Not a Hero

by Cherise Sinclair

  Earl grunted. “He wants to make a statement that no one gets away from him?”

  “Yeah.” The guy grinned. “He’ll leave one side of her face intact so she can be ID’d. The rest’ll look like a horror show.”

  No. Oh, no. As tremors of fear shook her body, Audrey shut her eyes. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

  But tears seeped from beneath her eyelids.

  Tucker, Guzman, and Bull crowded around Gabe’s desk as Lillian spoke over the speakerphone.

  Gabe’s hands fisted as he listened.

  Thank God, the elderly Brit had bought herself a medical alert system. When she’d regained consciousness in the garden, she’d pressed the button. Obeying her demand, the monitoring company had patched her call straight to the station.

  “Audrey could have gotten away, Gabriel, but that abortive, rooting hog named Baumer held a knife to my throat. The girl came back. For me.” The suppressed sobs in the old woman’s voice echoed the ones in Gabe’s heart. “Find her, Chief. Please, hurry.”

  She started to weep, and then silence indicated she’d disconnected the call.

  “Tucker.” Gabe looked at the sturdy old sourdough. “Can you and Guzman go check on her and the two guys who were on guard duty? Bring Lillian back to the station if she wants.”

  Tucker and Guzman left, pushing past the people outside the office door.

  “Regina is alerting everyone she can.” Caz came in, followed by Knox and Chevy.

  “Baumer kidnapped her.” Knox rubbed his face in disbelief. “I thought he was a good guy. I even believed his shit about tourists—ate it up like candy.”

  “We both did.” Chevy’s color was pale.

  “That’s water under the bridge. Move on.” Gabe waved their remorse away. “Where would Baumer take Audrey? Probably not the PZ compound.”

  Parrish undoubtedly wanted Gabe’s head, but a successful con man like him wouldn’t act this openly. He sure wouldn’t give Gabe a chance to search the compound, especially after last night when Baumer had been identified as a PZ.

  In fact, going by Parrish’s past reactions… “I bet Parrish kicked Baumer out of the group hug.”

  “He did,” someone said from the back. “Earl hit me up for money this morning. Like we’d still be friends after I saw that tape and how he and the other assholes attacked you from the back? That’s fucked up.”

  “Where’s he staying now?” Caz asked.

  The man shook his head. “He didn’t say.”

  Baumer wanted revenge against Gabe…and Audrey would pay the price. Dammit, he’d never have thought the bastard would go this far. Would attack a woman or a civilian.

  Gabe forced his fear back, needing to think, not react. Audrey, where are you?

  First, they needed to ensure Baumer couldn’t get her out of the area. He pressed a button on his desk. “Regina, can you have spotters on the Sterling Highway, east and west? Baumer’s probably not more than fifteen minutes out. Text everyone a picture of him, his car, and license plate number. Let’s make sure he’s not leaving the area.”

  For the first time, he was pleased with the lack of roads in Alaska. The only way out of this area was the Sterling Highway.

  “I’ve got plenty of volunteers. Consider it done.” Regina clicked off.

  As thunder rattled the window, Gabe glanced out. The rain had turned into a downpour.

  Focusing only on each task that needed to be done, Gabe notified the state troopers.

  A knot of pain filled his gut. Everything inside him wanted to go out and search for her himself, not sit here inside. Making calls.

  However, this was where he was most useful.

  If Baumer couldn’t get out of the area, where would he go to ground? Who would know? Followed by Caz, Knox, and Chevy, Gabe walked into the bullpen.

  It was crowded with people waiting to help. “Does anyone know where Baumer’s staying? I’d like to speak with his wife. She might have some knowledge of his plans.”

  Erica, one of the two women who’d helped search for Niko, raised her hand as if she was in a classroom. “Last night, Earl, MaryEllen, and the children stayed with my mom here in town. I called Mom a few minutes ago. Earl left this morning, but his wife is still there.”

  In town. His hopes rose. “Can you take me there?”

  “Sure, Chief.”

  * * *

  Five minutes later, Gabe followed Erica and her mother through the small house off Dall Road. Caz—the pro at getting information from people—was beside him. The others waited outside.

