JOSH

by Delores Fossen

  Please, no more bad news. Jaycee had already had her fill of that today. Besides, she really was tired. At the baby farm, she’d slept most of the day. When she wasn’t figuring out how to escape. But since Josh had rescued her, there hadn’t been time in between attacks for her to get much rest.

  “They didn’t find anything at the ranch,” Josh said after he ended the call. He stood. “No sign that anyone had been there recently, but they’ll keep looking.”

  It would have been nice to find something incriminating, but maybe there was still a chance for that. “What if it’s to be a future site for a baby farm?”

  Josh nodded. “Grayson’s putting up a hidden surveillance camera on the porch of the abandoned house. It’s motion activated, so if anyone goes out there, we’ll know about it.”

  And she wouldn’t be surprised to see Valerie, Bryson or those missing guards making that visit. Or even Sierra once she’d had her baby and then recovered. That meant they might have to wait awhile for any possible answers they might get there.

  As they turned toward the exit, Jaycee saw a woman making a beeline for them. She was tall and rail thin, and had choppy blond hair. Even though the woman wasn’t armed and didn’t appear to be a threat, Josh still stepped between her and Jaycee.

  “Deputy Josh Ryland,” the woman said, extending her hand for him to shake.

  “Who are you?” Josh snapped. He darn sure didn’t shake her hand.

  “I’m Miranda Culley. And I understand you and Agent Finney have been looking for me.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Josh just stared at their visitor. He didn’t recognize her, but he sure as heck recognized her name. His gaze dropped to the woman’s stomach.

  Flat.

  Definitely not pregnant.

  And that wasn’t the only thing that snagged his attention. Miranda was wearing what appeared to be a waitress uniform. She definitely didn’t look like someone who’d just escaped armed guards and a baby farm.

  “Did you recently have a baby?” Josh asked.

  “No.” She didn’t exactly seem comfortable with the question, and she cleared her throat. “I’ve never been pregnant. Nor have I actually been missing.”

  “But no one at your job knew where you were,” Jaycee pointed out.

  “Because I was having some trouble with my boss hitting on me. I didn’t leave because I was pregnant. I left because I wanted to get away from him. So I certainly wasn’t going to tell him where I was going.”

  Josh shook his head. “What about the calls you made to me through the emergency dispatcher?”

  “I didn’t make the calls, either.” Miranda paused, swallowed hard. “Look, I’m not sure what’s going on, Deputy Ryland, but a friend from the diner where I used to work emailed me and told me you were trying to find me because of those calls. That’s when I realized someone must have been impersonating me. My name’s not that common. I don’t think there’s another Miranda Culley in the state.”

  He searched her eyes and body language for any sign she was lying, but he saw nothing other than a confused, frightened woman. Still, he took out his phone and pressed the record function.

  “I need a sample of your voice,” Josh explained. “So it can be compared to the 911 recordings.”

  She didn’t refuse. In fact, she moved closer to the phone. “Am I in danger?” Miranda asked.

  Josh couldn’t swear to her that she wasn’t, because he didn’t know what was going on either. “Has anyone been following you? Had any hang-up calls?”

  She shook her head to both. “Not that I know of.”

  “Someone could have just used your name,” he explained. He kept the recorder on, hoping to get a decent sample of her voice along with some answers. “Maybe because the person knew we’d check and find that missing persons report your boss filed on you.”

  And it wouldn’t have been hard to find such a report, since they were often posted on the internet.

  “Do you have any idea who would have done something like impersonate you?” Josh pressed.

  “None. Like I said, I was having trouble with my boss, but I don’t think he’d do this just to find me. Would he?”

  Probably not, since it would mean he would have gotten access to information about the baby farm and then involved himself in a high-profile investigation. Pretty risky when it would have been easier just to try to worm the info from someone who knew Miranda.

  “You have any friends you can stay with until this is over?” he asked.

  “Yes. My boyfriend.”

  “Then go to him and call me at the Silver Creek sheriff’s office if anyone suspicious contacts you.” Josh turned off the recorder.

  The woman gave a shaky nod, thanked him and hurried out. Josh watched her leave and wanted to curse. He’d thought Miranda would be a solid lead, someone who could give him information about the owner of the baby farms, but she seemed to be just another dead end.

  “Why would someone have impersonated her?” Jaycee questioned.

  Josh had been asking himself the same thing, and he had a theory. One that Jaycee wasn’t going to like. “To draw us out into the open. If one of our suspects had asked for a meeting, we might have said no. But it’s hard to say no to a woman who’s running for her life and claiming we’re the only people she can trust.”

  Jaycee made a sound to indicate she was thinking about that, and then she groaned softly. “But something must have gone wrong at the cemetery. Maybe because the FBI agents showed up. Or maybe because Sierra did.”

  Either was possible, but Josh had a way of checking who’d set up that meeting. Well, maybe. He took out his phone to make another call. In case someone was following Miranda, it probably wasn’t a good idea for Jaycee and him to hang around the hospital. Her checkup would have to wait a little while longer.

