Protecting Their Child (15 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Cord jerked awake from a long fall in his dream. No wonder, since he was perched, hiding in a vee of the barn rafters. Another doze starting with thoughts of Kate and ending with the inability to protect her. Back to finding a way to stop Serna. Missing Kate didn’t have any place in his thoughts, but it was there nonetheless.

He stretched a bit and used his right index finger to get his wedding ring from the change pocket of his borrowed pants. The silver band slid onto his cold finger as easily as the first time. His hand felt wrong without it. They’d been divorced on paper for a little over five months, but he’d never been able to leave it on his dresser more than a couple of days.

Actually, divorced wasn’t the same as feeling divorced. He’d seen Kate at the fence and his first thought was to kiss her hello. Same thing had happened the night before their court date. Only then, he’d kissed her. And then a lot more.

Man, he was going to miss her. Every day and a lot of his nights he’d be thinking about her and the baby. He’d totally screwed up and there was no way out now.

She had to be in protective custody by the sheriff, marshals, Rangers—some organization that would keep her safe. Truth be told, he couldn’t. He’d be lucky to keep himself alive through the night.

He had two options to get inside the house and to Serna—surprise the next one through the door and call for backup with the man’s cell, like he’d been waiting in the barn rafters to do for a while now. Or wait for his escape to be discovered and sneak into the house. So far it was the first option.

While he’d been looking for a weapon, he’d raided the barn mini fridge Frank had in his office. With the setbacks Cord had caused Serna in the past several days—losing at least nine men—the criminal still seemed more arrogant than ever. No one had bothered to look in on him for at least forty-five minutes.

What the heck are they waiting on?

“Kate.”

No one had left the ranch—he would have seen or heard a vehicle. That left the rancher who was working with Serna. That scum had to be delivering Kate to her very own front door. They weren’t worried about Cord waking up, assuming he was less of a problem unconscious.

He couldn’t wait here any longer. He had to act now. He swung down from his hidden perch in the corner. He’d thought about what to do when Kate’s words came back.
“Can’t you go Rambo on them or something?”

Armed with only a pocketknife, a pair of hay tongs and the cover of darkness, he climbed from the spot where he’d waited. Since no one had come for him, it was time to take the fight to his enemy one by stinking one.

“Cull them from the herd and take ’em out one by one.” Kate had told him exactly what he needed to do. He took off his jacket. There would be plenty of activity to keep him warm and the bulky coat would only hinder his fighting. He’d already cut the fingertips from his gloves so he’d have a better grip.

“Okay, babe, the threat on you ends tonight,” he whispered into the darkness. He slipped out the door, away from the house. It faced nothing but the dark corral and snow-covered pasture. With no one in sight, he stayed close to the wall, breathing through his nose, limiting the puffs of frost in front of his face.

He’d heard the sentry earlier, someone walking the perimeter of the barn but doing a sloppy job of it in the cold. He stayed at the edge of the corner, waiting. Far sounds. No chatter. He slid along the next wall, hidden in the shadows, pausing again at the corner until he heard the snow crunch. He drew his palm back, ready to strike. One solid, unexpected blow to the man’s face and he was done. Silent, with the thudding exception of the falling body. Serna’s force was now one less.

Taking the man’s hat, jacket and weapon, he walked around the corral and barn as if he were the man he’d just left in the snow. Serna’s men seemed to have an endless supply of machine pistols. Cord hated to think that he’d been out of the investigation so long he didn’t know if this was the real cargo coming across the border.

He wanted to take more than just one of Serna’s men down before approaching the house and confronting the man in charge. But he had to find them first. The far side of the ranch buildings had a yellow glow next to the field. As he approached, the noise level grew. The sound of men hustling and issuing orders, pounding feet. They were moving cargo from or into a semitrailer.

Damn. They’d moved their operation here to Kate’s ranch. The idea of her family being desecrated gave him a lump in his throat. The ranch was the reason she’d refused to leave town for so long, even after they’d been threatened the first time by Serna.

