Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2

by Dana Mentink

  “Hey, man. How’s everything going there with Gabe?”

  “Great. We’re sitting on his bed reading him a story right now.”

  “Mr. Layke, is that you?” Gabe’s cheerful voice sailed through the cell phone.

  “Yes. I’m here with Miss Hannah. We wanted to say good-night.”

  “I miss you. When are you coming back?”

  “Soon, sport.” He hoped.

  “We’ll help you build a snowman tomorrow,” Hannah said. “Sound good?”

  “Yay! I wanna hear the end of your story, Mr. Layke. Please.”

  He smirked. “Sure. Where was I?”

  “The knight killed the dragon.”

  “Right.” Layke paused, pondering an ending for his tale. “Marian ran from her hiding place and hugged Richard. ‘You saved me,’ she said.” Layke once again changed his voice into a woman’s. “Richard helped Marian onto Shadowfax and galloped back to the kingdom.”

  “Did she marry him or did that mean Knight Arthur steal her?” Gabe asked.

  “I was getting to that part,” Layke said. “She confessed her hidden love for Richard and asked her father to let them marry.”

  “Yes!” Gabe yelled.

  “They lived happily ever after like all the fairy tales.”

  Hannah drummed on the dashboard. “Well, did they kiss?”

  Layke’s face flushed. Why did the simple question embarrass him? Was it because the thought of kissing Hannah captured his attention? He stared at her pink lips.

  She cleared her throat and looked down, fumbling with her parka zipper.

  “Well?” Gabe’s excited voice brought him back to story land.

  “Of course they did. Richard pulled Marian into a long hug and kissed her. The end.”

  Clapping, along with Murray’s laughter, exploded through the cell phone. “Time for bed, Gabe. Say good-night to Hannah and Layke.”

  “Night, Mr. Layke. Thanks for the story. Night, Miss Hannah. I love you.”

  A saddened expression flitted across her face so fast he almost missed it. What about Gabe’s affections grieved her?

  Her lips curved into a smile. “Love you, too. Night, bud. Sweet dreams.”

  Her tone conveyed a mother’s love. Layke flinched. His growing feelings for this woman had to be squelched. He could never give a wife a child. Not after his painful childhood. He would not take that chance.

  Layke, you’re not your mother.

  He raked his fingers through his hair as he fought with himself. He’d gone for counseling to get rid of the anger from his past, but sometimes it consumed his thoughts. He vowed to never let it get the best of him. So far, he had succeeded.

  “Night. I want you to be my mommy,” Gabe whispered.

  Hannah pressed her eyes shut but not before he caught them moisten. Grief once again etched lines on her face. Something about this boy brought her sadness. What?

  “Stay safe. See you when you get back,” Murray said.

  “You got it.” Layke hung up and reached for Hannah’s hand. “You okay?”

  “I’m—” Her cell phone jingled. “Doyle, what’s up?” A pause.

  She straightened in her seat. “We’re on our way.” She stuffed her phone into her pocket. “The meet has been moved up and the location changed. The plane can’t land in the snowstorm. It’s happening in thirty minutes, and we still have to get there in this weather.”

  “Let’s go.” He pulled out from the lineup and back onto the highway. So much for a bite to eat. Coffee would have to wait until another time.

  They had a smuggling ring to catch.

  * * *

  Hannah gripped the armrest once again as Layke sped down the highway. The temperature had plummeted, turning the icy conditions into a full-blown snowstorm, which she’d take over freezing rain anytime. However, they had to get to the drop site quickly and the weather wasn’t helping.

  Gabe’s earlier comment about him wanting her to be his mother tore at her soul. Every inch of her longed for motherhood. God, what are You doing?

  Plus, the fact that Layke had managed to tug at her heartstrings even though he’d pulled away from her earlier. What was his story? She was curious to find out. Why?

  You know why. She’d begun to fall for this rugged, handsome man. You can’t, Hannah. Remember your secret. He was clearly good with children and she could never give him one. That was even if he was interested. Which he obviously wasn’t.

  Ugh! She pounded the armrest.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Oops. Contain your feelings. “Nothing. Just frustrated with this weather.” Well, sort of true.

  “How did your boss know the change of plans?”

  “His informant.” She peered out the window at the darkness. The headlights revealed the heavy snow impeding their path. She glanced at her watch. “We need to get there or we’ll miss them.”

  “I’m driving as fast as I can in this.”

  “There!” She pointed to a side road. “Turn right. We’re almost there.”

  The Jeep fishtailed with the hard shift in direction. Layke fought to keep it on the road and managed to straighten. They continued until they reached a small crossing.

  A border patrol car was parked under secluded trees.

  “Park there. That’s my fellow border officers. They’re here to help.”

  Layke pulled in behind the cruiser. “Good. We can use their assistance.” He grasped his radio and conveyed their location. “Local authorities are en route, as well.”

  “Good.” She exited the Jeep and knocked on the cruiser’s window. “Can we join you?”

  The officer unlocked the doors and they climbed in the back.

  “Hey, guys. Nice to see you again,” Hannah said. “Officers Shields and Walker, this is Constable Layke Jackson on loan to us from Calgary.”

