Heat of the Moment

by Diana Duncan

  “If crap flies, will you be able to evac fast enough?”

  Liam shrugged, forcing nonchalance he didn’t feel. “Hey, I’m the Gambler.” His throat tightened. “If the worst happens and I go boom, tell Grady to take care of Murph for me.”

  Aidan scowled. “Wading ass deep in alligators, Liam?”

  Liam raised his hand. “Don’t go all caveman on me. If I need backup, I’ll shout.” Aidan had always fiercely protected his little brothers. Which made him the ideal rear guard for the SWAT team. Liam wouldn’t want anyone else guarding his back. But to save a little girl, and scores of innocent bystanders, he and Kate had to play by Psycho’s rules. They had to go it alone.

  Kate must have seen Zoe leave with the wedding party, because she returned, warily staying far to his right. His spirits sank. He’d hoped that after working together, she’d learn to trust the dog. If anything, she was more leery than ever. Heart aching, he gestured. “Murph, go with Aidan.”

  Murphy stared at him, hurt in his sharp brown eyes. What’s this doody? He whimpered. You can’t banish me. We’re pack.

  Liam knelt and wrapped his arms around the dog. Murphy tucked his snout into his neck and snuffled with his cold, wet nose. A weird sense of loss assaulted him…as if he’d never see his partner again. Don’t be asinine. Murphy would be safer with Aidan than on top of the Stratosphere. He rose. Gestured again. Made his voice stern around the lump in his throat. “Go!”

  Murphy heaved a sigh, and slowly walked to Aidan’s side. If you say so. But I don’t have to like it.

  With one last, yearning look, Murphy followed Aidan out. Kate’s slow exhale and dropped shoulders gave her away. She might be relieved, but he was charging into a firefight naked. He had to go to work without his right-hand man.

  The elevator zoomed them up one hundred and thirteen flights in thirty seconds. His ears popped twice on the way up.

  Kate gasped. “Yowza! I’ve never been up here before.” She grabbed his arm. “You have an affinity for fast rides.”

  The doors slid open, and he winked at her. Teasing helped ease the pain of leaving Murphy behind. “I’ll have to take you on a long, slow ride sometime.”

  Her cheeks grew rosy, and she inclined her head at the two security guards. “Let’s pretend we’re actual professionals.”

  Aidan’s Homeland Security ID, combined with a pitch loaded with cop jargon, convinced the guards he was there for an impromptu security drill. The FBI, in conjunction with SWAT, had been conducting them all week at tourist hot spots around town. Though the exercises were supposed to be a surprise, gossip had leaked among the casino personnel. Nobody wanted to flunk. The guards surrendered their keys and boarded the elevator.

  Kate glanced around the deserted deck. “What now?”

  “Stalker Boy has been putting the IEDs—improvised explosive devices—in plain sight. To cause maximum destruction, the bomb would be on the roller coaster track.”

  She grimaced. “Oh, goody.”

  He chuckled. “I’ve ridden everything up here a bunch of times. You’ve lived here a lot longer. How come you haven’t?”

  “I don’t like thrill rides. My clothes and hair get all rumpled. I end up sweaty, hot and sticky. I’m dizzy for fifteen minutes afterward.” She shook her head. “I hate being out of control, up, down, in, out while hanging on for dear life. Not to mention the involuntary screaming.”

  He arched a brow. “Are we still talking about roller coasters, babe?”

  Her bright flush rivaled the neon lights shimmering a thousand feet below. Her expression suddenly vulnerable and uncertain, she turned away. What was that all about?

  Compartmentalize. Get the job done. He paced the deck, conducting a visual inspection. Floodlights illuminated the area. Good deal, since they’d lost their light at Treasure Island, along with the duct tape and his Glock. Gaudy decorations continued the wedding’s carnival theme. A thick rope anchored a real hot air balloon to one side of the structure, festooned with a banner that read: Congrats, Howie and Laverne! The bride and groom planned to depart in high style.

