No Regrets

by Rebecca Deel

  He told Trent the address Zane had sent. “Sound familiar?”

  “Farm country. Not much out there.” He inclined his head toward the locker room. “Get your gear. Suit up on the way.”

  Cade raced inside, grabbed his Go bag and equipment bag. The thought of having to use explosives to reach Sasha made his jaw clench. So many things could go wrong, all of them ending with Sasha’s blood spilling on the floor. Unacceptable. He couldn’t lose her before he had a chance to know her.

  When he sprinted from the building, two of the team SUVs were idling at the entrance. Cade dove into the shotgun seat of the lead SUV with Trent behind the wheel.

  Bravo’s leader floored the accelerator as Cade shut the door. Matt leaned over the seat, grabbed Cade’s Go bag, and handed him the gear he needed to protect himself and his teammates.

  As he strapped on weapons and yanked on his vest, he asked Trent, “Any news?”

  “Ethan and Nick Santana are en route, two minutes ahead of us.”

  “They know not to engage, right?”

  Trent slid him a look.

  “Stupid question. Ignore it.” Ethan Blackhawk had been an Army Ranger, like Cade. The police chief was the best of the best with a reputation that still made the rounds of discussion in Special Forces circles. Ethan knew how to utilize his best assets and right now that was Bravo team.

  “He and Nick will do reconnaissance and set up a perimeter.”

  “Does he know if Sasha’s all right?” When Trent hesitated, Cade’s head whipped his direction, frozen in the act of shoving his Ka-Bar into place. “Trent?”

  “She talked to Ethan for a couple minutes. They had locked her in a closet. A few minutes ago, one of the men dragged her out.”

  Every muscle in his body tightened. “And?” If they had hurt Sasha, those men would be lucky to survive the night.

  “One of the robbers is injured. The other one wanted Sasha to help the injured man.”

  “Did she?”

  “Couldn’t. Apparently, one of them had clubbed her on the head with his weapon during the escape. When the uninjured robber dragged her out of the closet, she barfed.”

  Oh, man. He dragged a hand down his face. He could imagine how that went over.

  “Probably has a concussion,” Matt said.

  “What happened?” Cade asked.

  “Ethan said the clown who wanted the help slugged Sasha. He heard her cry out in pain. She fell against something and hasn’t made another sound. The uninjured robber is cursing a blue streak.”

  Cade’s closed his eyes for a few seconds, fighting to regain control. He shoved his knife deep into the sheath, imagining it going deep into the gut of the man who hurt Sasha. Grabbing his Sig, he checked that his weapon was ready, slid it into the holster on his thigh, then positioned his backup piece in the ankle holster. He loaded extra magazines for both weapons even though he doubted that much fire power would be necessary. A couple of two-bit thugs wouldn’t stand a chance against Bravo team. Still, he wasn’t taking chances with Sasha’s life.

  After shrugging into his long-sleeved shirt, he grabbed his phone and checked the signal connecting his team to Sasha. Still in the same place. Did that mean she was there as well or just her phone? Cade wanted to barf himself at the possibility the men had found her phone and left it behind when they relocated to another place, one Bravo team wouldn’t be able to find before it was too late to save her life.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Bravo team’s SUVs stopped one-quarter mile from the target address, and Cade bailed out along with his teammates. They each shrugged on their packs.

  “Grab your gear and let’s move.” Trent signaled for his team to activate their comm systems. Cade and his teammates made sure the comm systems were in working order as they ran silently toward the appointed location to meet Ethan and Nick. Each of them had backup headgear in case of malfunctions.

  The mission clock ticked in Cade’s head along with a burning need to find Sasha. He used the first to help him focus and ruthlessly controlled the second. Rushing inside the place Sasha was held without a plan would endanger her, himself, and his teammates. Bravo team was the best he’d ever worked with. He trusted them with his life. He could trust them with Sasha’s. Yet he still fought a pitched battle to maintain discipline.

  Bravo team climbed a small rise and spotted Ethan and Nick hunkered down behind an outcropping of rocks. Although Cade and his unit didn’t make any noise as they approached, the police chief turned and motioned to them.

