His scream echoed around her as he tumbled from the vehicle. “You—” She closed her ears to the names he called her. He held on to the window frame. “Stop the car, stop the car!” His screams fueled her determination.
Amber slammed her hands down on his fingers. Vincent gave another harsh cry and let go. He disappeared from view. Deon kept going, his curses ringing in her ears. The back door slammed shut and Amber now had a new problem. She had to get the car stopped, but knew there was no way Deon was going to stop and try to pick up his partner in crime as long as there was a police vehicle behind him. Amber climbed into the backseat and looked over her shoulder. No Lance. He’d fallen back when Vincent had started shooting at him.
Deon glared at her in the rearview mirror. “You’re going to pay for this.”
“We’ll see.” Amber curled her fingers into fists, brought her hands up then down like a sledgehammer on Deon’s ear.
He cried out and slammed on the brakes. The big SUV tried to stop, but couldn’t find traction on the snow and ice. The vehicle spun. Amber dropped back onto the floor, her breath coming in gasps. She looked for Vincent’s gun, but realized it must have gone out the door with him.
The vehicle spun again and the impact jerked her against the back of Deon’s seat. She heard the screeching crunch of metal and Deon’s cry. Then stillness. Amber groaned, stunned at the sudden jolt, but didn’t think she was hurt. The car had hit—and rolled up—a hill, its front passenger side tire wedged beneath a large fallen tree trunk. Thankfully, as she was on the floorboard, her position cushioned her against the full effects of the crash. The fact that the SUV was built like a tank and Deon had taken his foot off the gas when she’d shoved Vincent out the door helped, as well. Only now she had to move. She tried to see Deon’s head, but was too low.
Where was Lance? Was he still back there?
With her hands still taped together, she reached for the door. She got her fingers hooked around the handle and pulled. It opened again and Amber stumbled into the snow expecting to feel the impact of a bullet at any moment.
Nausea blindsided her and she wondered if she had a concussion. She rose to her feet, knees shaking, adrenaline rushing. She shot a quick glance around and didn’t see Vincent. She leaned against the SUV and lifted her knee up. Then she brought her hands down hard while pulling to separate her wrists.
The tape ripped and her hands were finally free. Sharp pains shot through her fingers as the blood flowed once again. Amber quickly removed the excess tape and tossed it to the ground. She moved fast, worried Deon would get to a weapon before she had the chance to get to one first. She glanced at the front seat and saw him leaning against the steering wheel, eyes closed. Was he truly hurt, or was he faking it as she had done when Lance had found her?
She could hear the sirens approaching. The Wrangler’s Corner police vehicle pulled to a stop about twenty yards away. She had backup. Lance climbed out of the vehicle and started to head her way. “Look for the guy who fell out of the car!” She glanced around again, looking for the man. She’d shoved him out maybe half a mile back. “Did you see him fall out?”
“No, what happened?”
“I pushed him out.”
“Didn’t see him.” Lance turned to the officer behind him. “Why don’t you see if you can find him? We can take care of this and more backup’s on the way.”
“Got it.” Ronnie nodded and jogged through the snow back toward the vehicle. He hopped in and did a three-point turn to head back in the direction they’d come from.
Amber moved toward the driver’s door and peered at the man behind the wheel. Still Deon hadn’t moved. “Deon Pirhadi! Come out of the vehicle with your hands up.” He didn’t respond to her call.
A shot rang out. The bullet slammed the ground beside her and she dropped to her knees and rolled under the SUV.
* * *
Lance heard the gunshot and saw Amber drop and disappear under the belly of the SUV that now lay crunched up against the tree. Lance raced toward the wrecked vehicle as it offered the nearest protection against further gunshots. He ducked behind it and another shot sounded. He flinched, but noticed it didn’t come near him. He lay flat on the ground, but the way the car was tilted up against the hill and the tree, he couldn’t roll under it to join Amber, but he could see her. She lay on her belly, her eyes trained in the direction the shot had come from. “Amber!”
