of NVGs and peek at the building where Julio was sleeping. Spencer had determined Julio’s sleep wasn’t natural. Sedona was right. Julio had been drugged.

Since the boy was breathing normally, had normal skin color, had a steady pulse, wasn’t showing signs of airway obstruction, and wasn’t choking, the medic had made the call to let the kid sleep as much as possible.

Longing and regret filled Cam. He literally felt as though someone had cut a hole in his heart. Cam needed to be with Sedona. He was missing the best part of himself without her.

When the last light was turned off, Cam settled in to watch the guards who watched them. What was wrong with this picture? Oh, yeah. Elite Special Forces soldiers were caught like rats in traps. He shook his head, disgusted with himself. Made him wonder just how ready he and his team were. Once upon a time, they never would have fallen into a trap like this.

And that forced him to accept the fact that he had made too many decisions with blinders on. Maybe he should step down as team lead of The Thunderhawks.

That thought twisted the invisible knife in his heart. He loved Sedona with every breath in his body, but if there was anyone else he loved almost as much, it would be his teammates. Would they ever forgive him for endangering their lives?

“Knock it off, sir.”

Cam blinked and turned away from the window. “What are you talking about, and who’s watching the kid?”

Spencer stood a few feet away with his arms folded. “Blaming yourself for everything that’s gone wrong on this op.”

His laugh held an edge of bitterness. “Who else is there to blame, Spence? The decisions that led us to this place were mine. I didn’t feel good about bringing Sedona here. I should have found a safe place to leave her.”

“You couldn’t leave her at the police station. You don’t know if the traitor is working alone. You made the call to leave her hidden in the woods. She should have been safe and would have been safe, except she refused to stand by and let a friend die. So, what else could you have done?”

Cam glared at his teammate. “I can’t think of anything, but that could only mean I was too focused on my woman to come up with another solution.”

“Or you couldn’t come up with anything new because there wasn’t anything else to try under the circumstances.”

“I don’t believe that for a minute. There’s always another way.”

The medic snorted. “Just because the drill sergeant swore that was true doesn’t mean he was right. How many things did old Sergeant Powell say that we determined were outright lies meant to make us work harder during training?”

“More than I can count,” Cam admitted. Still, there ought to be something he could have done to keep Sedona out of the clutches of The Collector.

He gritted his teeth. Maybe Spencer was right. However, that didn’t bring Sedona back to him.

They couldn’t track her phone because a thug outside had it. Since her phone wouldn’t help them, what was an alternative? The answer popped into his mind. Cam blew out a breath and wanted to kick himself for not thinking of this idea sooner. He turned to his boss. “Would your friend at Fortress Security help us again?”

David pulled out his phone. “Let’s find out.” He tapped one button.

His friend Zane answered on the first ring. “Yeah, Murphy.”

“It’s David Montgomery. You’re on speaker with part of my team and The Thunderhawks.”

“Understood. What do you need?”

“Feel like doing more hacking?”

“Always. Who am I hacking?”

“Traffic cams.”

“Is that all?” He sounded disappointed.

“For now. Sorry it’s not more interesting for you.”

“Maybe next time. So, who am I looking for?”

Cam grimaced. “Sedona. The Collector took her.”

“How did he get his hands on her?”

“I made a judgment call, a bad one.”

“What is he driving?”

“We don’t know.”

Silence, then, “You’re kidding.”

“Afraid not. I asked Sedona to stay hidden in the woods, which she did. Caleb stayed with her while the rest of us breached the house where we believed Sedona’s student was being held prisoner.”

“And?”

“Someone attacked Caleb and nicked his femoral artery. Sedona came out of hiding to help him.”

A soft whistle. “So that’s why Elliot called for one of our choppers. Tell me where you are, and I’ll see if I can find Sedona.”

“Thank you, Zane.”

“Don’t thank me until I find her, and that will be a miracle.”

“You’ll find her,” Owen said from his watch position at the back door.

Cam asked, “Think you can handle another search while you hunt for Sedona?”

“Depends. Who or what would I be looking for?”

“Eddie Ramirez.”

“Related to Julio, I assume.”

“Brother. He’s sixteen and just got his license.”

David took over. “He was staying at the Rocking M with his mother and ran off.”

“With the security you have, how did he manage that?”

“It’s easy when one of your deputies is taking kickbacks from The Collector.”

“Why would he do that?”

“I have a theory about that,” Cam said. “But I’ll wait until we’re not under the mission clock before I tell all.”

“Copy that. I’ll let you know when or if I find anything. Murphy out.”

“Cam.”

He turned toward Dario. “Give me some good news.”

“I think I’ve got it.”

“You think?”

“Nothing is a sure bet in this business.” He grinned. “But the odds are in our favor.”

“Tell me.”

“Simpson was telling the truth about the explosives. Every window and door is wired to blow. The second someone opens a door or raises a window, boom.”

Cam scowled. “That isn’t good news. We have to escape so we can get Sedona back.” The only good news in this situation was Julio wasn’t with Sedona. Bad news that he was still here. Good news that he wouldn’t be here for long. Neither would the teams.

“Agreed. When you’re ready to go, I’ll need two minutes.”

“Consider us ready,” David said. “The sooner, the better.”

Dario looked at Cam. “Sir?”

“Go.”

The EOD man loped down the hall again.

“Get ready,” Cam said, and he and Owen went back to watching the remaining guards. Why hadn’t Simpson said anything about the bodies littering the ground around the building? Perhaps because these guys were mercenaries for hire, and Simpson didn’t care if they lived or not. The Collector, after all, had his own contingent of guards who had taken over the watch. These were the men in danger now. Didn’t they realize Simpson planned to make them the scapegoats for the police?

In less than a minute, Dario returned. “Done.”

Cam pivoted on his heel, eyebrows raised. “I want an explanation later. Where’s the escape route?”

“The window on the back wall of the room where Julio was held.”

David said, “Elliot, where?”

“Directly across from the window in Julio’s room.”

“Copy.” He glanced at Levi, who scowled but gave a slight nod. “Owen, with me.” David stopped at the door to the room and glanced over his shoulder. “Sims, don’t do anything stupid, and don’t give Levi a hard time.”

“Copy that, sir.”

Seconds later, David and Owen were out the window and circling around to get to Elliot and Caleb.

“Let’s get to work,” Levi said. “We have bad guys to capture, and we need to do it fast. I have a baseball game to attend at noon. Roman’s team is playing, and he’s pitching.”

“We’ll make sure you get there, sir,” Isaac said.

They gathered their gear and traipsed down the hallway to the last room on the right. Dario was sitting beside Julio who still looked pretty groggy to Cam.

When the boy saw him, his face lit up. “Cam! You came.”

“You bet I did. No way would I leave a friend out in the woods.”

“Thanks for coming to get me.”

“Glad to do it.” He glanced at Spencer with his eyebrows raised. Had the medic been able to question Julio?

Spencer gave a slight shake of his head.

All right, then. Guess he’d talk to his buddy about what had happened.

Cam turned back to Julio. “We need to sit tight for just a couple of minutes, then we can leave. Have you ever left a room through the window?”

Julio’s eyes widened. “The window?”

“Yeah. There’s something wrong with the windows and doors, so we can’t leave any other way except through your window. Promise me something, though.”

“What?”

“Promise you won’t sneak out your window at home. Do I have your word you won’t do that?”

He nodded. “Promise.”

While he and Julio talked, Cam kept track of the military communications between Levi, The Thunderhawks, and David and Elliot. Five minutes later, when he helped Julio through the window, Cam heard a helicopter take off. It hovered for a second, then sped off toward the nearest Level One trauma center.

With David, Elliot, Owen, and Caleb out of the picture, that left Levi and the Thunderhawks to find Sedona and free her from the clutches of one of the most dangerous men on the planet. If Cam didn’t move fast enough, Sedona would become another trophy in Simpson’s collection.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

AS SOON AS Cam climbed through the window opening, he scooped up Julio and clutched him in his arms. “Buddy, do you trust me?”

The boy nodded.

“I’m going to carry you out of here, okay? You were drugged, and your balance isn’t great right now. I don’t want you to fall and hurt yourself.”

“Okay. But when I feel better, can I walk?”

“If you can walk a straight line, we’ll talk about it, all right?”

He nodded.

“One more thing, bud.”

“What?”

“I want you to rest your head on my shoulder and close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“To get to you, we had to fight off a lot of men. You’ll have enough bad dreams without adding the sight of those men, too.”

“I know what injured men look like. Eddie comes in late at night sometimes, all bloody and stuff. I can close my eyes, I guess.” He leaned close so his mouth was against Cam’s ear. “Don’t tell anybody, but I’m tired.”

“It’s a side effect of the drug the men gave you. You will be back to normal soon.”

“Okay.” Julio rested his head against Cam’s shoulder and heaved an enormous sigh. In seconds, he was totally relaxed in Cam’s arms and breathing heavy against his ear.

He grinned. Exactly what he wanted to hear. Good thing that he’d met Julio before now. He didn’t know if the kid would put that much trust in a total stranger.

Spencer checked Julio’s blood pressure, heart rate, and airway. After a couple of minutes, Spencer looked at Cam and signaled that the kid was all right.

Thank God.

“Where to next, sir?” Dario asked.

“Back to the SUVs. We need to get Julio to the hospital.” Cam turned to Levi. “Find out where the chopper took Caleb, and we’ll take the boy there.”

Relief filled Levi’s eyes. “Thanks,” Levi murmured as he pulled out his phone and shot off a text message. When he finished, the deputy asked, “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

“Yeah. Contact your friend Zane and ask if he’s come up with anything. Also find out if he minds giving me his cell phone number for the duration of this mission. Afterward, I can delete the contact information or keep it, whichever he prefers.”

The men continued through the woods, following the same trail but in reverse. About a third of the way to their destination, Levi said, “Zane has something. Let me take the boy while you talk to him.”

Cam shook his head. “I don’t want him upset if he should wake up in someone else’s arms.”

Levi tapped his earpiece. “Z, join our loop.”

A moment later, Zane’s voice came through the earpiece. “Keep my number in your contact list, Sims. I found the vehicle you’re interested in.”

His heart zoomed into rocket speed. “Where?”

“Highway 20. The vehicle is moving at a fast clip.”

“Where are they now?”

“They just passed the exit that leads to Otter Creek. Do you want me to notify the authorities and have them pulled over?”

“No. The Collector will run and go to ground if law enforcement tries to stop him. I don’t want him to assume that I’m responsible for the cops on his tail. I’ll take care of the notification. I know just who to call.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Stay on the vehicle in which Sedona is riding. Did you get a license plate number?”

“Sure did.” Zane rattled it off. “Any special instructions?”

“Yeah. If you see Sedona, I want to know about it. If they change direction, I want to know about it.”

“Got it. When you find someone to follow that vehicle, let me know. I’ll send you and your friend real-time updates as I get them.”

“I owe you a ton of favors, Zane. Thank you, my friend.”

“No problem. Call me if you need anything else. Murphy out.”

The one thing he needed above all else was Sedona, and Zane couldn’t get her for him. That would be up to Cam and his friends.

He tapped in a number he knew by heart and waited for his friend to answer.

“Stevens.”

“It’s Cam. I need a favor, Finn.”

“Name it.”

He explained in rapid-fire military style what was going on and the help he needed. “Can you help, or do you have a recommendation for someone you trust with your life?”

“And pass something this much fun on to someone else? Forget that. I’m leaving right now. Where am I going?”

“Thanks, man. I owe you.”

“I’ll add it to the long list of favors you already owe me. Now, where am I going?”

Cam told his friend the general area. “Check your phone in a couple of minutes and leave it on. I have a friend who will send real-time updates on the SUV’s position.”

“Do I want to know how this friend is getting the information?”

He smiled. “Nope. Just take it as a gift.”

Finn groaned. “This information was obtained illegally?”

“Don’t know and don’t care. My woman’s life is at stake. I would burn the world down to have her back in my arms again. Not having a warrant is nothing.”

“If I lose my job over this, I’m coming to live with you.”

“Fine with me. We can train you to do search and rescue.”

“Sold. I’ll hold you to that, Cam.”

“Deal.” He ended the call and tapped on the message he’d received from Zane.

Nausea hit Cam like a ton of bricks when he saw how far away Sedona was from him. They had to move faster. If the SUV drove into an area without traffic cameras, he would waste precious time picking up the trail again. Anything could happen to Sedona while he was hunting for her. “Pick up the pace, Levi.”

“What type of vehicle is The Collector driving?” Levi asked.

“Late-model black SUV.”

Levi shook his head. “That’s a common vehicle in this part of the state.”

“Yep. Lucky for us that Zane also got the plate number.”