  “Sit rep,” Trent said.

  “Two tangos inside, both armed with handguns. One is injured, shot during the escape from the bank. He’s in the back bedroom, east corner, second floor, and alert enough to hold onto his weapon. The second one closed the drapes not long ago.”

  Cade couldn’t wait anymore. “Sasha?”

  “In the same bedroom. No visual on her in the last few minutes. The other man is pacing back and forth, keeping watch on the surroundings. He never leaves the house, but he’s constantly checking the area and his phone.”

  “His phone?” Simon looked puzzled. “Why hasn’t he left Sasha and bugged out with his buddy?”

  “He’s waiting for someone to contact him,” Nick said. The Otter Creek police detective, and Ethan’s brother-in-law, never took his gaze from the farm house several hundred yards from their location. “Nothing else makes sense.”

  “He’s a fool,” Liam said. “He can’t handle an injured partner and an injured hostage. Better to wait for the phone call while they’re on the move.”

  “What’s the layout of the house?” Trent asked.

  Ethan grabbed a stick and drew on the ground, pointing out windows and doors. “There’s a wraparound porch on the first floor and a balcony off the master bedroom on the west corner of the second floor. The second robber does a circuit of the upstairs windows every ten minutes or so. He starts in the bedroom with his partner, then makes his way down the hall toward the master bedroom before going to the bedroom windows at the front of the house. Once he finishes the circuit, you’ll have a few minutes before he starts another round.”

  “Tight,” Simon commented.

  “We can distract him,” Nick said. “Try to start a conversation with him.”

  “No.” Cade’s tone was brusque. “We can’t take the chance he’ll hurt Sasha again. He’ll know we tracked her somehow.”

  Trent slid Cade a look.

  Although holding his tongue galled him, Cade knew better than to defy his team leader. Trent would tear a strip off his hide if he didn’t close his trap.

  “No conversation,” Ethan agreed. “However, we can still provide a distraction. How long do you need to set your plan, Trent?”

  “Five minutes.”

  A nod from the police chief. “We’ll be ready. Go in from the back. Nick and I will be out front. I need at least one of these guys alive. This isn’t a simple bank robbery gone wrong.” With that cryptic statement, he and Nick disappeared into the trees that enclosed the property on three sides.

  Trent crouched in front of Ethan’s drawing. “Here’s what we’re going to do.” He laid out the plan, pointing out the best points of access. “Cade, you and Matt take the balcony. We already know of two injuries. You’ll need Matt with you. Liam, Simon, set up here and here. If these guys slip past us, take them down. Non-lethal shot unless you have no choice. I’ll come in the kitchen door and make sure we don’t have any nasty surprises. Questions or suggestions?” At the head shakes, he said, “Move into position. Cade.”

  He pivoted, impatient with yet another delay. “Sir?”

  “Make sure your head’s in the game.”

  “Yes, sir.” He ran to catch up with his teammate.

  Cade and Matt circled to the tree cover on the left side of the house and worked their way toward the back of the property. When they were ready, Cade activated his mic. “In position,” he murmured, his gaze fixed on the balcony. He didn’t want to use a
grappling hook, afraid the noise might attract attention despite Ethan’s distraction. Doable with a boost from the medic, then he’d lower a rope for Matt.

  At that moment, he heard a loud argument start up between Ethan and Nick, both of them slurring words, sounding like two drunks arguing over who would get the next drink from the bottle.

  “Cade, Matt, go,” Trent whispered in the comm system.

  Weapons up and ready, they crossed the backyard, staying in the shadows as long as possible before surging over the last ten yards of open space. Thankfully, no shots rang out. Simon and Liam had their backs, but Cade wanted an unannounced approach for Sasha’s safety.

  He holstered his Sig and signaled Matt to give him a boost. The medic crouched, hands forming a cradle. Seconds later, Cade clambered over the wooden rail, shrugged off his pack, and dropped a rappelling rope. While Matt climbed to the balcony, Cade kept his weapon trained on the door in case Ethan’s distraction backfired.

