by Reed, Terri
His gut twisted. “Why? Going back to Colorado has been my goal all along.”
“You’ve got a good thing going here.” Joe’s exasperation was clear in his tone. “You’ve got a job you love and family nearby. Not to mention Lana.”
Adam tucked in his chin. “What do you mean, Lana?”
“Dude, it’s obvious you’re crazy about her.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Joe scoffed. “Hey, it’s me. I know you better than anyone else. You haven’t ever brought a woman you were dating to our house.”
“I’m not dating Lana. This was different. I was protecting her.” Even as he said the words he knew he wasn’t being truthful. Yes, the situation was unique and he’d done what he thought was best for Lana but there had been other options that he hadn’t wanted to consider.
“You keep telling yourself that.” Joe huffed out a breath. “Ruth said Lana came by the house this morning and packed her things. Ruth also said Lana was nearly in tears.”
Adam’s heart contracted. “What?” He’d known she was upset but he hadn’t realized... Did she have feelings for him? Did he dare hope? And if so, where did that leave them?
Joe broke through Adam’s thoughts. “I know you think you’re doing the right thing by going home to be close to Mom and Dad but you have to live your life for you. Mom and Dad need to sell their house and move here.”
“You know they won’t.”
“They might if you were staying in DC.”
Isaac stuck his head into the room. “You coming?”
Adam nodded. His temple throbbed. “I need to get into a meeting,” he told Joe. The line beeped letting Adam know another call was coming in. “I have to go.”
“Just think about what I said,” Joe replied and clicked off.
To Isaac, Adam said, “One sec.” He glanced at the missed call number. Lana.
He listened to the voice mail. The blood drained from his head, making the world spin. Her scream echoed through his brain and terror grabbed a hold of his heart. She was in trouble. And he wasn’t there to save her.
THIRTEEN
Panic seized Lana’s lungs. Her back hit the lounge counter. Mark blocked the only escape. Her pulse thrashed in her veins, her heart pumped with alarm.
What was Mark doing in the museum dressed as a security guard?
Mark grabbed her upper arm, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh. Fear galvanized her into attack mode. She kicked at his legs. Pummeled him with her loose fist. Her blows were clearly ineffective as he laughed and shoved her toward the supply closet.
“How come you were never this feisty when we were married?” he asked, totally ignoring her efforts to escape his hold.
He was the monster from every nightmare she’d ever had. Terror danced at the edges of her consciousness. She shook her head to keep her mind from shutting down.
“What is it you want?” She glanced nervously at the gun holstered at his hip.
Where was Brad? Why didn’t he see what was happening on the security monitor? A thought clobbered her. Was Brad dead? Mr. Floyd, too? “What did you do to Brad? And Mr. Floyd?”
Mark acted as if she hadn’t spoken and yanked open the supply closet door. He pushed her inside. “Get the arrow.”
Shocked, she spun to face him. “You! You’re the one who tried to steal the arrow?” He’d changed so much she hadn’t recognized him when he was dressed in his white outfit and hidden his eyes. But now she saw that it had indeed been him. His alibi had been falsified.
He made a disgusted sound. “Yes. And I would have succeeded if you hadn’t interfered.”
“But why? What do you intend to do with the arrow?”
“Give it to the man who hired me to steal it.” He shook his head. “For a smart woman you’re sure dumb.”
Her gaze traveled over his muscled shoulders to the pronounced veins in his neck. “What happened to you?”
He puffed out his chest. “I’ve been working out. I told you I’d get sober. But you’re too late. I’ve found another woman. She’s better than you. She likes me the way I am.”
Lana couldn’t believe it. Mark was delusional. And amped up on something. This close she could tell his pupils were dilated, his breathing erratic. “What are you on?”
His dark eyes narrowed. “Nothing that concerns you.” He thrust his chin at her. “You never could do what you were told. Hand me the arrow!”
She wasn’t about to give up so easily. She sent up a silent prayer that her call had gone through to Adam. She needed to stall. “Who hired you to steal it? And why did you try to make it appear as if I was involved?” Brooke would return eventually but not for a long time. Her only hope was Adam.