“That solves one of our problems.” Levi inclined his head toward Julio. “What are we going to do about him? We can’t take him on an operation. This is too dangerous for a child, especially since he was a target until thirty minutes ago.”

Cam rested his hand protectively over the back of the boy’s head. “I know.”

“Then what’s your solution?”

“You already know we’re dropping him off at the same hospital where Caleb has been taken. One of your brothers can monitor him while he’s being treated.”

“That isn’t what I’m talking about, and you know it,” Levi snapped. “What happens to the boy after he’s released? We can’t just pat him on the head and send him home with his mom. Eddie’s still missing, and the enemy knows about the safe house, the Ramirez home, and the Rocking M. Do you have suggestions for the next safe house?”

Cam came to a sudden stop and stared at his coworker. “Now who needs to get out of his own head?”

Levi sighed and dragged a hand down his face. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“You’re entitled. I’m sorry that Caleb’s injury happened on my watch. We’re all concerned about him.”

“Still, you’re right. I’m stuck in my head this time. I’ll do better. You have permission to nag me into better behavior until this op is finished.”

“Copy that, sir.”

“Then let’s get going. We’ve got a criminal to catch, a friend to save, and a surly teenager to rescue, whether or not he deserves it.”

The men started off again, jogging this time. Five minutes later, they reached the SUVs. After a quick search with Levi’s electronic signal detector and a visual inspection, they removed two GPS trackers from each vehicle and left them near where the vehicles were parked. Hopefully, the trackers remaining in the same location would fool Simpson and his cronies for a little while longer.

A heartbeat later, the silence of the night shattered with an ear-splitting explosion.

Cam stared at the glow of light from the burning building. His heart squeezed until he thought it would burst in his chest. He could think of only two explanations for the detonation, and neither one boded well for Sedona. Simpson could have planned to detonate the bombs and kill Cam and his team anyway, or he knew they had escaped and broken his demand for cooperation.

When his phone signaled an incoming message, Cam grabbed it and glanced at the screen.

I warned you, Sims. Now you’ll never see your woman again.

Ice water ran through Cam’s veins. What had he done?

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

TEARS TRICKLED DOWN Cam’s cheeks. He didn’t bother to brush them away or turn from his teammates. They knew how much he loved Sedona. The thought of losing her gutted him. Was she gone, or was The Collector planning to use her for his own purposes?

Cam fought to think through the storm of emotions battering his defenses. If Simpson didn’t kill Sedona, what would he use her for? Must be for something he needed, but what?

Frustrated, he turned to Levi, who gazed at him with sympathy in his eyes. “No. I refuse to believe she’s gone. Simpson wanted her. We need to find out why and stop him.”

“Why would he need Sedona? I’m sorry, Cam, but that doesn’t make sense.”

“Not yet, but it will when I have all the puzzle pieces. We’re missing something. I know it down deep in my bones.”

Spencer squeezed Cam’s shoulder. “Then we start from the beginning and figure it out together.”

“We’re all in,” Dario said. “Let’s get someplace where we can spread out and let Rhys do his thing.”

“I don’t need space,” Rhys insisted. “I only need an Internet connection, which I have, and some quiet, which I don’t.” He glared at Dario.

His teammate chuckled. “Got it. I’ll zip my mouth shut, and let you work.”

The computer tech snorted. “That’ll be the day,” he muttered.

Cam glared at both men. “Get in the vehicle. Now. We have a criminal to stop before he completes his agenda and disappears with Sedona.”

Levi unlocked his vehicle and pointed at Cam. “You and the boy are with me.”

“That means you have me as well,” Spencer said. “I’m not leaving my patient.”

Cam passed his key fob to Dario. Isaac and Rhys climbed into the remaining SUV. Soon, the vehicles headed toward Maple Valley’s hospital where Caleb had been transferred. Good thing their hometown hospital was also a Level One trauma center.

Since he wasn’t driving, Cam sent a message to David, asking about Caleb. His short-tempered response made him chuckle.

“What is it?” Levi glanced at him before refocusing his gaze on the road.

“Caleb is in surgery. When he learned Sedona came to his aid instead of saving herself, he scolded David, Elliot, and Owen for staying with him when they should have been helping me find Sedona.”

“That sounds like him,” Levi said, voice rough. “Did they listen?”

“They did. Elliot says he has something to say to Simpson about Caleb’s injury.”

The other deputy whistled softly. “Simpson made a huge mistake. Elliot is not the only Montgomery with a grudge against him for that.”

“We find and free Sedona first, then you can have your chat with Simpson. My gut says Simpson’s a tough nut to crack. You may have your work cut out for you.”

Although Levi smiled, his eyes remained glacial. “Good.”

Cam wouldn’t want to be on the bad side of the Montgomery brothers. Wise men stayed on their good side.

Thirty minutes later, Levi turned into the hospital parking lot and stopped in front of the emergency-room doors. Cam climbed out of the backseat, scooped Julio into his arms, and rushed into the ER.

The security guard at the entrance leaped up and hurried to scan his card through the reader and open the door for Cam. “They’re holding Exam Room Two for Julio. I’ll let the medical team know you’re here.”

“Thanks.” He kept walking while the guard talked. Cam walked down the corridor to the second security door, where another guard waited for him.

“This way, sir.” The second guard swiped his card through the reader, then rushed ahead of Cam to open the door to exam room 2. “The mother is on her way here under heavy police escort.” His gaze scanned the child. “How is he?”

“No obvious injuries, but we think he’s been drugged. He’s been asleep nearly the whole trip back here.”

Fury burned in the guard’s eyes. “How did you find him, sir?”

Cam laid Julio on the exam table and slowly turned around with his weapon in hand. “Why all the questions?”

The guard’s face lost color as he raised his hands. “Just curious, sir. I didn’t mean nothing by it. Just hate that some outsider kidnapped and hurt one of our kids, you know?”

He sounded sincere, but Cam worried that his judgment meter was off target right now. He wasn’t taking a chance that one of Simpson’s flunkies might have infiltrated the hospital.

Levi walked into the room, saw the weapon in Cam’s hand, and drew his own in a split second. “Sit rep.”

“Mr. Jennings is very curious about Julio and how we found him. Too curious.”

“Hands behind your head, Jennings,” Levi said.

“What? What did I do? This isn’t right. Anyone would be curious. You can’t arrest a guy for curiosity.”

The other deputy shook his head. “You’re protesting too much, you know that, right? I don’t think your boss will appreciate losing another underling to our jail.”

Jennings grew even paler, then said, “I want a lawyer.”

“You’re supposed to wait until we arrest you before you say that.”

“Lawyer, now.”

Levi cinched the handcuffs around Jennings’ wrists and marched him from the room. “I’ll send you backup,” he said to Cam.

The medical team arrived a minute later along with Maria Ramirez, and Cam was told to wait in the hallway. He leaned back against the wall opposite the exam room and prayed Levi’s promised backup arrived soon. He was still getting updates from Zane every couple of minutes. The longer he was stuck here on guard duty, the farther Sedona moved away from him.

Ten minutes later, Levi returned. “Go. I’ve got this. David, Elliot, and Owen are slowly catching up to Simpson, but they’re still an hour behind him and Sedona.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” As desperate as he was to reach Sedona, Cam would never leave an officer in danger.

“Fortress help will arrive in a few minutes. I’ll be fine. Just do me one favor.”

“Name it.”

“Get Simpson so he can never do this again to anyone else.”

“You can count on that.” He sprinted from the ER and hopped into the front passenger seat of the waiting SUV.

Dario took off like a shot. “How’s the kid?”

“Getting VIP treatment from the hospital staff, and so is his mom. Levi is on watch for the moment. He has friends from Fortress coming to help with guard duty.”

“Good. Now I don’t feel guilty for leaving him alone to guard two patients.” Dario motioned to Cam’s phone, which was resting on his palm. “Any updates?”

“Every two minutes, like clockwork.”

“That’s great.”

“That won’t last much longer.”

“Why not?”

“Simpson is headed into the mountains. The traffic cam coverage thins out up there.”

“You sure that’s where he’s going?”

“He hasn’t deviated from his course since he left with Sedona. Simpson believed he had us boxed, at least long enough for him and Sedona to get away.”

And that bugged him. Something had changed over the past forty-eight hours. At first, it seemed Sedona was a victim who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, instead of getting rid of a potential witness, Simpson seemed to target Sedona specifically. The question was why? Why did he need a kindergarten teacher?

“The mountains cover too many square miles to keep tabs on them.”

“Believe me, I know.” His voice was grim. It matched his mood. Man, he needed to find Sedona before Simpson hurt her or worse. Cam couldn’t make himself think it, much less say it.

When five minutes had passed without an update, Cam called Zane. “Did they stop?”

“The traffic cams stopped picking them up.” He sounded tense. The sound of a clicking keyboard filled the cabin. “I don’t know if he changed vehicles or if he turned off. Either way, I’ve lost them.”

“Keep looking for them. My tech guy will also hunt for them. We’ll continue heading for their last known location. Part of M Team is an hour behind them, and I have a friend, Finn Stevens who is right behind them.”

“Copy that. I’m sorry, Cam.”

“You’ve just about created miracles, my friend. Do what you can, and so will we. Between all of us, we’ll find her.” They had to find her. Sedona was his life.

“Murphy out.”

Cam punched in the number for Rhys.

“What?”

He grinned. “That’s a fine way to greet me.”

“I’m busy. What do you need?”

“A miracle.”

“What happened?”

“Zane can’t find them on the traffic cams. Do you have any miracles ready to pull out of your hat?”

“Where did he lose them?”

Cam took a screen shot of the last update coordinates and sent it to his teammate. “Any idea? No matter how farfetched, let’s hear it.”

“I may have something. Give me a few minutes to chase it down, and I’ll call you with information.”

“Do you need us to pull over?” He didn’t want to offer even a slight delay, but if that’s what Rhys needed to come up with anything that might help, he’d do it.

“No. Keep moving to the last coordinates reported. A few minutes, Cam. You have my word. I know what’s at stake.”

For a moment, he couldn’t talk. Finally, he said, voice rough, “Sims out.”

“Connections,” Dario said. “Start from the beginning and look for connections.”

“And locations,” Cam murmured. “What locations connect them all?”

“Start talking out loud. We’ll think through everything together. You said we missed something. Let’s find it and go get your woman. She’s counting on us to find her.”

Cam took a moment to pull his thoughts together, then described meeting Julio and the horrible bus ride to the zoo. He stopped, frowning.

“What?” Dario glanced at him. “Don’t keep it to yourself. No matter how crazy the idea is, let’s hear it.”

“During one of our conversations, Julio told me that his brother was trying to help their mother with the bills.”

“That’s good. He’s old enough to get a job.”

“Yeah, that’s the thing. He’s not working at any job that I can find.”

“An illegal one, then.”

“Maybe.”

Dario snorted. “Come on. How else is a teenager with attitude going to get a job? I can’t see him washing dishes at some hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Can you?”

“No,” he said, drawing the word out as he tried to piece together what he’d heard and what he observed about Eddie. “His mother is working at a diner.” Cam paused for a couple of beats, then said, “I need to check a few things.”

“Go for it. I’ll be fine.”

Taking his teammate at his word, Cam grabbed his laptop from his Go bag, booted up, and started investigating. He compared his list of things and people in common between Sedona, and the Ramirez family.

For a few minutes, he scoured social media, adding an item now and again. Twenty minutes later, he tilted his head back and growled, frustration getting the best of him. “I’ve got zip. There should be something here, Dario. I know there is, but I can’t find it.”

“Read me what you have.”

Cam rattled off the few things the four people on his list had in common. “See?” He motioned to the computer. “Nothing.”

“You forgot one.”

“Help a guy out and tell me, for goodness’ sake.”

“Did Simpson make a try for Emily, Julio and Eddie’s sister?”

Cam stared at his friend, stunned at missing something so obvious. “No.” He frowned. “Why not? He could have targeted her either going to school or coming home, but he didn’t. Sedona doesn’t have Emily in her class. There might not be a connection since she’s not in Sedona’s class.”

Dario shook his head. “That’s thin. Let’s go back to Julio for a minute. Is he in different school clubs than his sister? Perhaps this connection is more about their interests than their classes.”

“Maybe. Sedona told David that Julio loves to stay after school with her and do things to help her out.”

“Like?”

“Picking up trash around the room that students didn’t bother to take to the garbage can, erasing the board, straightening desks, and putting upside-down chairs on the desks. Once he’s finished with what he can do to help her, Julio walks home if it’s still light out. If not, he calls Eddie for a ride.” His hand fisted.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t like Julio walking home alone.”

“Even in daylight?”

