Brandishing a Crown

by Rita Herron

  Forcing deep breaths into his lungs to calm his raging heart, he moved forward slowly, forcing his footfalls to be light.

  Pebbles skittered beneath his feet though, and Osgood pivoted, searching the area with his eyes. Stefan darted behind a bush to hide just in time. He held his breath as Osgood slowly scanned the area, then finally decided he was safe.

  The man was wrong.

  Stefan was going to kill him for hurting Jane. But he had to remove the bomb first.

  Osgood stooped and opened the duffel bag, then began to unload the contents and Stefan’s panic rose.

  The timing device for the explosives.

  One wrong move and Jane would be gone…

  Chapter Fifteen

  Stefan eased his way toward the mouth of the mine, hiding behind the bushes until he was only a foot away from Osgood.

  The blasted investigator had already set the timer for the bomb!

  Rage knotted every muscle in his body, heightening his adrenaline. He lunged toward Osgood and pounced on the man’s back. Osgood yelped and jerked his head sideways, aiming his gun upward.

  “You damn bastard,” Osgood snarled.

  Stefan hit the cop’s wrist and the gun fell to the ground. Then he yanked Osgood into a chokehold.

  But the bully had more strength than Stefan realized and combated his attack with a blow to his abdomen, forcing Stefan’s hold to loosen. They fell to the ground, rolling and tumbling, trading blows. Osgood managed to punch Stefan in the nose and blood spurted, but the attack only fueled Stefan’s anger.

  “You tried to kill Jane,” Stefan growled. “But you will not win.”

  Osgood laughed bitterly. “I’m going to kill you both.”

  Another fist landed in Stefan’s chest then Osgood reached for the gun. Stefan grunted and clawed the dirt for the weapon himself, clasping Osgood’s hands just as the man retrieved the weapon. Again they fought for it, but Stefan was determined to stop the bastard. Gritting his teeth, he twisted Osgood’s wrist until the bone cracked.

  The gun fired, the bullet striking Osgood in the shoulder, and he jerked in pain. The gun sailed from his hands and Stefan took advantage of the moment to pin Osgood down. But Osgood managed to grab a rock with his uninjured arm and swung it up toward Stefan’s head.

  Stefan dodged the blow, yet the sound of the bomb ticking away echoed from the mine. He had to hurry.

  Osgood used his bulk to try to buck Stefan off of him, but Stefan tightened his legs around the man’s body, and rammed one fist into Osgood’s injured shoulder. Osgood groaned, but swung the rock again.

  Stefan caught it just before it connected with his temple and pried it from the man’s fingers, then slammed it against Osgood’s head. Osgood grunted, his eyes widening then dulling as he passed out.

  The ticking reverberated in his head again, faster, faster, faster…

  Stefan jumped off of Osgood, kicked the gun out of the way, then ran toward Jane.

  A TICKING SOUND ECHOED in Jane’s head, drawing her out of the darkness. But when she opened her eyes, she had to squint. The smell of dirt, gunpowder, oil and her own fear surrounded her.

  She sucked in a breath, slowly looking down at the bomb attached to her chest. Explosives were wired to a vest, the ticking sound she’d heard moments ago signaling the timer.

  Dear God. She was going to die.

  Stefan…where was he?

  “Jane!”

  His voice filtered through the haze of her terror, and she glanced up to see his shadow at the opening to the mine a few inches away. “Stefan, run, he’s wired explosives to my chest.”

  “I am going to get you out of there,” Stefan said in that authoritarian voice that brooked no argument. “Just be very still, Jane.”

  Her chest rose and fell with a tremulous breath, and she forced herself to lie perfectly still when she wanted to jerk at the vest, tear it off and run herself.

  “There’s a timing device out here,” Stefan said. “I am going to attempt to disarm it.”

  “No, just get out of here,” Jane cried. “It’s too dangerous.”

  Stefan ran to her, knelt and cupped her face in his hands. “Jane, I am not leaving you. Trust me to save you.”

  A sob caught in her throat. “I do trust you. But I don’t want you to die.”

  “I do not wish that, either,” he said with a half smile.

