Читать книгу Under the Lawman's Protection - Laura Scott - Страница 10

TWO

“Leah? Ben?” Isaac fought to get free of his seat belt so he could make sure his passengers were safe. “Are you both all right?”

Ben was crying and Leah was trying to console him. “Shh, Ben, we’re okay. Everything’s fine. Don’t cry, sweetie. Please don’t cry.”

Hearing Ben sob ripped at his heart. Yet there wasn’t time to waste. “We need to get out of here.”

“What? Why?”

He didn’t want to scare Leah more than she already was, but he believed someone had taken a shot at them. “Try to keep your head down and don’t get out of the car yet, okay? I don’t think this was an accident.” He quickly called the dispatch center, giving the code for officer needing assistance. “We’re not far from Highway 22,” he informed them.

“Ten-four.”

He hung up and then called Caleb’s number. Thankfully, his teammate answered on the second ring. “You interrupted our family time,” Caleb mumbled. “This better be important.”

“I’m sorry, but I need backup,” Isaac said. “I’m fairly certain someone caused me to crash my Jeep.”

“All right, I’ll grab Deck, too.” Caleb didn’t hesitate to come to his aid, and Isaac knew he was lucky to have friends like them. “Where are you?”

Isaac gave his location and then disconnected from the call, feeling better knowing the two men he trusted the most would be there soon. Of course, the dispatcher would send someone out as well, but Isaac needed members of the SWAT team to help him figure out exactly what they were dealing with.

“So you think someone made us crash?” Leah asked fearfully.

He glanced back at her, trying to figure out how much to say in front of Ben. “It’s just a hunch, but yeah. The tires on this Jeep are brand-new and I didn’t see anything on the road that could have caused this. Just stay down. I’m going to go out and make sure there isn’t someone out there.”

“Wait!” she cried as he was about to open his car door. “Don’t go. Stay here with us.”

He was torn between two impossible choices. If someone had shot out the tires on purpose, he couldn’t just wait for that person to come and finish them off. Nor did he want to leave Leah and Ben here alone.

So far he wasn’t doing the greatest job of keeping Hawk’s sister and her son safe. If he’d been wearing his bulletproof gear he would be in better shape to go out to investigate.

Isaac peered out the window, trying to see if anyone was out there. Sitting here was making him crazy, so he decided doing something was better than nothing.

“I’m armed, Leah, so don’t worry about me. I promise I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you and Ben safe.”

He could tell she wanted to protest, but she bit her lip and nodded. She pulled her son out of his booster seat and tucked him next to her, so that he was protected on either side. Then she curled her body around him. The fact that she would risk herself to protect Ben gave Isaac a funny feeling in the center of his chest.

Leah’s actions were humbling. He hadn’t been attracted to a woman in a long time, not since his wife had left him for a guy who turned out to be mentally unstable. A man who’d shot Becky, Jeremy and then himself in a fit of depressed anger.

But this wasn’t the time to ruminate over the past. Isaac’s ex-wife and son were gone and nothing in the world would bring them back. So Isaac would do the next best thing—protect Leah and Ben with his life if necessary.

Isaac hadn’t replaced the bulb in the dome light, so he wasn’t too worried about broadcasting his movements. He pushed open the driver’s-side door and used it as a shield as he swept his gaze around, searching for any sign of danger. The country road he’d taken was deserted, which wasn’t at all reassuring. He had to assume that someone had hidden in the trees along the opposite side of the road, waiting for his Jeep to show up so they could take a shot at him. The last thing he wanted to do was sit here and wait for yet another gunman to show up.

He was positive he hadn’t been followed, which left only one option. The masked man must have known he was a sheriff’s deputy, maybe by recognizing the uniform, and he’d come this way hoping to ambush him, since this was the main road leading to the sheriff’s-department headquarters.

How much time did they have before there was another attempt to take Leah and Ben? Probably not much.

Isaac had to decide right now if they’d be safer outside or waiting in the Jeep. Normally he didn’t have trouble making decisions.

But for some reason, he couldn’t seem to get the image of the gunman holding Leah hostage out of his mind. The personal responsibility gnawed at him.

Outside the Jeep, he abruptly decided. For sure, they needed to get outside to hide, so they weren’t sitting ducks.

He climbed back in and closed the door. “We’re going to get out on the passenger side, okay? I’ll go first and then you and Ben will follow.”

Leah lifted her tearstained face and nodded. Her silent tears made him feel bad for her, but he forced himself to concentrate. Awkwardly, he climbed over the gearshift and then pushed open the passenger door. Staying behind the protection of the car, he opened the door to the back, taking the booster seat out first, to give Leah and Ben room to maneuver.

“Come on out,” he said in a low voice.

Leah lifted Ben and handed him over. Isaac moved to the side, keeping the boy in front of him so that Ben was sandwiched between him and the car. Leah climbed out, too, and immediately reached for her son.

“Stay down,” Isaac said, moving so that he was directly behind her.

“Where are we going?” she asked in a whisper.