“We’re heavily patrolling that area of Maple Valley. There’s been a serious uptick in drug overdoses, burglaries, and assaults in the last six months.”

“Do you know who’s behind them?”

“At first, we thought the culprits belonged to one of the local gangs. Now, we don’t believe that’s true.”

“Why not?”

“The Jackals and The Vipers not only break in and steal stuff, they also vandalize property. They don’t do extensive business in drugs, though what they sell is dangerous enough.”

“So, what are they into?”

“Weapons.”

Dario shook his head, expression grim. “Kids and guns are a terrible combination.”

“I know. We’re keeping close tabs on the gangs. My point is, kidnapping doesn’t fit their profile.”

“That can change in a heartbeat.”

“Let’s hope not, or the streets of Maple Valley will run red with blood.”

Dario frowned. “Wait. What about Eddie? Is he a member of a gang?”

“Already thought of that and checked it. Nothing shows that he’s affiliated with either gang.”

“Hmm. Tell me about the assaults, Cam. You mentioned them, so there must be something that stood out from the normal assaults.”

“None of the victims would file a police report.”

His friend’s eyebrows rose. “Interesting. What’s usually happening in the area when this is going on?”

“From my experience, gambling and loan sharks are at the heart of the assaults, along with interpersonal relationship issues with one party losing control and taking it out on the other.”

“Any history of gambling and loan sharks in the area?”

“Not officially.”

Dario glanced in his direction. “But?”

“Although gambling is illegal in Tennessee, people can legally gamble online.” He paused for a moment. “If they’re of legal age.”

“Can’t be Julio. He’s too young. Maria?”

“Maybe, but I doubt it.”

“Emily’s out. That leaves Eddie. But he’s not of legal age, Cam.”

“Some loan sharks don’t care, as long as they get their money back with interest.”

“Got any of those in this picturesque town?”

“A guy by the name of Harlan Pike. He is a man you don’t want to cross.”

“Would he ignore the fact that Eddie is a minor?”

“Absolutely. He deals with anyone. If you need money and have a reasonable shot at repaying the loan, he’s your man. Harlan is an equal-opportunity lender.”

“What are his repayment terms?”

“Lousy. The terms are a rip-off. If you can’t repay the loan at the time agreed upon, you’ll receive a visit from his own personal leg breakers or one of the hit squad, depending on the lesson he wants to send to the other people who owe him money.”

“Hit squad? Really?”

“Harlan will tell you he has an entrepreneurial spirit.”

“Are you telling me that Harlan would sink so low as to break Eddie’s kneecaps or outright kill him?”

Cam remained silent. He wished he could refute Dario’s conclusions, but they were true.

“Can’t see how you’d get your money back if the guy is dead. Anyway, how is this connected to The Collector? He’s a high-dollar assassin. I can’t see him lowering himself to work for a thug like Harlan.”

“I don’t know for sure, but I have a pretty good idea where this is going.”

“Don’t make me beg, Sims.”

He chuckled. “I won’t. I just need a few more minutes to chase a couple of leads. When I have the facts nailed down, I’ll tell all.”

“I’ll hold you to that. I don’t play the role of a chauffeur for nothing.”

“Copy that.”

Cam entered a command into his search engine, then sat back and watched. He shook his head when his search netted nothing. He changed his search parameters and tried again several times. Each search resulted in zip. Time to hit up the dark web.

After a series of commands, he sat back and waited for the results. Seconds later, his screen filled with information and a listing of websites where Simpson’s aliases had popped up in chat rooms. Since he wasn’t a computer expert, he figured Simpson had a few other aliases that law enforcement didn’t know about and Cam wasn’t tech savvy enough to find. He wasn’t pulling Rhys off the search he was running. Cam would rather find Sedona than add a few more charges to Simpson’s police record.

He clicked on the first link and settled back to read. The more Cam read, the more he worried. No way would anyone convince him that Sedona hadn’t been targeted. While others might believe she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, her second kidnapping in a week blew that idea out of the water.

He reached the same conclusion as he had before. Simpson needed Sedona for something. But what? Was Simpson using her as security so Cam and the others wouldn’t try to interfere? If so, he was in for a shock. That’s not how police investigative decisions worked. It wasn’t how he worked. Simpson had just issued a strong back-off-or-else command, and that was Cam’s cue to dig harder.

He considered the time element involved. An important date was driving Simpson. What could it be?

His phone buzzed. Cam glanced at the screen, swiped the glass, and tapped the speaker button. “Go, Rhys.”

“I’ve got something.”

Cam’s heart leaped against his chest wall. Yes! “Talk to me.”

“I checked all known Simpson aliases and different combinations of the names against property owners in the area where Sedona and Simpson fell off the map.”

“And?”

“I have a location.”

Hope burst into full force inside him. “What name did he use and where is his hideout?”

“Sullivan Arnold owns a four-bedroom cabin near the top of Lion’s Gate Mountain.”

The name of the man and the mountain settled into Cam’s gut, and he knew his friend had unearthed the information The Thunderhawks needed to find and rescue Sedona. Was that all, though? He felt as though he should know something more, but he couldn’t retrieve anything. His mind was a blank slate.

“I have others.”

“No, that’s it.”

“Are you sure, sir?”

“Yeah, I’m positive. It goes along with what I found in my research.”

“The uncle?”

“That’s right.”

“What about the uncle?” Dario demanded. “Hey, you promised to fill me in when you researched a couple of things.”

“I’m not finished. Rhys called before I was ready to spill all.”

Dario scowled. “Spill. Curiosity is eating me alive over here.”

“Same,” Isaac said. “He’s right, sir. Let us in on the secret. Perhaps we can help you fill in the gaps and finally arrive at the answers we need to put this puzzle together.”

“Simpson had an uncle he frequently visited when he was growing up. The old guy’s name was Amos Osborn, and for whatever reason, he loved Simpson enough to leave The Collector his land and cabin in his will. Osborn passed away last fall.”

Isaac whistled. “That land up there is worth at least $2 million, easy.”

“More. Simpson’s nearest neighbor owns nearly the entire mountain.”

“Who is it? Dario asked.

“Martin Lyons.”

Silence filled the vehicles until Dario asked, “You’re talking about the billionaire Martin Lyons?”

“That’s the one.”

“Very good, sir,” Rhys said. “Have you figured out the name of Martin Lyons’ home?”

He shook his head. “Nope. You obviously know, so tell me.”

“The estate is known as the Lion’s Den. The security around the estate, especially Lyons’ suite, is rumored to be impenetrable.”

Cam knew that tone of voice from his computer man. “You know how to breach the security to that suite, don’t you?”

“I do. I don’t think it’s possible for us to do it, though.”

“Work up a plan while we track down Sedona. Don’t worry about whether it’s legal. Just get it done.”

He and his team would work something out. Nothing and no one would stop him from getting to Sedona. If Lyons was Simpson’s target, that’s where Cam would find the love of his life. He just hoped they reached Sedona before Simpson killed her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

SEDONA STARED AT the photographs pinned to the wall. Each one was worse than the last. “Why are you showing me these photos?”

The Collector laughed. “This is where I persuade you to complete a favor for me, and in return, I spare Eddie’s life.”

Oh, man. She had a feeling that the favor wasn’t one she would have agreed to under normal circumstances. And these circumstances were anything but normal. They were downright dire. “And you’ll stop making Eddie break into people’s homes to steal things for your blackmail schemes? His debt is paid in full, right?”

His smile slipped. “I don’t go back on my word once it’s given.”

Sedona raised her hand. “No offense, but I don’t normally deal with world-class assassins. I don’t know how the system works.”

One thug behind her poked her hard in the back with the barrel of his gun. “It works the way the boss says it does.”

She glared at him over her shoulder.

“You must forgive our guest, Jansen. She’s a rookie at being a criminal.”

Her head whipped back around, and she stared at Simpson, dumbfounded. “I’m not a criminal. I’m a teacher, and I love my job. My only goal is to free Eddie and me. If this is what it takes, then I’m in.”

Humor twinkled in his eyes. “You’re an enterprising woman. We’ll have to see that you’re properly rewarded for your help.”

“Just tell me what you need so Eddie and I can get out of your way as soon as possible.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t count on only one job being sufficient.”

Outraged, she glared at the assassin. “You promised me that if I helped you, his debt would be cleared. Are you reneging on your promise, Mr. Simpson?”

“I agreed to wipe his debt, and I will. Since my boss isn’t as forgiving as I am, I must let Eddie work off part of the debt to my boss.”

“How magnanimous of you,” she said, sarcasm filling her words.

“I thought so.” Simpson gave another of his henchmen a chin lift. “Show her what’s at stake if she doesn’t cooperate.”

One thug propelled Sedona out of the room and into a corridor. A moment later, he flung open a door and shoved her into the room. Inside, a lamp cast a dim light on two people sitting on the floor, backs propped against the far wall. Eddie Ramirez had his arm around Daisy Cole’s shoulders.

The couple was in terrible shape. Eddie had been beaten. Daisy’s beautiful face was bruised and her upper lip split and swollen.

Sedona ran to Eddie and dropped to her knees beside him. “Eddie!”

He opened only one eye since the other one was swollen shut. “Miss Hart, is Julio okay?”

“He’s in the hospital, getting the best care. He’ll be fine.”

“Mom, Emily?”

She patted his arm lightly. From the appearance of his hand, Sedona feared the thugs had broken some fingers and maybe his hand, too. “Are you okay?”

Dumb question. He so wasn’t okay, but how else could she ask without embarrassing a proud teenage male who desperately wanted to save face in front of his girlfriend?

“I’m fine, or I will be in a few days.”

“Looks like you have a couple of broken fingers.”

“Maybe.”

Sedona turned her attention to his girlfriend. “Hello, Daisy. Do you remember me?”

She nodded, a careful smile curving her lips. “I should ask you that question. My sister hasn’t been in your class for a while.”

“Are you all right? Looks like these jerks hit you a few times.” She glared at the two men, who had the good sense to look uncomfortable and shift their weight back and forth on their feet.

“Just following orders,” the bigger of the two men muttered.

“That doesn’t make the orders right, does it? I’ll bet your mother taught you not to hit women, including teenage girls, didn’t she?”

The skinnier man elbowed his buddy. “I told you beating on a girl was a bad idea, Trey,” he said.

“It was a bad idea, but the boss wanted Eddie to know the consequences of not paying his debts. The beatings prove penalties will affect people he cares about.”

Sedona faced the men. “How much money does Eddie owe your boss?”

“Miss Hart, don’t,” Eddie begged, voice soft.

“Didn’t you know?” Trey asked.

She scowled. “Would I ask if I knew?”

“Why don’t you tell her, kid?” Four-Eyes said. “Confession is good for the soul, ain’t it?”

Color flooded the teenager’s face. “I owe ten thousand dollars.”

Sedona’s mouth gaped. “Are you kidding me? How did that happen?”

He looked as if he would be stubborn and refuse to answer until Daisy nudged him with her elbow and whispered something to him. Eddie closed his eyes a moment, then sighed. He looked at Sedona. “Online gambling. I got a fake identification made and bet part of my money.”

“Why would you do that?”

“I was trying to help my mom, okay? She works two jobs to keep a roof over our heads and put food on the table.”

“Oh, Eddie.” Sedona shook her head. “Don’t you know that the odds always favor the house?”

“Huh?”

She waved that aside. “In gambling, the odds are always against you.”

“Yeah, I know that now.” Eddie shook his head. “But I have to pay off the debt I owe.”

Not only did she have to protect herself, now she also had to protect Eddie and Daisy, too. Cam was coming. She knew that deep down in her soul. Nothing would stop him from finding her, but she’d have to protect herself until he and his teammates cleaned up the trash. And listen to her talking tough when, in reality, she was terrified.

Sedona didn’t know if she could do what Simpson wanted. There was more than one reason she’d left the circus life behind her, and one of those reasons might cost her life.

“Time to go,” Four-Eyes said, voice rough.

“Wait,” Eddie said, struggling to sit up straighter. “Where are you taking Miss Hart?” He slowly stood.

“It’s none of your business, kid,” Trey snapped. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep quiet and pray we don’t come back here to finish what we started.”

“Look, she’s got nothing to do with this. Just leave her alone.”

Trey’s hand snapped out, striking Eddie in the mouth with a backhanded slap.

The teenager stumbled back, hit the wall, and slid to the floor, where Daisy wrapped her arms around him and glared at the two thugs. “Leave him alone. Haven’t you done enough damage?”

Ignoring Daisy, Trey pointed at Eddie. “Shut your trap before we shut it permanently.”

