In the Shadow of Vengeance (25 page)

It was exactly what she needed to hang on to as they made their way back to the truck. The cab was as soggy as her spirits. Noah placed the heat dial on high before he peeled around the number of law enforcement vehicles at the scene and headed back toward the cabin.

“Where should we begin?”

“We're going to circle around and come at that trail from the opposite direction. Adam has trail maps in his den we can use to narrow our search.”

“It's going to be pitch dark in minutes.”

His eyes softened. “Adam will keep them on the trail heading toward his property line.”

She eased her hand out of Noah's hold and brushed the hair from her face. “We don't even know if they are on that trail. What if they cut through the woods and are lost out there?”

“Danny told me about his orienteering badge he earned in Scouts.”

“He loved that one.”

“He also carries the compass I gave him before I went undercover. I know that kid. He's going to be on that trail because of his training. Finding that path would have been the first thing he did. Under extreme stress, he would follow your instructions to the letter. And remember, Adam and Derek are both highly trained and would have caught up with the kids in no time. They would have moved fast and made it past that section before the mud came sliding down the hill.” He pinned her with a stare. “They are on the other side, Elizabeth, and we are going to intersect them.”

She had to believe him because the alternative was unthinkable. When doubt crossed her mind, she physically shook her head, sending it into oblivion. “Just clear one thing up for me. Why wouldn't the rescue workers check the other side?”

“Because they don't know who they are dealing with.”

She clutched his hand and placed it in her lap. As the truck ate up the highway, she emptied her mind and began to pray.

It took only ten minutes for Elizabeth, with Jennie's and Calista's help, to change out of her wet clothing and into a dry raincoat and pants.

Elizabeth eventually joined Noah downstairs at the table, where he and Jared studied a large map covered with tiny squiggly lines that made no sense to her. Danny had tried to teach her how to read a trail map, but since she wasn't a big hiker, she never really got the hang of it.

Noah passed half of a sandwich to her along with his mug of hot, fragrant coffee. She forced down several bites, and the warm brew took care of the chill in her bones.

Noah rolled the map and shoved it in the backpack. “Ready?”

Elizabeth placed a hand at his waist. “Will I slow you down?”

“Do you want to wait here?”

“No. It'll drive me insane not being out there, but if you think you can cover more ground without me, then I should stay here.”

“You have kept up with me so far. Besides, Jared is staying behind until my father gets here. I need a hiking buddy.”

Her heart filled. Noah somehow understood that by coming with him, she gained back a measure of control. “Then you got one.”

She took the second pack with the supplies and headed toward the back door. They crossed the yard and hiked down the trail to the lake. The rain had eased to a slight drizzle and the wind had died down. Hopefully, the storm had passed and this wasn't the calm before a much fiercer downpour.

Noah again kept his hand either at her waist or intertwined their fingers whenever the path narrowed. It was as if he needed her to know he was right beside her. When her mind drifted to the horrible
what if
, his simple touch kept her grounded.

They moved out onto the bank of the lake. “Where do we meet up with a trail?”

“About twenty yards on the other side of the boathouse, there is a trail we'll take for about four miles.”

“Have you ever hiked it before?”

“Yes. The grade is steep, but we should make good time.”

“What happens after four miles?”

“If we don't find them on that trail, we come back and continue the search at first light.”

A lump formed in her throat, cutting off her ability to speak. The thought of Erin and Danny on the mountain in rain-soaked clothing with the temperature dropping by the minute was too much. She took in a deep, cleansing breath, settled her pounding heart rate, and peered into the darkness. “Then we'd better find them in the next four miles.”

Noah placed his lips at her forehead, then released her. He turned toward the direction of the trail and came to a complete stop, shoving her behind him. A man stumbled out of the shadow. Noah steadied his stance, his weapon materializing in his hand. She never noticed he reached for it.

“I swear if you shoot me, bro, I'm going to have to beat the crap out of you. I'm wet to the bone, and a fucking mountain almost fell on my head.”

