Page 36 of Two Hearts' Accidental Heroes

Shanna looked puzzled. “But why would Johnny be valuable to your partner, if everything was in Johnny’s name? Your partner wasn’t named as his guardian, was he?”

Suddenly, a low-pitched voice echoed from inside the restroom. “Because as his next of kin, I would automatically be his guardian, once I got rid of you and Anya, along with Wes’ mother. All it would take is a blood sample while we laid low in another town, or another state, to prove who I was.”

Shanna stared at the hollow-eyed man who was aiming a Glock at them in shock. The lines in his face had become more pronounced, although he appeared to have had some kind of surgery that had altered his face since his skin looked unnaturally smooth.

But it was his eyes that gave him away.

“Daddy? How is it possible? They did an autopsy.”

He sneered. “You or your mother never knew about my brother, who was more of a con artist than I was. He showed up on our doorstep one day, wanting a handout. Getting rid of him was the perfect opportunity for me to make your mother think that she’d succeeded in drugging me.” He snorted. “Like I wouldn’t be able to figure out what was going on. Killing myself off was probably the most brilliant plan that I’ve ever come up with. Everything became so much easier once everyone but Wes thought I was out of the picture.”

“What are you planning on doing?” Rick asked. “Killing us all?”

Shanna’s dad shrugged. “Why not? All I would have to do is assume the identity of my long-dead twin brother, Johnny’s next of kin, which none of you even knew about. I figured if I hung around long enough, I’d get the information I needed, not to mention access to you, Shanna, since I never knew where Wes had you hiding. It really didn’t matter until I found out about Wes’ fortune. I kidnapped the kid years ago to make sure that nothing ever got out about the locations where we were operating. Later, Wes seemed determined to hang onto you, and said you could be trusted. But that money will give me everything I’ve ever wanted and make it easier for me to move up in the organization. I didn’t have a clue about what Wes was worth until Wade shot off his mouth about it one night when he got drunk after he discovered he was being removed from Wes’ will. Now that I know where Wes stashed the kid, an accident in that beat up truck would be perfect for getting rid of my lovely slutty daughter and whoever you are,” he said, glaring at Rick. “It’ll be easy to take care of you Wes, here and now. I’ve got a silencer attached to this Glock. In fact, I could easily take care of all of you, since I’ve got my escape route set up to avoid all the security guys stationed inside the hospital. I’ve already checked for video cameras, and there are none throughout the entire hospital. I love small town life. It’s so easy to get away with murder.”

“You’re the one who made the guys who worked for Wes at the marina disappear,” Rick muttered.

Dad’s face was momentarily arrested.

Finally, he growled, “How would you know that? Who are you?”

Even though Rick seemed to be preparing to attack her father somehow, when Shanna’s dad lifted the Glock and aimed it at Rick, a shot resounded through the room.

Dad dropped the Glock since his hand appeared to be nearly severed, hanging from his wrist.

“What the…?”

After dumbly staring at his hand, bleeding profusely, her father collapsed onto the floor, looking like he was ready to pass out.

Rick blinked, glancing at Wes, who was holding a pistol.

“Damn you, Russ Weldon. He’s the law,” Wes growled. “I’ve been wanting to get rid of you for years. Especially after you threatened to sell off Johnny, just like you did your own daughter.”

Shanna kicked the Glock on the floor away from her father, even though he was in no condition to grab it and try to use it again.

Her father laid there groaning as Rick bent over, reaching for the Glock. “I’m not sure how you made it past the FBI operatives who’ve been sitting in the parking lot. You would have never gotten away with it, by the way. I’m wearing a wire. Wes made me promise to record our conversation.”

The nurse who had assisted them earlier came running into the room, holding her hand over her mouth momentarily before moving into action to try and stop her father from bleeding.

While Shanna just stood there, feeling absolutely nothing for the man whom she’d once adored as a young child.

At that moment, Jake Loughlin appeared at the door. When he saw what had happened, he rolled his eyes upward.

“It took you long enough,” Rick muttered distractedly. “I gather you were listening.”

“I always underestimate these guys,” Jake said grimly. “You’re trained to handle a situation like this, so I let you. I figured if any of us made an appearance too soon, the odds were even greater that someone was going to get shot. What I didn’t count on was Wes somehow managing to smuggle in a weapon.”

“How did Weldon get past you?” Rick asked.

“Actually, he didn’t completely get away with it,” Jake admitted. “We knew something was up when someone transferred Wes to a different room, and it wasn’t anyone on my team. So I moved some of our team back outside. What we weren’t expecting was him to attack in broad daylight with a room full of people.” Jake approached the window. “There’s a fire escape ladder leading down to the ground from here. I guess he prepared his plan of escape after our guys were all inside, listening to their new assignments.”

By that time, two men and a gurney had arrived to transport Dad into another room.

The nurse stood, glancing at Dad’s face. “He came in last night, supposedly to visit someone else in the hospital. It was shortly before your protected patient arrived.”

“He must have heard that Wes collapsed and figured we’d end up bringing him here. I guess he was hiding in the hospital all night to hear what you had to say, Montgomery.” Jake heaved a sigh, shaking his head. “Our security team must have come in after he was already inside. I’d better be waiting downstairs to handle the police who were more than likely called because of the gunshot coming from Wes’ pistol, which he somehow managed to keep on him, even after we took him into custody.”

“I’ll take that pistol, Wes,” Rick said, holding out his hand.

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