The teen growled. “Let go, baby,” he murmured to his girlfriend. Eddie struggled to his feet as he said to Trey, “Miss Hart doesn’t deserve punishment. She’s just my kid brother’s teacher. That’s all. I can do what you want. Give me a few hours to recover from that beating, all right?”

“Eddie, stop.” Sedona frowned at the teenager. “You don’t understand.”

“I can do the job, Trey. Please.”

The big thug glowered at the teen. “You already had your chance. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll comfort your little girlfriend and shut your mouth.”

Sedona crouched beside Eddie. “Listen to me,” she murmured. “You need to trust me, all right?”

“Don’t you understand? You could die doing what they want.”

“I know. Now, I need a favor from you.”

“What is it? I’ll do anything to help.”

“If you really mean that, you and Daisy have to cooperate with your captors.” She winked at the teenagers. “That means not giving them any trouble.”

Sedona leaned closer to Eddie. “Do you know where they’re taking me?” she whispered.

He gave a slight nod, his expression grim.

“Tell Cam where I’m going.” She paused, then added, “And that I love him.”

“We’ll tell him,” Daisy whispered.

“This isn’t right, Miss Hart,” Eddie said, scowling at Trey. “If they’ll just wait, I can do the job.”

“Trust me, Eddie.”

“Time to go.” Trey grabbed Sedona’s arm and hauled her to her feet. “We’re wasting time.”

Between one breath and the next, Sedona and the thugs were moving down the hallway at a fast clip. Trey propelled her into the kitchen and shoved her into a seat. “Stay right here, or else.”

A moment later, Simpson walked into the room with a roll of paper under his arm. “I trust you see the importance of cooperating, Miss Hart.”

“You made your point, beating up on two defenseless teenagers. Was that really necessary?”

“Whatever does the job. Now, here are blueprints for a home close by.” Simpson unrolled the schematics and pointed at one particular feature. “I want you to help me get into this tower suite. With your background, it should be a piece of cake.”

Sedona looked at the schematic, saw the height, and felt blood drain from her face. “Was the tower built to specs?”

He smiled. “Shouldn’t be a problem for you.”

“Mr. Simpson, those towers are one hundred and forty feet tall.”

He scowled. “High-wire performances can be up to thirteen hundred feet in the air. This should be a breeze for you.”

“While that’s true, most high-wire acts are performed between twenty and fifty feet off the ground.” She jabbed a finger at the schematics. “This is nearly one hundred feet, Mr. Simpson.”

His eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t be telling me no, would you, Miss Hart? You understand what happens to those teenagers if you refuse the job.”

“Why do you want inside this tower suite so badly?”

“The owner of this house is a wealthy, paranoid man hiding from his enemies, and he’s built a hyper-secure vertical safe zone inside his house.” He tapped the top of the tower. “His private quarters are at the top of this tower. I want to get inside those quarters.”

“Then why do you need me? Knock on the door of the main house or make an appointment.” She did not want to do this. Just the thought of walking a high-wire one hundred feet off the floor without a net made her break out in a cold sweat.

Before she could suck in a breath, Simpson brandished a knife from somewhere, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and yanked her head back. He pressed the blade to her throat. “You are not the only high-wire talent in this area, Miss Hart. You are, however, the most convenient. If you continue to be a problem, I will end you and pick up another high-wire artist. Do you understand my meaning, my dear?”

“Yes,” she said, voice tight.

“Excellent. I knew you could be reasoned with, especially if your young friends’ lives are at stake as well.”

“I still want to know why you need me.” She motioned to the schematic. “They built a stairwell to his private quarters.”

He inclined his head. “They did, indeed. The catch is, once the owner is safely inside his suite of rooms at the top of the tower, the stairs move into the wall. Only the owner can trigger the stairs by either a control panel or a remote control.”

She frowned. Was this guy nuts? “How can I help you with that?”

“You, my dear, will activate the stairs by the control panel in the ceiling access point.”

“What do you want me to get for you in the suite?” What was so valuable that Simpson would risk capture and exposure just to have access to the owner’s suite? A painting, jewelry, gold? “What is so important?”

“You don’t need to know. Nothing matters except that you obey my orders. If you don’t, you are expendable, and so are your young friends.”

She held up her hand. “I understand, Mr. Simpson. Now, it’s your turn to understand something as well.”

He stilled, much like a dangerous predator preparing to pounce on its prey. “Be very careful, Miss Hart.”

Sedona stood. “I left high-wire performances for more than one reason.”

“Yes, yes. You left the circus behind to attend college. If there is another reason, tell me quickly, please. We have a schedule to keep.”

“I have BPPV.”

Simpson frowned. “What is that?”

“Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The tiny calcium crystals in my inner ear shift into the wrong canal and confuse my brain’s sense of motion and my balance. I can have an episode at any time. I can’t predict it, nor can I prevent it. The episodes so far last only seconds.” Sedona pointed to the schematic. “But at that height, an episode could kill me. The important fact is that I no longer trust my body. That’s why I’m not performing with the circus.”

“Are you telling me you will be a problem, Miss Hart?”

Goosebumps rose across Sedona’s skin.

Simpson continued. “Because if you are, I have several methods of dealing with problems, all of them unpleasant and permanent.”

The cold finger of death traced a chilling trail down her spine. “I didn’t say I refused to try.”

“Then what are you saying?”

“I might fail. If I do, I want your promise that the kids will be released.”

He stared. “You trust me to keep a promise even after you’re gone?”

She nodded.

“Why?”

“You’re obviously a professional at what you do. Although I’m not familiar with your profession, I believe you wouldn’t have a thriving business without a reputation for keeping promises.”

More staring, then, “You are correct, Miss Hart. If I was known for breaking my word, I wouldn’t have any clients. Very well. You have my word that the troublesome teenagers will be released upon your death.”

She flinched at his blunt words. At least she’d obtained his promise to free the kids. “Thank you.”

The corners of his mouth curved upward. “I wish others were so trusting. It would make my job easier. Now, it’s time to make a plan. Do a good job, Miss Hart. Your life depends on it.”

Right. Back to the threats portion of the program. “I understand. Is there a deadline to reach the access panel?”

“You have one hour after you take the first step to complete the mission.”

One hour. If Sedona hadn’t reached the panel by that point, she would never reach it. “How long do I have to prepare?”

A glacial smile curved Simpson’s lips. “Five minutes. Make them count.”

What a joke. That meant she was going into this mission blind. So much for her plan to stall as long as possible and give Cam and his buddies time to find her. Instead of rescuing her, he might be picking up the pieces.

She studied the schematic. At least she would be inside the tower instead of outside where the capriciousness of the wind might hinder or help her reach the goal. With the beam inside the tower, Sedona’s worst enemy was herself. The tightrope taught her to discipline her fear, but this was a total freefall. The ground beneath her had never felt less steady. She had to win this challenge, though. If she didn’t, Sedona stood to lose her chance at the life of her dreams with a hero who loved her and wanted to build a life with her.

Sedona looked at Simpson. “What about the alarm system? A wealthy, paranoid man must have the best alarm system ever made and likely a backup.”

“That is not your problem. All you must do is walk. It’s a simple skill that you’ve been practicing since you learned to walk as a toddler.”

Simple. If walking this beam was so simple, why didn’t he do it? Since Simpson wasn’t worried about the alarm system, he must have a man who could deal with the protection. Good for the assassin. Bad for her. She wouldn’t be able to use that as an excuse to slow down.

Sedona rolled the schematics into a tube shape and handed it to Simpson. “I’m ready.” What a lie. She would never be ready for this walk.

“Trey, escort Miss Hart to the SUV. We have an appointment to keep.”

Ten minutes later, the caravan of vehicles parked at the side of the road, and the occupants spilled out onto the roadway, each one loaded down with weapons.

If Sedona had any doubt that this was a small, private war, the sight of those men armed for battle solidified the truth in her mind.

Trey grabbed her upper arm again. He gripped her tight enough to leave behind evidence of his enthusiasm in carrying out his orders. “Let’s go. Don’t give me any trouble, Miss Hart. I’m not a patient man, and I know how to keep my women in line. They obey, or suffer the consequences.”

She stared. Surely he misspoke. Sedona couldn’t resist a clarification. “Women? Did you mean woman?”

He snorted. “I said what I meant.”

“You have more than one woman in your life?”

Trey chuckled. “I have three, and they know how to behave. Too bad your man doesn’t do the same. He’d enjoy the benefits of having women follow orders and meet his every need.”

She grimaced. “Eww.”

The big man pushed Sedona through woods rife with underbrush, saplings, and fallen trees. By the time they reached the back of the target estate, cuts and scrapes covered Sedona’s arms and hands. If she lived through the next hour, she’d have to treat the injuries to prevent infection. She had some belief in her ability to do what Simpson demanded of her.

Simpson looked at another guard. “Chase, are you ready?”

“Yes, sir.” Chase produced a black gadget from his pocket. “One push of this red button, and the security grid goes down, and communication is blocked.” He presented the gadget to Simpson. “Would you like the honor, sir?”

The Collector looked pleased. He looked toward the estate mere feet in front of him and pushed the button.

Sedona didn’t know what she’d expected, but nothing changed.

Chase, however, didn’t seem to agree. He watched his smartphone screen, and seconds later, his mouth twitched. That was the closest thing to a smile that she’d seen on Chase’s face.

“Can you tell from that tiny screen if the button brought down their defenses?”

“What do you care? All you have to do is walk on a wooden beam. If my feet were smaller, I could do it.”

“Try it sometime when you’re one hundred feet in the air without a net beneath you, then tell me that again.”

Anger burned in his eyes. “Don’t push me, lady. We’ve already spent too much time on this plot. We need to finish it and move on.”

“You’re quite right,” Simpson said. “However, Miss Hart is correct. Since you didn’t have this gadget deploy fireworks, you’ll have to tell us if your new toy worked.”

Following another glare at Sedona, he nodded at Simpson. “It worked. See.” He turned his phone to show the electrical energy gauge was at zero. “Right about now, Lyons has figured out something is wrong with the security grids at the perimeter, but he doesn’t know that his is down in the tower, too, since the electricity inside his home is up and running. Everything appears normal.”

Lyons? Sedona stared at the beautiful estate. She should have recognized it on sight. Martin Lyons, the richest man in the southeastern United States, lived in a castle that he’d had designed based on an English castle.

Her heart sank. She couldn’t help Simpson hurt someone else, even someone with a sketchy reputation like Martin Lyons. “This is Lion’s Den, isn’t it? This is Martin Lyons’ home.”

“Very good.”

“Why are we doing this?”

“It doesn’t matter to you, does it? Trey, it’s time. Give the signal.”

The men, split into four teams of eight men each, surged toward the estate in a carefully coordinated plan of attack.

Gunfire shattered the silence of the peaceful night as Trey jerked Sedona behind the dubious safety of an old tree. He shoved her back against the bark. “Don’t move.” He palmed his gun and held the weapon by his thigh so it was ready for him to use.

Since Simpson was too far away to hear, Sedona glanced at Trey. “Why are we breaking into Lion’s Den? Doesn’t he know that Martin Lyons is very protective of his privacy? He must have backups to the key security system.”

Look at her, sounding almost like Cam. Her eyes stung at the thought of the man she loved. Would he arrive in time, or were they both destined to die tonight?

The guard stilled. “Can’t you guess?”

“The only thing I can think of is Lyons has something valuable that Simpson wants.” Yet that didn’t sound right, either. “Help a girl out, Trey. What does your boss want?”

“Are you sure you really want an answer to that question?”

Did she? Her conscience wouldn’t let her do otherwise. Sedona needed to know what was so important, so all-consuming that Simpson was driven to achieve his goal. “Tell me.”

“The boss wants Lyons dead.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

SEDONA’S BREATH STALLED in her lungs. “You can’t be serious. Trey, please tell me you’re joking.”

He snorted. “We aren’t boy scouts, and I’m not in a joking mood. You bet he’s serious.”

“But why?”

Trey looked at her a moment. “I guess it doesn’t matter if you know the truth. Because of Lyons, the boss’ uncle went to prison, where he died. His uncle raised him. So, you bet Mr. Simpson wants Lyons dead.”

She lapsed into silence, thinking about Trey’s information, especially the first part. The only reason it wouldn’t matter that Sedona knew the truth was if Simpson planned to kill her after the mission ended.

Tears burned her eyes. How could Trey mention that without seeming the least bit remorseful? He didn’t care if Sedona lived or died. She glanced around at the other guards near her. They were like Trey. None of them cared about anything except following orders.

Sedona wiped the tears from her cheeks and studied the castle. The beautiful, stately home was enormous, hinting at an earlier time in English history when castles were a sign of wealth and class.