  He studied each ride. He and Grady, the daredevil O’Rourke, had braved them multiple times. The Big Shot catapulted riders up the tower’s mast with a 4 g-force. X-Scream was a giant, open car teeter-totter. Insanity’s steel arm jutted individual swings over the edge and twirled hapless passengers facedown over the city. By comparison, the roller coaster had seemed tame.

  He led Kate to a control box. “Move me slowly around the track until I tell you to stop. He climbed into the front car of the roller coaster, and watched the track as he traveled the loop. When he reached the bend where the track arched out over the city right next to Insanity, he saw it. “Stop!”

  Hanging out of the car, he studied the device wired to the track. Hellfire. The IED at Treasure Island had been diagrammed from Bomb Building for Dummies, but this was a frigging masterpiece. The most sophisticated device he’d ever been pitted against. “Bring me back.”

  He had sixty seconds to think as the coaster snaked around the bird’s-eye view of Vegas. But he’d made his decision the moment he’d assessed the bomb.

  When the coaster lumbered to a halt, he jumped out. The confidence in Kate’s eyes killed him. Blast it, he hated to let her down. The bomb tech wanted to go for it. But the protector who would die to save her prevailed. “The trigger has a fail-safe. No matter what I do, it’s gonna blow.” He shook his head. “A wise man knows when to cut his losses. We fold this hand.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Okay, where’s the pod? I cannot believe that just came out of your mouth, Ace.”

  He couldn’t believe it himself. He’d never backed down from a challenge. He clenched his jaw. Had he lost his nerve? Lost his edge? Before Kate, being cavalier was easy. He’d never had anything to really live for. Never had anything to lose. But he couldn’t bear the thought of Kate dying.

  Even if she lived only to walk away from him.

  He took her hand. “I can jam it long enough for you to evac the upper floors. It’s a big charge, but the tower is built to withstand a magnitude eight earthquake. The lower half of the structure would survive the blast. Everyone would get out.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’ll probably make it at least halfway down the stairs before it blows.” He hoped. If he could run that fast. If the electrical circuits didn’t shut down and leave him in the dark. If he didn’t take direct backlash.

  “Probably?” Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t like the odds.”

  “They’re the only odds we have.”

  Her mouth firmed in a stubborn line. He’d never seen her look that way before. Her fiercely determined expression did something funny to his insides—a lot like a spin on Insanity. “Will the people inside be harmed if we try to disarm it?”

  “Not if I get the bomb off the structure, first. Then the concussion will affect only the very top, where we are.”

  “I vote we stay.”

  He dropped her hand and put distance between them. “This isn’t the same as the other two bombs, Kate. The outcome is far less certain. I’m not wagering your life.”

  “You’re wagering yours.”

  “That’s different.”

  “Why?”

  Aw, hell. Time to be a badass. “Because our only chance is to launch the bomb into midair before it explodes. We’d have to play a deadly game of hot potato. After I jammed the bomb, you’d have to catch it and toss it over the edge. If you missed, if you fumbled…” His voice was purposely hard. “I might still make it. You wouldn’t. It’s not worth the risk.”

  Searing hurt cannoned through Kate, stole her breath. The moment she’d dreaded had arrived. He’d finally admitted she was handicapped. Anger quickly followed. “This is my destiny. My decision. I am in charge of my life.”

  His green eyes were as cold as glaciers. “Or death.”

  “How dare you send me away and endanger yourself!” No way would he get downstairs in time. He’d
die. Because they hadn’t followed the rules, the stalker would destroy the photos. Aubrey wouldn’t get her transplant. Liam’s death would be wasted.

  And she would lose everyone who meant anything to her.

  She fought for control. Stay calm. Don’t think with your emotions. What good was it to survive, if she was an empty shell? If she had nothing. “Those photos are the only things left of my new life. They represent years of grueling work and sacrifice. He’s ruined everything. The photos are all I have left of me. They’re my future. Aubrey’s future.”

  “We’ll find another way.”

  “Our family has tried for months. All their money is tied up in the company. They can’t liquidate without going bankrupt. No way can we raise the money in forty-eight hours.” She grabbed his forearms. “We can do it, if we stick together. After all we’ve been through, I can’t believe you’re giving up. You’ll let him win?”