  “Good to see you again, Officer Morgan,” Officer Shields said, and extended his hand. “Constable, nice to meet you.”

  “Is this a normal border crossing?” Layke asked.

  “No, it’s a back way into Canada and rarely used.” Officer Walker tugged on his tuque, exposing his blond hair. “Sometimes we catch drug dealers smuggling through this route.”

  “Why not shut it down?”

  “We’ve tried everything to do just that, but it’s been unsuccessful.” Officer Shields took a drink from his mug.

  Hannah eyed the chips in the front. “Can we have some? We had to abandon our snack run to get here.”

  He tossed the bag to them. “Help yourselves.”

  Layke scrunched his nose. “Not a healthy supper.”

  Hannah stuffed some chips in her mouth and mumbled, “Don’t care.”

  The cruiser’s radio crackled. “My informant should be there any moment,” Superintendent Doyle said. “Stay alert and don’t trust anyone. Not even him.”

  A headlight peered through an opening in the trees. A snowmobile raced across the field toward them. Its engine grew louder and sliced into the silent night.

  Layke pulled out his weapon.

  The radio crackled again. “He’s arriving on a snowmobile.”

  Hannah put her hand on Layke’s. “Stay cool. That’s Doyle’s informant.” She knew what he was thinking. The assailants from yesterday had been on a snowmobile. She opened the door and stepped out into the polar vortex evening. The snow pelted her face, stinging her cheeks. She pulled her hat down farther on her head and fastened her parka’s zipper tighter at her neck.

  The officers and Layke stood beside her as the snowmobile pulled up and a spindly man climbed off.

  “Does everyone ride one of those?” Layke asked.

  “Almost. Although, Murray rides a sled.” Hannah tugged at her insulated gloves, shoving them higher up her wrists. Any exposed skin in this
weather would suffer quickly.

  “We should take one out when we get back. Give the dogs a workout.”

  Had Layke just admitted to wanting to take in a winter activity? She tilted her head.

  “Don’t be so surprised,” he said. “I’m getting used to this place.”

  She loved the idea of going on a sled ride with him but put her concentration back on the man approaching. She stuck out her hand. “Officer Morgan here. You are?”

  “My name doesn’t matter. Doyle sent me. The package is arriving at any minute.”

  Layke stepped forward. “The package? You mean innocent lives.” He latched on to the informant’s arm. “How do you know about it? Are you involved?” He squeezed harder.

  The man yelped.

  Hannah shone her light at him.

  His eyes bulged. “No! I have someone on the inside.”

  Officer Shields pulled Layke off the informant. “Take it easy, Constable. We’re all on the same side here.”

  “We are?” Layke’s tone conveyed his frustration.

  They had to find his nephew before Layke lost it.

  Hannah held up her hands in a stop position. “Take it easy, everyone. Sir, can you tell us who’s the head of this ring?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve only heard a name. Broderick. He has high connections.”

  Him again. Who was this mysterious person, and what connections? “Where can we find this gang? We know they’re keeping the boys at a ranch somewhere in the area.”

  “Nope. It’s well hidden. Not even some of his men know.”

  Officer Walker pulled out a notepad. “Can you give us names of these men?”

  The man huffed. “And get myself killed? No way, man. Besides, I only knew of one—Tupper—and he’s dead.”

  “How do you know that?” Layke asked.

  “It’s called the dark web, Constable. You’d be surprised what you can find out there.”

  Layke rubbed his forehead. “Watch your attitude or we’ll arrest you for aiding and abetting.”

  Once again the man’s eyes bulged. “You can’t do that.”

  “You’d—”

  Multiple engines sounded through the darkness.

  They fell silent.

  Lights appeared along the tree line. Snowmobiles approached at high speed.

  Layke pulled out his weapon. “Take cover!”

  Shots pummeled the area and pierced the night.

  Hannah’s shoulder stung and she fell backward, stumbling over fallen branches. The arctic snow-covered ground swallowed her up, threatening to encompass her entire body. She clasped her hand on the wound as nausea struck and her consciousness blurred.

  “Hannah!”

  Somewhere in the distance she heard Layke’s muffled voice.

  Darkness called out to her, but she fought it.

  Until the pain wrenched her into its clutches and entwined her with murky blackness.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Layke raced to Hannah’s side and scrambled to pull her behind the Jeep and out of the assailants’ reach. Where had they come from and who’d ordered the hit? Was it the dark web again? The spindly informant hustled away on his snowmobile before they could question him further, but Layke couldn’t concern himself with the man. Hannah had been shot, and the crimson snow around her proved she was losing blood fast.

  The snowmobiles approached again, getting ready for another pass. The masked men aimed their machine guns.

  Layke raised his weapon and pulled the trigger, firing multiple shots.

  The CBSA officers discharged their Berettas, providing additional protection.

  The snowmobiles retreated into the woods.

  “Hannah!” Layke stuffed his weapon into its holster and knelt beside her, placing his hands on her wound. He turned to Officer Shields. “Where is the nearest medical facility?” He couldn’t wait for the local authorities to arrive.

  “The hospital is an hour away.”