She wished Simpson had given her more time to study the layout of the home. If Sedona escaped, she would have to rely on her instincts to get her out of the castle before Simpson’s henchmen caught and killed her.

When she escaped, not if, Sedona needed a plan to stay out of the hands of the enemy. She made a face. Really? Simple was the name of the game. Complicated plans would take too long and end in her death. Not acceptable.

When the gunfire slowed, Sedona glanced around. The men close by came out from behind cover and gathered near Simpson as though awaiting orders.

She looked at Trey. “What happened? Why did they stop?”

He gripped her upper arm again. “We won. Come on. It’s time to keep your promise to the boss. Trust me when I say you won’t like it if you let him down.”

“I’ve got news for you, buddy. I won’t like it if I let myself down because I’ll be dead. Under the circumstances, I’m more concerned about falling one hundred feet because of a tiny misstep than what your boss thinks.”

Trey shoved her back against another tree and leaned in close. “You should be worried about him, lady. He can make your life or death miserable. The boss knows at least a hundred ways to kill a person.”

“Is he planning to kill me?”

“Don’t ask.” Trey got her moving again and hustled her toward the castle’s front door. “Just focus on the job, okay? One foot in front of the other, and don’t look down.”

“Will you spot me?” Like him waiting below to catch her would do any good.

“I guess I could do that. Sure.”

“Thanks.” Sedona didn’t know what good it would do to have a guard in her corner, but she wouldn’t waste an opportunity that might save her life.

Soon, Trey rushed her up the stairs to the porch and the front door. He typed in a code and the tumblers shifted. He twisted the knob and shoved the door open so hard that the knob left an indent in the wall.

“How did you know the code?” Sedona asked. “You said Mr. Lyons is paranoid about security.”

“I’m friends with a maid.”

His smug smile gave her a pretty good idea of what kind of friends they were. “I’m sorry I asked.” As careful as Mr. Lyons was said to be, all his security measures came to naught because of a maid sucked into a relationship with the wrong man.

Trey chuckled. “You’re funny.”

He wasn’t. Sedona felt sorry for the misguided maid.

Trey looked at one of his friends and inclined his head toward the doorway, then drew Sedona back a couple of steps. The friend who looked about the same age as Eddie walked into the home with his weapon up and ready. Six more men followed him inside.

Five minutes later, the young man returned. “All clear, sir.”

“Good. Tell Mr. Simpson.”

Soon, Simpson strode up the stairs and into the home, surrounded by one of his security teams. Trey and Sedona fell into step behind him and his entourage.

To Sedona, the massive home was a maze of intersecting corridors and staircases. The group walked for at least ten minutes before they walked through a doorway into an enormous circular room.

She glanced up and stared at the one obstacle between her and freedom. A four-inch beam stretched from one wall to the other side of the room. When the ground seemed to move under her feet, Sedona hastily looked down, dismayed to find the floor unmoving. That wasn’t a good sign. If she had an episode of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo on that beam, she would fall to her death.

Determination filled her. She wouldn’t accept that outcome. Sedona had a life ahead of her with the love of her life. She wouldn’t be able to enjoy that life unless she was still drawing breath.

“Time for you to wow the audience, my dear,” Simpson said. He took her arm and escorted her to the far wall where someone had conveniently propped a ladder. Her captor pushed her forward. “Go on. Remember the consequences if you fail.”

She glared at the assassin. “If your goal is to encourage me to succeed, you are failing miserably.”

This time, he shoved Sedona in the back. “Get up there and do your job.”

Well, she’d rather have him say that than harp about the consequences if she failed. But she wouldn’t. “I need at least one person to hold the ladder.”

Simpson motioned over two men who moved into position. “Get moving, Miss Hart.”

Without thinking about it, Sedona slipped out of her socks and shoes, placing them where she could retrieve them easily. If she survived. No, when she survived. She had to make it. Daisy, Eddie, and Julio’s lives were forfeit if she failed, not to mention her own.

Besides, who else could do this? Eddie? Julio’s brother was terrified. That much had been clear when she’d talked to him and Daisy earlier. Walking wires had been her world once. She would have to draw upon her skills one more time.

Right. Sedona wished she believed her own pep talk. Her breath shortened as she grasped a higher rung and stepped on the first rung of the ladder. Without allowing herself to look down, she climbed one rung after another. So far, so good.

A mini-episode of BPPV hit without warning as the floor shifted slightly. Her stomach lurched as she gripped the rung and froze. Breathe, Sedona, she counseled herself. It’s not real. You know it’s just a figment of your imagination. The floor didn’t move.

She breathed through the episode, afraid to move. She ignored Simpson’s shouted orders to get moving again. Finally, Sedona’s sense of balance and positioning returned to normal.

She resumed climbing, careful to keep her head positioned properly. Trusting her peripheral vision to let her know when she’d reached the beam, Sedona continued to climb one rung at a time until there were no more rungs.

Again, she froze, then turned her head slowly to the left. The beam stretched across the room three feet above her head. Her heart raced. In order to climb onto the wood, she would have to let go of the ladder, grip the beam, and haul herself up.

When one man holding the ladder shook it, then roared with laughter along with his buddies, Sedona decided that was her sign to get off the ladder. She didn’t trust Simpson or his people. He could order his men to yank the ladder out from under her, sending her crashing to the floor, if he believed she wouldn’t do the job.

Her lips curved. If that happened, one of his cronies would have to traverse the maintenance beam and flip the switch for the stairs to appear. She wondered how they would enjoy working one hundred feet off the ground with no safety measures. Sedona never thought she’d miss her safety harness, but she did. Safety, it seemed, was out of the question on this quest. The only person who mattered in this equation was Simpson.

She sucked in a breath, reached up, gripped the beam, and stepped free of the ladder. Muscle memory from years of walking the high-wire kicked in as she climbed onto the beam. Her bare feet settled on the wood, testing the surface with her toes.

Hope blossomed. Her confidence grew with each slow, sure step she took. Without thinking, Sedona lifted her arms slightly for balance. She could do this and save two innocent teenagers and her student while protecting the man she loved at the same time.

She took another step. This time, a brief vertigo flicker hit. No, no, no. She paused, locked her neck, kept her head perfectly still, and focused on her breathing for one minute, two minutes.

Sedona reset her focus and resumed the journey of her life one careful step at a time. Five more steps were behind her when the beam vibrated slightly under her weight. More muscle memory kicked in as she adjusted her balance.

Her BPPV flickered at the edge of her mind. With ruthless determination, Sedona pushed the lie aside and gained more precious ground until she was five feet from the access panel.

Another wave of BPPV rolled over her, this one seconds longer. Her balance shifted to compensate for the lie. Shouts from below echoed in the tower as she fought the silent battle to remain on her feet. Seconds later, the wave of dizziness subsided, and she regained her hard-won balance. Knowing she wouldn’t win another battle with her mind and gravity, Sedona fixed her gaze on the target and took one step in front of another until she stood directly under the panel.

For a man paranoid about security, here was another example of cost-cutting measures that might get him killed. The panel simply slid open without a lock to secure the stair mechanism, which defeated her only plan to help the man living above her head. There was nothing else she could have done without risking Eddie and Daisy. Whispering a prayer for Mr. Lyons’ safety, she pushed aside the panel, reached inside, and pressed the button clearly marked ‘Stairs’.

A deep mechanical rumble created a vibration, forcing her to grab the edges of the access panel for balance. Beautiful metal curved staircases on both sides of the castle tower slid into place. No railing, but at the moment, she didn’t care about that. Sedona took the remaining steps across the beam at a faster pace and jumped onto a blessedly solid cold stair.

Simpson and six of his men split into two groups and surged up both sets of stairs.

Sedona pressed herself as tightly against the wall as she could until the men raced beyond her position. Using her hand against the wall as a guide, she rushed down to the bottom floor and across to the doorway where she’d left her shoes.

She bent and snatched them up, hurrying to find a place to hide long enough to put her shoes on. No shoes outside this castle meant bruised or injured feet that made her vulnerable to being recaptured. That couldn’t happen.

A minute later, she found a broom closet and shut herself in. Working by feel, Sedona yanked on her socks, then shoved her feet into her shoes, lacing them quickly. Standing, she tried to listen for Trey or one of his buddies coming to take her prisoner again, but she couldn’t hear anything over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears.

Sedona opened the door a crack, praying one of the guards wasn’t standing right in front of her. She scowled. How did this work for Cam and his teammates? The right looked clear. The left, however, she couldn’t see at all from this angle.

Sedona pushed the door open a little wider. Still nothing. She couldn’t wait any longer. Someone would notice she hadn’t run up the stairs to see what happened to Mr. Lyons.

Another check revealed nothing to the right. She eased out into the darkened hallway and looked left. Empty. Thank God.

She hurried toward the kitchen, if the schematics were correct. There must be a door leading to the outside.

Sedona ran through an open doorway and into a large kitchen any chef would be envious to cook in, glanced at the knife block, and deliberately turned her back on it. In her head, she heard Cam’s voice as he’d talked about the weaknesses of different weapons with David Montgomery last week. Knives were for close-up defense. That left using a knife out for her. She wasn’t trained to use weapons to defend herself, a weakness she planned to address with Cam at the first opportunity.

She ran to the door and darted outside. Bolting toward the tree line, Sedona stayed in the shadows cast by the house and the trees growing on the estate grounds. When she imagined the hot breath of Simpson’s guards on her neck, she pushed herself harder.

Who was she kidding? She had eluded the guards. Escaping Simpson would be a different matter. In the hunting game, the guards were amateurs. Simpson, however, brought new meaning to the word ‘professional’. He hunted people for a living, and according to Cam and the Montgomery brothers, Simpson was excellent at what he did.

Sedona sprinted past the tree line and continued at the same pace, putting as much distance as possible between her and Simpson. There was no doubt in her mind that he would be the one to come after her. The guards had already tried hunting her and failed. Soon, the expert hunter would take his turn.

Inside the woods, every shadow was a threat, and every sound could give away her position to the enemy. She scowled. Her heart pounded so hard that’s all she heard. A herd of elephants could bear down on her, and she would never know until they squashed her like a bug.

On and on she ran until her sides ached and her lungs caught fire. When Sedona had to stop for a minute or fall down, she sucked in deep breaths, hoping to slow her heart rate to hear if Simpson’s cronies were close.

A minute later, the roaring in her ears dropped to a dull roar, low enough for her to listen for sounds around her. That’s when she realized the denizens of the woods were totally silent. She froze. Not good. They always made noise unless something frightened them.

That’s when she heard rocks shifting, limbs breaking, and muffled swearing a short distance behind her. Sedona glanced at the tree limbs, then decided against trying to hide among the branches in the trees again.

With no other choice but to keep moving, she angled to the right toward the sound of water rushing along a stream. If the water wasn’t too deep or the current strong, she could cross the stream and perhaps find a place to hide on that side of the water.

More thrashing through bushes and low-lying tree branches. The first thug said, “She’s fast. Go right, Anson.”

“She can’t outrun bullets,” a second man said.

“The boss said no guns. We’re to capture and hold.”

“Why? She’s caused nothing but trouble.”

“The boss wants her. That’s all we need to know. Believe me, you don’t want to cross him. Bad things happen when you disobey his orders. Now, shut up. You talk too much.” Twigs snapped under booted feet.

Sedona glanced over her shoulder and saw the two men shoving branches out of their path. She raced toward the sound of the stream, except with every step the babbling brook she had envisioned began to morph into a raging river. The sound of rushing water was too loud to be a brook or a stream.

How would she get across the water before Simpson’s henchmen caught up with her? She’d figure it out. She was officially out of options.

“There she is,” shouted Thug One. “Hey, lady, give it up already. You’ve got to be tired of running.”

She plunged into thicker shadows under the branches, fighting to stay on her feet when she couldn’t see where to step. If Sedona kept this up for long, she would break an ankle. Then where would she be?

Wrestling down blind panic, she increased her pace until it wasn’t possible to run faster without pitching face first onto the forest floor.

She fought her way through a dense thicket into a clearing where the sudden drop in temperature made her shiver. Although the roar of the rushing river was in her ears, she couldn’t see the water. What was wrong with this picture?

Puzzled, she kept moving forward, more cautious now despite Simpson’s cronies bearing down on her. Step after step, she walked into the misty air and searched in front of her for a glimpse of the river. The area stayed oddly black.

Closer and closer to the black hole she moved until taking one more step would put her in the pit. She froze. What had she missed? What was this blackness?

“Hey, lady, don’t move.”

She spun to face the two men who stood mere feet from her, each with a hand outstretched and panic in their expressions. “Stay away from me.”

“You know we can’t do that. You’re a nice lady,” Thug Two said. “You don’t want us to get into trouble with the boss, do you?”

