He stepped to her then, his face ablaze with anger, and his eyes unfocused. His crazed look told her he’d lost touch with reality and couldn’t understand what he was doing was as bad as the Gamblin brothers’ actions.

  He got in her face. “When you live through what I’ve been through, then you can judge me. Until then, keep your mouth shut.”

  Maggie turned her face away. She didn’t want to anger him any further, so she would change the subject. “You also never said where we’re going.”

  He backed up and leaned against the counter. “Far away from everyone and everything so no one knows I was involved in this.”

  “Right. You need to get away with killing me to keep from going to prison.”

  “Gotta make it five years until Ozzie gets out of jail. I have a bullet with his name on it, too. Then I don’t care about myself. Justice will have been served.”

  She met his gaze. “You’re so bent on getting justice for your sister, but how can you kill me? I have a family, too, you know.”

  “Had a family.” He moved the can of soda to the sink. “I did my research. Your mother has been dead for fifteen years, your dad a year ago, and you don’t have any brothers or sisters.”

  “What about my grandparents? Don’t you think they’ll mourn my loss?”

  His eyes flickered for a moment. “It can’t be helped.”

  “Actually, it can,” she said leveling her gaze on him. “You can turn around and take me home.”

  “That’s not going to happen no matter how much you plead or try to reason with me.” He took the gun from his belt and pressed the cold steel against her forehead. “So just shut up until I tell you to talk.”

  21

  Jackson brought up the image of the bus on his phone and passed it around the group. “Right now, the plan is for Coop to put down on the road ahead of the bus to stop it. But if that’s not possible, we’ll have to play things by ear once we locate the bus.”

  Jackson could see the thought if we locate the bus in everyone’s eyes, but he wouldn’t let himself think that way. “Once we have the vehicle stopped, we’ll approach with tactical ladders. Bust out the window near the driver and board. I’ll take the driver.”

  “You sure that’s a good idea?” Alex asked. “One of us might be more levelheaded about this rescue and should take the lead.”

  Jackson felt Gage eye him, but he didn’t change his focus from Alex. “I’m taking Fenwick out. End of discussion.”

  Jackson waited for someone to speak, but when no one uttered a sound, he faced Riley. “You’ll be on overwatch as usual. This guy even blinks wrong, I want you to take him out.”

  “I can’t allow that to happen,” Nate said. “No one takes anyone out.”

  Jackson fired Nate a frustrated look. “We’re not a trigger-happy bunch. If it’s a choice between Maggie or this creep’s life, you can be sure we’ll do what needs to be done.”

  “Only way I’ll let this go forward is if I’m taking a stand next to your sniper.” Nate looked at Riley. “I assume you have a scope I can use to watch the action and an extra comm unit.”

  Riley nodded.

  “Good, then if a shot needs to be fired, I’ll give the official word.” He shifted to lock eyes with Jackson.

  He wanted to stare the sheriff down until he caved, but Jackson could tell he wasn’t going to give in. He was a good sheriff, a strong one, and Jackson admired that.

  “Okay. Nate will give the go ahead.” Jackson met and held Nate’s gaze. “But you better be watching and listening. If anything happens to Maggie, it’s on your head.”

  “I can handle it.” Nate sat back and crossed his ankles like they were discussing sports instead of the tactical taking of a life.

  Jackson glanced around the group and saw the look of respect for Nate on his teammates’ faces.

  “Approaching target area,” Coop’s voice came over the headsets.

  Jackson lifted his binoculars and scanned below as did everyone except Coop.

  Jackson spotted what looked like a large silver Twinkie parked off a logging road. “You all see what I’m seeing?”

  “Affirmative,” Gage said and the others agreed.

  “Coop, can you put down nearby?”

  “I could set down behind him, but that wouldn’t help. I’ll need to do a flyover to get a better view from the north.”

  He moved them west of the target, and Jackson knew he was trying not to let Fenwick get antsy over hearing the chopper. Good news was if he did have binoculars and spotted the chopper, the lack of markings would tell him they weren’t military or law enforcement, and hopefully he’d let his guard down the way Lyle Vetter did on the ocean.