  “One minute,” Trent murmured.

  Cade chafed at the delay. He sucked it up and counted off the seconds in his head. His team leader needed that time to get into position himself. While they waited for Trent’s command to execute the rest of the plan, Cade turned the French door’s knob. Locked. He grabbed his lock picks and went to work. Another thing they didn’t know was whether or not the house was wired for explosives.

  The lock gave. He glanced over his shoulder at Matt and nodded. They were ready to go as soon as Trent gave the word.

  His team leader’s voice came over the comm. “Execute.”

  “Copy.”

  Cade motioned for the medic to move back a step and turned the knob. Weapon up, he nudged the door open wide enough to slip into a darkened room. Light from the hallway gave enough illumination so he and Matt didn’t stumble into furniture and give away their presence in the house.

  At the doorway, he pressed his back to the wall and peered down the hall. Clear. Didn’t know how long that would last so they needed to move. He motioned for Matt to follow him. Weapons tracking, they cleared each room in silence.

  As they approached the bedroom where Sasha and the injured robber were last seen, they heard a fury-filled voice swearing at the commotion from Ethan and Nick.

  “If they’ll move along, I’ll give them my bottle of Jack Daniels,” a thready voice whined. “Can’t you get rid of them?”

  “No one’s supposed to know we’re here, you idiot.”

  “They’re drunk, man. They won’t remember nothing.”

  A snort. “You remember stuff that happens when you’re drunk as a skunk.”

  “Come on. We got to get rid of them before Wes calls.”

  “Shut up,” hissed the second man. “No names.”

  “She’s not going to tell no one.”

  Cade edged closer to the room, his hand tightening on the Sig’s grip.

  “I need help, man.”

  “We got our orders. Can’t move until we get the word.”

  He frowned. Orders? What was going on?

  “First floor is clear,” Trent said. “Moving to cut power now.”

  Cade moved close enough to see the robber pacing in a mirror on the bedroom wall. A slight shift in position and he saw the injured man’s sneaker-covered foot as he lay sprawled on the bed. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see Sasha’s position in the room.

  He turned and told Matt the position of the two men via hand signals.

  “Going dark in three, two, one.” The electricity kicked off.

  Cade slid his NVGs in place and the area in front of him lit up in green.

  “Hey, what’s going on?” the injured robber asked. “Did a breaker blow?”

  “Zip it. Something’s wrong.”

  By the time he finished his statement, Cade and Matt were inside the room on opposite sides of the doorway. Sasha was unmoving near the window, too close to the bank robber for Cade’s peace of mind. A good shooter wouldn’t miss at that distance.

  “Put down your weapons.” Cade targeted the man he was certain had hurt Sasha. The robber’s face twisted into a mask of fury. “Last chance. Put down your weapon.”

  One gun clattered on the floor. “Don’t shoot. I’m hit. I need help.”

  “On your stomach,” Matt ordered.

  The injured man groaned as he complied.

  The second robber shouted curses as he swung the barrel of his weapon toward Sasha.

  Cade squeezed the trigger of his Sig. The tango dropped, partially covering Sasha. The injured man yelled as Cade flung the second robber away from Sasha. He checked for a pulse, didn’t find one. Ethan was not going to be happy.

  He kicked the downed robber’s gun away and turned to Sasha, activating his mic. “Targets secured. Lights.” Cade and Matt took off the NVGs before Trent turned the electricity on.

  Light flooded the room.

  Cade sucked in a breath when he saw Sasha. Oh, man. Her cheek was already starting to bruise where the clod’s fist had slammed into her face. He pulled out his Ka-Bar and sliced the restraints from her wrists. “Matt.”

  “Keep an eye on this one.”

  He swiveled on one foot, his Sig pointed at the blubbering robber with his hands cinched behind his back, whining that he hadn’t meant to hurt anybody.

  The medic knelt beside Sasha and began to check her over as feet pounded up the stairs toward the bedroom.

  “It’s Ethan and Nick,” the police chief warned from the hall before he entered the room. He took in the room at a glance, inclining his head toward the man on the floor in an unspoken question.