The men took a step forward.

Sedona backed away.

“Lady, stop. You gotta stop,” Thug One said.

“Why should I?”

“If you take one more step, you’ll fall over the cliff!”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CAM RACED THROUGH the woods, shoving aside low-hanging branches, leaping over fallen logs, and ignoring the need to move without sound. His heart pounded against his chest as he sprinted through the night.

Faster. He had to move faster. “She’s out here alone against a professional assassin and who knows how many of his cronies. Move it.”

“Cam.” David glanced at him as they ran side-by-side. “Get your head in the game or you’ll end up on the ME’s steel table.”

“You wouldn’t say that if Emma were the one out there against these odds.” He knew the minute he said it he was out of line. Cam held up a hand. “Sorry.”

His boss snorted. “No, you’re not.”

On his other side, Elliot said, “Look, man, we get it. At least once while we were dating our future wives, each of us was in a dangerous situation much like this one. We were called out by the others, and that yanked us back in line before something tragic happened.”

“Consider this a calling out,” David said. “So, back to business. Do you trust this Eddie kid?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I hope you’re right, Cam. If you’re wrong, Sedona’s life is forfeit because we won’t have time to regroup. She’ll either be gone or dead.”

Cam wanted to hurl. He knew the kid wasn’t lying to him. However, that didn’t banish the tiny seed of doubt that Eddie was playing him for a fool.

But he trusted his gut. He and The Thunderhawks were alive today because he’d gone against logic and trusted his intuition. This time was the same. Logic said the kid was in this for himself. Cam believed the teenager told him the truth. The markers had been in his voice and eyes, the earnestness of his expression. Eddie hadn’t been lying or blowing smoke. He’d bared his soul in terse sentences, giving the information to Cam as fast as possible, including Sedona’s last message.

He didn’t know what he did to deserve her love, but he’d take it and shelter her and her heart for the rest of their lives. The first step was to rescue his girlfriend. “I’m sure, sir.”

“Then let’s do it. We have an assassin to catch and a woman to save.”

Five minutes later, Cam and the others shoved their way through the thicket and stepped out into a clearing. Three hundred feet ahead of them, two men were closing in on Sedona, who stood with her back to the edge of a cliff.

Cam broke into a silent run, David step-in-step with him. Together, they sprinted, hoping, praying they reached her before it was too late.

“Lady, stop,” shouted one man, who reached out to grasp her arm.

Sedona stepped back into nothing. She gasped and attempted to shift her balance, and failed.

“No!” Cam poured every ounce of speed into his run, shoved the men aside, and dropped to his knees at the edge of the cliff. His teammates automatically spread out. Rhys took comms. Isaac scanned the terrain. Dario checked for secondary hazards, while Spencer marked the fall point and the safest descent line. All normal and familiar, but this situation was anything but normal. The stakes were too high to lose.

He peered over the side and couldn’t see anything. This was the darkest part of the morning hours, just before the sun moved toward the horizon. Didn’t matter. He was going after Sedona. “Anchor team, set. Medical, prep. I’m going over.” No one would stop him.

Cam shrugged off his Go bag and retrieved his powerful flashlight. As he searched the side of the cliff and prayed for a miracle, he ignored David and Elliot reading the Miranda rights to the two thugs. He didn’t care what happened to those two men. As far as he was concerned, they had forced Sedona over the cliff. They deserved whatever happened to them.

He turned on the powerful flashlight and trained the beam on the side of the cliff where she’d fallen.

Spencer knelt beside him. “Where?”

“About where you are. You look right. I’ll look left. Look for drag marks, broken branches, indications that she slid down the steep slope.” Cam refocused his beam along the cliff to the left of where he was and searched the area in a grid pattern. Panic reared its ugly head when he saw no sign of her. Where could she be? If she was injured in the fall, every second could mean life or death. He refused to consider that she might not have survived the fall.

“There.” Spencer pointed to a small tree growing from the cliff about one hundred feet down.

Oh, man. The tree looked as though it might give way any minute. “Sedona,” he called out. Why was she holding on with only one hand?

“Cam?”

“Yeah, Tiger, it’s me.”

“I could use a little help right now.”

“Give me a minute, and I’ll come get you. You’ve got this.”

“I won’t have this much longer,” she said tartly. “I think I sprained my wrist on the way down here. I’m holding my body weight with my left hand.”

Alarm raced through him. Sedona was right-handed. “Wrap your right arm around the tree limb, Sedona. That will help distribute your weight more evenly.” It might help her hold on a few more minutes.

“I’ll try.” A moment later, she called out, “It worked.”

Thank God.

“You still need to hurry, Cam. I can’t hold on much longer.”

“You’ll hold,” he said, voice firm and sure. “If you need to, think of that as an order.”

She laughed. “Do you think that will work?”

Dario and Isaac established a redundant anchor using a large tree with deep roots, and built a main line, Cam’s rappel rope, and a belay line, his backup safety rope. At the same time that was happening, Rhys set up the lowering system or haul system for extraction later.

While his teammates built the system, Cam put on his harness, helmet, and gloves. Forcing himself to follow the safety protocols, he checked his buckles and straps, and clipped into the main line. Spencer double-checked the device threading and knots.

The mission clock beat loudly in his ears as he tested the rope with a weighted lean.

Dario and Isaac became edge attendants and lay prone near the cliff’s edge. Their job was to manage rope friction, prevent snags, and keep visual contact with Cam during his descent.

Dario said, “Rope clear. Line’s good. You’re set, Cam.”

“Copy that.”

Cam backed toward the edge of the cliff, keeping weight on the rope. His teammates controlled the belay line from above. He went over the lip smoothly, legs braced, brake hand locked.

Despite the pounding need to get to Sedona before she fell, he moved deliberately, scanning constantly for hazards that would delay or hurt him or Sedona.

As he continued to move down the side of the cliff, Dario and Isaac fed him the rope and called out hazards.

“Loose rock below your left,” Dario snapped.

Cam adjusted the path he took to prevent kicking loose rocks that could cascade down the cliff and injure Sedona. He navigated over ledges and overhangs and maneuvered around vegetation. “I’m coming to you, Sedona. Stay still, and hang on, all right?”

Seconds later, Spencer’s voice came through the comm device in Cam’s ear. “Trauma kit, hypothermia gear, and splints are ready.”

“Copy. Hold.” He would assess Sedona’s injuries. If she needed medical help before moving her, Spencer would rappel down the cliff face. Otherwise, Spencer would treat her at the top of the cliff or at the foot.

After what seemed like forever, but was in reality only a few minutes, Cam stopped his descent beside Sedona.

“Hi,” she said, voice soft.

“Hi.” He found a comfortable stance and locked off his rappel device, then clipped into a secondary anchor so he could work with Sedona hands-free. Much as he longed to touch her, he waited until she was safe from a further fall.

Spencer’s voice came over the comm. “Rescuer stable. Proceed with the assessment.”

“Copy.” After helping her into a spare harness, Cam attached Sedona’s harness to his system and clipped her into the main rope so she couldn’t drop. “I’ve got you, Tiger,” he said. “You’re secure. There’s no way you can fall.”

She glanced down at the harness and rope, then took a deep breath and relaxed against him. “Thank you for coming to get me.” Her voice sounded choked.

He cupped her chin with his gloved hand and tilted her face up to his. “I will always come for you.”

Cam performed a rapid medical assessment. Her airway and breathing appeared normal. No major bleeding that he could see. He wasn’t a medic like Spencer, but he was trained to do the SAR neuro check. She passed with flying colors. Amazingly, her only problem appeared to be her wrist.

He tapped his comm device. “Suspected wrist fracture, Spencer.”

“Copy. On my way.”

“Rhys here, taking over comms.”

Cam took a minute to pull Sedona to him and hold her in his arms. Gratitude filled him. He could have lost her.

Seconds later, Spencer rappelled down the cliff, stopping on the other side of Sedona. “I hear you might have a broken wrist. Is it all right if I look at it?” While he examined her wrist, the medic went through a more thorough neuro field exam.

When he finished, Spencer said, “Well, I think your boyfriend is right. We won’t know for sure until we get you to the hospital and x-ray your wrist, but I’d like to put a splint on it. Even if it’s not broken, limiting your movement will reduce the pain you’re in. Is it okay if I put a splint on your wrist?”

“Do whatever will make it hurt less.”

Spencer said into the comm device, “Neuro exam complete. No neuro deficits. Wrist injury suspected. I’m splinting her wrist before we move her.”

“Copy. Preparing haul system.”

The medic grabbed a vacuum splint from his mike bag and quickly splinted her wrist. “Does anything else hurt, Sedona? Don’t try to tough it out until we’re off this cliff. We don’t want to risk causing more injury by not stabilizing a sprain or a broken bone.”

“I’m hurting all over.” She gave a wry smile. “The tumble down the cliff was painful.”

“But no pain out of the ordinary?”

She shook her head.

“That’s good to hear.” He said into the comm system, “We’re ready for retrieval. Up or down?”

“Up,” Dario said. “Too many hazards on the way down and less distance to cover going up. Ready on your orders, sir.”

“Copy. Hold.” Cam looked at Sedona. “What do you say we get off this cliff and find a place that sells the biggest and best breakfast in this area?”

She grinned. “If that offer comes with over-the-counter pain meds, I accept. Are we counting this as a date?”

“Absolutely. I’m late to the game, so I’m definitely counting this as a date.” He tapped his comm device. “Ready.”

“Copy.”

Cam moved Sedona into a better position. “Put your arms around my neck and hold on.” When she did as he asked, Cam said, “Haul team, go.”

Dario said, “Ready, pull, reset, pull.”

Inch by inch, Cam walked up the side of the cliff as the haul team pulled them up. Finally, the edge team pulled them over the crest of the cliff to safety.

Spencer knelt beside Sedona and smiled. “You made it. I knew you would.”

“Thanks to Cam. I couldn’t have held on much longer, and the tree’s roots were pulling away from the cliff.” She wrapped her arms around herself.

Cam pulled her into his arms and accepted the Mylar blanket Spencer handed to him. He wrapped the blanket around Sedona’s back and tucked her against his chest. “Give me a minute,” he said to Spencer. Although Cam longed to stay right here with Sedona in his arms until he fully believed that she was with him again and safe, he’d settle for holding her long enough for her to stop shivering.

“Let me know when you’re ready,” the medic said.

Five minutes ticked away as Cam’s team put away their gear and settled a short distance away. Close enough to help if needed and far enough to give Cam and Sedona privacy.

He skimmed one hand along her spine, making her aware of his presence but not demanding attention. When her shivering slowed, he whispered in her ear. “I’m so proud of you. You could have panicked and made the rescue ten times harder. Instead, you were calm and logical. You thought things through, and that gave us the advantage we needed.”

Sedona tilted her head just enough to look at Cam. “What advantage? I don’t know about thinking things through, but I was terrified. It was a toss-up who would let go first, me or the tree. Thankfully, you arrived before I found out who won.”

“The advantage was you staying in control no matter how terrified you were. Because you could think, you could follow orders, and that made the rescue so much easier. So, thank you.”

She stared back at him. “People really become so afraid that they hinder rather than help their own rescue?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Tell her about the time you rappelled down a steep mountainside and found a woman lying naked at the edge of a steep drop that ended in a raging river,” Dario called out.

He groaned. “Did you have to mention that one?”

“You’ve got to admit that it fits the circumstances,” Isaac said.

“Sedona is not Isabella Dunleavy.”

“He’s got you there,” Spencer said. “I can vouch for the fact Sedona has never babbled.”

“That’s a compliment, Sedona,” Dario said. “Isabella will forever be dubbed the Babbler when we talk about her rescue.”

“I’m glad I passed muster,” Sedona said. She bit her bottom lip, looking from Cam to Spencer and back again. “How are Julio, Eddie, and Daisy? You rescued them, right?”

“We did. All of them are okay. You can verify that for yourself when we go to the hospital to have your wrist checked.”

“I hate to ask, but what happened with Mr. Lyons?”

“That is an excellent question, Miss Hart.”

The Thunderhawks spread out, hands raised. Their spacing gave them angles of attack when Cam gave the word.

A red laser light slid across Sedona’s chest. A second light appeared center mass on Cam. Without thinking, he pushed Sedona to the ground and followed her down, covering her body with his. Good thing he’d pulled on his bullet-resistant vest. He just hoped the assassin hadn’t loaded armor-piercing rounds into his magazine.

Cam reached for his gun. As his fingers brushed the grip, the same male voice said, “I wouldn’t, Mr. Sims. You won’t like the consequences if you pull that weapon.”

Cam’s hand drifted away from his Sig. Where was the man? He turned his head slightly to look at David with his eyebrows raised. His boss inclined his head to Cam’s left.

