by Sara L Foust
The porch boards creaked under her weight as she slid under the side rail. “Come on, Milt. Where are you?”
With her back pressed to the front wall, she slid toward the front door. A quick peek through the glass told her there was no entry that direction either. Someone was either hoping to take them out in their sleep or catch them as they ran from the inferno.
What if Milt was already dead? The thought had been trying to come into focus for many minutes. Now it slammed her like a karate kick to the chest.
She had to try. She couldn’t just... Annalise grasped the door handle, held her breath, and swung the door in. A blast of desert-like heat rushed into her face. A roar that started at the floor whooshed away from her. Curled upward and met the flames climbing the wall near the staircase. In an instant, the flames touched the ceiling and the flashover poured toward her.
Annalise fell backward, flames leaping above her and igniting the underside of the porch roof in seconds. She scrambled toward the steps, gasping for clean air. That was close. A hot hand gripped her shoulder.
“What are you doing?”
Milt’s gruff voice filled her with joy. She sprang to her feet and embraced him. “I thought...I thought you were...”
“Takes more than a little fire to kill a stubborn old guy like me.”
She chuckled. “Someone’s here. We’ve got to go.” Movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention as she released him. “Milt, duck!” She shoved him to the ground and raised her weapon. Before she could squeeze the trigger, a bullet whizzed by her head, followed by the crack.
Milt rose, grabbed her shoulder, and pulled her toward the side of the house.
Another bullet pinged into the porch somewhere to her left.
“Where are Zach and Olivia?”
Annalise took the lead, racing to the location she’d stashed them. “Guys, time to go.”
Zach and Olivia stepped from the underbrush.
Milt spoke over Olivia’s shoulder, hugging her tightly. “I don’t think we can make the car, Annalise.” He directed them all back into the forest. “We need a different plan.”
“Fireworks,” Zach slurred.
Annalise put her hand on his shoulder. “We aren’t at my house, Zach.”
“Right.” He sank to his haunches and slid the rifle over his knees.
Maybe she should take that from him. He certainly wasn’t very lucid. “I don’t understand why they aren’t just coming at us.”
“Me neither,” Milt added.
“Maybe it’s just a him.” Zach looked up at her. “Someone hit me, but I only remember one pair of boots when I hit the ground.”
“You mean the Juarez Cartel didn’t send the usual army, just one man?” Olivia wrinkled her brow. “Doesn’t fit their normal plan of attack.”
Annalise shook her head. “I agree.”
“That means we have him outnumbered.” Zach smiled. “A little distraction, please.”
Before Annalise could stop him, Zach raced from their hiding spot toward the front porch. “Zach, wait!” She ran after him. “What’s the pla—”
In slow motion, he raised the rifle to his shoulder and fired a round over the top of the porch rail. A handgun report echoed over the roar of the fire now working its way to consuming the entire structure.
She raced to join him. “Zach, it’s too hot. This is crazy!”
“Get them to the car.”
Annalise tugged on his arm. “Come on, Zach. You’re too close!”
He shrugged her off.
She could barely see through the wall of flames to the dark figure on the far side. Why wasn’t he opening fire on them both?
Annalise motioned over her shoulder for Milt and Olivia to try to make it to the car parked cattycorner to the porch. If only they had parked twenty feet closer there wouldn’t be so much unsheltered space.
She counted down from three to one and then fired three shots in rapid succession.
The man dove for cover.
It was enough for Milt to get Olivia to the car and slip into the rear seat.
“Go, Zach. I’ll cover you.”
“You go.”
“I’m not arguing with you. My eyebrows are about to burn off and my skin is melting. Just go!” She yanked the rifle from his hand and pushed him toward the car.
After a quick reload, she shot at the location she last saw the shadowy figure.
Her SUV came to life and sped toward her with Zach in the driver’s seat. That wouldn’t work for long. He barely missed the bushes lining the side of the house as he slid to a stop. She yanked the passenger door open and jumped inside. “Go!”
Zach threw it in reverse and flung grass and gravel.
Annalise watched the fireball of a house grow smaller, until it disappeared around a bend in the driveway. Memories of her home and then Paul’s burning in much the same manner haunted her.
Had whiskey been used as an accelerant on her home like it had Paul’s? Had anyone ever even looked at that? She couldn’t remember seeing a report. How had she not noticed that until now?
Olivia had died shortly thereafter. She’d been too focused on solving the mystery surrounding her death. And she would probably never know if one was used here. She would probably have to put a lot of things into that “never know” category, and it killed her.
Zach reached the end of the driveway and whipped onto the road, putting the SUV into drive and squealing the tires as he accelerated. “Where to now?”
“Somewhere to pull over. You can’t drive with a concussion.”
“Right. Good point.”
“I think we need to get to the nearest hospital,” Milt said from the back seat. “I’ll call Henry and get him to meet us there.”
“Why?” Annalise spun in her seat.
Magenta stained Milt’s shirt. “It missed my heart, but I . . . can’t . . . catch my breath.”
Annalise’s hand flew to her open mouth and then dropped into a resolute fist. “Pull over, Zach. Now.”