  “Nobody wins this game. Playing I-have-bigger-cojones-than-you with Stalker Boy has lost its appeal.” In contrast to his cold manner, he tenderly touched her cheek. “I don’t want to lose you, just when I’ve found you again.”

  He had her mixed up with a woman capable of a relationship. But her physical scars had come between them…as she’d known they would. He didn’t even know about her emotional scars. Her chest ached. Before long, he’d wise up and cut her loose.

  First, she had to make sure he lived through the day.

  “If we don’t do this, I’ll have lost everything. Including my self-respect.” She squared her shoulders, steeled her resolve. “I’ve gone it alone, and alone is highly overrated. I’m not leaving you to face this by yourself.” Her voice went soft and low. “Liam…I have more faith in you than fear of him.”

  He inhaled sharply. His eyes closed briefly, opened again. His face was stricken, his green eyes blazed. “What is it about you, Just Kate, that makes me crazy? What have you done to me?”

  “Convinced you to allow me to help.”

  His slow sigh was resigned. “Don’t rag me about the gift of blarney ever again.”

  Her most terrifying victory, ever. “What’s the plan?”

  “You get in a swing on the Insanity, and I’ll put you over the edge. Then I’ll jam the device, detach it and throw it to you. You pitch it out as far as you can. Exploding way up here in midair, it won’t hurt anything, except—” He faltered.

  “Except maybe us.”

  “Yeah.” A muscle ticked in his taut jaw. “And you’ll be closest to the blast.”

  He slid his arm around her waist as they walked toward Insanity, positioned at the edge of the deck next to the roller coaster. “Too bad the tape sank. I need something to cap the wires so they don’t accidentally fire.”

  She felt her dress pocket. Aubrey’s bubble gum was still there. She pulled it out. Water hadn’t penetrated the foil package during either dunking. “What about a wad of gum?”

  He grinned. “I’ll be damned. You are brilliant, w—”

  “I swear, If you ‘wench’ me one more time, I’m going to turn you over my knee.”

  He burst into laughter. “Nice to know you’re into the kinky stuff.”

  Taking a leaf from Zoe’s notebook, she elbowed him in the ribs. “Look who’s talking.”

  Still laughing, he tore the wrapper and stuck the gum in his mouth. “Mmm. My favorite. Grape Ape.”

  The aptly named Insanity was a huge curved arm that supported a circle of swings. The ride was enough to freak her out, without the bomb. Her knees shook so badly he had to help her into the seat. “Good thing I’m not scared of heights.” She glanced waaay down at the lighted strip.

  “You’ll do great.” His hands were steady as he buckled the harness, but his breathing was accelerated. He held up his left hand. “Fortune Favors the Brave.”

  “I’ll drink to that.” Kate smacked him a left-handed high five. “After, you can buy me a bottle of Dom.”

  “I’ll buy you a case of Dom.” He yanked her to him, leaned in and kissed her. Hard, fast and very thoroughly. Her brains were scrambled when he turned her loose. “Stay safe.”

  He strode to the control panel. “Here we go!” he hollered.

  Gears clashed, metal shrieked, and she swung over the rim. Her feet dangled into space, and she gripped the harness. Her seat jerked as he maneuvered her swing to the right of the coaster tracks. He wanted her strongest hand in the catching position. She gritted her teeth to keep from screaming. At least she didn’t have to spin.

  “Okay?” Liam yelled.

  Suspended in the nylon harness, she stared down at the glittering city nearly a quarter of a mile below. The buildings and cars looked like dollhouse toys. “Let’s get this over with!”

  She glanced at the roller coaster to her left. Horrified, she watched Liam walk the tracks, arms outstretched. Her stomach jittered. Without anyone to man the controls, he couldn’t use the coaster. And they called her ride the Insanity.

  Strained minutes ticked past, and she wiped sweaty palms on her dress. She couldn’t afford to slip.

  “Kate!” Liam’s shout made her jerk her gaze to him. “Heads up!”

  She braced herself. Wiped her palms again.

  “On three!” He crouched on the tracks, his body taut, his dark hair blowing in the warm breeze. “One. Two…”

  She sucked in a deep breath.

