Page 57 of Unexpected Danger
Not that thoughts of Londyn didn’t interfere. So many questions lingered in his mind about where he’d gone wrong in asking her to marry him. Hadn’t she felt the same about him? Wasn’t it the logical next step after dating to make things permanent?
He crested the hill when he noticed Londyn emerging from the house, shoeless and waving her arms.
Something wasn’t right. Was Mom all right? Roarke? Mila or Xander?
Barely leaving time to fully stop the truck, Brodie jerked the gear into park, killed the engine, opened the door, and exited as quickly as he’d been trained to do in an emergency. “Londyn?”
“It’s Dustin. He’s here.”
Brodie briefly rested his hand on his gun. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“Is he in the house?”
“Yes—or he was.”
“Get in the truck, lock the door, and call 911. My phone is on the seat. Tell them I need backup. Do not get out of the truck.”
“All right.”
“Londyn. Donotget out of the truck.”
“I won’t.”
He handed her the keys. “After you call 911, call Roarke and let him know to keep everyone inside.” Without awaiting her response, Brodie then charged inside the house. How had Dustin discovered where Londyn was staying? Had he hurt her? His shoulders tensed as he ran through the house, looking in eachroom on the main level before heading upstairs, then finally downstairs.
His head on a swivel, he exited the house. How could someone disappear so quickly?
“Brodie!”
Londyn rolled down the truck window. “I just saw him going the back way, running through the trees.” She pointed in the direction, and Brodie sprinted across the front lawn in pursuit. The unexpected physical activity jolted him for a brief second before his lungs acclimated, and his speed increased. He lost sight of Dustin as he rounded the area near Mom’s garden.
Out of nowhere, an older model tan car veered toward him. Brodie jumped out of the way and rolled to the ground, hitting his elbow hard on the gravel. The car spun around and came for him again. His brain computed, but his body refused to obey the command to stand and seek shelter from the out-of-control vehicle careening toward him.
“Brodie!”
Her voice competed with the gunning of the car’s engine.
“No, Londyn. Get in the truck!” Brodie jumped up, ignoring his sore ankle, and leaped over the fence and into the pasture, seeking temporary shelter behind a tree as he unholstered his gun. The car’s tires squealed in the driveway, and Brodie peered around the tree and took aim.
Londyn was running to the truck, and Dustin spun another donut in the dirt and aimed his car in her direction.
“Londyn!” Brodie increased his speed, and Londyn flung open his truck door, jumped inside, and closed the door just as Dustin’s car narrowly missed the truck and sped down the driveway.
Brodie climbed in his truck, started the engine, and contacted dispatch regarding the pursuit of an older model tan four-doorcar with county plate number 8765. Dustin had already entered the highway and swerved carelessly around the corners.
“He won’t make it far or fast on these roads,” muttered Brodie.
A tractor ahead promised to stall them, and Dustin veered around it just as an oncoming car emerged. Dustin clipped the side of it, causing the other vehicle to spin into the borrow pit as Dustin continued toward town. The tractor temporarily blocked Brodie’s view, and two trucks coming in the opposite direction hindered traffic. He slammed on the brakes near where the car went into the borrow pit and again contacted dispatch. “This is Brenneman. We have possible injuries due to a car off the road.” He gave detailed directions, then reiterated Dustin’s last known location.
Haack had escaped. Again. Brodie clenched his teeth, making his jaw sore in response. He needed details. Needed a game plan.
Needed to catch this guy.
Failure was not an option, and something Brodie didn’t handle well. “How did he know you were at the ranch?”
“I have no idea.”