She traded seats with him, shoved the car into drive, and took the curves faster than she should. The speedometer didn’t drop below fifty until she flew into the Emergency Room drop-off and skidded to a stop.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Zach didn’t want to admit it, but his mental clarity wasn’t exactly what it should be. He could’ve sworn he’d just seen Henry out of the corner of his eye. When he turned his head, the image vanished around the corner of the brick hospital. He blinked once, twice. He was imagining that, just like he imagined Annalise sprinting toward him now.
His door yanked open, and he almost fell onto the asphalt.
“Zach, come on, you’re next.”
Annalise obviously wasn’t a mirage. He squinted his eyes. “Huh?” Next for what?
“The ER staff is waiting. I told them we have three injured officers from an undercover operation. They didn’t ask more questions. Yet. They will.” She grabbed him under the arm and helped him to his feet. “You need...”
Her mouth continued to move, but he lost ability to hear any of the words. It was as if the entire world was coated in a fuzzy layer of fuzz. He snorted. Clever. Fuzzy layer of fuzz. Was the ground moving under his feet? And why was he tilting so?
Annalise’s vice-like grip kept him from slamming into the ground as hard as he would have otherwise. Before his eyes closed, he smiled at the concern on her face. I love you, Lise.
Had he said it aloud?
OLIVIA HUGGED MILT as the emergency room staff directed him into a wheelchair. “I love you, Dad. Always have.”
He smiled weakly. “Always will.”
He had no color left in his cheeks, no strength left in the shaky arm he attempted to raise to return her embrace.
Lord, please not my father. Please help him.
They wheeled him through the doors.
She wasn’t allowed to follow.
Olivia sank into a chair and propped her throbbing foot into the ad
jacent one. Her foot ached with each heartbeat, as if the break had a heart of its own trying to escape in the most painful way possible.
A flurry of activity at the front entrance caught her attention.
Nurses pushed someone on a stretcher through, shouting instructions at each other.
Annalise entered behind them with tears streaming down her face.
Olivia jumped onto her good foot and hobbled to embrace her friend. “What happened?”
Annalise sniffled. “He just went down, Olivia. I don’t know. I don’t know.”
“Okay, shh.” Olivia patted Annalise’s arm. “Calm down, it’s going to be okay.” She whispered platitudes she didn’t feel. Inside, all she could think over and over again was how big of a mess she’d made for everyone. Was her family even safe? Or had she simply endangered them further too?
Tears welled in her eyes. She held Annalise’s hand as they both cried.
Annalise swiped at her cheeks. “You should get your foot checked while we are here.”
Olivia tried to wiggle her partially exposed toes. They didn’t seem to want to respond to her commands. “Yeah, maybe.”
“Your toenails don’t look normal.”
“They are kind of blue, aren’t they?” That was probably not a great sign.
“Might as well. It doesn’t look like we’ll be going anywhere for a while.”
She nodded, but that was exactly what was causing the knots in her stomach. If she stayed in one place too long, the Juarez Cartel would find her and her father and friends.
“Come on, I’ll sign you in.”
Olivia allowed Annalise to direct her to the front desk, but in the back of her mind she was busy formulating an escape plan. Once the doctors fixed her foot, she’d be okay on her own. Her dad would understand. She had to put distance between the walking time bomb of her secret-holding brain and the ones she loved.
“WHAT HAPPENED, SIR?” the nurse with a grim line for a mouth asked.
“Undercover. Can’t give...details.” Milt gasped.
“Okay, no more talking.”
Thank goodness. Breathing felt like fish hooks yanking a million places inside his chest right now.
They transferred him to a rolling bed. The nurse cut his shirt and undershirt open. Several faces leaned over him, all frowning.
How was he still conscious? He’d managed to never have been shot on the job, but the men and women he’d seen take bullets to the torso went down fast. And didn’t get up.
“Prep him for surgery.”
“Yes, doctor.”
He’d expected as much. “Am I . . .” he couldn’t finish the thought. It wasn’t his time to go, was it?
The doctor paused and looked directly at him for the first time. “No way to know for sure until we get in there, but I believe the bullet is still in your left lung. You need surgery now to repair the damage.”
He nodded, feeling even that small movement in every muscle down to his toes. He was so very tired. His eyes started to slide closed. If he could just rest for a few minutes, everything would be okay.
“Mr. Brooks?”
His eyes snapped open. “Captain.”
“Captain Brooks, stay with us, just a few more minutes. Okay?” The nurse was smiling at him again, as she worked to connect the fluids to the fresh IV in his arm.
When had someone put that in? “Tired . . . cold . . .”
The doctor’s voice pierced through the closing veil of exhaustion. “One unit of packed red blood cells. Now.” He paused. “And take blood samples to see how much more he needs.”
Milt didn’t care what they did anymore. Fix him. Don’t fix him. Just let him sleep. He let his eyelids close. Their voices faded away as the heaviest slumber of his life overtook him.