She turned to look at him. “Stay down, Lance, it’s probably Vincent shooting.”
“Ronnie went after him.”
“Don’t think he’s got him yet,” she grunted. “I hope you have a gun on you.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Good, can you see if the driver is still unconscious?”
Lance rose high enough to look in the window. He could see the man slumped over the wheel. “He’s not moving.” He tried the door, but it wouldn’t open. He hadn’t thought it would, but had to try. He pulled on the back door, and to his surprise, it opened. He started to crawl into the backseat but felt the car shift. The driver still didn’t move.
Another crack sounded and the bullet pinged off the vehicle. Lance ducked back out and dropped to the ground to see that Amber had rolled even farther under the belly of the car. “I can’t get in. The car’s not stable enough. I’m afraid it will shift and crush you.”
“And there’s only one way out from under here.”
He understood what she meant. If she rolled out, the sniper could pick her off. “Just stay put for the moment.”
“Fine, but he’s got a gun in there. We’ll have to be careful,” she breathed. “Where’s backup?”
“Should be here soon. The roads are still pretty bad. They’ll have to go slower than usual.”
Amber nodded.
Lance scanned the area. He couldn’t figure out where the shooter was, he just had the man’s general direction. The car swayed.
“Lance, check on Deon again, will you? I don’t need him getting out of the car and the thing coming down on me.”
“Deon’s the driver?”
“Yes, Sam’s uncle.”
Lance maneuvered himself beside the vehicle and looked in again. Deon was moving.
And so was the car.
The shooting had stopped for the moment. He heard sirens and finally heard the chopper coming from above. Police vehicles rolled into the area.
The car shuddered again.
“Amber, you’re going to have to chance it and roll out. Tiffany and the others are here. They’ll cover you.” He looked in the front seat again. Deon leaned back against the seat, clutching his head. The SUV shifted. “Amber, get out!”
Amber rolled, scrambled to her feet and raced around the back of the vehicle to Lance’s side. No shot came their way. Lance held his weapon trained on the man behind the wheel. Deon looked up. Blood ran from a nasty cut above his right eye. Lance saw the moment comprehension returned.
He blinked. Then swiped the blood and narrowed his eyes.
Amber slipped away from him and he watched her duck down next to the driver’s door. Lance kept his gaze locked on the man who’d helped kidnap Amber and tried to kill her and Sam. Part of him wanted Deon to do something stupid, to justify Lance in pulling the trigger. But the other part, the bigger part of himself, told him to keep it together and follow the law. “Don’t move, Deon.”
The man’s jaw tightened and his eyes flickered. Then his door opened and he disappeared from view. Lance raced around to the other side of the car to find Amber sitting on top of the man, arm cocked back and fingers balled into a hard fist. “Move and I’ll add to your concussion.” She didn’t glance away from her prisoner. “Lance, would you please get his gun from the floorboard?” The politely phrased question didn’t hide the steel in her voice—or the tightly leashed rage he could see on her f
ace.
“Ronnie,” he spoke into his radio, “I need an update.”
“Shooter is in custody.”
Relief flowed. “Thanks.”
“But I’ve got bad news.”
“What’s that?”
“Clay was ambushed coming out of the hospital. Sam’s gone.”
SEVENTEEN
Amber’s heart dropped. Fear exploded through her. “Gone?” She stared at Lance then turned her gaze on Ronnie who’d just driven up. She’d seen him and Lance in a heated discussion while she spoke with one of the other deputies who’d arrived. When she’d intercepted Lance’s frantic gaze, she’d hurried over. Only to hear Sam had been taken. “Gone?” Ronnie took a step back and she didn’t care if she was scaring the man. “How is he just gone?” she yelled. “How is that even possible? Clay had him. He wouldn’t let anything happen to him.”
“Clay’s shot,” Lance said. “They got him getting into his car.”