Mark’s lips twisted in an ugly sneer. “I don’t know who hired me. And I don’t care. He wants the arrow and you out of the way.”
That didn’t make sense. “Out of the way of what?”
“Something to do with your nephew. All I know is the guy doesn’t want you to have him. I don’t blame him. You’d be a horrible mother, just like you were a horrible wife.”
Not true. She refused to let his words get inside her head. At one time she’d have believed him. She’d been so cowed by him, but not anymore. She had grown stronger, wiser. Thanks to her faith, thanks to Adam.
She feared she’d never see him again. Hot tears pricked her eyes. She held them back. She wouldn’t give Mark the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
He waved a hand wildly and shifted his feet. “Get the arrow. I know you found it.”
“No one believed I was involved in stealing it the first time and they won’t now, either,” she said, hoping, praying she was right.
He let out a mirthless laugh. “I was told to get rid of you by any means necessary. I don’t care what anyone thinks. I’ll get paid a huge sum to hand over that stupid hunk of metal. Getting paid to make you disappear is a bonus. You’ve caused me nothing but grief since the day I married you.”
Her heart thumped painfully against her ribs. He blamed her for their failed marriage? Incredible. “So you’re in this for the money.”
“And the chance to get even with you for leaving me.” He pointed to the shelf where she’d found the arrow. She had left it in place so as not to contaminate the evidence. Effort that had been wasted. “Get it.”
Options ran through her head. She could rush him, hurt him with a strike to his throat, but he might anticipate her move. Besides, last time didn’t go so well. Maybe he was waiting for her to act, so he’d have a reason to kill her. Anxiety tripped down her spine, making her tremble.
Deciding to play along with him for now, she turned and reached for the arrow. The relic was solid and heavy in her hands. She contemplated using it like a baseball bat, much the way he’d used the arrow on her, but couldn’t bring herself to do harm to such a valuable artifact.
Once she retrieved the piece, Mark grabbed her arm again and wrested the arrow from her grasp. He yanked her out of the supply closet and then dragged her out of the lounge.
“Where are we going?” Fear lodged in her throat, making her words garbled.
“Some place no one will look for you,” he ground out, pulling her down the hall toward the storage room.
Brad lay unconscious in the middle of the hallway. Her heart squeezed tight with dread. “Did you kill him?”
“Naw, he’ll wake up.”
“What about Mr. Floyd? What did you do to my boss?”
“He got a call that someone broke into his car in the parking lot.” Mark grinned, apparently pleased with himself. “Or at least that’s what I told him. He ran out of here so fast.” Mark chuckled. “I didn’t think the guy could hustle like that.”
She let out a relieved breath. Brad and Mr. Floyd were alive.
Mark dragged her behind him into the storage room at the end of the hall where the back door to the building was located. The same room where Mark had used that crazy weapon on them.
Obviously, he planned to take her out the back door. But it was locked and the new security system was in place. They had nowhere to go. The room would be her tomb. A shudder rippled over her.
Keeping one hand tight around her upper arm in a bruising grip, he punched in the code to the alarm system and unlocked the back door.
Stunned, she jerked her arm in a futile effort to escape his grip. “How do you know the new security code?”
He plucked at his uniform shirt. “Duh, from the guy I stole this from.”
No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. Had Mark killed the real security guard?
Terror clawed up her chest. She couldn’t let him take her out of the museum. Adam and Ace wouldn’t have any way of tracking her once they left in Mark’s vehicle. She’d be a goner. Never to hold Juan again, to watch him grow up. A sob built in her chest.
Never to see Adam, to tell him she loved him.
Crippling despair threatened to rob her of her will to survive. But she couldn’t let Mark win. She had to survive. She would fight for her life. The life she wanted with Juan. With Adam.
Lord, please give me strength. Please bring help.
