by Anne Patrick
“I’ll take the second,” Jack added.
* * * * *
It seemed Gwen had just gone to sleep when she was shook awake. She opened her eyes and found Jack kneeling beside her mattress.
“Get up, we have to go.”
Gwen took his hand and rose to her feet. The light from an early morning sun flooded the room. She squelched an oncoming yawn as her eyes lit on Tom and Evelyn standing next to the open door. In Tom’s hand was a folded metal chair and at their feet lay the crumpled body of one of the rebel soldiers.
“Why didn’t you wake me before all the excitement started?”
“He’s been trying to,” Celeste spoke from behind.
Jack chuckled. “C’mon. Major Anthony and his men have surrounded the building.”
Gwen followed him and Celeste to the door.
A burst of gunfire sounded in the hallway. Tom leaped back, slamming the door shut.
No sooner had Jack grabbed the chair from Tom’s hand, the door flew open. Jack swung hard, sending the rebel sailing several feet. He landed with a thud, his rifle falling at his side. Tom scurried over and grabbed it. Celeste joined him, using strips of a torn towel to bound and gag the soldier.
“What happened to the other guy’s weapon?”
“I have it.” Evelyn turned and lifted the rifle at her side.
Gwen almost laughed at the sight.
There was pounding at the door and Jack moved to one side, the chair positioned in front of him. Several seconds ticked by before another knock. “It’s Major Anthony. I’m coming in.”
Gwen moved to Jack’s side as the door opened.
The major lowered his rifle as he scanned their faces. “We’re securing the building. You’ll be safer outside in the cars.” His gaze lowered to the weapon Evelyn held. “Unless you know how to use that, I suggest you give it to him,” he said, nodding at Jack. “Leave single file to the front of the building, a man in the front and back, and don’t go into any of the other rooms.”
Jack took the rifle from Evelyn. “I’ll lead.”
The major’s gaze fell on Gwen. “We meet again, Miss Jacobs.”
“Major,” she greeted coolly.
He motioned to the door and Gwen followed Jack out.
They were midway down the hall, near the stairs, when one of the classroom doors opened. Jack stopped in his tracks, prepared to fire.
Gwen held her breath, her heart pounding so fast she could feel it in her ears.
A police officer stepped into the hall, his hand grasping the arm of one of the rebel soldiers. His rifle rose at his side then, after recognizing them, lowered his aim.
Gwen recognized the cuffed boy from yesterday as the one who had told the group about Kirabo and brought them fresh water and towels. She moved out of the line and stopped directly in front of him. “Where is the general?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since last night. I think he got away.” The boy’s voice shook as he spoke and tears welled in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Where is the room he slept in?”
He jerked his head upward. “Upstairs. The first classroom.”
Gwen turned toward the stairs, but Jack grabbed her arm. “Oh no you don’t.”
“I need my camcorder, Jack. All my footage is on there.”
“It isn’t worth your life, Gwen. We’ll look for it after the building is secure.”
“They’ll confiscate it. I’ll never see it again,” she explained. But he didn’t seem to be budging on the matter. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”
“All right, but take this.” He shoved his rifle at her.
Gwen shook her head and waved him off. She had taken enough lives. “You don’t know what’s waiting for you outside. You may need it.”
His gaze hardened. “Fine, you won’t take the rifle, wait until I move them to safety and then I’ll come back and help you search.”
In the background, Major Anthony shouted to his men to hurry. She was running out of time. Grabbing Jack, she pulled him forward. “I’ll be fine.” She kissed him on the lips then darted toward the stairs.
Gwen didn’t stop until she reached the top of the stairs. She squatted, her eyes searching the empty hallway. Moving to the first door, she placed her ear against the cold wood and listened for any movement inside.
A gunshot at the back of the building caused her to jerk. She lifted her trembling hand to the doorknob and slowly turned it. On her knees now, she peered inside. It was empty.
Gwen rose to her feet and maneuvered around a cot and several metal chairs blocking the desk. Near the window, she spotted a second door. Judging from the layout of the room they were held captive it, she guessed it was a closet. She briefly considered checking it, but knew if someone where hiding inside it she would have no way to protect herself. She would just be quiet in her search. Sitting in the wooden chair, she slowly pulled out each of the drawers and searched their contents.
Her hand froze in the middle drawer at the sound of a squeaky hinge. She looked up at the main door. It was still shut. Uh oh.
“Looking for this?”
She whirled her head around and saw General Kabassa standing in a doorway she had chosen not to check. A hideous smile spread across his lips as he held up her camcorder.