By minute degrees, Cam turned his head. Despite Simpson’s ability to use camouflage to hide his position, his voice came from the same place, which was a surprise. Simpson was too much of a professional to make that mistake. He must know the backgrounds of the teams working on this mission. Underestimating them was foolish.

He scanned the clearing again. Where were Elliot and Owen? His gaze caught David’s. Forming hand signs with his fingers on the side of his thigh, Cam signaled David, asking about Elliot and Owen.

The answer? They’re close. Stall.

Well, that was vague enough. Stall, huh? Easier said than done with a man not known to tolerate fools.

“Where is Lyons, Mr. Sims?” Simpson demanded. “I want him. Now.”

Cam hesitated for a moment, then slowly rose to his feet, arms away from his body, empty hands spread toward Simpson. He casually stepped in front of Sedona. “Did you really think a man as paranoid as Lyons would stay in his home when an identified threat is coming to his doorstep?”

“He never leaves his home.”

“Ordinarily that’s true, but your reputation precedes you, Simpson. You should take that as a compliment. Lyons accepted an offer of a temporary safe house.”

Simpson pushed through a handful of his cronies despite their attempt to keep him behind them. “Where is he?” he ground out through gritted teeth. “Tell me, or there will be consequences.”

Cam studied the other man. “What’s in it for me?”

Simpson blinked. “You might get to live if I’m in a merciful mood.”

Yeah, he knew better than that. Simpson already had a bullet in the chamber with Cam’s name on it. “What else?”

Simpson gave a bark of laughter. “That’s not enough for you?”

“Frankly, no, it isn’t.”

After a lengthy pause, Simpson said, “All right. I’ll bite. What do you want?” He held up a hand. “Oh, wait. I bet I already know. You want my word that I won’t touch your girlfriend.”

“I want your word that you won’t touch Sedona or any of our friends.”

“You drive a hard bargain.” More staring by Simpson, then, “All right. If you give me Lyons, then I will leave the beautiful Miss Hart and your friends alone. Now, where is he?”

Cam smiled. “Quantico.”

“The FBI training academy?” The assassin spat out vile curses. “That was not part of our bargain, Mr. Sims.”

“You gave me your word, and I gave you honest information in return. It’s not my fault you don’t like the answer I gave you.”

Dario inched sideways during the exchange with Simpson, pretending to adjust his footing.

Isaac lowered his center of gravity, preparing to jump on Cam’s signal.

Simpson flicked his gaze toward the movement of the two men.

Almost time. Cam hoped Elliot and Owen were in place because this would go down with or without them in the next few seconds.

Cam stepped half a pace forward, drawing Simpson’s aim. “Put the weapon down and surrender, Simpson.”

Another bark of laughter. “Why should I? My assistants are in control.”

“You’re running out of time.”

“Are you insane? There are only six of you, and I have ten men with me.” A gust of wind kicked dust into Simpson’s eyes. He flinched for a fraction of a second.

Sedona moaned, drawing Simpson’s attention. The assassin automatically adjusted his aim.

Dario lunged from Simpson’s blind side at the same time as Isaac dove toward the killer. Dario went high, while Isaac went low.

David, Spencer, and Rhys drew their weapons and aimed at the crew Simpson had brought with him.

Elliot and Owen identified themselves as police officers, then said, “Drop your weapons, then put hands on your head,” Owen ordered Simpson’s remaining employees.

One move by Isaac, and the assassin’s weapon skittered across the rock, stopping near the cliff edge. Spencer kicked the weapon farther out of Simpson’s reach.

In seconds, Simpson was face down on the ground, arms pinned behind his back. He cursed them all and threatened Cam and Sedona.

Nice.

Now that the assassin was in custody, David helped his brothers search for weapons and restrained Simpson’s men.

“Did you hear that threat, David?”

“I not only heard it, I recorded it.”

“That’s worth another couple of charges, don’t you think?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

More loud, vicious curses from Simpson prompted Dario to bend down and stare directly into Simpson’s eyes. “If you say one more ugly word in Sedona’s hearing, I will gag you. Am I making myself clear?”

A staring contest went on for a minute before Simpson gave a slight nod.

Behind Owen and Elliot, another team arrived who were dressed in the standard uniform of Fortress Security, black from head to toe.

The one in charge of the new group turned to David with a raised eyebrow. “I thought you said you were outnumbered and outgunned. We broke speed records to get here only to find everything is under control. Care to explain that?”

David glanced at Cam and his teammates, then faced the stranger again. “My new Search and Rescue team turned the tide in our favor. Sorry to bring you out here for nothing, Josh.”

“Any time I can wake Ethan Blackhawk to cover my night shift is a good one.”

Josh. Ethan Blackhawk. Cam’s eyes widened. This was Durango, the Delta team that worked for Fortress Security and owned Personal Security International, the bodyguard training school. He caught Josh Cahill’s eye and gave a slight nod of thanks.

He turned and pulled Sedona into his arms. When he felt her shaking, Cam bent until his mouth was beside her ear. “I’ve got you,” he murmured.

“I thought I was going to lose you,” she whispered.

“I’m okay, Tiger. We’re okay.”

His SAR team continued to do its job. “Suspect secured,” Dario confirmed.

“Weapon recovered,” Spencer said.

“We’re clear, sir,” Dario added.

“Copy that. Prepare to leave.”

“Did I hear that correctly, Officer Sims?” David asked. “You’re leaving a crime scene before you’ve been dismissed?”

“That’s right, sir. Sedona needs to go to the hospital to have her wrist x-rayed.”

“We have these things called ambulances. You might have seen them. I’m sure an ambulance can transport your girlfriend while we clean up this crime scene.”

“Respectfully, sir, I’m not leaving Sedona’s side. We don’t know if all of the people involved in this mess have been rounded up. I’m not taking chances with her life.”

David scowled.

Owen shook his head. “You’re fighting a losing battle, bro. You know how you were with Emma when she left WITSEC.”

The sheriff looked as though he would argue, then sighed. “All right. I know when I’ve been outvoted. Go with Sedona, Sims. Just remember that you now owe me at least three months of favors, and part of that includes working every night shift assigned to me.”

He flinched. Although that was a heavy price to pay for skipping out on paperwork until later in the day, he’d gladly take the night shifts for the hours spent protecting the woman he loved. “Yes, sir.”

“David, are you sure Mr. Lyons is all right?” Sedona asked.

“He’s fine,” Cam said.

Sedona’s attention stayed on the sheriff.

David snorted. “He ought to know. Your boyfriend sent in a team from the Tennessee Highway Patrol to back us up.” David was clearly offended by the implication that he couldn’t handle himself or an operation.

“I didn’t send them to back you up.” Not exactly. “I sent Finn Stevens to help Sedona if he arrived before we did. He thought Simpson would have Sedona with him when he infiltrated the suite. Turned out not to be the case.” Finn was the best at getting into tight places with top-notch security, and that described Martin Lyons’ place.

More silence.

Finally, Cam said, “Would you have handled this differently?”

A long, weighted silence later, David sighed. “No, I can’t say that I would. It was a good plan. The THP team was waiting for Simpson and his party guests. In all the chaos, Simpson slipped away and regrouped with more of his men.”

“So Lyons is safe?”

“Oh, yeah, he is.” David’s disgust was clear.

Uh oh. “What happened?”

“Our eccentric billionaire is good friends with Harlan Pike.”

Cam stared. “Are you serious?”

“Unfortunately. Simpson is right. Lyons was responsible for his uncle’s death in a way. I asked Lyons about Simpson’s accusation. He said, ‘Of course I sent Amos Osborn to Pike. You don’t think I lend out my hard-earned money, do you? I’m not a fool.’ They grew up next door to each other. Osborn thought Lyons was his friend, so he took Pike’s offer of money to pay off his gambling debt.”

“But he thought he could beat the house, pay off his gambling debt, and have seed money for more gambling, didn’t he?”

“You got it. That led to more gambling to get his money back, which never happened, and eventually led Osborn to bank robbery.”

“If Simpson loved his uncle so much, why didn’t he get Osborn some help before he hit rock bottom?”

“He didn’t know about the gambling. Osborn hid it from him. I know you need to go, and I have almost a dozen thugs to process and book. You and Sedona come to the station later today so we can clear up the paperwork, Sims.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll be there after lunch or sooner, depending on how busy the emergency room is.”

“If a sprained or broken wrist is the only injury she carries away from this, it will be a miracle.” He motioned for them to go.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Get lost, Sims, or I’ll put you to work.”

“Copy that, sir.” He scooped Sedona into his arms and walked away from the clearing.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

SIX HOURS LATER, Cam and Sedona walked into the sheriff’s department with the rest of The Thunderhawks trailing behind them.

Levi Montgomery leaned back against his desk, arms folded across his chest. “It’s about time you got here, Sims. We were about to issue a BOLO on you.”

“Ha ha. The emergency room was backed up. It took a while to get to Sedona, then took even longer to x-ray her wrist and splint it a second time.”

“What’s the verdict on her injury?”

“Broken wrist. She’s scheduled for surgery in a couple of days.”

A slow smile curved Levi’s mouth. “That’s enough time.”

Cam narrowed his eyes. “No meddling, Montgomery.”

“It’s a good idea,” Dario said. The rest of his teammates nodded.

Sedona looked from one man to the other. “What am I missing?”

“Nothing.”

“Liar,” Spencer said. “I’ll bet Sedona thinks it’s a great idea.”

“Ask her,” Isaac said. “You know you want to, and you’ll put the rest of us out of the misery of hearing you bemoan the fact that she’s too good for you.”

“Shut up, and that’s an order,” he snapped. He wouldn’t push Sedona into something she might not want. For goodness’ sake, he hadn’t even talked to her about marriage.

Rhys said, “I see an empty office. Go take care of business, and we’ll help with the details.”

These guys were like a bulldozer, rolling over any obstacle in their wake.

Sedona’s small hand slipped into his. “Come on. I want to know what’s going on, and you won’t tell me with these troublemakers heckling you.”

The Thunderhawks protested her assessment, but Sedona ignored them.

Cam allowed himself to be led away from the chaos of the squad room. He wondered if David meant what he’d said earlier today. Hiring The Thunderhawks as deputies and as Morgan County’s Search and Rescue team solved the shortage of law enforcement officers that had plagued the department even before David inherited the problem.

He opened the empty office door, ushered Sedona inside, and after a last glare at his grinning friends, shut the door behind him. Turning to face Sedona, his heartbeat sped up. She said she loved him, but what if loving him wasn’t enough? What if she needed more? He’d give her the world if he could. Taking him on and merging her world with his was a lot to ask of any woman.

“Your friends are troublemakers.”

He snorted. “That, my love, is an understatement.”

“So, what do they want you to do?”

“Propose.”

She blinked. “Propose what?”

“Marriage.”

Sedona’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“What do you think of the idea?”

She threw her arms around his neck and smiled up at him. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate surviving a world-class assassin. I love you, Cameron Sims. Are you asking me to marry you, or was this discussion a hypothetical exercise?”

“This is as real as it gets. Marry me, Sedona Hart.”

“Yes. Anytime, anywhere.”

He froze. “Do you mean that?”

“Which part?”

“Anytime, anywhere.”

She nodded.

Relief swept over him. Thank God. “Tomorrow?”

Sedona stared. “Are you serious?”

“Unless you want a big wedding. If you do, I can wait.” Maybe. Keeping his impatience in check might be impossible.

She remained silent for a moment. “What time will we finish here?”

“Probably in a couple of hours. Why?”

Sedona released his neck and held out her hand. “I don’t know what happened to my phone. I need to borrow yours for a minute.”

Curious, Cam gave his phone to Sedona.

She tapped in a number and, when a woman answered, said, “Hey, Cindy. It’s Sedona. I need a favor. Can you get a marriage license ready in two hours? Great. I need a second favor. Would you ask Harry if he can squeeze us in today?”

No. Way. She couldn’t be setting up what he thought she was. Could she? Rather than ask dumb questions and reveal his ignorance, he waited.

Sedona beamed. “You’re the best, Cindy. Tell Harry I owe him a chocolate turtle cheesecake for this.” She ended the call a moment later and returned Cam’s phone. “It’s all set up.”

“What is set up, Tiger?”

“The marriage license and the wedding before a judge.”

He stared. Holy smoke. She really did it. Although he didn’t want to question her about this next thing, he’d feel guilty if he didn’t. “What about your sisters? Do you want to wait for them?”

She shook her head. “My sisters are strangers to me, Cam. We should do what’s best for us. Do you want to wait?”

“No!” He cupped her face between his palms. “I adore you, Sedona Hart, and I want the entire world to know that you’re my whole heart.”