  Jackson watched the forested area pass below. When they were a good distance north of the target, Coop swooped the chopper down toward the road. “We’re good to land.”

  “Then let’s do it now before Fenwick gets antsy,” Jackson said, and his stomach filled with butterflies.

  He always got them before an op, but this one was especially important and risky, and he had to admit to being afraid it would go wrong. Being an elite operative didn’t mean you never had any fear. Just meant you’d learned how to control the fear and could still perform at a higher-than-normal level.

  “Looks like I’ll have a clear shot once we round that bend,” Riley said. “You’ll have to give me a few minutes to shimmy up a tree, though.”

  Riley handed a spotting scope to Nate.

  “You good to climb a tree?” Jackson asked Nate.

  “Can’t say as I’ve done it lately, but yeah, I’ll manage.” Nate studied the scope.

  Jackson gave the guy credit for not letting anything seem to discourage him. He fit in very well with the team.

  The chopper dropped, the road coming up to meet them. Jackson mentally prepared himself to take action. They hit with a soft bounce, and he had the door open in a flash. The team poured out of the helo like ants at a picnic, and he led them south, moving double-time. They reached the bend in the road, and he raised his fist and signaled for the team to move to cover provided by trees. When they hit their positions by the bus, and Riley with Nate in tow took their stand, each person would report in, and Jackson would give the signal to breach the bus.

  He stepped off the road and had to focus not to plunge down the steep ravine or make noise to alert Fenwick. He would likely have heard the helo land and could already be spooked. Jackson found his way through the trees and scrub until the bus came into view. He paused to assess with his binoculars. He spotted Fenwick sitting behind the wheel but facing the door. He wasn’t moving at all.

  Maybe he hadn’t heard the thump of rotors or felt the rumble. If not, he must be dead or sound asleep. Had he stopped to take a nap?

  Jackson started moving again and reached the bus. From his angle below the vehicle he couldn’t see into any window, and he wasn’t about to pop up and give away their location just to check. He squatted and waited. Alex took his position ahead of him where he’d be ready to pry the door open.

  “In place.” Riley’s voice came over Jackson’s earbud. “Looks like Fenwick is sleeping behind the wheel. No sign of hostage. Must be deeper in bus.”

  “Roger that.”

  So the guy was asleep. They couldn’t ask for a better scenario. Now Jackson just needed to hear from Eryn and Gage, and they’d be a go. Adrenaline flooded Jackson’s body in a rush that left him eager to move. He breathed deep. Let it out.

  Please don’t let me fail her. Please don’t let her be injured. Anyone on the team be injured.

  “We’re set.” Gage’s voice startled Jackson, but he recovered in a flash.

  “We’re a go in five.” Jackson counted down to one. “Go. Go. Go.”

  He plunged out of the scrub behind Alex and powered up the steep hill. The muscles in his legs burned, but he felt so alive he could hardly contain his eagerness and keep his focus.

  Alex reached the door, inserted a pry bar, and held his position. Jackson stacked behind him, waiting for the sound of breaking glass on the other side of the bus. The punch wouldn’t make an earth-shattering noise, but they’d hear the driver’s window break, and they’d definitely hear Eryn and Gage clearing the glass.

  A short pop sounded, and Alex split the door from the frame. He jerked it open. Rifle out, Jackson bounded up the steps. Fenwick was on his feet. His handgun was out and pointing at Maggie—bound to a chair.

  Jackson’s heart split. “Don’t do it, Fenwick!”

  Fenwick’s eyes were wide with panic. “Then you all get out of here and leave us be.”

  Jackson wanted to look at Maggie but he couldn’t take his focus from Fenwick. “I can’t do that.”

  “Then your friend dies,” he said, his voice cold and calculating.

  Jackson’s heart sank, but he didn’t let Fenwick see the fear that was clutching his heart. “Or does she?”

  Fenwick sneered. “What do you mean by that?”

  “You have a red dot on your head. A laser from our sniper’s rifle.”