“Well hell, you just flushed my rescue operation of the great Adam Blake into the toilet,” Noah replied, holstering his gun.

Danny and Erin spotted Elizabeth and raced into her arms. The sob she held back broke free as her arms crushed her children to her. Noah removed the blankets from his pack and tucked them around their shoulders.

“Are either of you hurt?” she asked.

“Derek has a bad cut on his leg, but Danny and I are okay,” Erin said, keeping her hand around Elizabeth's waist.

She glanced at Derek, who stood off to the side by himself. Members of his team were dead because they were trying to keep her family safe. And despite his injuries, he had located Danny and Erin and kept them safe. She had no words.

She removed the extra blanket from her pack, wrapped it around his shoulders, and gave him a fierce hug. Glancing between him and Adam, she choked back another sob. “Thank you doesn't even come close to how much I appreciate what you have done.”

“You have amazing kids, Ms. Merlot,” Adam replied. “Danny's quick thinking kept me from being washed down the side of a mountain.”

She sucked in a hard breath. “You were near the mudslide?”

Erin draped her arm around her brother's shoulders. “He grabbed hold of Adam, released that paracord bracelet he wears, threw him the line, and he and Derek pulled him up. He then used the cord to help Adam wrap a pressure dressing on Derek's leg so he could walk.”

Elizabeth's heart filled with pride. “I'm so proud of both of you. Let's get back up to the cabin and—”

“No,” Danny said, moving next to Derek.

“Danny?”

“Noah got you back, but it doesn't change anything, right? We still have to go into hiding.”

She didn't know how to answer. Spencer was in custody and Mendoza was dead, but was the threat over? Somehow, she had to find the words to tell them their father was alive and behind this nightmare. She'd promised them no more secrets. As much as she wanted to eat those words, they needed the truth.

Danny would never accept just knowing that his father was in custody. He would search until every sin Spencer committed was revealed. And even though her son had never met the bastard, he would allow Spencer's sins to chip away at him for years to come.

Again, Noah was there, his hand resting at her waist. All she had to do was be willing to accept what he offered.

“Danny, things have changed in the last couple of hours,” Noah said, then leaned his head next to her ear. “No more running away, right?”

Leaving Noah again would destroy her—and staying may place him in the same type of evil he fought. Every problem had a solution. She just had to find one, and fast. “No more running.”

“Mom, is it over? Are we free to go home?” Danny's voice came out thick with emotion. “If not, I want to leave now. I don't want to go through goodbyes again.”

“Danny, I'm not going anywhere until I at least have dry underwear,” Erin said, lightly shoving her brother.

Elizabeth placed an arm around both of her children then lifted Danny's chin so their eyes held. “I know how this hurts, but I don't have an answer to your question. You asked me to be straight with you and Erin. There are a couple of new developments, and I'm not going to discuss them here. But, Danny, I don't want to leave Noah any more than you do.”

“Then don't, Mom.”

“That's a decision the four of us need to discuss. Things are better but far from over.”

Lightning flashed across the dark sky, illuminating the mountains in the distance. Even though the storm was too far away to hear the thunder, Elizabeth's heart still jolted. She was raw inside, every nerve and emotion pulled to its extreme.

Derek, his hand resting on a cane, stood by the door. Laughter erupted downstairs where Noah's family gathered. It was a celebration, and Danny and Erin were right in the middle of it, having the time of their lives. Elizabeth needed to talk to them, but she couldn't bring herself to pull them away. After the day they had, they needed something to laugh about again.

Once back at the cabin, Noah's parents, who had arrived while they were on the trail, ushered everyone into hot showers and had a feast ready that would have fed her family for a month. Mac and Jason, with their families, arrived within the hour. Emma, Jason's twin sister, fussed over Derek's wound. He wouldn't have received better medical care in an emergency room. But a shower, clean clothes, and painkillers did nothing to improve his mood. The glare he gave her spoke volumes.