The men leaving the truck were empty-handed. The driver started the rig, warming the diesel in preparation to leave. Whatever they were doing, they were almost finished and getting ready to pull out. They wouldn’t risk a semi packed with drugs. It didn’t make sense. They’d break up heroin shipments, not put it all in one location. Too risky if they were pulled over. The men he watched didn’t seem in a hurry, so moving everything in one shipment wasn’t because they were afraid of being caught.

The last men dropped off their box and walked away from the truck. The lights went off and he heard the whine of a chopper starting, finding it on the other side of the men. He needed to get a look at what was inside the trailer to know how to deal with it. Or did he? That was the Ranger in him...the part constantly seeking the answer to the confounded questions of how Serna was accomplishing everything. Cord, the husband and father, only needed to get rid of those men and call for backup.

He picked his way around the edge of light, staying hidden. He’d counted six men warming around a fire they’d started on the ground. That meant six ways to cull each of them from the equation. Or something that would distract several.

Fire. Fire rushing toward the chopper and the truck might occupy all of them long enough to find Serna. He needed the gas Danver stored near the toolshed.

“He has to be around here somewhere.”

“I saw a man wearing Edward’s hat by the truck. He should be guarding the barn.”

Cord darted inside the small building, just behind the door to determine how many men were outside. He raised the hay tongs, waiting.

One man stuck his head inside the shed and Cord swung the metal, catching him across his face. He dropped to the ground but not before the second man opened fire into the shed. Cord rolled to his back and pulled the trigger of his weapon, not aiming, just shooting in an arc through the open door. One shot after rapid shot.

The return fire ended and he heard a hard thump hit the ground. Cord recognized the man he’d knocked in the nose. “Hello, Juan.” He dragged the unconscious slime inside the shed, calf-roping his hands and feet. “Guess that explains how they knew no one was here at the ranch. But if you’re here, who’s bringing Kate?”

Sliding in the snow, he rounded the corner, opened the top of the gas drum and turned it on its side. The gas splashed to the earth. All he needed was a lighter and those men would be occupied trying to save their unknown cargo in those crates.

* * *

C
ONFUSED
AT
MAC
’
S
BETRAYAL
,
Kate continued the difficult walk through her property. She’d quickly realized who and what was waiting inside her home. Serna. It hadn’t fully sunk in that Mac was involved with drug smugglers. She’d known the man her entire life. It was almost like having an uncle betray her family.

As Kate drew near the house, she noticed the rifle barrel. Her feet were on fire from being so cold even after she’d laced her wet gloves to the bottom of her socks for a little protection. The bits of string had come in handy after all.

The man pointing the gun in her face knocked on the front door. Serna came through, wiping the corner of his mouth with one of her mother’s lace napkins from the antique buffet.

Bastard.

“Time to leave. When will the helicopter be ready?” The murderer ignored Kate.

The man shrugged. “Till it’s deiced. Safe or crash. Your choice.”

She thought Serna would strike him, but the man walked off toward the east pasture. She’d never felt an emotion as powerful as the hatred she had for the man responsible for her child’s death. It was horrible and would consume her if she weren’t careful. She had to control the rage. Harness it into energy she needed to help Cord with their escape.

* * *

C
OME
ON
,
MAN
. Cord patted the pockets of the coat. Nothing. The cab of the truck was right there. He found a lighter and killed the ignition, taking the keys with him. It would defeat the purpose of lighting everything up like a roman candle if they could just drive away.

Back in the shadows, he got close to the truck and shoved the barrel with all his strength. A trail of diesel melted a path in the fresh snow.

Lighter. Flame. Toss. Fire. Run.

Wait for it....

* * *

S
HE
AND
C
ORD
would escape. There was no way they could let this evil man win whatever game he was playing. Kate wanted to claw Serna’s eyes out, but the handgun in the front of his pants prevented her. If given the chance, she knew where the weapons were stored. There was a loaded gun locked in its safe in her bedside table that opened with her thumbprint, a gift from her husband.

“It’s been a long chase, Kate McCrea. You got a nice place here.”

Serna attempted to sound at ease and maybe a little more cultured than usual as he led the way through the kitchen. But it didn’t make him anything better than the filth she scraped from the bathtub drain.

“Sit. Warm up a bit.”

He’d definitely made use of her house. A kitchen chair was waiting in front of a huge fire. She sat while Serna reclined in her father’s lounger with a half-eaten steak on the end table. He’d just taken a bite when the door slammed open and a short young man burst in.

