Page 70 of Tough as Steele

Clarice nodded.

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m a fool,” the kidnapper said. “I know that pair of meddling detectives have been at your house this whole time. That they’re likely listening in. But if you want to see your mother alive again, tell them to leave now. I’ll hold until I see them exit, and then I’ll tell you where to bring the money.”

“Hold on.” Clarice looked at Nate, terror darkening her eyes.

He took her phone and tapped the mute button. “Don’t worry, we won’t leave you alone. He only seems to know about Londyn and me, but not the deputies. They’ll stay with you, and we’ll leave. We won’t go far. Just down the road.”

Nate took a shaky breath. “Are you sure I can’t talk you out of this?”

She shook her head.

“Then you can call me when you know the drop site, and we’ll give you directions on how to proceed. Okay?”

She gave a wooden nod.

Her pain tugged at his heart, shredding it, and he scooped her into a fierce hug. “It’ll be all right. I promise.”

“Thanks for saying that, but I know it might not be.” She eased free.

Nate looked at the deputy. “The guards will remain at the entrances, but be alert. Send me a copy of the recording the minute you have it.”

Nate unmuted the phone and gave it back to her.

“They’re going,” she said, her voice shaking.

Nate wished he could hear the kidnapper’s reply, but the deputy would send the recording, and Nate just had to be patient. Not his strong suit for sure.

He motioned for Londyn to head for the door, and he followed. He wished he could’ve asked Clarice if she knew about Charles’s gambling problem, but now wasn’t the time for such a question.

Londyn stopped in the foyer by Zeke and quickly updated him. “Make sure our men are even more alert. And I want you to personally take the secret entrance. If the kidnapper decides to come back into the house, I figure he’ll choose that entrance.”

Zeke gave a firm nod. “You got it.”

“I want an hourly update at a minimum, but call if anything unusual happens.”

“You can count on me.”

She squeezed his arm. “I know I can.”

A pang of jealousy bit into Nate, but he swallowed hard to erase it and focus. He opened the door and stepped outside to take a look around. He wished Londyn would let him perform a more thorough check, but she came barreling out the door after him.

“Ride together or separate cars?” she asked, her gaze searching the area too.

“Let’s do separate to see if either of us attracts a tail.”

She got her keys from her pocket, and her fingers fumbled them. They hit the stoop with a loud clang. Nate and she both bent to pick them up.

A bullet zipped over his head.

“Shooter!” He launched his body at Londyn and took her down in the soft grass.

Another bullet raced over them as they rolled down the grassy slope toward his car. He held Londyn tightly and kept his head up to keep from scraping against the sidewalk. They landed with a thud against the front tire and their bodies reverberated.

“You okay?” he asked, his arms refusing to let her go.

“Fine.”

“I’m calling in backup.” He reluctantly pulled one arm away and dug out his phone. He reported the shooting, glad to hear no additional bullets strike anywhere. He also ordered the deputies and guards inside to stay put as they would just be sitting ducks if they stepped outside.

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