Page 44 of Close Quarters

He paused and glanced at her. She rolled a hand. “I’ll know it when I see it. What’s in there?”

“Um, fast-food napkins, car manuals, and a tire gauge.”

“Okay. How about in here?” She pointed to the console between them.

Alex flipped open the top. “More napkins, pens, candy,” she heard rattling as he poked through the compartment, “and a lighter.”

“Ha!” Her tone was triumphant. “The lighter. And all the napkins.”

“I’m afraid to ask, but why do you need a lighter?”

She grinned, correcting their course as they went over another nasty bump. “I’m going to turn this van into a bomb.”

Alex’s eyes widened before closing as he shook his head. “Of course you are,” he muttered. “Just don’t kill us.”

Was he for real? “You know I play with chemicals all day, every day, right?”

He rolled his eyes. “So you have a plan, then?”

“Yes. I’m going to stop at the tree line. We’ll get Austin out of the back, then I’ll drive up to the house and light the gas tank on fire.”

“Wait. No. How about you stay with Reeves and I’ll light the van up?”

She shook her head. “That won’t work. I can’t carry him. While I drive the van up to the house, you need to work your way around to the front of the house with him, so we can be ready to get out of here.”

“Okay, but what happens when Pressley comes outside when the van blows and sees you?”

“We have Tony’s gun.” She looked at him. “And Austin’s handcuffs. I’ll hold him at gunpoint until you make it to the house and can cuff him.”

He arched a brow. “Just like that? What happens if he resists?”

Katie shrugged. “Then I shoot him. Not to kill, though. That bastard needs to stand trial for what he’s done and rot in jail the rest of his miserable life.”

Alex turned in his seat to stare at her. “I’m not sure I like this plan. It puts you in too much danger.”

“I’ll be fine. I know how to handle a weapon.”

“I know you do, but that’s not what I’m worried about. There’s a myriad of things that could go wrong. Leaving you to face all of that alone—it scrapes against the grain, Katie.”

“Well, do you have a better plan?”

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he thought. She could practically hear the gears turning as he tried to come up with an alternative. But the fact Reeves couldn’t walk put a damper on what they could do. She couldn’t carry the deputy, which meant capturing Pressley fell to her.

“Dammit,” he muttered, coming to the same conclusion she had. “Fine.”

“Good. I’m glad you agree, because it’s time to implement this plan.” She pulled the van to a halt just before they broke through the trees to the yard around the cabin. Smoke no longer rose from the chimney. It looked like Pressley was ready to move on.

Katie put the van in park and climbed out to help Alex get Reeves out of the vehicle. She opened the doors, then hopped inside to lift the young man’s head and shoulders to slide him forward. His skin had a ghostly pallor to it now, and he was clammy to the touch. They needed to hurry.

As Alex lifted Reeves onto his shoulders, the deputy groaned. His eyes opened to slits before fluttering closed again.

“Make it quick, babe.”

She nodded, closing the van doors with a soft click. “Be careful.” She stretched up and pecked him on the cheek.

“You too.”

“I will.”

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