  Cade shook his head. “I didn’t have a choice. He turned the gun toward Sasha.”

  Nick pulled out his handcuffs. “Ambulance is on the way. I’ve got this one.”

  Those words released Cade to focus on what was most important to him. He handed Ethan his Sig, grip first. “You’ll need this.”

  “Thanks. I’ll need a statement from you and Matt.”

  “You know where I will be. Come find me.”

  “Is Bravo scheduled for deployment?”

  “Not while Durango is out of the country,” Trent said as he walked into the room.

  “Good enough. I’ll need statements from the rest of you as well.”

  “We’ll make ourselves available.”

  Matt sat back. “I think it’s safe to move her out of here. No broken bones. She’ll need to go to the hospital. They’ll want to keep her overnight at least.”

  “Take her downstairs to wait for the ambulance,” Ethan said. “She doesn’t need to wake up to this.” He motioned toward the dead bank robber.

  The medic shifted out of the way to make room for Cade.

  He crouched and cradled Sasha in his arms. She couldn’t weigh more than a buck twenty. Cade maneuvered her carefully through the doorway and downstairs.

  In the living room, he laid her on the sofa, figuring she would be more comfortable there although he was reluctant to release her. Cade brushed strands of her hair away from her face. Sasha Ingram was even more beautiful up close, bruised or not.

  She stirred, moaned.

  “Sasha, you’re safe now.”

  The coffee shop owner jerked at the sound of his voice.

  “It’s Cade. You’re safe.”

  “You found me.”

  “I would have torn this county apart to find you.” Simple truth.

  “The men?”

  “Not a problem anymore.”

  The growl of a siren cut off abruptly.

  He stood, turned to unlock the door for the EMTs when a soft hand caught his.

  “Don’t go,” she murmured, her eyes squinting up at him.

  “I need to let the EMTs inside.” He hurried to unlock the door and admitted the men. “Upstairs, last door on the right. Gunshot victim.”

  “What about her?”

  “I’ll transport her myself.” Cade didn’t want Sasha in the same ambulance with the bank robber. He returned to Sasha, crouching be
side her. “As soon as Matt comes down, we’ll take you to be checked out.”

  “Hate hospitals.”

  He grinned. “Who doesn’t?”

  A ghost of a smile curved her lips.

  Two minutes later, his team medic came downstairs with his mike bag. “Ready?”

  Cade nodded. “Stay with her. I’ll bring the SUV.”

  Matt tossed him a key fob. “Trent will hitch a ride to the hospital.”

  He squeezed Sasha’s hand. “I’ll be back in five minutes.” As he ran out the door, he heard the medic asking Sasha routine questions. True to his word, he returned by the five-minute mark, parking the SUV where the ambulance had been.

  Matt grabbed his mike bag and stepped aside. “I’ll ride in the backseat with Sasha. You drive.”

  Cade wanted to argue, but nodded in agreement. Sasha was injured, maybe more seriously than first appearance. He wanted her to have medical care for the twenty-minute ride to the hospital.

  He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the SUV.

  “I could have walked,” she muttered.

  Doubtful. “Indulge me.” He settled her with care along the backseat. Matt climbed in and knelt on the floor as he dug into his medical bag. While his friend shook a chemically-activated cold pack, Cade slid behind the wheel and put the SUV in gear. The sooner a doctor checked Sasha over the better.

  As he sped through the county toward Memorial Hospital, Cade thought over the conversation he overheard between the robbers. Ethan was right. This wasn’t a simple bank robbery gone wrong. The uppermost concern in his mind, though, was whether Sasha was safe or if this was just the beginning of something more dangerous to the woman who fascinated him.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Sasha flinched as Dr. Anderson shined a bright light into her eyes. “Come on, Doc. Have some pity.”

  The white-haired physician who was a town favorite chuckled and continued to antagonize her headache. Finally, he turned off the pen light and moved back a step. “Well, my dear, I’m happy to say you only have a concussion. No signs of bleeding in the brain. How does your head feel?”