  “Chief MacNair and Caz.” In the kitchen, Erica pointed to a strained-looking, thin redhead who stood next to the table. “MaryEllen Baumer.”

  Erica’s mother had a gentle voice. “MaryEllen, the Chief has some questions about Earl.”

  MaryEllen had a baby in her arms and a toddler clinging to her ankle-length black skirt. She looked Caz over, and her nose wrinkled slightly.

  Turning to Gabe, she stared at his badge. Not meeting his gaze, she took a step back. “We’ve been kicked out. Lost our home.”

  He could hear the part she didn’t say: because of you.

  Earl was the type to blame others for his poor choices—and this pitiful woman wasn’t one who’d stand up to her husband.

  “Earl is not here, but I don’t think he would want to see you,” she finished.

  “I don’t particularly want to see him either. Unfortunately, he put a knife to Mayor Lillian’s throat and kidnapped Audrey Hamilton.” Gabe watched her closely.

  All color left her face, and she sank onto a chair at the small table. “No. It wasn’t supposed to be like that.”

  Gabe glanced at Caz, waiting for him to take over.

  An infinitesimal shake of the head said no. Caz ran a finger down his brown skin and shrugged. True enough, a bigoted person probably wouldn’t confide in a Hispanic.

  Dammit.

  MaryEllen’s gaze stayed on the floor as she whispered. “I think you should leave.”

  Gabe rubbed his neck as he studied the woman. Long skirt, hair in a bun, blouse buttoned up all the way. She might be kicked out, but her heart was still in the PZs. Even as urgency stampeded over his nerves, pity grew inside him. She hadn’t been allowed to think. Had been indoctrinated into the PZ’s belief system.

  That couldn’t matter. Although Baumer undoubtedly made the decisions in the family, MaryEllen had heard enough to know what was going on and that laws were being broken. Now she’d have to make some decisions of her own—and would hear some truths she’d rather not know.

  In his head, he cursed Baumer again. Not only for Audrey and Lillian, but also for not caring enough for his family to keep them out of harm’s way.

  Sitting down at the table to keep from looming, Gabe softened his voice. “MaryEllen, kidnapping is a federal crime, I’m afraid, and you will be considered an accomplice. If you help us stop this, I might be able to keep you out of prison.” He dropped his gaze to her children.

  “Dear sweet Jesus,” she whispered, pulling her toddler closer.

  “Tell me.”

  She shook her head. “No, no, no. A woman must obey her man. Mustn’t—”

  Caz said very quietly, “Does a loving mother abandon her children? Who will guard your babies?”

  Her arm tightened around the infant she held, and her gaze turned to the toddler. “Oh, God, what should I do?”

  She swallowed then started talking, her voice still never louder than a whisper. “Late last night, Earl got an email from someone who said he would pay ten thousand dollars if Earl arranged for Ms. Hamilton to be somewhere isolated today. There wasn’t supposed to be…violence.”

  Gabe stared at her. An email? Ten thousand dollars?

  Spyros.

  Gabe saw the dawning horror on his brother’s face. Baumer hadn’t done this for revenge—or not solely for revenge—but because Spyros had hired him.

  Not understanding their silence, MaryEllen jumped into excuses. “After you
showed that video last night, the Reverend threw us out. Earl is…is very angry with you.”

  “I see.”

  MaryEllen flushed. “It’s wrong to live in sin without the bond of matrimony. Earl said the woman is your lover.”

  “She is.” And the very air he needed to breathe. “Earl has Audrey in his car. Where is he taking her?”

  “I don’t know.”

  At their disbelieving looks, she raised her voice. “I don’t. A man called this morning and told Earl to pick him up. He wanted to be in the car to facil…facil…the delivery.”

  “Facilitate the delivery?”

  “Yes. Once she…when she was in the car, they’d meet someone and hike to a zone.” She rubbed her cheek against her baby’s head. “I didn’t hear everything.”

  She’d probably been hearing only Earl’s side of the conversation.

  A zone?

  “A landing zone,” Caz said quietly.

  Gabe nodded, even as cold ran through his veins. If Audrey got in a plane, the chances of finding her grew infinitesimal. He forced his mind to keep working. “Helicopter or float plane?”

