That changed the focus of his thoughts and prayers. “Lord, let me tell Aurora how I feel. Please? Somehow?

  It must not be in front of Ingrid, he added. If that vindictive woman had any idea how deep his feelings ran, Aurora wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving.

  * * *

  Left alone in the kidnapper’s car, Aurora cradled her throbbing hand and tried to think. If she attempted to run away again, Ingrid would probably snap and shoot Catherine. If she just sat there, the two older women would likely return, which would prepare the way for Daniel to show himself. There wasn’t any doubt that Ingrid intended to kill him. She’d already said so.

  Aurora sighed with a shudder. At least her prayers for little Joy had been answered. The toddler was safe. The trouble was, if anything happened to Daniel Slater, the poor child would be parentless again. That was terrible to even imagine.

  Moonlight was fading as storm clouds gathered, making it even harder for Aurora to see what she was doing in spite of the spotlights still shining from several police cars. Nevertheless, she was able to make out the dashboard. Something glinted to the right of the steering column. Her jaw dropped. Had Ingrid actually been careless enough to leave the key in the ignition? No way. And yet…

  Opening the passenger door was out of the question. The only way to reach the driver’s seat was to climb over the center console on her left. In a perfect world, Aurora would have simply lifted herself over. Her bruised, bleeding hand might hamper her if she tried but so what? Enduring temporary pain would be worth it if she could gain an advantage.

  Lifting her hips meant leaning on the seat and she felt the stickiness of blood beneath her palm. Pain shot up her arm, almost making her cry out. She bit her lower lip, tried again and succeeded.

  Between the excitement and the agony, catching her breath was impossible. She slipped behind the wheel and dragged her right leg into position on the floor pedals. An idea was forming. It was off the wall, yes, but nothing about Ingrid’s choices made sense and she was the one in charge. Maybe it was time to fight fire with fire, so to speak.

  Aurora blinked and peered through the windshield. She could see Catherine and their captor standing beside one of the trucks. A small group of men had gathered there too, and she hoped one of them was Brandon Murray because his location was the only unknown at the moment. Figuring out where all her enemies were was impossible. One thing she did know. She was not about to sit there like a fake duck in a carnival shooting gallery and let some demented criminal end her life. Or those of people she cared about.

  Thanking God that her right hand was uninjured, Aurora reached for the key. Once she started the car, there would be only seconds in which to act before Ingrid started shooting. Could she actually bring herself to drive into a crowd of people without knowing who she might hit? The answer was no.

  Clumps of wet snow were beginning to fall, partially obliterating her already tenuous view of Catherine and her captors. That made deciding even harder.

  A sharp rap on the opposite window startled Aurora so much that she almost keyed the starter. A face in shadow waved to her. Knowing that one of Ingrid’s men would definitely not be that subtle, she chanced lowering the electric window.

  Jack Donadio pressed a finger across his lips and leaned closer to speak just above a whisper, “Come with me. I’ll get you out.”

  “I can’t leave Catherine.”

  “Where is she?”

  Aurora pointed through the snow flurries. “Over there. See her? In the red scarf.”

  He nodded. “Suppose I can get Catherine off to one side. Do you think you can crash this car into the front of the truck as a diversion?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Do that when I signal, then immediately shift into Reverse and back away as fast as you can. I’ll take care of Catherine.”

  Aurora’s already pounding heart affirmed everything. “What about Daniel? Is he okay? He said he was going to walk right out in the middle of the parking lot.”

  “I’ll notify him what’s up by radio,” Jack said. “We’d better hurry before somebody spots me.”

  “Right.” With auxiliary power already engaged, Aurora was able to close the window and use the front wipers to clear the windshield without making any unnecessary noise. She saw Jack, and Beau, working their way along the front of the building in the deep shadows. The only easily visible color was the white lettering on his and the dog’s protective vests. Trouble was, if she could see it, so could the gang members.

  Hands fisted around the wheel so tightly her fingers began to cramp, Aurora watched. Waited. Felt an urge to start the car that almost overcame her.