  “Three! Here it comes!” In one fluid movement, he rose and tossed the device.

  Praying like never before, Kate tracked the live bomb hurtling toward her.

  Chapter 13

  12:00 Midnight

  Time slowed. The bomb took forever to reach her. Liam had tossed it high, in a perfect arc. It sailed up, up, before it reached its zenith, and then hurtled directly toward her. Holding her breath, she locked her gaze on the device.

  The bomb finally zoomed into range. She whipped her arms over her head. Her fingertips brushed metal and missed. She frantically juggled the slippery missile. For terrified seconds, she fumbled, nearly dropping it into the seat with her. Then her sweaty fingers closed around the casing. She had it!

  Liam yelled, “Pitch it!” and she heaved the bomb into space. “Duck!” he shouted.

  She looked at him, and her blood froze. He was running! On a narrow track one hundred and thirteen stories above the ground! A puny metal railing was the only barrier between him and a thousand-foot plunge. Damn him! Instead of protecting himself, he was trying to reach the controls and yank her back.

  “Crouch!” he yelled. “Cover your head!”

  “You too!” She flung her arms over her head. An earsplitting kaboom rendered her temporarily deaf. A brilliant orange flash seared her vision through closed lids. Scalding heat boiled over her, and her seat rocked wildly. Shrapnel peppered the metal with loud clangs. She hunkered in her seat, forearms protecting her head. A piercing sting hit her left shoulder, another her right thigh, and she yelped.

  Then everything went still and quiet.

  Too quiet.

  “Liam?” Her voice sounded muffled in her ringing ears. The track looked okay. But the concussion had collapsed the railing; the steel was folded and bent like crumpled playing cards. “Liam!”

  Then she saw him. Her heart stopped, and she clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. He clung to a broken section of railing dangling over the tower’s edge.

  Oh, dear Lord! Hanging in the seat, suspended in space, she had to watch, powerless, as he struggled to hold on. The damaged metal shrieked, threatening to break free, and Kate’s stomach flip-flopped as Liam froze.

  He shifted gingerly, and the broken railing screeched out death throes and dropped six inches. He stilled again. When it settled, he began to climb. Stressed muscles bunched as he laboriously pulled hand over hand. She didn’t dare speak and break his concentration. Each time the railing slid and screeched, he stopped. Agonizing minutes of slow progress later, he finally clambered onto the deck. Kate went limp.

  He didn’t even p
ause to catch his breath before he leaped to his feet and spun to check on her. “Are you all right?”

  “Other than minor heart failure, just dandy. You?”

  “Never better. You did great, Kate.” He sprinted to the control panel. “I’ll bring you back.”

  She couldn’t wait to plant her feet on solid ground. The gears hummed, and the gigantic arm holding her seat swung backward. The machine emitted a loud bang and abruptly halted. Her seat bucked, and she clutched the harness.

  Liam swore. “Shrapnel in the gear mechanism. I have to move it in the opposite direction.” The ride reversed, swinging her farther over the city. The arm extended sixty-four feet before spinning the swings, but Liam hadn’t sent her that far over the edge earlier. She wouldn’t have been able to catch the bomb. Clatter erupted, and she lurched to a stop. Her swing tilted and rotated to face the tower. Eek! If she started spinning facedown, she was gonna hurl all over the Strip.

  Inventive swearing roiled from the control box. Extra points for creativity. Liam appeared, his expression grim. “It’s jammed. And the security doors automatically locked after the explosion. I can’t get downstairs.”

  “My cell is in my purse on the deck. Phone for help.”

  His gaze traveled above her head, and he paled. “Don’t move.”

  She rolled her eyes upward, following his gaze, and broke out in a cold sweat. A knife-blade shard of metal had lodged in the harness link, nearly shearing it off. “Time to call in the cavalry.”

  “I am the cavalry.” He stretched out his hand as if he could reach her. “Stay calm. I’ll get you down.”

  Yeah, a screaming hissy fit probably wouldn’t help. She inhaled slow, deep breaths. “Unless you have a cape and pair of tights handy, I don’t see how. Call 9-1-1.”

  “Don’t panic. I’m coming.” He disappeared from sight.