She gasped, her fury fizzling with the news and her fear skyrocketing. “Shot? How bad? He’s not—” She couldn’t say the word, but Lance was already shaking his head.
“No, he’s not dead. Someone saw it happen and called it in. He’s being taken care of at the hospital in Nashville and we’ve got a chopper in the air looking for Sam.”
“Did you get a vehicle description?” Amber asked.
“Yes, got it on camera in fact,” Ronnie said. He cleared his throat. “It was a white Rolls-Royce.”
Amber nearly choked on her next breath. “That’s Sam’s father’s car. He never drives anything else. If he didn’t drive it out here, he rented it.”
“There was mass confusion in the hospital,” Ronnie said, “especially on the lower floors, people were everywhere and some were panicking in spite of the staff reassuring them. There was also a bomb threat called in so there was an evacuation going on, as well. So, Clay called me, said y’all were at the hospital and that to play it safe, he was going to have to move Sam. Said he was taking him to the Starke ranch and to let you know where they were. Then I got the call about the shooting. Trent’s with Clay now and sending me updates. Sabrina’s on her way with a police escort.”
Amber rubbed her eyes and her heart shuddered with her fear. Fear for her brother, fear for Sam. And anger. Lots and lots of anger. “It’s a computer virus, Lance. They’re planning to hack into the banking system.”
“So not a virus that could wipe out people?”
“No. So honestly my first priority is to find Sam.” She began to pace. She had to think it through. “This was an incredibly risky move on Yousef’s part. Incredibly risky. Why would he do it? He could have waited until Sam was out of the hospital, but he didn’t. Why?”
“He’s on a time deadline,” Lance said.
She looked at him. “The plane. It’s got to have something to do with when the plane lands.”
“You were the distraction,” Lance said softly. “All of this was just a distraction. Pirhadi had every intention of getting to Sam himself. He sent his brother and other killers after you here at the hospital, but he got Sam himself—his real target.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Of course. He changed the meeting place, managed to get Ravi and his partner on another flight and now is planning to close the deal.”
“Sam is his insurance. If law enforcement catches up to him, he has a bargaining tool. No one is going to do anything to get a child killed. They might not be so careful with you as a hostage, but—”
She nodded. “You’re right.” She glanced at him. “How much longer until the plane lands?”
“Less than an hour. Law enforcement is set up and ready to act.”
“Pirhadi will take Sam to the meeting place. If the men don’t meet him, he’ll know something is wrong.”
Lance frowned. “Law enforcement is waiting for the plane to land. They’ll let the people get off the plane one by one and simply pull our two suspects aside the minute they set foot into the gate area. Whatever they’re supposed to deliver will be carried on the plane with them, I’m sure.”
Amber closed her eyes. A headache was beating at her temples like it was trying to burst forth. “All right, we’ll need to find out the meeting place.
“Which is why we need to follow those men instead of detaining them.” She clasped his hand. “We have no choice, Lance. If Pirhadi is tipped off that we know what’s going on and we know who he’s meeting, he’ll disappear.” And she’d lose Sam forever. The crushing thought nearly took her to her knees. But she had to be strong.
Lance blew out a breath. “I don’t know if we can stop it now.”
“We have to. For Sam. Do you know who Clay’s contact was?”
“Yes. His name’s Owen Jones. He’s the lead special agent on this one.”
“Then let him know what’s going on. And we have to make sure that Deon doesn’t have a chance to contact his brother. He knows that Sam told us everything and that we’ve figured it out. Most of it anyway. If he tells Yousef...”
Lance pulled his phone from his pocket and then handed her the one that belonged to her. “Found it in the stairwell,” he said.
“Thanks. Let’s get to the airport. You can make the calls on the way. I’ll drive.” Amber prayed for Sam, for Clay, for everyone involved in this drama that seemed to have no end. Please, God, let this all have a happy ending.
