Page 44 of Covert Past

She had no doubt time was running out. Ellie ran after the men, catching up. “Which way to the dock where JT will meet us?”

“Straight through there.” Declan led the way while Ellie kept watch behind them. The flames from the fire shot up in the air. With all the accelerant used, the house was going up quickly.

Over the roaring, another disturbing sound could be heard. “They’re coming. How far out were JT and Bryce?” What if they reached the dock and there was no one there? They’d be trapped.

“Ten minutes out when I called. They should be there,” Boone assured her.

It sounded as if a virtual army were tromping through the woods. “They’re gaining.” The words barely cleared her lips when a round of shots had everyone ducking for cover.

“We’ll never make it to the dock. We need someplace to take cover.” Declan switched directions. “The Petersons.”

Racing through the woods, Ellie’s heartbeat drowned out all other sounds around her.

The back of the house appeared. Declan ran up the steps. He reached inside the back light near the door and pulled out a key, not wasting time getting the door open.

Everyone rushed inside.

Declan relocked the door. He secured it with a chair under the doorknob. “That won’t hold them for long. Help me drag the table over.”

Ellie got on one side while Declan took the other. Together, they shoved the table against the door.

Boone checked the front window. “So far, I don’t see anyone, but it won’t be long before they figure out where we are.”

“There’s a gun cabinet in the living room. Robert collects them. We’ll need the extra weapons.” Declan grabbed a bookend and smashed the glass from the front of the gun cabinet.

There were several handguns as well as rifles. Boone locatedshells. “At least we won’t run out of ammo.”

“How bad is it?” Ellie asked when she noticed the strain on his face. “Let me have a look.”

He shook his head. “Maybe later. I’m okay for now.”

A noise within the house had Ellie freezing. “Did you hear that?”

Boone nodded. “It’s coming from downstairs. A basement?” he asked Declan.

“Yes.” Declan headed for the kitchen. The three followed.

Declan opened the door to the basement. A muffled sound was followed by a crash.

Ellie pushed Boone behind her. She and Declan took the lead descending the steps.

“Help!”

Declan stopped and looked at Ellie. “That’s Becky.”

The four covered the rest of the steps and found Becky lying on the floor in a turned over chair. She’d been gagged but somehow managed to get it free.

“What happened?” Declan asked while he knelt with Ellie to untie her.

“They have Robert and Carter.”

The words rushed out as Declan helped her to her feet. “Who has them?”

“I don’t know.” She rubbed her wrists and glanced around at the new faces. “They barged into our home yesterday right before you arrived.” She saw Declan’s question and responded. “We heard you come in, but by then it was too late. They had us tied up.” She shuddered at the memory.

Boone retrieved his phone and brought up the photo of the men from the island. “Are these some of them?”

“That’s them, but I don’t see the man calling the shots, and there were more of them. They didn’t secure their boat, and it sank. They forced us to call Carter to bring another man, I think the real person in charge, over. I didn’t get a look at him because I was down here.”

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