  “Earl said something about a chopper and started making suggestions, but Matthew Mark woke up, and I didn’t hear more.” Tears filled her eyes. “Earl left. He didn’t say goodbye; he just left.”

  Because he was in a rush to get revenge on Gabe. To get his blood money. The asshole. And this woman had known and…

  He shook his head and kept his voice gentle and firm. The woman was in a cult. Brainwashed. “Have you heard from him since?”

  “No,” she whispered. “Phones are for men, not women.”

  Jesus. Gabe bit down on his temper. He’d be looking more into the Patriot Zealots in the future, oh yes, he would. “I understand, MaryEllen.”

  After a few more questions, Gabe and Caz left her sitting in the kitchen.

  Erica and her mother were in the living room, and Gabe paused to ask the two women to keep an eye on MaryEllen. That she wasn’t to leave or use the phone.

  “No service out here anyway.” Erica sent an angry look toward the kitchen. “We’ll keep her here for you, Chief.”

  “Thank you.” He hesitated. “Erica, this mess isn’t her fault.”

  Caz took over. “You know, the Patriot Zealots believe a man should do all the thinking. Foolish, yes, but it is what she believes, which means, without her husband to make her decisions, she’ll be lost. I’ll notify social services, but they can be slow to respond. If you could help MaryEllen get by…”

  “You’re right.” Erica gave Caz a rueful smile. “She’s going to have a rough time coping, isn’t she?”

  “She is.” And how many more MaryEllens were there behind the compound’s razor wire-topped fences?

  Back at the station, Gabe and Caz hugged a frail-looking Lillian. The guards were there, shamefaced and furious at being tricked.

  After Gabe updated everyone, Bull and Dante pulled up a map of the area on the computer, looking for potential landing areas outside of town. They eliminated clearings with obstacles, unstable or rough ground, or not enough room. Once a possible site was found, volunteers headed out to check for parked vehicles—especially Baumer’s or rentals.

  Chevy and Knox were using Gabe’s computer.

  “Yeah, a copter could land in any of those,” Chevy said. “Hey, Chief.”

  “Find something?” Gabe joined them.

  Knox tugged on his hefty mustache and pointed to the three-D map display. “Earl and I hunted up there a while back. There’s a bunch of unmarked trails, a couple of cabins and stands. The trailhead is behind some undergrowth. A 4-wheel can get back there to park and can’t be seen from the road.”

  Shifting uneasily, Knox flushed. “Means that the wildlife troopers aren’t liable to catch someone who’s hunting off-season.”

  Gabe only sighed. “Does that area have a place for a chopper to land?”

  “Yeah, a few.” Chevy pointed to the clearings on the display.

  Dante and Bull had followed them in. Dante frowned. “Huh. I didn’t know there were trails in that area. I didn’t send anyone to check it.”

  Gabe studied the monitor. Hidden parking, unmarked trails. That’d weigh heavy for Spyros.

  If there was a cabin where the kidnappers could wait out the rain until the chopper could land? Well, Baumer liked things easy.

  “You know how to get there?” Bull asked Knox.

  “Been awhile, but yeah.”

  Hang in there, Audrey. I think we might have a lead.

  Gabe looked around the squad room. The last few people had headed out to scour the roads, randomly looking for Baumer’s car. The only people who remained were his brothers, Knox, Chevy, Dante, Lillian, and Regina.

  And Gabe. Damned if he’d stay behind at this point.

  “Dante, can you, Lillian, and Regina hold down the fort here? Coordinate efforts as needed.” He gave the old vet a smile. “I know you haven’t forgotten how.”

  “Can do.” Dante glanced at the weapons locker. “Arm your men, Chief.”

  Gabe already had the keys in his hand.

  The cold rain beat down on Audrey and plastered her inadequate T-shirt to her chilled body. Her strength was fading as she stumbled behind Earl Baumer on the narrow forest trail.

  Despair weighed down her heart even more heavily than the useless pistol dragged down her right ankle.

  Walking behind her, Spyros jabbed his fingers into her spine. Cruelly. Painfully. “…and then I’ll cut you here.”