  “She’ll bleed out by then!” Layke couldn’t lose her this way. She’d become too important to him even though he wouldn’t admit that out loud. God, save her!

  Officer Walker stumbled over. “Wait, there’s a medical clinic just over the border in Alaska. We can use the same route as the smugglers.”

  Layke stood and pulled her into his arms. “I’ll take her in the Jeep. You lead the way. Officer Shields, can you contain the situation here when the local authorities arrive? They should be here soon.”

  He nodded and walked over to his vehicle.

  Fifteen minutes later, Layke followed the flashing CBSA cruiser into the Alaskan clinic’s parking lot.

  A nurse rushed out the front doors as Layke jumped out and lifted Hannah into his arms.

  “What happened?” the petite nurse asked.

  “She’s been shot in the shoulder. I’m Canadian police constable Layke Jackson. We didn’t have time to get her to a Canadian hospital.”

  Officer Walker ran to join them. “She’s one of us. A border patrol officer. Can you help?”

  “Our clinic is small but capable.” She held the doors.

  A plump doctor approached them. “I’m Dr. Hobbs. What happened?”

  “She took a shot to the shoulder twenty minutes ago,” Layke said. “She’s lost blood.”

  Dr. Hobbs pushed his round-rimmed glasses farther up his nose and opened a door. “Bring her in here.” He turned to the nurse. “Suit up. I need your help in the examination.”

  Two hours later, Layke paced the small waiting room. What was taking so long? The border patrol officer called in the situation and left to go back to Canada while Layke waited at the small clinic. He called Murray and told him what had happened. They promised to pray.

  Pray? Once again, God had let him down. Why did He even let this happen in the first place? Not only had He allowed those boys to be taken, but now Hannah’s life was in jeopardy. He shifted his gaze upward. Why? Are You even there?

  The doors opened, interrupting Layke’s thoughts.

  Dr. Hobbs pulled down his mask and approached. “She was fortunate. The bullet grazed her shoulder and didn’t hit any vital arteries. Someone up there was looking out after her.”

  Could it be true? God had saved her? Like He had Layke?

  Layke let out the breath he felt he’d been holding for the past two hours. “Thank you, Doctor. Can I see her?”

  The front door opened and another patient entered. He was holding his stomach and was followed by a young man in a ball cap. The twentysomething-year-old brushed the snow from his jacket and kept his head dipped.

  “I gotta get back to work. She’s still sedated but, yes, you can wait in the room.” He left to attend to the other patients.

  Layke walked through the doors and into the room.

  Hannah’s ashen face appeared out from behind the white sheets as the machine beeped a steady heartbeat.

  Thank God.

  Had he just thanked the One he’d been battling with earlier?

  Layke sighed and pulled up a chair beside Hannah’s bed. He didn’t understand God. Why did He save some and not others? A question Layke would never be able to figure out. It seemed God didn’t follow rules, and rules were what Layke lived by.

  But why? Were they worth it?

  He ignored the struggle going on inside him and held Hannah’s cold hand. “Come on. Come back to me, sweet Hannah.”

  His cell phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen. Elias. “Hey, what’s up?”

  “How is she?”

  “You heard?”

  “Yes, Scarlet called after you let Murray know. Any news?”

  “The bullet only grazed her, thankfully. She’s recovering but not awake yet.” He rubbed her hand, trying to warm it up.

  “We need to talk.”
<
br />   The corporal’s serious tone told Layke to give him his undivided attention. He got up and stepped out the door. “Okay. What’s going on?” He walked down the hall to the back of the clinic and peered outside. The storm still hadn’t let up.

  “Couple things. We heard back from the constables at the scene of the medical center. Slug was from a 9 mm, so not helpful. But we got a hit on your victim Rob. His brother is bad news.”

  “His brother?”

  “Yes, a politician in the Northwest Territories that’s linked to the mafia. Have you heard of the Martells?”

  Layke’s stomach lurched. “As in Perry Martell? Yes, he’s known across Canada and has evaded capture for years. No one can prove the politician is dirty. Why?”

  “Rob was his brother and we’re now on the Martell radar.”

  Layke sank against the wall. “What?”

  “Watch your back. Our informants are telling us they’ve crossed into Yukon Territory and are out for revenge. Plus, they want to take over whatever business this gang is into.”

  “Great, that’s all we need. A gang war.”

  “Exactly. Stay safe.”

  Layke stiffened. “Wait. Can you put more protection detail on Murray and Gabe?”

  “Already on it. Scarlet is organizing a unit now, along with Martha’s help.”

  “Good. I gotta get back to Hannah.”

  “Understood. Chat later.”

  Layke disconnected and made his way to Hannah’s room.

  And stopped in his tracks.

  The young man from the waiting room stood holding her IV line, getting ready to add something from a syringe into the mix.

  Layke took a step. “Stop! Police!”

  The man pressed the syringe.

  * * *

  Layke leaped across the chair and tackled the man to the floor. They became entwined in a duel for power. A lamp crashed, the sound resonating throughout the room. Layke gained control and hauled the man to his feet. However, the young guy proved to be stronger than Layke anticipated and shoved him into the wall. He held Layke in a chokehold.