* * *
With his heart beating in his throat and distress tightening his chest, Adam brought his SUV to a screeching halt in front of the American Museum. He jumped out and ran toward the entrance while pushing the button to unlatch Ace’s kennel door. The dog leaped to the pavement and stayed at Adam’s heels. Adam didn’t take the time to leash him. His thoughts were only on saving Lana. Behind him, sirens filled the air as backup hurried to the museum. But he couldn’t wait for backup. He needed to find Lana.
Mr. Floyd stood at the front door, banging a fist against the glass. “Let me in! Lana! Brad!”
Adam skidded to a stop next to Lana’s boss. “Where’s Lana? What happened?”
Mr. Floyd whipped around to face Adam. His face was beet-red and he nearly snarled as he said, “I’m locked out. My security code isn’t working.” He banged on the door again. “I’ve been calling but they don’t answer.”
Adam spied a potted tree a few feet away. He hefted the pot into his arms with strength born of adrenaline and fear and carried it to the door. “Step back.”
“What do you think you’re doing?” Mr. Floyd hopped out of the way. “You can’t—”
Not waiting for Mr. Floyd to finish his protest, Adam heaved the pot at the glass doors, shattering the glass into a million little pieces.
Scooping Ace up into his arms, Adam ran through the empty door frame. Glass crunched beneath his boots. Once he cleared shards so Ace’s paws wouldn’t be cut, he set the dog on his feet. “Find Lana!”
The dog raced through the museum. Adam withdrew his weapon and ran behind his partner, his gaze alert for any ambush. Ace leaped over the prone body of Brad, the security guard. Adam paused long enough to check that the man was alive. He felt a steady pulse beneath his fingers. Unconscious. Not dead. Good.
Ace’s frantic barking led Adam into the back storage room. He stopped inside the doorway. A man dressed in a museum security guard uniform held an arm around Lana’s waist and had a gun pressed to her head. Adam motioned to Ace. The dog fell quiet but remained tense, his powerful body primed and ready to attack.
Adam met Lana’s wild-eyed gaze. Her lip was bleeding and her left eye was swollen. Relief shone in the dark depths.
Fury at seeing her hurt erupted inside of Adam. His fists clenched. The urge to tear the man limb from limb flowed through him. He took a step forward.
“Don’t come any closer,” the man yelled. His cheek bled from deep scratches. The sleeve of his uniform had been ripped.
Obviously, Lana had put up a fight. Good for her. Pride for sweet, brave Lana swelled in Adam’s chest.
“Put down your gun!” the assailant shouted.
No way would Adam comply. He did, however, lower his weapon because he had another weapon at his disposal. His partner, Ace.
On the floor near the back door lay the Golden Arrow.
So this was about the relic. The thief had returned for his hidden treasure.
Adam’s gaze narrowed. He had to stay focused. He needed to talk this guy down. Forcing a calm into his voice he didn’t feel, Adam said, “Okay, I’m not moving. Let’s talk about this. You came back for the arrow. Release Lana. Take the arrow and go. I won’t stop you.”
The man’s lips stretched in a vicious snarl. “Not a chance. She’s coming with me.” He pulled Lana closer to the back door.
If the guy wanted the arrow he was going to have to release Lana to pick it up. Adam calculated the distance between him and the man. Too far. He’d never get close enough to disarm the man before he realized what was happening. Adam couldn’t risk giving the guy a reason to shoot Lana. But Ace could reach him.
Adam caught Lana’s gaze. With a pointed look at the arrow and a slight dip of his chin, Adam hoped to communicate that when her captor went for the artifact she be ready to move out of the way.
She frowned. Then widened her eyes. She gave a slight nod. Smart and quick, too.
“Mark, don’t you want the arrow?” she asked.
Mark? Adam’s mind tumbled over this bit of information. Her ex-husband was the thief?
While keeping the gun aimed at her, Mark released his hold from around her waist to reach for the relic lying on the floor.
“Attack!” Adam shouted.
Ace raced forward and hurtled into the air.
Lana dropped to the ground.
Mark swung the gun toward Ace.
Too late.
Ace latched on to Mark’s forearm. The dog’s powerful teeth sank into his flesh. Mark howled with agony and fell to his knees. The gun dropped out of his hand and clattered onto the concrete floor.