Good question. There weren’t streetlights, but the scant amount of lingering snow on the ground reflected the moonlight, making it brighter than he was comfortable with. “See that small cluster of trees?” He indicated an area directly behind him. “We’re going to hide there.”

Fear shimmered in her eyes, but she gave a jerky nod of agreement.

“You and Ben first. I’ll protect you from behind. Ready? Let’s go.”

Leah clutched her son close and ran up the slippery embankment toward the trees, moving faster than he’d anticipated. Then again, adrenaline had a way of giving the body a boost when needed the most. He held his weapon ready and kept pace behind her.

When Leah and Ben were safe in the grove, Isaac gave a little sigh of relief. He was about to join them when his foot slipped on a patch of melting snow. He fell to his knees and felt something whiz past his head.

A bullet?

“Get down,” he ordered hoarsely, practically throwing himself on top of Leah.

“What happened?” she asked in a muffled tone.

He didn’t want to scare her, but he couldn’t lie to her, either. “I’m pretty sure someone is shooting at us. Sit down at the base of this big tree and hold Ben in your lap. My backup will be here soon.”

Leah did as he asked, sliding to the ground and hugging her boy close. Isaac could hear her murmuring something, and he leaned down, trying to hear what she was saying.

It was then he realized she was praying.

Dear Lord, keep us safe in Your care! Give Isaac the strength and the courage to defeat our enemy. We ask this in Christ the Lord. Amen.

Normally he wasn’t the praying type, but right now, Isaac couldn’t deny they needed all the help they could get. And if that meant praying, he was all for it.

* * *

Leah cuddled Ben close, whispering prayers as a way to keep them both calm. She felt terrible about how he had been crying on and off, clearly not understanding what was going on. To be fair, she didn’t really understand, either.

Why would someone come after her and Ben? Not just once tonight, but twice? She was very grateful she was here with Isaac rather than being alone.

“There, do you hear that?” her brother’s friend asked softly.

She couldn’t hear anything beyond the thundering of her heart. She was about to shake her head when she heard the faint wail of a siren.

Help is on the way!

“Maybe you should call them and let them know where we are,” she suggested.

“No, the light from my phone would be a beacon showing our location to the shooter. As it is, he already knows we’re on the move. But from the angle of the bullet, he must still be up in the trees somewhere, which is good for us, as that means he isn’t in the process of making his way over here on foot. Unless he has a partner.”

“But why is he shooting at all? I don’t understand.”

Isaac scowled. “He was probably trying to take me out of the picture so that he had a clear path to get to you.”

She swallowed hard, wishing she hadn’t asked.

The radio on Isaac’s lapel crackled and he quickly muffled the sound with his gloved hands. “ETA?” he whispered.

“Less than five.”

“Shooter in the tree line on the south side of the street,” he murmured. “Stay down.”

“Ten-four.”

Leah began reciting the Lord’s Prayer. She could feel Isaac’s gaze on her and she couldn’t help wondering if he wasn’t a Christian. Not that she should be surprised, because her brother went to church only when she forced the issue. And even then he mostly attended for Ben’s sake.

“We’re not beat yet,” Isaac said when she’d finished her prayer. “We’re going to be fine as soon as my teammates Caleb and Deck get here.”

“I know. But praying keeps me calm. I take it you don’t have the same experience?”

He gave a brief shake of his head and averted his gaze. “Nope. The only times I go to church are for weddings or funerals. And truth be told, in my line of work it’s more of the latter.”

She knew very well what he meant. Hadn’t she learned that firsthand? Her father had died in the line of duty, as had one of his colleagues. And on top of that, she’d lost her husband to a drunk driver on his third DUI offense.

Too much loss for one person to handle.

Since the last thing she wanted to think about was the dangers associated with Shane’s and Isaac’s respective jobs, she twisted around so she could see the road.

“Red lights in the distance,” Isaac murmured in his low, reassuring tone. “My team will be here soon.”

“Thank You, Lord,” she murmured.

“Amen,” Ben said in a small voice. Her eyes welled up with tears at her son’s sentiment. At that moment she was grateful she’d taken him to church every week.

“See, Ben? We’re safe now.”

“But, Mommy, I’m cold,” he whined.

“I know, sweetie.” She brushed her lips over Ben’s forehead. “Mr. Isaac’s friends will be here soon and then we’ll be able to get into a warm car, okay?”

“We’re hiding in a cluster of trees at your three o’clock,” Isaac murmured into the radio.

“Ten-four.”

“They’re not going to search the trees across the street, are they?” Leah asked, trying not to be too blunt, for Ben’s sake.

“No, getting you two to safety is our main priority.”

Once again she was glad she wasn’t out here alone. So far, Isaac had proved to be dedicated in his mission to protect her and Ben.

Maybe her brother had chosen wisely after all. Even though she never wanted to be married to a cop, especially seeing what her mother had gone through after losing her father, being helped by one who was determined to protect you wasn’t all bad.