  “Sawyer,” he said when his brother came on the line. “I need some 911 tapes analyzed.”

  Josh gave Sawyer the date and approximate times of the possible imposter’s calls and sent him the recording of Miranda’s voice. If the woman wasn’t lying about having made those calls—and Josh didn’t think she was—then maybe they’d soon know who did make them.

  Josh finished talking with Sawyer and made another call—to Gage at the sheriff’s office. He asked his cousin to come to the hospital so he’d have some backup and extra security when he left with Jaycee. Gage assured him that he was on the way, and it wouldn’t take him long to get there since the sheriff’s office was just up the street.

  However, Jaycee and he had just made it out of the cafeteria when his phone rang again, and this time it was Mason’s name on the screen.

  “Sierra had the baby,” Mason said. “A girl. According to the doc, both of them are healthy.”

  That was good news, but that good wasn’t coming through in Mason’s voice. “Anything wrong?”

  “Yeah. Sierra’s already insisting she wants to leave the hospital, that she doesn’t feel safe here. You got grounds to arrest her, because that might be the only way I get her to stay put?”

  “No grounds.” Josh huffed. Though he wished he did have reason to arrest her—or anybody else. “But I’m sure the doctor’s not going to let her go.”

  “You’d think, but the way Sierra’s driving everybody crazy with her fussing and carrying on, the doc might call her a taxi. You’re sure she could be in danger?”

  “No,” Josh had to admit. “I’m not sure of much of anything right now.”

  “Then, hell, I might call her a taxi,” Mason growled, and ended the call.

  Josh was pretty sure his cousin was joking about that last part, but with Mason, you never knew.

  “Should we go see Sierra?” Jaycee asked. “And try to talk her into staying put?”

  “No. I doubt we
can talk her into anything. Since she’s not a witness, we can’t force her to accept police protection. Besides, she might just want to get away from Bryson.”

  After all, the man had accused Sierra of trying to blackmail him. And maybe she had. Maybe she was ready to cut her losses and run. Or she could just want to get out of there before they found the proof to make that arrest.

  Josh led Jaycee through the corridors, back through the emergency room and to the exit. The doors were glass, so he could see the parking lot, and he took a moment to look around, to make sure there weren’t any suspicious people or vehicles out there. No one was milling around. But there were about a dozen vehicles parked in the same area as Josh.

  He spotted Gage.

  His cousin was sitting in his own truck, parked next to Josh. Gage stepped from his vehicle, had a look around, as well. “Don’t see anyone,” he called out to Josh.

  “Move fast,” Josh instructed Jaycee, and he led her out the doors and toward his truck. Before he could get her inside, Josh heard a sound he damn sure didn’t want to hear.

  Someone fired a shot.

  * * *

  JAYCEE PRAYED THAT the noise was a car backfiring.

  No such luck.

  A bullet blasted through the air and into the front of Josh’s truck. At the same time, the fear and adrenaline slammed into her. And Josh shoved her forward to the side of the nearest vehicle, and then pushed her to the ground.

  He drew his weapon and got ready to fire.

  But there wasn’t another shot.

  “Stay inside!” Josh shouted to a woman who was about to come out through the exit doors. Thankfully, the woman did and ran back into the hospital.

  With his gaze firing all around, Josh lifted his head a little. Jaycee couldn’t see a thing because Josh was literally right in front of her, and the only thing she could hear was the May breeze and her pulse hammering.

  “See anything?” Gage called out. She hoped he’d taken cover, as well.

  “Nothing,” Josh answered.

  But just as he spoke, another shot came, smashing into the ground directly in front of them. Josh pushed her back and took aim.

  “He’s on the roof,” Josh shouted to Gage.

  Oh, mercy. Definitely not a good spot, since the shooter would be able to see them while having good cover from any shots coming his way. Besides, Josh and Gage couldn’t just start randomly firing because someone inside the hospital could be hurt.

  “Move back,” Josh instructed.

  He stayed in front of her as Jaycee scrambled to get behind the rear of the car. It meant the shooter likely wouldn’t be able to see her, but he would certainly be able to see Josh.

  The next bullet proved that.

  It came straight toward Josh, tearing across the concrete and scattering debris right at them. Jaycee caught on to his arm, pulled him back with her.

  Gage returned fire. A single shot. But Jaycee couldn’t tell where it went.

  “It’s me. Don’t shoot,” she heard Gage say a split second before he dived behind the car with them. “He’s behind the big AC unit on the left. I got just a glimpse of him when he came out to fire.”

  Jaycee hadn’t gotten a glimpse, but she was betting this was one of the armed guards who’d escaped. “Is he alone?”

  Gage shook his head. “Not sure. I only saw one, but there could be others. Plenty of places to hide up there.”

  Yes, and any other backup that came to assist them could be walking right into an ambush. Of course, the same could be said for anyone who was coming in to assist the shooter. Gage and Josh would see anyone trying to cut through the parking lot. On this side anyway.

  “Anyone have a gun I can use?” Jaycee asked.

  Josh took his from his boot holster but then shot her a warning glare. “That doesn’t mean I want you up and shooting. Stay down.”