Gwen’s heart pumped faster as her hand groped around in the drawer for something she could use as a weapon. “I should have known you’d be cowering in the closet like the ugly rat you are.” Her fingers hit something hard and cool, with two open circles. Scissors.
Gwen grasped them in her hand as he walked towards the desk.
“I couldn’t leave without settling the score. You led them here, destroying my dream. Now I’m going to destroy yours. Then I’m going to kill you.” He dropped the camera to the floor at her feet and raised his foot.
Gwen charged him and plunged the scissors into the side of his neck.
He gave a muffled cry and lifted a hand to stop the gushing blood. “You stupid woman!” He lunged at her. Gwen stepped back, but not quick enough. She barely got a glimpse of the knife as it sliced across her left shoulder. She felt the blood soaking into her shirt. Grabbing her by the hair, he jerked her towards him.
A well placed knee to his groin doubled him over in agony. She then stabbed him in the back and watched him drop to his knees. Another kick caught him underneath his chin and he fell backwards. She reached for the camera but he grabbed her leg and kicked the side of her right calf which sent her sprawling to the floor.
Dazed, she felt him grab hold of her shirt. She started to struggle, but saw the pistol in his right hand. Scrambling to his feet, he pressed the barrel against her forehead. She glared up at him. “I thought you didn’t kill innocent people.”
He laughed. “You are far from innocent. You have as much blood on your hands as I do.”
A wave of nausea hit, and she struggled to swallow, forcing the bile back down into her stomach.
The sound of breaking wood drew her attention to the door where Jack and two police officers now stood. All three fired their weapons. The general’s blood splattered Gwen as his body slammed into the wall.
Jack hurried to her side, wrapping his arms around her, as the officers closed in around the general. She ignored the pain, glad to be alive.
“Your heroics are going to kill me one of these days.”
Gwen smiled at the hint of a future together.
He loosened his arms around her and leaned back on his heels. His eyes widened when he saw the blood. “Are you hurt?”
“He cut me, but I don’t think it’s serious.” She pulled back the blood soaked material just as Jack leaned forward to have a look.
“You might need a few stitches.” He removed his shirt and carefully stuffed it inside hers.
Her eyes were drawn to his muscular chest where a dark patch of hair lay above perfect abs.
He lifted her chin, smiling at her. “C’mon, let’s get you to a doctor.”
He fetched it from the floor and looked it over. “The lens is broken.”
“Are the memory cards still inside?”
He opened it and then threw her a nod.
“He probably erased them.”
Jack smiled. “If he did we can restore them with a memory card recovery program.”
“Thank God for digital technology.” She wrapped her arm around his. “Let’s get out of here.”
Epilogue
Gwen and Jack stared out the airport window, watching as the private jet taxied toward the terminal. “Won’t be much longer,” he whispered against her ear.
She was glad Jack had suggested they stay behind an extra three days to tour the refugee camps and hospital again. Thanks to his purchase of a new camcorder, she had gathered more than enough footage and testimony from the latest carnage in Lerato for a story that would rock the entire world, exposing both General Kabassa and Liberian President Jonathan Kanneh.
“You know, you’re liable to win a Pulitzer for this story.”
She looked up and met his smile. “That would be sweet.”
“Then you’ll have every news agency in London offering you assignments.”
“Unless it’s one in the United States, I think I’ll be turning them down.”
“Really?”
She smiled at the excitement in his voice. “I’ve decided that living abroad isn’t what it’s cracked up to be...and I miss my family.”
“Oh.”
She laughed, then wrapping her hand around his, she kissed him with the same fervor she had in the library the first time they kissed. Afterward her mouth lingered. “In case you didn’t pick up on that, it was an invitation.”
He swaddled her in his arms, his gaze sealing hers. “That, my love, is the best proposition I’ve ever received.”
The End
About the Author:
Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award winning and bestselling Fire and Ash, Kill Shot and Ties That Bind. Her heroines are usually strong willed, witty, and often very opinionated…combinations that usually land them in situations where death seems imminent. When she's not working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends. She makes her home in Kansas.
Published Works:
Dark Alliance
Reservations for Two
Lethal Dreams
Ties That Bind
Out of the Darkness
Fire and Ash
No Greater Love
Sabotage
Christmas with Hope – Christmas Anthology w/Victory Tales Press
A Familiar Evil
Journey to Redemption
Renegade Hearts
Kill Shot – Wounded Heroes Series, Book One
Trespasses – Wounded Heroes Series, Book Two
Betrayal – Wounded Heroes Series, Book Three
To learn more about Anne, please visit her website: http://www.annepatrickbooks.com or
blog: www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com.
She loves to hear from her readers!
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