ANNALISE TAPPED HER foot on the linoleum floor. How had it only been an hour since Olivia, Zach, and Milt disappeared behind those doors? She’d watched the waiting room ebb and flow with sick people of all ages and diseases, yet she felt so alone she ached. Three of the people she cared most about in this world were just out of reach, just out of her control. The situation had gone from bad to worse and they had no answers. No plan. No chance of winning at the rate they were going.
She dropped her head into her hands. Lord, seriously. What is Your plan here? I’ve asked that question so many times over the last year. I can’t do this much longer.
I didn’t ask you to, child. Let me handle it all.
Annalise sighed. Same old answer. I have to help. I have to fix this.
How?
I don’t know, Lord.
Because you aren’t in control.
Her fingers trembled as she folded them together. But I need to be, Lord. You made me this way. Why give me control only to take it away?
Silence.
All things work together for Your good. She drew a deep breath. I was never in control, was I? Not of my career, not of my marriage. Not of any of this.
Now you’re getting it.
What do You want me to do?
Nothing.
Ouch. Nothing was harder than everything.
I’ll show You when to move. Trust me.
I do.
She sighed and lifted her gaze. Henry stood in the doorway, shifting from one foot to the other. Waiting for her to finish praying, maybe? She flew into his arms. “I am so glad Milt called you. I needed a friendly face.”
He cleared his throat and pushed her gently away. “What happened?”
Annalise recapped the past few hours’s events. Recalling and rehashing it all drained her a little more with each word.
Henry sat stoically next to her until she finished the discourse. “All three of them are back there somewhere now?”
She nodded.
“Any updates at all?”
“No.”
“Sit tight. I’m going to see what I can do. We clearly aren’t safe here.” Henry disappeared into the darkness outside the emergency room doors.
Annalise sank into the chair, suddenly finding herself more exhausted than she could remember ever feeling before. She laid her head on her hands and let her eyelids slip closed. It felt good to let someone else be in charge right now...
How had Henry gotten here so quickly? When had Milt called him? Annalise searched the jumbled images reeling in her mind’s playback. Milt hadn’t used his cell phone in the SUV after the house fire. He hadn’t even had it in his hand once they arrived at the hospital.
A hand gingerly touched her shoulder.
Annalise jumped as her eyes flew open. “Oh, Olivia, you about scared me half to death.”
“Sorry.” She smiled. “Like my new cast.”
“Oh, purple. Very nice.”
“Yeah, the dressing Zach’s mom did was cutting off circulation because my leg had swollen so much. It’s probably a really good thing you made me get checked out.”
Annalise returned her smile. “Good. Sit. We need to make a new plan.”
Olivia sat next to her.
“Zach’s dad is here. He will be good help.” Maybe. Something about his presence bothered her. Why?
Olivia’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I almost ran out the back door. I’m endangering all of you just being in the same building.”
Annalise took her hand. “We’re in this together. I’m ready for the Juarez Cartel to go down once and for all.”
“And not get back up.”
“Exactly.”
Henry entered the front door. His gaze landed on Olivia, and he froze.
Olivia’s grip on Annalise’s hand tightened.
Annalise glanced at her friend. “You okay?”
Her face paled. “That man . . . we have to get out of here, Annalise.”
“That’s Zach’s father, Olivia. He’s on our side.”
Olivia grabbed her arm and yanked her to her feet. She left her crutches leaning against the chairs, dragging Annalise through the doors farther into the hospital.
Henry star
ted toward them.
The doors swung closed.
Annalise pulled her friend to a stop. “Olivia, stop. He’s here to help.”
Olivia shook as she spoke. “Listen to me, Annalise.”
“No—”
“Listen. To. Me. I know things, Annalise. You know I do. That man out there may be Zach’s father, but he’s also the head of the Juarez Cartel.”
Annalise chuckled. “Yeah, right, Olivia. Now is not the best time for jokes.”
“I’m dead serious. We have to go. If I’m not here, Zach and Milt will be safe. They want me.” Olivia charged down the hallway, as fast as she could in a fresh cast.
Annalise chased after her and pulled her around. “What do you know? Why do they want you dead so very badly? You owe me that much.” Her heart pounded. “I’ve lost everything I cared about because of them. Because of you and whatever it is that you are keeping secret. Tell me!” Annalise had gone too far. It certainly wasn’t Olivia’s fault she’d lost everything, but Olivia was the only one to take her anger out on right now.
“Escape first, talk second.” Olivia’s eyes widened. “Annalise, please. He’s coming.”
Annalise glanced over her shoulder. Visible through the windows on the ER doors back to the lobby, Henry moved toward them. “You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Each mile Annalise put between them and the hospital tore a bigger chunk from her heart and threw it to the road to be squashed by her speeding tires. She’d just left Zach. And Milt. The two best friends she had in all the world. “You’re sure about this?”
“For the hundredth time, Annalise, yes. I’m sure.”
“What if he thinks you told Milt or Zach what you know?” Annalise tossed another frown toward the passenger seat.
Olivia bit her lip. “I don’t know.”
“Great.”
“Look, I’m sorry. I knew this day would come. Somewhere deep inside, I knew it. But all the planning Milt and I did flew out the window when the Juarez guys caught me coming off that Greyhound.”