  Pain from her hand throbbed in time with her rapid heartbeats, marking time and counting down to action. She pressed her lips into a thin line and gritted her teeth. An internal warning to fasten her seat belt came and was ignored. No way was she going to take her eyes off Catherine. Not for anything. She must know where Daniel’s sweet grandmother was every second.

  The red-scarfed figure began to slowly move to Aurora’s right, feet shuffling sideways rather than taking actual steps.

  Aurora reached for the ignition key. Her foot pressed the brake. Exterior stoplights flashed on the outside of the car. Ingrid flinched and started to turn.

  That did it. Out of time and knowing she had no other way to launch an offensive that had a chance of working, Aurora turned the key. Two mechanical coughs. Accelerator to the floor. The engine roared. Tires squealed. The car leaped forward, wheels spinning and slewing in the wet snow.

  Aurora’s courage held. She wasn’t vindictive like their kidnapper. She didn’t want to hurt anyone. Not really. But something or someone had caused Ingrid to leave the key behind and Aurora wasn’t about to question such good fortune. Call it divine guidance or simply a mistake on Ingrid’s part, the result was the same. They were in a battle for their lives and the tide had turned.

  The crash against the front bumper of the truck was metal against metal, snapping Aurora’s head back and suggesting to her that she had not pinned anyone. At least she hoped not. Groggy, she blinked rapidly in an attempt to clear her head.

  Bullets shattered the car’s windshield. With nowhere else to go, she threw herself down across the front console. Jack had told her to back up after the crash but she hadn’t had time.

  Glass shattered. Bullets imbedded themselves in the car’s upholstery. With every bang, Aurora expected to feel the hard hit of one of the projectiles.

  Mindless of the pain in her injured hand, she pressed her palms over her ears, muted the ambient sounds and turned her mind and body over to God. The time for fighting, for her at least, was past. Now, all she could do was wait to see who won.

  TWENTY-ONE

  Daniel was already running toward the warehouse with Dakota beside him when the shooting started. He’d received a brief report from Jack and had tried to deny Aurora permission to drive into the fray but by that time it had been too late.

  His speed had increased the moment he saw the car start to move. Knowing that the woman he loved was behind the wheel gave him all the stamina he needed, and more. Mindless of the bullets flying, he dropped into a crouch to cover the final thirty feet, hit the driver’s door with a bang, both hands splayed on the metal, and jerked it open.

  In the background, he heard shouts of “Police. Hands up” and “Cease fire.” Shooting stopped.

  Someone was screaming. Others cursed. A few tried to run and were quickly tackled. Daniel ignored them all. As his hand gripped the door handle, his heart was hopeful. If he’d been a gambling man, he’d have refused to bet that whoever was still in that bullet-riddled car was unhurt. Nevertheless, he couldn’t bring himself to imagine otherwise.

  He opened the door farther and crouched behind it with the panting Dane at his side. Aurora lay draped across the seats. When he grabbed her ankle, intending to pull her out, she screamed.

  Daniel had never heard a more welcome sound in his whole life.

  “Aurora!”

  “Daniel!”

  Giving a tug, he slid her closer, then opened his arms as she swiveled and reached for him. Breathless, speechless, he pulled her into a tight embrace, noting that she was holding onto him just as desperately.

  Stroking her hair and gasping for air, he began kissing the top of her head as it lay against his chest. Finally, he managed, “Are you hurt?”

  “J-just my hand,” he stuttered. “Catherine? Is she okay?”

  “She must be. I saw Jack move her out of the way before you…” He bit back a sob. “Oh, honey, why did you put yourself in such danger? I told you I’d get you out.”

  “You never said I couldn’t help.”

  How could he be upset with her when he was so overjoyed to know she’d survived? Brief introspection proved that his anger was more about himself—and the friend and team member who had had last contact with her.

  “Jack put you up to it, didn’t he?”

  Aurora relaxed her hold enough to look up at him. “I was already behind the wheel when I saw him, so not exactly. My plan was to do something with the car as soon as your grandmother was clear. Jack arranged that.”