  “You’re bluffing.”

  “Look in the mirror.”

  He turned his head slightly to look in the big rearview mirror, his face blanching, but when he looked back at Jackson, he jutted out a defiant chin. “So there’s a dot. Doesn’t mean it’s attached to a rifle.”

  Riley spoke in Jackson’s earbud. “If Maggie’s on the left side of Fenwick I can demonstrate.”

  “She is. Go for it.”

  “What?” Fenwick asked.

  “Our sniper is going to give you a little demonstration. Be sure you don’t move.”

  A bullet pierced the front window and lodged in one of the kitchen cabinets behind Fenwick.

  “Seen enough?” Jackson asked and tried not to gloat.

  Fenwick gnawed on his lip, his gaze darting around. He spun on Jackson. “So what if your sniper gets me? I could shoot Maggie first.”

  “Actually, you couldn’t. Our sniper will sever your brainstem, and you won’t have a chance to even flinch, much less get off a shot.” Jackson paused for a long moment. “What’s it going to be? You put down the gun or our sniper takes you out?”

  Fenwick thought for a minute, his gaze traveling around the bus again. He sighed. “Fine. You win.”

  “Place your weapon on the floor. Slowly.”

  He bent forward and lowered the gun to the floor. Jackson wanted to lunge at him and take him down, but he kept his rifle trained on him and stepped aside to let Alex kick the gun out of reach and zip tie Fenwick’s wrists. Alex dragged Fenwick to the door, and Jackson had to hold himself in check to keep from ramming the butt of his rifle into the guy’s face.

  Maggie moved in his peripheral vision, drawing his attention, and he forgot everything else to go to her. He squatted in front of her and ran his gaze over her. At the sight of a big knot on her forehead, his gut clenched, and he wanted to take off and beat Fenwick within an inch of his life.

  “Thank you.” She exhaled heavily and smiled at him. “I hoped you’d come. I thought you would, but I couldn’t be sure you’d figure out where he took me.”

  “I promise you,” he said looking into her eyes. “I will never fail you again. Never.”

  Maggie didn’t know how to respond to Jackson’s statement. He said what she wanted to hear. It sounded like he was planning to be there for her in the future. But what did that mean exactly?

  She wanted to accept his words as something uttered in the heat of the moment and let it go, but she couldn’t. “You can’t make a promise like that.”

  “I can and I did.” He retrieved a switchblade from his pocket.

  “But you’re only human, Jackson. You’re bound to make a mistake again.”

  “I won’t. Not when it comes to you.” He clamped down on his jaw and worked the muscles hard.

  She looked deep into his eyes. “And at what cost will you hold that promise?”

  “I don’t understand.” He flipped open his knife and quickly sliced through the rope circling her body.

  “You’re already stressed out about not wanting to fail others. The stress from this promise will paralyze you, and your quality of life will be horrible. I couldn’t bear to see that happen.”

  He didn’t answer, but moved behind her, gently took her hands, and cut the zip ties. She wanted to rub her wrists, but the muscles in her upper arms ached from holding them in such an unnatural position that all she could do was let them drop to her sides for now.

  Jackson came back around. He snapped his switchblade closed and shoved it into his pocket. His expression reminded her how fierce he looked holding his rifle and staring down Fenwick. He’d been in his element. In command and someone who would in all situations do his best to take care of others around him.

  When he didn’t say anything, she stood up and lifted her hand to caress the side of his face. Pain shot down her arm, but she didn’t care. “You’re an amazing man, Jackson. I am so blessed to know you. Thank you for coming for me.”

  His eyes lingered on her in a tender expression, and she knew she had to kiss him. What was to become of them after that she didn’t know, but right now it felt like the right thing to do.

  She put her arms around his neck and raised up on her tiptoes. He met her halfway and crushed her to him as his lips settled on hers. Fireworks exploded in her brain, and she felt as if she might melt in his arms. She returned the kiss, deepening it, clinging to him. Willing him to see how much she cared for him. How much she wanted to be with him.

  “Um…excuse me,” Alex’s voice cut through her brain fog.