“I'm doing the right thing,” she whispered, praying he would understand.

“Your idea stinks. Give us a chance to see if the threat is over.”

“Four marshals died today, Derek.”

“I know. They were my friends. How is your leaving the program and going through with the craziest plan I have ever heard going to make that right?”

She slammed her eyelids shut for an instant to stop the tears. “I can't take one more death on my conscience.”

“Your plan is crazy—it's suicide, and I can tell you right now, there is a certain detective who will never go for it.”

“It's my choice.”

The silence that followed was palpable. He shifted his weight and his expression softened. “It's been a rough day. Just sleep on it, okay? Let's see how you feel in the morning.”

There was so much she needed to say to Derek, but all she could manage was a nod. Before she could get the words past the emotions clogging her throat, he raised a hand.

“No more thanks. I've been part of Danny's and Erin's lives since they were babies. I would have gone after them without the badge. I just want you safe, Elizabeth.” He turned and left the room.

There would be no changing her mind. She'd made her decision. The scope of the problem had grown, limiting her options to one.

She'd originally agreed to stay dead and enter witness protection to protect her family from the De Rousses' retaliation. As long as she never resurfaced, there would be no reason to go after those she loved because everyone thought she was dead. Mendoza changed that.

She couldn't hide behind the U.S. Marshalls Service any longer. Everyone she loved now had a target on their heads. They were leverage. Elizabeth had one chance to keep them all safe. Drawing the sweater tighter around her had no effect in keeping the chills at bay. Derek was right. Her plan was crazy, but what choice did she have?

The arm that came around her waist almost made her jump out of her skin. “Noah,” she let out an airless whisper as she settled into his warmth. “How does someone your size move so quietly?”

“What's wrong, Elizabeth? What did Marshal Ramon do to upset you?”

“He didn't do anything. I pulled him away because I needed to discuss something with him.”

“When I met him in the hallway, he told me to talk some sense into you. Have any idea what that's about?” He lowered his mouth to the curve of her throat.

She turned and threaded her hands through his wavy hair. Everything about the man, from the feel of the strength in his muscles to the scent of his shower gel, overloaded her senses, ricocheting need into every cell. Her mouth came down on his, hard, demanding. This was what she needed. After years of going without, she took and then took more. Noah lifted her, placing her back to the wall, and slammed his length against her body. He matched her need with his own, claiming her mouth, his hands roaming.

As quickly as the moment rose, it dropped hard. Something inside her broke open, overwhelming her. Grief. Fear. Regret.

It pressed down on her heart, and the embarrassing tears began to fall. Turning her head, she broke the kiss and pressed her hands on his chest, shoving him off her.

“Sorry,” she choked out.

Noah didn't allow her to shove him far. He cupped both of his hands around her neck. “What is it? Tell me.”

She filled her lungs with air and tried to bring herself under control. Swiping her hand over her eyes, she held his stare. “I want you, want this so bad.”

“I'm right here, sweetheart.”

“All around me I see people living the fairy tale. Just downstairs, your parents, brothers and sister, they all live it. But I don't believe in it anymore. And the instant I begin to think maybe I can have it, too, the rug gets yanked out from under me. Each fall is harder than the last, you understand?”

His expression softened, but he shook his head no. “Try again.”

Elizabeth closed her eyes and rested her head against his beating heart. “I stopped trusting in my own ability to find a good man. That's the reason nothing ever happened between me and Derek. I couldn't even trust him. He saved my life over again, but I placed wall after wall between us.”

“I hope you don't expect me to feel sorry for the guy.”

She let out a soft laugh. “No, you came into my life and shredded each of my walls one at a time.”

He took his thumb and caught a lone tear. “Why the tears? We want the same thing. I love you so much.”

“And I love you, Noah.” She spread her fingers over his chest. “I didn't even know love like this existed.”