  Since the first step on the trail, he’d been telling her how she’d die.

  Earlier, at the trailhead, Earl and the New Yorker had dragged her out of the SUV and thrown her on the ground. Another car had pulled in. Four men climbed out.

  And then she’d looked up…into the face of her nightmares.

  Spyros. Oh God. Terror flooded her, drowned her. His right eye was gone, the lid scarred and sunken. White scarring stood out starkly against his swarthy skin.

  “You got the maláka. Good, good.” He gave her a malice-filled smile before asking the New Yorker, “The backup team?”

  “On schedule.”

  Earl frowned. “What backup?”

  “Just a few more men. A precaution. In case we run into trouble.” Spyros yanked her to her feet. With the two vehicles concealed by the shrubbery growing next to the shoulder, the group headed up the trail. Along with Spyros, Earl, and the New Yorker, there were three more brutal-looking men.

  Too many men. She was going to die.

  She’d known it then—and knew it now.

  He’d been telling her that, in Greek and English, with every step on the trail. As the thunder grew loud enough to drown out his voice, she was grateful for the small break. For being able to try to think past her fear.

  What could she do? Was there anything she could do?

  By now, Gabe must know she’d been taken. Her heart ached because he’d be pushing his fear for her down so he could stay in control. He’d do everything he could to find her. But, if she didn’t survive… He wouldn’t handle it well. He’d blame himself.

  Oh, Gabe.

  Like she was blaming herself. For his pain.

  For Lillian. Over and over, her mind replayed the moment when Earl had shoved Lillian, her fall, hitting the cart.

  I’m sorry, Lillian. Her heart ached.

  Staying in Rescue had been the wrong choice. Lillian would have been all right if Audrey had just left.

  Hopelessness seeped into her bones, weakening her muscles. She tripped over a moss-covered boulder. With her wrists cuffed behind her back, she couldn’t catch herself and landed painfully on her front.

  New scrapes burned. Her shoulders ached. She managed a gasping breath—

  Spyros picked her up by her hair.

  Her cry of pain made him laugh. “You won’t slow us down with your antics, poutana.” He slapped her left cheek, backhanded her right.

  Hot tears mixed with the
cold rain on her burning skin. She didn’t speak. Any response would only be a reason for him to hit her again.

  “There’s no hurry,” Earl called. “Your helicopter can’t land till this shit clears up some.”

  “Good. I’ll have some fun first,” Spyros said, adding something in Greek.

  “If you cut her up too badly, that chopper-head we hired might not let us board,” the New Yorker warned. “He won’t want blood all over his copter.”

  “Fine.” Spyros slammed her between the shoulders, making her stagger forward. “Walk.”

  Gabe, find me. Please, please, please, find me. More tears trickled down her cheeks. I don’t want to die.

  Then her muscles tensed as she thought of the six vicious men with her. All the weapons they carried. The “few more men” in their backup.

  Knowing she was a captive, Gabe wouldn’t back down. He’d charge in, no matter the danger to himself.

  They’d kill him.

  No, no, I take it back. Stay away, Gabe.

  Chapter Thirty

  Murphy’s Law of combat: there is no limit to how bad things can get.

  * * *

  They’d found a rental car and Baumer’s SUV concealed at the trailhead.

  Unable to get a cell signal in the isolated spot, Gabe had chosen Chevy to return to town, update Dante and the troopers, and fetch reinforcements. The man had tried to refuse, insisting he’d recovered from the bear attack. Quite likely, but he was also the only one of them with children.

  Best he stay safe.

  Gabe’d checked the tracks as they started out. From the footprints, Audrey had at least five or six captors. Not good.

  Audrey’s footprints were smaller. He’d spotted when she’d fallen. How she’d staggered to one side—probably from being shoved. But she was on her feet. Alive and moving.

  He tried to take hope from that.

  Gabe’s group—Bull, Caz, and Knox—were all hardened Alaskans. Needing speed more than anything else, they’d weaponed up with handguns. And they moved fast—hopefully faster than the Outsiders ahead. Unfortunately, as trails branched, he’d had to stop and search for sign in the rain and dim light.