The red lights grew brighter and soon she saw two sheriff’s-department vehicles park behind Isaac’s ditched Jeep. First one dark figure climbed out of the car, dressed in full SWAT gear, and then a second figure joined him. Within minutes, they made their way over to their hiding spot amid the trees.

“Hey, Isaac, what’s the deal? Haven’t you had enough adventure for one day?” the shorter of the two asked in a low voice.

“Knock it off,” he growled, not looking the least bit amused. “Listen, I need you and Caleb to create a wall of armor so that we can get Leah and Ben down to your vehicle. I’m fairly certain the shooter was on the other side of the road.”

“No problem. We’re ready.”

“Okay, Leah, I want you to slowly stand up, while keeping your head down,” Isaac instructed.

“Okay.” Rising to her feet was easier said than done, since her legs had gone numb. Plus Isaac hadn’t moved back very far, so there wasn’t a lot of room to maneuver.

But then Caleb, or was it Declan, reached down and helped her up. Isaac stayed behind her, while the other officer took Ben. Clustered together as one, they slowly moved across the muddy terrain, heading in the direction of the vehicles. When they reached the nearest one, Leah set Ben on the rear seat and climbed in beside him. One of Isaac’s friends brought over the booster seat and soon Ben was securely fastened inside.

“Stay here,” Isaac said in a low voice. “The windows are bulletproof, so there’s no reason to be afraid. We’ll be out of here soon enough.”

“Okay.” She couldn’t deny being relieved to know the windows were reinforced. But that didn’t stop her from searching the trees across the street, looking for any sign of the masked man.

Isaac spoke to the other two officers outside for a few minutes before he slid in behind the wheel. He cranked the key and blasted the heat. “We’ll be leaving in a few minutes.”

“Wh-what about y-your J-Jeep?” she asked, her teeth chattering as her entire body began to shake. Reaction from the night’s events had finally hit her, and she couldn’t seem to get her body under control.

“The guys will make sure it gets back to the station. We want the crime-scene techs to take a look at my rear tire. Not that there’s much left to examine.”

Leah gave a jerky nod, unable to trust her voice not to betray her. Isaac turned in his seat and pinned her with a direct gaze.

“I’m going to make sure you and Ben get someplace safe for the rest of the night,” he said in a serious tone. “Okay?”

“S-sure.” She could tell he was feeling bad about everything that had just happened, but none of this was his fault.

Of course, it wasn’t exactly her fault, either.

She suppressed another shiver, wishing she knew where her brother was. And couldn’t help wondering if she’d ever feel safe again.

* * *

Isaac inwardly winced when Leah wrapped her arms around her abdomen as if trying to keep herself from shaking.

He scrubbed his hands over his face, telling himself it was not a good idea to scoot in beside her to offer comfort. He’d managed to keep his distance from any romantic entanglements over the past few years, and this was hardly the time or the place to change his mind. Especially with his friend’s sister, no matter how beautiful she was.

Still, he wished there was a way to ease Leah’s fears. To let her know that she was handling this better than anyone could expect.

He shook his head at his foolishness and peered through the windshield. Having Caleb and Declan outside, trying to put the puzzle pieces together for him, didn’t sit well. He wanted to be out there in the middle of the action.

But Hawk was his friend and Leah was his responsibility, not theirs, though they’d both offered to help in any way they could.

As soon as he had his charges in a safe place, Isaac would need to find a way to get in touch with Hawk. Someone wanted Leah and Ben, and the only thing that made sense to him was that they needed some leverage to draw his friend out of hiding.

Hawk had mentioned that his cover was blown, and Leah and Ben were in danger. But from whom? What in the world was Hawk involved in?

“Isaac?” Caleb rapped on the window. “You need to come out here and see this.”

He lifted his hand to show he’d heard. He turned back toward Leah. “I’ll only be a minute, okay?”

She nodded, but didn’t meet his gaze. She looked so weary, as if she might keel over at any moment.

Guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders as he turned back and pushed open the driver’s-side door. He followed Caleb over to his Jeep, where Deck was standing with a flashlight trained on the rear fender.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Check this out.” Deck aimed his beam of light at the lower edge of the wheel well. “What do you think? Looks like a bullet hole to me.”

Isaac stared in shock as the implication of the small round hole sank deep. “The shooter took two shots at the tire,” he murmured slowly. “He must have missed the first time.”

“Yeah, but not by much,” Caleb pointed out. “And you both know how difficult it is to hit a tire on a moving vehicle. The average citizen could never pull this off. Our perp is a sharpshooter of some kind, maybe a sniper from the armed forces.”

“Yeah,” Isaac agreed grimly, turning to look up at his two closest friends. “Or maybe a cop, like us.”

Caleb and Deck exchanged grim glances and then nodded. “You could be right,” Caleb acknowledged. “It wouldn’t be the first time we encountered a dirty cop on the force.”

No, it wouldn’t. Isaac stared at the small round hole in the fender. Keeping Leah and Ben safe wouldn’t be nearly as easy if they had a cop or some other guy with military training on his tail.

But failure was not an option.