Page 107 of Rescued Faith

The governor shook his head. “You’re a hero, Mr. Crawford. No doubt.”

He certainly didn’t feel like one. Not with Penny fighting for her life on an operating table.

Not even when Jude grabbed him and told him, “They tracked down Sosa. You coming?”

But at least that gave him something to do.

An army of black SUVs drove to a remote cabin in the mountain forest outside Last Chance. The other federal agentsdidn’t question Bryce’s presence after Jude told them all “He’s with me.”

Bryce slipped on the Kevlar vest handed him. “We know how this guy operates. He’s slippery. He’ll have an escape plan.”

“Then we’ll take the back,” Jude said.

Good, because Bryce needed to end this.

Jude adjusted the straps of Bryce’s vest. “Just remember, you’re here to observe more than anything.”

“You know I’m not great at the watching and waiting and staying out of it, right? I can’t promise anything.”

Jude kept his deadpan expression. “I’m counting on it. Just stay safe.” The slightest glint of humor poked through.

Huh. Go figure. Maybe his by-the-book brother-in-law was loosening up a little.

He and Jude took watch over the back of the cabin at the northeast corner, closer to the tree line. Others were set at the opposite back corner. Within seconds of the agents breaching the front, Sosa was crawling out a back window. As soon as his feet hit the ground, Bryce shot off from his position, ignoring the yelling he heard from somewhere behind him.

Not. This. Time.

With everything in him, Bryce propelled himself and flew at the blur moving away from the cabin. He tackled Sosa, wrestling him to the ground.

Jude pulled Bryce off as two other agents lifted Sosa off the dirt.

Bloodied and dusty, the man wasn’t nearly as cocky as he’d been on the plane. “This isn’t over!”

Desperate cries from a desperate man, considering Sosa could hardly stand. It might have had something to do with the blood still trickling down his arm from where Penny had shot him.

“Oh, it’s over, Sosa. You’ve got nowhere else to run.” Bryce glared at him.

Sosa whipped his head to address the agent dragging him away. “I demand you release Emma Kemper. I have documents signed by?—”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s gone.” Jude, steady and calm as always, faced the criminal that had caused so much destruction.

Sosa paled. “What do you meangone?”

“She’s dead. Killed in the shootout when you left her there to save your own hide.”

“No. You’re lying. It’s a trick, right?” He looked at the other agents. “You’re lying!”

They didn’t bother to speak and instead led him away while he continued to demand answers and medical attention. Through it all, Bryce grew numb. He didn’t remember the ride back to the hospital. Once they arrived, there was still no word on Penny.

Bryce sank into a chair in the empty hospital waiting room.

He didn’t know if it was minutes or hours later when Jude sat next to him and forced a cup of coffee into his cold hands.

“Hear anything yet?” Jude asked.

Bryce shook his head. “Find Woods?”

“He’s still on the run. But the governor’s family is safe. Settled at a secure location.”

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