  Rolling his eyes, Daniel felt a tear rolling down his chilled cheek and swiped it away. Snow was continuing to fall, catching in Aurora’s hair and glistening with points of light like stars in a night sky.

  Starting to speak, he faltered, coughed, then found his voice. “I thought I’d lost you.”

  Her hug had been loosening. It tightened again when he said, “I love you, Aurora.”

  Because she didn’t echo the tender sentiment, Daniel feared she wasn’t going to. In the trauma of the moment, had he overstepped? Was she going to reject his declaration? Could he take it if she did?

  Those questions were answered when she pushed away, rose to her knees, cupped his face and kissed him. Returning that kiss was easy. Ending it was not. As soon as she started to pull away, he held her more tightly, more possessively, in spite of his desire to take his time and make sure they were both as committed as he was.

  A head popped around the side of the car door. It was Jack. “I was going to ask if you two were okay but it looks like you’re fine.”

  Although he kept an arm around Aurora’s shoulders, Daniel replied. “Pretty good, actually.” He had to smile. “Status report?”

  “Scene is secure. Catherine is shaken but uninjured. We have Ingrid and her henchmen in custody. The trucks are filled to the top with illegal firearms and ammo. One of the drivers has already offered to provide names and numbers for the people on the receiving end of their delivery and he says there are half a dozen lockers still crammed full in a storage block behind the office inside. It’s a massive haul.”

  “Great.” Helping Aurora, Daniel got to his feet and dusted off snow. Much to his relief, she stayed glued to his side, her arm around his waist, while Dakota took her place beside him too. “What about Brandon?”

  “We haven’t ID’d all the gang members in custody.” Jack frowned. “Come to think of it, I don’t recall seeing him.”

  “Then we have a loose end,” Daniel said, reaching for his radio. “All units, be advised. Brandon Jones/Murray may be at large. Use caution. He’s known to be armed and dangerous.”

  When Aurora glanced up at him, Daniel felt bathed in so much affection it staggered him. What he wanted to do was take her somewhere private where they could discuss their future. It had to be spent together. It just had to be. Anything else was unthinkable.

  “I need to take you back to Joy,” he told her. “Jenna and Lucy are watching her for me. Over there where I’m parked.”

  “What about Catherine?” Aurora asked.

  How like the special woman he knew she was, Daniel thought. Always thinking of others. He looked to Jack. “Bring Nana over too, will you? I want to keep my family all in one place.”

  “Copy that.”

  “I’ll wait for her,” Aurora said. “She was so brave.”

  “So were you. I’m really proud of you,” he said, beginning to smile slightly. “Just promise me you won’t do anything like that again.”

  “I hope I never have to.” There were unshed tears in her eyes. “It was terrible thinking I might actually hurt somebody, even if they were threatening to harm us.” A blush rose to paint her cheeks even more than the icy wind already had. “Say it again?”

  “Say what again? No more wild driving?”

  “No. The part about family. I keep thinking I heard you say something about love too.”

  “I did. And you are family. At least I hope you will be someday soon.”

  “Like, officially?”

  Nodding, he placed a kiss on her forehead. “Yes. Officially. Give that some serious thought while we gather up my grandmother, will you?”

  “Hey! That’s right,” Aurora said, grinning. “I’ll have a new gramma too. Bonus relatives.”

  Daniel sobered. “About that. Family, I mean. Are you ready to become Joy’s mother?”

  “If you’re her father.”

  “Very soon.” Daniel kept expecting Jack to appear with Catherine in tow so he was reluctant to say much more. Yes, he planned to officially propose to Aurora but not here. Not like this. A proposal needed to be romantic to please a woman, at least he assumed it did. Not that he’d had oodles of practice. Besides, this whole concept of having a wife was new to him. He hadn’t had time to buy a ring, let alone think up a flowery speech.

  Daniel’s radio interrupted his thoughts, making them jump, Dakota included. He tightened up on the leash and answered. “Slater.”