  She withdrew from the kiss but remained in Jackson’s arms. Breathing hard, he rested his forehead on hers, and she was surprised he didn’t step back.

  “Sorry,” Alex continued. “But Nate wants to get Fenwick transported to jail, and he wants to talk to Jackson first.”

  “Roger that,” Jackson said.

  Alex nodded and jogged down the stairs.

  She extricated herself from Jackson’s arms and instantly felt alone.

  His expression tightened again, but he kept his focus on her. “I’ll be right back, and we can continue this.”

  “Actually,” she said, knowing he wasn’t ready to continue with her in any capacity right now, “I don’t think that’s a good idea for either of us.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying no matter what our feelings are for each other, you aren’t ready to offer anything more than a kiss right now. Not until you accept that you aren’t perfect and don’t make promises you can’t keep. It’s time to end this before we both get hurt again.”

  “So that’s it then,” he said, his hands clenched.

  She nodded, her heart already aching at the thought of being without him.

  His disappointed gaze lingered on her for a long moment, then he spun to walk out the door.

  22

  The Fourth of July in Cold Harbor. Maggie never thought she would be there, but Hannah begged and begged until Maggie accepted Hannah’s invitation to the picnic and fireworks. Maggie wanted a chance to properly thank the team for their help, even though she knew Hannah was trying to get her and Jackson together. She also knew Hannah’s plan would fail.

  The shared kiss after he rescued her told her he wanted her. But he obviously hadn’t worked things out as she hadn’t heard from him since that day. If he found a way to live with his fears and not exist in a desperate kind of agony, he would have called. His quiet mood tonight at the beach when everyone was loud and boisterous confirmed her assessment.

  How could he not enjoy this night? It was magical. A cool seventy degrees, a gentle wind blew as the ocean waves rolled in to lap the shore. The fireworks would soon be launched from a ship in the ocean where there was no danger of sparks starting a forest fire, and Maggie could already feel the excitement in the group.

  She rested her bare feet in the sand still warm from the day. Riley and Alex had built a roaring bonfire. To the delight of everyone else, they razzed each other on their caveman fire building skills as they did so, making Maggie and the others laugh. Except Jackson.

  She relaxed back in the lawn chair and glanced around the fire pit at his friends. His family really. Coop, the guy she’d been so leery of, sat on a log, his fiancé Kiera on his lap. The ferocity in his gaze had long ago disappeared, and his love for Kiera was unmistakable. She obviously felt the same way. Her brother, Kevin sat next to them, his face in his phone, oblivious to everything around him.

  Eryn sat in a beach chair that hugged the sand. She held her sweet little Bekah who’d plugged her thumb into her mouth, her eyelids heavy. Her ponytail was the same rich black as Eryn’s hair, and her eyes when they were open, were big and round like Eryn’s. Bekah really was the spitting image of her mother. A rough and tumble little girl, she’d been playing tag with David and Mia, but was too little to keep up with them, and they’d soon worn her out.

  Across the fire from Maggie and near Jackson, Hannah opened a tote bag and took out marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers along with long roasting sticks.

  “S’mores,” David shouted.

  Mia tottered over to the fire, and Maggie glanced at Bekah to see her reaction, but her eyes remained closed.

  “Bekah’s like you, Eryn,” Riley said. “Can and will sleep just about anywhere.”

  “And,” Alex said, a twinkle in his eyes. “She’s wiped out from trying to keep up with the big guys just like you, too.”

  Eryn rolled her eyes as the team chuckled, and Alex playfully jabbed her in the arm. Maggie loved the team’s good-natured teasing and could really imagine settling down in Cold Harbor with Jackson and being a part of the group. She glanced at him again to see if he was going to join in, but he hadn’t moved an inch, nor was he smiling.

  What was up with him? Did he not want her here? Likely not. Even if he didn’t, she wasn’t going to let it ruin her night.

  Hannah knelt by the fire, and Gage joined her. He gave her shoulders a quick squeeze, and together they helped Mia and David settle their marshmallows in the glowing fire.