Adam rushed forward, kicked the gun out of reach and then went to Lana’s side and helped her to her feet. He held her tenderly. Relief made his knees weak. He’d saved her. “You okay?”
Her gaze met his. “Yes. Oh, yes.”
Mark’s howling turned into a horrible whimper. Ace, with a mouthful of Mark’s arm, had the guy on his back, writhing on the floor.
Taking pity on Mark, Adam gave the command for Ace to release his hold. Ace obeyed, then placed his front paws on Mark’s chest.
“Get your beast off me!” Mark cried.
Police officers entered through both the front and back doors of the storage room, their weapons drawn. Relieved to have the backup, Adam called Ace to his side to allow officers to attend to Mark. They hauled him to his feet, cuffing his hands behind him. He yelped in pain.
“I’m hurt!” Mark screamed. “That dog bit me!”
“Yeah, yeah,” the officer said. “Good dog.” He gave Mark a push. “Let’s go.”
As the officers led Mark past where Adam and Lana stood, Mark shouted obscenities at them.
Lana turned in Adam’s arms and buried her face in his chest. He tightened his hold. “It’s going to be okay. He can never hurt you again.”
She clung to him, her arms snug around his waist. She said something into his chest.
He leaned back and lifted her face with the crook of his finger. “What was that?”
“Someone was paying him to steal the arrow and to make me look guilty.”
“Who?”
“He claimed he didn’t know.”
“We’ll find out who it is,” Adam promised her. “Let’s get you out of here.”
Lana wasn’t out of danger yet.
* * *
Night had fallen. Outside the DC police station windows stars filled the dark sky. After giving her statement to Detective Delvecchio, Lana was free to go home with Brooke as her protector. Adam would be interrogating Mark. A job she didn’t envy. Lana was exhausted and ready to be away from the chaos, only she didn’t want to leave without Adam.
She couldn’t believe Mark had been the thief. The idea that someone had paid him to steal an important historical find and frame her for the theft bog
gled her mind. Who would do that? Why? Mark had said it had something to do with her bid for custody of Juan. Why would anyone want to prevent her from becoming Juan’s guardian? Would they try again? The thought made her shudder with dread.
Brooke studied her bruised and battered face. “You did good.”
“I don’t feel so good,” Lana confessed. She felt shaky and a bit light-headed.
“Adrenaline letdown,” Brooke said. “It happens.”
“Will Adam be long?”
“Don’t know.” Brooke jangled her keys. “I’ll drive you home. You’ll be under twenty-four-hour guard until the person who hired Mark is caught.”
Lana wanted to say she’d wait for Adam but she really needed to clean up and gather her thoughts. This ordeal had driven home just how precarious life could be. One minute things were going the way she wanted until a thief in the night derailed her life. But her faith remained.
She followed Brooke toward the exit.
Thank You, God, for always being there for me. If I could ask for a couple of things—
“Miss Gomez! Wait,” her lawyer, Rick, called. He jogged over to her, his briefcase slapping against his leg, and halted. Taking a breath before saying, “I heard what happened. Are you all right?”
“I am, thank you. What are you doing here?”
“A client needed me.” Rick loosened his tie. “I’m glad I saw you. I have good news for you.” He smiled. “Judge Schroeder ruled in your favor. You have been granted custody of your nephew.”
Lana’s knees buckled. Brooke gripped her elbow. She steadied herself as joy spread through her heart. “That’s the best news ever. When can I get him?”
“As soon as tomorrow.” He balanced his briefcase on his knee, opened it and took out a file folder. “Here are the necessary documents.” He held the folder out to her. “You’ll need to arrange for pickup with the All Our Kids foster home.”
Taking the file and hugging it to her chest, she said, “I’ll do that.”
Tomorrow Juan would be in her life for good. Now if only she could figure out what to do about Adam. Should she risk his rejection and tell him that she loved him? Or should she sacrifice her heart’s desire and let him go to Colorado as he planned?