  She would. For the baby’s sake. But she wanted the gun just in case this went from bad to worse. She figured Josh and Gage would do everything within their power to protect her, but if something happened and they got separated, then she wanted to be able to fight back.

  Gage’s phone buzzed, just a split second before there was another shot.

  “It’s Mason,” Gage relayed and then answered the call. “He’s on the roof. Make sure no one leaves the hospital. Tell Grayson to keep his distance, too. But try to get someone on the back side of that roof so you can stop this fool.” He hung up and shoved the phone back into his pocket.

  “This guy’s being careful about his shots,” Josh mumbled.

  Yes, he was. Single shots that’d come darn close to Josh, but if the guy was heavily armed—and Jaycee figured he was—then he could be firing nonstop into the car until he ripped it to pieces.

  And killed them.

  But he wasn’t doing that.

  Why?

  Only one answer came to mind. Because this wasn’t a murder attempt, but rather a kidnapping. And that linked it right back to the baby farm.

  Jaycee turned to check behind her. She was on the ground, but she could see beneath some of the other vehicles, and she saw something she definitely hadn’t wanted to see.

  “Someone’s crouched behind that dark green truck,” she whispered. She had to repeat it, though, because the guy on the roof fired at them again, and Josh didn’t hear her.

  Josh whirled around, lowered himself to the concrete, looked around. And cursed. “It could be someone just trying to get out of the path of those bullets.”

  However, he didn’t sound very convinced of that. Neither was Jaycee. Especially when the person moved and darted behind another vehicle. One that was closer to Josh, Gage and her.

  He was moving in for the kill. Well, the kill for Gage and Josh. She was betting the guy would try to eliminate them so he’d have less of a fight taking her.

  But he was wrong about that.

  Jaycee wouldn’t give up without a hard fight, because her baby’s life depended on it.

  “Watch the guy on the roof,” Josh told Gage, and he went even lower to the ground until he was practically on his belly. He took aim.

  Fired.

  Judging from the sound, the bullet zinged off some metal, but she couldn’t tell what it hit. Definitely not the person lurking there, because he returned fire almost immediately.

  And so did the guy on the roof.

  Cursing, Josh crawled over her, protecting her and the baby with his body, and he fired at the shooter behind them. Gage took a shot at the one of the roof.

  Both gunmen fired back.

  And that meant Josh, Gage and she were caught in the middle.

  This was exactly what Josh had no doubt wanted to avoid, but here they were in a bad situation where he was having to put his life on the line to keep her safe.

  The shots kept coming at them, pelting the ground and slamming into the vehicles. Jaycee wanted to fight back. To stop this. But she couldn’t risk getting up. Because if these goons managed to kidnap her, they’d kill Josh and Gage.

  Probably kill her, too, once they had what they wanted from her.

  Jaycee wasn’t sure exactly what they did indeed want, but if it was the baby, they weren’t going to get it.

  The shooters kept firing. Gage and Josh fired, too, but not as much. No doubt trying to conserve ammunition.

  Gage’s phone buzzed again, and without taking his attention from the guy on the roof, he took out his phone and slid it her way. She saw Grayson’s name on the screen and answered it.

  “We’re pinned down,” she let him know.

  “Stay put. Tell Josh and Gage to get down, too. Mason’s got everyone behind cover inside the hospital, and Dade, Bree and I are coming in.”

  “Grayson says for us all to get down,” she relayed.


  Josh and Gage both dropped down. Gage on the ground next to her, and Josh still on top of her.

  They didn’t have to wait long before Jaycee heard another shot. It hadn’t come from the roof or behind them. This one had been fired to their right. And the shots didn’t stop. They just kept shooting until she saw the man behind the car scramble to get away.

  “He’s on the run!” she heard Grayson shout. Jaycee also heard the sound of running footsteps. Not just one set but several.

  There was another shot from the roof. Just one. She waited, holding her breath and praying that none of Josh’s family had been hit. But if it’d happened, Grayson had been spared. He hurried toward them.

  “Stay where you are,” Grayson warned them. “Dade and I are going after the guy on the roof. Bree’s blocking the back exit now in case he tries to get out that way.”

  This time Josh didn’t listen.

  “Watch Jaycee,” he told Gage. “I’m going after the other gunman.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  The shooters had gotten away.

  That thought kept going through Josh’s head like a broken record, and it didn’t play any better than the first time he’d heard it.

  He wasn’t sure how that had happened, not with Gage and the others helping. But somehow the guys had managed to give them the slip, which meant they were still there.

  Ready for another attack.

  This one had been well planned, and obviously the two shooters had worked out solid escape routes before the attack had even started. Josh figured the one on the roof had gone through a ventilation duct to get inside the hospital, where he’d just blended in until he could walk out. It didn’t help that neither Gage, Jaycee nor he could give accurate descriptions of the guys.

  The other one Josh had been after had likely had a vehicle parked nearby. Again, he’d blended in with the rest of the traffic on Main Street.

  Too bad the escape plans had worked.