  It was Jack. “I can’t find Catherine. She was right here a minute ago but she’s not now. Nobody seems to know where she went. Is she with you?”

  “No,” Daniel said. “You were the last one to see her. Are you sure she’s missing?”

  “I’m standing here in an empty space, boss.”

  “Okay. I’ll be right there.”

  “We’ll be right there,” Aurora added.

  “No way, lady. You’re going to stay with Jenna, Lucy and Joy while I search with Dakota and my team.” He watched her jaw drop as she stared at him so he softened his commands. “I need to know you’re secure in order to keep my focus, Aurora. Do it for Nana’s sake, not because I said you had to. Please?”

  She sighed and shrugged. “That’s better. Okay. Over there?” she asked, pointing at his SUV.

  “Yes. I’ll drop you off with Joy. As soon as we get eyes on my grandmother, I’ll radio and we’ll know this whole operation is wrapped up.” The slump of her shoulders told him she was going to comply without further argument. Seeing that was an immense relief, almost as great as knowing they had nearly ended the Dakota gun trafficking ring. One more piece of the puzzle and it would truly be over.

  He took her elbow and started guiding her across the parking area in front of the warehouse. Falling snow partially blocked his view of his and Jenna’s vehicles but he knew where they were. Wet snow squeaked beneath their boots with every fresh step. The wind had picked up, driving the falling clumps almost horizontally.

  Aurora pulled up the hood on her parka and shivered. “Whoa. That’s cold.”

  “And predicted to get worse,” Daniel said. “You’ll be warm enough once you’re in the car with Joy and the others.”

  “I hate to imagine poor Catherine out in this,” Aurora said. “Find her? Quickly?”

  “We will.” He waved to Jenna to unlock the car doors and was relieved to see Joy welcome Aurora as if she had been waiting and hoping for her to come. He leaned in before closing the door. “Keep everybody here with you two until I can bring Catherine. Understand?”

  “Copy,” Lucy said, peering past him at the falling snow. “Where is she?”

  Daniel shook his head just enough to warn his team members to stop asking questions he didn’t want to answer in front of his soon-to-be daughter. “Later.”

  “Gotcha.” Jenna made eye contact with Lucy and Aurora, then swung her gaze back to Daniel. “Go. We’ll be fine.”

  If he had not believed that with all his heart, he knew he wouldn’t have been able to back away. Straightening, he hitched up Dakota’s leash to keep her close, turned and started back toward the warehouse.

  Dakota seemed reluctant which Daniel attributed to the icy wind and snow. He’d make sure she was well warmed up soon. First, they had a job to do. He gave a slight tug and the command to heel.

  Although Dakota obeyed, she continued to do so haltingly, looking from side to side and sniffing the air.

  A chill snaked up Daniel’s spine and prickled the hair at the nape of his neck. Yes, he was feeling the cold but this was different somehow. Eerie. As his mind whirled, he realized that he’d been so intent on returning to his team at the warehouse he’d failed to heed what his K-9 was trying to tell him.

  Torn between standard operating procedures and instinct, he paused and listened. Wind and snow were muting ambient sounds so much he couldn’t hear well. Dakota however apparently heard or smelled or sensed something that was escaping him.

  Pivoting, he looked back at the Cold River patrol car where he’d left two of his loved ones. Not much was visible except for the presence of human forms beside the car.

  Someone keyed a mic. Broadcasting voices sounded distant until he heard Jenna’s “Mayday,” followed by Aurora clearly saying, “Put the gun down. Don’t hurt Catherine. I’ll come with you.”

  The urge to shout, “No!” was almost too strong to deny. Daniel mentally calculated the distance to the car, reached to unclip Dakota and gave her the command to attack, trusting her to see the gun and target the hand holding it.

  The Dane took off like a greyhound in the race of her life with Daniel right behind. She disappeared for a second, hidden by the falling snow. He heard a shot. His heart nearly burst. He couldn’t feel his feet or leg muscles. His lungs ached as gulps of icy air made them sting and protest.