  “And I will not let you die, either.”

  She nodded, striving for bravery when she felt as if she was falling apart.

  Stefan kissed her quickly, then ran back to the timing device. She forced herself to take shallow breaths, struggling not to fidget or do anything that might trigger the mechanism.

  Stefan muttered something to himself about the wires, then the timer. Long, angst-filled seconds passed, dragging into an eternity. The ticking grew louder, pounding in her head. Faster. Faster.

  Faster.

  The bomb was going to go off any second and they would both be dead.

  Stefan suddenly raced back inside. “I am sorry, I cannot diffuse the bomb.”

  Cold fear pressed against Jane’s heart. Then acceptance. She lifted her hand to Stefan’s cheek and felt a tear run down her own. “Then go. Save yourself. Your country needs you, Stefan.”

  Stefan’s jaw clamped tight. “I do not intend to leave you, Jane.”

  “But, Stefan—”

  “Be quiet, Jane.” His angry hiss forced her to clamp her lips shut.

  Then he pulled a knife from his pocket and began to rip at the bindings of the vest.

  “Stefan,” she whispered. “There’s no time.”

  “I said be quiet.” His hands shook as he sawed at the heavy ropes and straps. Her own body trembled as one then another strap gave way. When all were cut, he gripped her arms.

  “Now, we’re going to do this slowly, Jane.”

  “Stefan…”

  “Shh, love, trust me.”

  She nodded, although she felt the tugging of the vest, the weight of the explosives, the heat that she knew it would give off.

  No, she wouldn’t feel the heat. It would all happen too fast. They would both be blown to smithereens, their body parts scattered. The CSIs would have a field day.

  Osgood…

  He had done this.

  “Where is he? Osgood?”

  “Outside, shot, unconscious,” Stefan said as he slowly lifted her to a sitting position. She clutched his arms for support until she could steady herself.

  “You are doing well,” he murmured. “Very good, my Jane. Now we shall extract one arm at a time. Let me know when you are ready.”

  The ticking seemed to escalate. It was beating now like a drum, so loud her ears ached with the sound.

  Her gaze met his, and emotions flickered in his dark eyes. Fear mingled with a confidence that spoke of his military training. And something else—love?

  He’d asked her to trust him and she did.

  A calmness swept over her, and she nodded. “Let’s do it.”

  He gave her a smile of encouragement, then slowly helped her ease one arm from the vest, then the other. She trembled again as he gently gripped the vest in his hands, then placed it on the earth below her.

  Then he stood, swept her up in his arms and ran toward the exit. Just as they made it through the opening, a pop sounded.

  Stefan took off at a dead run and dove toward the bushes for cover just as the bomb exploded. Fire, dirt and rocks spewed in all directions, sailing through the air and raining down as the mine collapsed in a thunderous roar.

  Jane tasted dirt, felt brush scratching her skin, felt the weight of Stefan as he protected her from the worst, rolling her beneath him and shielding her with his body.

  STEFAN HUGGED JANE to him, his heart drumming in his chest. He had almost lost her.

  Because of Osgood.

  The man who’d threatened Hector and his family. The man who might know where they were being held.

  He had to question the man and
force him to talk.

  Tilting his head back, he stared at Jane, needing to know she was all right. “Are you hurt, Jane?”

  Jane shook her head and gripped his arms. “No, are you?”

  “I’m fine.” He pulled back enough to examine her.

  “Are you sure you weren’t injured?”

  “I’m sure, Stefan. You took the worst of the fall.” Jane stroked his hair from his forehead in a tender gesture that made him want to wrap his arms around her and never let her go.

  Sirens wailed signaling the sheriff’s arrival, dust swirling from the train of vehicles barreling up the road. Stefan reluctantly released Jane and stood.

  “Osgood may know where Hector’s family is being held.”

  Jane nodded, accepted his extended hand, and he helped her stand. She brushed off her clothes, and he turned and strode toward Osgood. The man was lying amongst the rubble, but just as Stefan reached him, he noticed Osgood’s hand clenching the gun. Somehow he’d managed to crawl to it before the bomb had exploded.