* * *
Lance hung up on his fourth call. He’d gotten Deon Pirhadi in isolation. No calls coming in or going out. He’d been transported to one of the Nashville hospitals since the Wrangler’s Corner one was still in chaos. Vincent was also under heavy guard at the same hospital having sustained a concussion thanks to his tumble from the vehicle. Which was probably why his aim was so bad when he was shooting at them after the crash—and why it was so easy to apprehend him. Ronnie said he’d had no trouble finding the man. He’d managed to walk close enough to see the wreck, fired a couple of shots then passed out.
Now for the hard part. He dialed Owen’s number. The man answered, surprising Lance. “Jones here.”
“Yes, Special Agent Jones, this is Deputy Lance Goode. I’m calling for Clay Starke.”
“Why isn’t Clay calling me?”
“He’s been shot.”
Silence came across the line. Then, he responded, “I see. Is he going to make it?”
“Yes, he is, but that’s not why I’m calling. I need you to stand down on the two men coming in on the flight from Atlanta.”
“Want to tell me why?”
“It’s a long story.”
“You’ve got five minutes.”
Lance summarized the situation as best he could with frequent glances at Amber. Her nods of approval spurred him on. “It’s a computer virus, not a disease. That’s why we need to let them get out of the airport. We have to follow them in order to apprehend the ringleader.”
“You’re sure about this?”
“Absolutely one hundred percent positive.”
“Meet me here in the cell phone parking lot.”
“I’m on the way. We’re in a Ford Interceptor with chains on the tires.”
Lance disconnected the call and told Amber where to go. Her white knuckles on the steering wheel and her pinched face were a good indication of her worry. “He’s going to be okay. This is going to work.”
“If they agree. It’s a huge risk to let them leave the airport.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. It might be safer for everyone if they’re not in a place where something could go wrong and they could snatch hostages.”
They both fell silent and Lance watched her drive. She’d hit the highway and they’d both been relieved to find it had been scraped. She went exactly the speed limit. There was no need to hurry as they’d arrive to the a
irport before the plane landed. He stayed quiet and let his thoughts go to places he’d refused to go to before.
To Amber.
A beautiful, amazing woman who’d lived a life of danger, secrecy and sacrifice. Truly, it was hard for him to wrap his mind around it, but he was living this with her so staying in denial wasn’t an option. And Sam...the quirky little boy had captured his heart. Please, God, let us find him, please don’t let anything happen to him.
Amber. Sam. Two people he’d grown to care about. One he’d known his entire life. The other, a short time. Two people he didn’t want to say goodbye to.
But he’d sworn never to marry again. Never to allow himself to be in a place where he could be hurt that way again. Was he a coward? Or just so scarred he’d never be able to get to the point where he could trust a woman enough to marry her? Then again, was it really fair to compare Amber to his deceased wife? Then again, how did one marry and build a life with a CIA operative? And why was he even thinking along those lines? Because he cared. He loved her. She’d wound her way into his heart. Her kindness after Krissy died, the light touches, the sweet smiles whenever she was around him. And now being with her 24/7 over the last few days. He knew he could play the denial game, but he loved her. Oh God, You sent her and Sam to me, didn’t You? He knew people had been praying for him to open his heart to someone else. He gave a mental snort. He was quite sure Amber hadn’t been the one they’d prayed for him to be with, though.
He turned away with a slight shake of his head and watched the airport come into view. Amber made her way to the cell phone lot and backed into the nearest spot.
A large gray van sat about ten yards to their right. The door opened and a large man dressed in plain clothes stepped out and walked their way. Lance got out of the car and held out a hand. The special agent shook it and then did the same with Amber. “I’ve discussed this situation with the team. Now that we know the virus is the work of hackers and not going to kill people, we’ve come to the agreement that we’ll allow the two men to leave the airport and follow them to the meeting place. Not just for the boy’s sake, but because we want Pirhadi. We’ve had our eye on him for a while now. We’ve just never been able to catch him.”
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