Cam reached for the doorknob. “Let’s do this. We have more important things to do than waste time at the police station.”

He opened the door and escorted Sedona back to the bullpen. “Gather around, boys. We have an announcement to make.”

When everyone had moved closer, Cam said, “Sedona and I are getting married as soon as we’re finished here today.”

Now it was his turn to laugh at the stunned expressions on his teammates’ faces. “What are you so surprised about? You’re the ones who were pushing me earlier.”

Dario shook head. “Yeah, but we were pushing for a proposal. We didn’t expect you to rush our girl to the altar.”

“After the terror we’ve lived through in the past few days, we don’t want to be separated anymore,” Sedona said. “Will you mind letting a female into your group?”

“For you, we’ll make an exception,” Isaac said.

“And you’ll come to our wedding?”

“You couldn’t keep us away.”

She beamed at The Thunderhawks, then glanced at Cam. “We need to tell David so he can tell the Montgomery wives. They’ll be livid if they miss the wedding.”

Amused, he wrapped his hand around hers and led her toward the first interrogation room. Since the station didn’t normally interview so many people at once, David had to be creative to interview all of them at the same time. “If he doesn’t interview us, I’ll send him a message.”

A couple of minutes later, David hurried into the interrogation room. “Sorry for the delay.” He glared at Cam. “I’m short on help today.”

Cam just smiled. He was so happy, even his boss didn’t get a defensive reaction. “We have something to tell you.”

David froze. “Good or bad?”

“Very good.”

The sheriff relaxed. “Excellent. Let’s hear it.”

“Sedona and I are getting married today.”

David stared. “Today?”

“As soon as we get out of here. Will you contact the Montgomery wives so they can attend the wedding with their husbands and The Thunderhawks?”

“I can’t think of a better reason to leave the station and paperwork behind.” He opened the door and stepped into the hall. “Give me a minute, and I’ll be right back.”

Two minutes later, he returned to sit in the chair across from Cam and Sedona. “It’s all set. The ladies will be waiting at the courthouse. I hope you don’t mind, but I also invited Mrs. G.”

“Of course not,” Sedona said. “I love Mrs. G.”

“Everybody does.” He laid a notebook on the table and pulled out his pen. “Let’s get this party started so we can celebrate something we’ve been hoping for.”

Just as Cam predicted, they all walked out of the police station two hours later and crossed the square to the courthouse. The Montgomery wives and Mrs. G swept Sedona into a group hug, all of them talking at once.

Cindy Walker opened her door and motioned Cam and Sedona into her office. Five minutes later, their marriage license was complete. “Judge Thomas is waiting for you in his chamber. Do you know where that is?”

“We do,” Cam said. “Thanks for the fast work, Cindy.”

“Are you kidding? This will be the talk of the town for weeks. I’ll be a hero for helping you pull this off. So, thank you for trusting me. Now, how long do I have to sit on this news?”

“Thirty minutes, then you can tell whoever you want.”

“Great.” She beamed. “I’ll go make a list. Congratulations to both of you.”

“Thanks, Cindy.” Sedona gave her a hug, then she and Cam led their entourage to Judge Thomas’ chambers.

Cam knocked on the door.

Judge Thomas’ judicial assistant opened the door, smiling. “Go to the inner chamber. Judge Thomas is ready for you and your friends.”

The door to the inner chamber opened before Cam could knock. Judge Thomas shook Cam’s hand and hugged Sedona. “I’m so glad you asked me to marry you. I’m honored.”

“We appreciate you squeezing us into your schedule,” Sedona said.

“For you, young lady, I’ll be glad to make the court wait.” He shook David’s hand and those of his brothers present. “Looks like you have plenty of witnesses, so let’s proceed, shall we?”

Ten minutes later, Judge Thomas said, “Cam, you may kiss your bride.”

He gently tugged Sedona into his arms and kissed her. Cam ignored the catcalls and applause from their friends. When he lifted his head, Sedona’s eyes were unfocused. Yeah, that’s what he wanted. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“For what?”

“Everything. First on the list is buying breakfast, then we need an engagement ring and wedding band for you.”

She wrinkled her nose. “It sounds like fun, except my hand is swollen.”

“We’ll ask the folks at the jewelry store for suggestions.” He eyed her hand. “We’ll choose the set of rings that you love, then select a chain necklace so that you can wear the rings around your neck until your wrist heals.”

“That’s perfect.”

“Hey!” Dario grinned. “It’s our turn to kiss the bride.”

Cam scowled. “If any lips but mine touch Sedona’s, you’ll drink your meals for a month.”

His friend rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. We’ve got it.”

His teammates took turns hugging Sedona and slapping Cam on the back.

David said, “Before you leave, we need to talk.”

“On that note, I’ll excuse myself to finish out my day.” Judge Thomas left them.

“Which of us are you talking about?” Cam asked.

“The Thunderhawks plus Sedona.”

“Come with me, ladies,” Mrs. G said. “We’ll have our own tea party to celebrate Cam and Sedona’s wedding and plan their reception/celebration party.”

“Sounds like fun.” David’s wife, Emma, looked at her sisters-in-law. “Right?”

The rest of the women exhibited varying degrees of enthusiasm, but all agreed to go with the Montgomery’s housekeeper.

As soon as the door closed behind his wife, David said, “You heard me claim The Thunderhawks as my deputies and as the Morgan County SAR Team. What will it take to make that a reality?”

“I’m in,” Dario said. “Hope you need an EOD man once in a while.”

David chuckled. “We have the occasional bomb threat.”

“Excellent. I’d hate to let my skills become rusty. Isaac?”

“Yeah, I’m in, if the rest of The Thunderhawks are in. Spencer?”

“Depends. Can I work a few shifts a month as an EMT?”

“They’ve been begging for help, so I’d say that would be a definite yes.”

“Then count me in. Rhys?”

“I’m in.”

David turned to Cam. “You interested in working as part of the SAR team and as a deputy?”

Cam turned to Sedona. “What do you think?”

“Do it.”

“I may be gone for days at a time on a SAR mission. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s possible.”

“Don’t worry. If I get lonely, I’ll bury my sorrows by grading kindergarten paperwork and planning lessons.”

He chuckled, then turned to his boss. “You’ve got a deal, sir.”

David looked pleased. “Great. I have one more thing for you to consider.” He pulled out his phone and tapped one button.

“Yeah, Maddox.”

Cam froze. Brent Maddox, the Fortress Security CEO?

“It’s David Montgomery. You’re on speak with M Team, The Thunderhawks, and Sedona.”

“Understood. Cam, I understand congratulations are in order.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“David, have you explained my proposal?”

“No, sir. I thought it might be better if the explanation came from you.”

“Cam, Rhys, Dario, Isaac, and Spencer, my name is Brent Maddox. I’m the CEO of Fortress Security. The reason for the phone call is I’d like to make you an offer of employment.”

“We have jobs, sir,” Cam said.

“I know David planned to offer your team employment. This would be employment with Fortress Security on a mission-by-mission basis. I’ve been looking for a SAR team with the right qualifications and have had zero luck, until you.”

Dario frowned. “What do you mean, hire us on a mission-by-mission basis?”

“You wouldn’t be like the other teams in that they are on deployment rotation. They are on call every other month. The Thunderhawks would only work when I have a SAR mission and only if they all agree to accept the mission.”

“We have the right of refusal?” Cam asked.

“That’s right. I hope to have four or five SAR teams ready to deploy as needed in a few months. The Thunderhawks are the first team under consideration. I hope there will be more soon.”

“How long do we have to consider the offer, sir?”

“How long do you need?”

Dario glanced at his teammates, then said, “We’re ready to roll if you are, Cam. We go in together or not at all.”

“All of you agree?” Cam asked.

Each one nodded.

He turned to Sedona. “You’re the deciding vote, Tiger. We want to join Fortress on a mission-by-mission basis, but if you don’t want me to accept, we’ll turn down the contract.”

“Do it.”

“You’re sure?”

“Absolutely. This is what you love to do, Cam. The Thunderhawks’ goal is to find people and bring them home. Take the job.”

Cam hugged Sedona. Man, what had he done to be blessed with such an amazing woman in his life? “We accept on one condition, sir.”

“Name it.”

“We want a way to communicate with our families while we’re deployed.”

A slight pause, then, “That’s all?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Done. You’ll have satellite phones for yourselves and your significant others by the end of the day. I’ll have them delivered to the police department. That way I won’t have to worry about locating the five of you. I will also have a phone for Sedona. David and the others have satellite phones, so they can show you how they work. Thank you, gentlemen. I look forward to working with you. In the meantime, I’ll talk to David and Personal Security International to schedule your black ops training.”

“Do we really need that, sir?” Dario asked.

David rolled his eyes.

Maddox chuckled. “I’ll share your question with the trainers.”

Each one of the Montgomery brothers flinched, even tough-as-nails Elliot, the sniper with ice running through his veins.

This was not good. Cam just looked at Dario.

His friend paled. “Sorry, sir,” he muttered.

Maddox said, “Your contracts are attached to a secured email sent to the sheriff’s office. Sign them before you do anything else today. I’ll expect to see them within the hour.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Welcome to Fortress Security. Maddox out.”

The rest of The Thunderhawks turned to stare at Dario.

He held up his hands, palms out. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“We’re all going to be sorry,” Spencer said. “I’d better stock up my mike bag.”

“PSI has a clinic that’s staffed twenty-four seven,” Elliot said.

The sniper’s smile didn’t make Cam feel any better. “We’re doomed.”

“No question.” Isaac shook his head. “You just had to open your mouth, didn’t you, Dario?”

“What? We’re trained as well as any other black ops team out there.”

Rhys snorted. “We were trained as well, but we’ve been out of the game for a couple of years. A lot of things happen to your skills in two years, and none of it’s good.”

Cam rubbed his jaw and turned to his boss. “How soon should we expect the call to go to PSI?”

“In two weeks. Your honeymoon will be short and sweet unless you postpone it until after your training is finished.”

He glanced at Sedona, who shrugged. “We’ll let you know, sir.”

“Let’s go back to the station. Maddox wasn’t kidding about signing those contracts within the hour. He’s canceled contracts with potential employees for not following his orders. And just FYI. The men who run PSI are Special Forces, too. One team is a mix of military branches and led by a Navy SEAL. But the primary trainers are a Delta team.”

“Which one?” Isaac asked.

“Durango.”

He groaned. “Oh, man. That’s Josh Cahill’s team. We’re in so much trouble.”

“Let’s move it,” Dario snapped. “I don’t want any extra attention from the trainers.”

Cam wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders, a smile on his face as he walked with Sedona to the sheriff’s department. This was what he’d always wanted, to protect those in danger.

He finally remembered that Sedona had five sisters whom he hadn’t met. Newlyweds in a house full of women? Cam flinched. They’d all have to make adjustments. Personally, he thought her idea of a wedding two hours after he proposed was brilliant. No chance of nerves getting the best of them. All he had to do now was convince her sisters.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

PHOENIX BARLOW PARKED her black Jeep Renegade in front of the enormous house and just stared. When the lawyer had contacted her and said she’d inherited a house along with her five half-sisters, she had almost hung up on him. Now, she was glad she hadn’t ended that conversation before it began.

She’d been alone her whole life, and in one sentence, this stranger had given her the greatest gift she could imagine. A family. Phoenix’s conscience poked at her, so she corrected herself. She’d been alone her whole life except for the boy next door. Her only genuine friend.

Tears stung her eyes. She’d looked for him for years with no luck, almost as though he’d disappeared from the face of the earth, kind of like her. She missed him so much that her heart literally hurt.

The boy had probably forgotten her existence long ago. Wherever he was, whoever he had turned out to be, Phoenix wished him well. But she would love to find out if he was as wonderful as she remembered. Phoenix would never forget the boy next door. She hoped his life had been better than hers.

Opening her door, she stepped out onto the driveway just as the front door opened and a red-haired woman stepped out. Sedona. This must be the only sister she’d talked to.

The woman walked toward her. When they were within a few feet of each other, they both stopped and stared. Finally, Sedona smiled. “Welcome home, Phoenix.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Deel is a preacher’s kid with a black belt in karate. She teaches business classes at a private four-year college outside Nashville, Tennessee. She plays the piano at church, writes freelance articles, and runs interference for the family dogs. She’s been married to her amazing husband for over 30 years and is the proud mom of two sons. She delivers devotions to the women’s group at her church and conducts seminars on personal safety, money management, and writing. Her articles have been published in ONE Magazine, Contact, and Co-Laborer. Rebecca completed her Doctor of Arts degree in Economics and wears her favorite Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt when life turns ugly.

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