  Blood seeped from Osgood’s shoulder wound, and a deep gash marred his forehead, blood running down his cheeks. The siren wailed closer, the sheriff’s SUV careening toward them, an ambulance on its tail.

  “You ain’t gonna take me in,” Osgood choked out.

  Stefan held up his hand in an effort to persuade the man to lower the gun. “The sheriff is here, my security is coming. There is no way you will escape now.” He stepped closer. “Just tell me where Hector’s family is, who has them,” Stefan ground out. “If you cooperate, I shall see that your police understand that you helped me.”

  Osgood coughed, blood leaking into his eye. He tried to swipe at it, but his injured hand hung limply.

  Behind him the sheriff’s SUV screeched to a halt, then another vehicle. He heard footsteps crunching, voices. The sheriff’s. A deputy. Edilio’s.

  “Stefan,” Edilio said. “Come back, let us handle this matter.”

  “I know you did not mastermind this plot. Tell me who is holding Hector’s family hostage,” Stefan pressed.

  “Who was behind the attack on Amir and me?”

  Sweat beaded on Osgood’s forehead as he raised the weapon. His hand jerked. “Your enemies are closer than you think.”

  Osgood started to pull the trigger, but Stefan lurched forward to grab it. In that split second, Osgood swung the gun toward his own head and fired.

  Jane screamed, and Stefan staggered backward in shock as blood and brain matter spewed.

  Their best lead as to who orchestrated the attacks had just died.

  Now how would they find out where Hector’s family was and who was behind the attacks?

  THE DISTRESS on Stefan’s face pained Jane. She wanted to assuage his worries, but she felt as if she’d failed him as well.

  Her own boss had been part of the conspiracy against him, and she’d had no idea of his complicity. She hadn’t even suspected the bastard.

  How could she have been so clueless?

  Time passed in a horrific blur as she and Stefan explained to the sheriff what had happened. Edilio kept giving her sharp looks as if he blamed her for this mess, and she couldn’t argue the point.

  If she hadn’t fallen for the prince and had spent more time with Osgood, maybe she would have detected his deception sooner. Then she could have saved Hector and his family from having their lives threatened.

  “Whose car is this?” Sheriff Wolf gestured toward the beat-up Chevy.

  Stefan’s face was riddled with turmoil. “I am afraid I committed a crime. I stole it when I saw Osgood leaving with Jane.”

  Jane’s heart clenched. He had done nothing but save her, and she still had not solved the case.

  Stefan held out his hands, wrists together. “If you must do an American arrest now, I surrender.”

  Sheriff Wolf shook his head. “Under the circumstances, Prince Stefan, we’ll let it go. I’ll make certain the owner understands that it was an extreme emergency and that his vehicle was used in the apprehension of a felon.”

  “I will compensate him for the vehicle monetarily,” Stefan offered.

  Sheriff Wolf shrugged. “That car isn’t worth much. But I’ll let you know if there’s a problem with the owner.”

  Stefan nodded and Edilio gestured toward his vehicle. “I will escort you back to the resort now, Prince Stefan.”

  Stefan glanced at Jane. “We will also escort Miss Cameron.”

  “I’d prefer to wait until Osgood’s body is removed and we retrieve his phone,” Jane said. “It might offer some leads as to who masterminded the attacks.”

  Stefan nodded, and they waited silently while a crew lifted the pipes one by one and loaded Osgood on a stretcher. Jane insisted things be done by the book, so crime scene photos were taken and forensics collected. Her assistant Tomas found Osgood’s phone and bagged it to transport to the lab for analysis.

  Hours later, when it was time to go, Edilio gave her another disapproving look, but seemed hesitant to argue with Stefan so gestured for her to lead the way toward his dark sedan. A driver was waiting, and she and Stefan slipped into the backseat.

  The ride was riddled with tension. Jane twisted her hands in her lap, aching to make things right for Stefan. He stared out the window, his jaw set, his posture rigid as if reliving the scene with Osgood in his mind.

  When they arrived, Stefan climbed out, and Jane followed, knowing she should go home. But she needed to speak her mind.

  “Stefan, I’m so sorry about Osgood.” Her voice cracked. “I should have picked up on his behavior, on his betrayal sooner.” The turmoil in his eyes made her shiver. “I know you must hate me.”

  “Jane…” Stefan paused, body rigid.

  “Prince,” Edilio cut in. “Would you like for our driver to escort Miss Cameron home while I secure you in your private quarters?”

  Stefan gave him a dark look. “No. Miss Cameron stays with me until we discover who is behind these attacks.”

  “Stefan,” Jane whispered, shocked.

  “I will not argue this matter,” Stefan said sharply. He closed his fingers around her arm. Edilio frowned but escorted them to Stefan’s suite.

  As soon as they stepped inside, Stefan dismissed Edilio, then he turned to her. Jane trembled, expecting his wrath.

  His look was so dark, so unreadable that for a moment fear trickled through her. Then he jerked her to him, and her pulse clamored.

  But instead of shouting at her, he fused his mouth with hers and kissed her so hungrily that her legs buckled.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Their lovemaking was wild, erotic, frightening, raw, passionate, full of need and fear and tender caresses. Nothing like Jane had ever known. More wonderful than anything she could have imagined.

  And everything she had ever wanted.

  Exhausted from days without sleep, she closed her eyes, snuggled into his arms and fell asleep dreaming about staying with him forever. About marriage and babies and a long life as Stefan’s wife.

  But when she awakened, the sun was starting to peak in the morning sky, and Stefan had left the bed.

  She slipped on his shirt, then stood and searched for him in the suite, but he was talking in a hushed voice on his cell phone. He had dragged on slacks, but they hung loosely over his muscular hips. She allowed herself a moment to savor the sight of his bronzed chest and sculpted body.

  Then he mentioned something about Osgood, and her mind raced back to the case. She needed to search his house, his computer, his desk and see if she could find a link to whoever had taken Hector’s family hostage.

  Needing caffeine first, she stepped back into the living area to make a pot of coffee and flipped on the television set. A folder with layouts of Stefan’s environmental plan lay on the table. She opened it and skimmed through the details while the coffee brewed.

  The sound of Danny Harold’s voice from the television caught her attention.

  “This is Danny Harold. I’m here now with
a local ranch family the McGuires from the Seven M Ranch nearby. Mr. McGuire, tell us how you feel about the dignitaries visiting the Wind River Ranch and Resort.”

  “My name is Clay,” the father of the bunch said. “I’ve ranched in Wyoming all my life. I don’t like these foreigners coming in trying to do business here, and I sure as heck don’t trust ’em. Why, they’ve already caused one bombing in these parts.”

  Jane shook her head, half listening, half ignoring the man’s remarks. She was impressed with Stefan’s plan and excited at the possibility that Wyoming could profit financially from their oil resources while being environmentally conscious.

  McGuire had no idea the good the summit could do both for peace relations and for Wyoming itself.

  As soon as the interview with McGuire ended, the camera switched to an interview with Sheriff Wolf. He looked uncomfortable in front of the camera and exhausted. No doubt he’d been up half the night sorting out the mess with Osgood’s suicide.

  “Sheriff,” Harold asked. “Is it true that one of your CSI agents was killed last night in the line of duty?”

  Sheriff Wolf gave Harold a cool look. “It is true that one of our CSI agents lost his life, but I cannot release details surrounding the circumstances just yet. There is an ongoing investigation into the matter—”

  “But isn’t it true that Mr. Osgood was working with some sort of terrorist group that caused the bombing of the limousine carrying one of the dignitaries? And that Osgood kidnapped one of your other agents and tried to kill her and Prince Stefan?”

  Jane gasped. Where in the world was Harold getting his information?

  Sheriff Wolf’s jaw clamped so tightly a vein throbbed in his neck. “As I said, I cannot discuss the details of an ongoing investigation. I will hold a press conference when we have more to share.”

  With that comment, Sheriff Wolf walked away. The camera panned back to Harold who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Jane poured herself a cup of coffee and was just about to take a sip when Harold continued, and a photograph of Stefan appeared on the screen.

  “Speaking of Prince Stefan,” Harold continued.