“He ain’t there, boss.”

“Find him!” Serna shouted. He threw his plate and hit the retreating messenger. Continuing his Spanish curses, he paced the room, then peered out the window and yanked the blinds. Their crash to the floor made her flinch inside and out.

The long-bladed knife he used to slice the cord appeared from nowhere. He wrapped the cord menacingly around his fist. The evil in his glaring intent made her shiver and want to run to save herself.

“Find him!” The shouts from outside continued as Serna advanced.

The muscles in his clenched jaw twitched. He was worried. Then it sank in who they were searching for.

Cord was gone from wherever they’d been holding him. That was suddenly clear. She fought the upturn of her lips, but not the pride filling her heart.

Men began yelling
blanket
in Spanish. Something had gone wrong. At first she thought the fire was reflected in the window, but it was outside, somewhere on the other side of the barn and spreading. Quickly.

An explosion split the silence, flames shot into the sky, ridding the night of the frightening darkness for a moment. The force shook the walls of the house. The vibration burst through her thawing feet. Something big and close to the shed. Maybe the tractor fuel?

“McCrea!” Serna screamed into the window.

She was ready to run, and ready to react to however this monster came after her. She picked her route through the house. The front hallway to the bedroom and the gun box. If he followed...pull the trigger.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The force of the gas explosion dropped him to his knees. He’d almost made it to the back of the shed when the hot blast of air knocked him to the ground. He sat on his butt in what used to be darkness, watching shards of the barrel burning around the field, then scurried backward until he hit the fence. Serna’s men ran to the semi using their jackets to put out the flame. At this rate, they’d be successful in a matter of minutes.

On the other side of the fire, the chopper blades were still at slow speed. Cord watched the pilot open and shut the door. He tightened his grip on the machine pistol. Too far to shoot. But the semi keys were still in his fist.

He ran the perimeter shadow. The driver was in the cab searching for keys. Cord caught him across his shoulder blades on his way down. Another bad guy sprawled in the snow. To keep the truck in gear and get clear, his lone option was to shove his machine pistol against the gas pedal. It was the only way to put both the truck and the chopper out of commission. He’d pick up the driver’s gun on the way back.

Cord cranked the semi, shoved it into Reverse, not caring what was in his way. If there were drugs in the back of this thing, the horses and cattle might be high for miles. He wedged the pistol into place and jumped from the truck cab.

Men began yelling. Jumping out of the way. Running. Cord got to the downed driver just as the truck backed through the major fire. It didn’t stop and caught the tail rotor of the chopper as it lifted off.

The crash sent the chopper spinning into the field. It tipped, the blades digging into the ground, sending the body end over end. Time to move. The driver had a machine pistol that Cord jerked from his body. He moaned and Cord flipped him to his back, sticking the barrel in his face.

“Up.”

The man staggered to his feet and Cord shoved him to the shed and roped his hands and feet behind his back like a steer. He stuffed work rags into both men’s mouths to keep them quiet.

Cord draped a second gun over his shoulder and searched their pockets. Cell phone. The Sheriff’s department answered on the first ring.

“This is Cord McCrea, I’m located at the Danver ranch. There’s been an explosion and I need backup.”

“Cord, thank God you’re alive. We have every available person searching the mountains. I’ll reroute everyone and send a fire truck. Wait for reinforcements. There’s a chopper at the observatory that can be there in ten.”

“Can’t wait. Serna moved his operation. Come in hot. I’m uncertain about the number of guns. Gotta go.”

“Cord, Nick Burke was shot and we think—”

The devil could take Burke if he’d been working with Serna and received his comeuppance. He cut off the call since he didn’t want to be talked out of his plan to eliminate Serna and the threat to his family. A lot could happen in ten minutes—if reinforcements could actually arrive by then.

Cord was willing to accept the consequences of all his actions.

* * *

T
HE
BLOOD
VESSELS
in the side of Serna’s neck were visibly enlarged. He was enraged about the explosion and Kate no longer knew if he’d wait until Cord was there to hurt her. She had to get to the gun.

Was an all-out run better than inching her way to the hall? She had socks—actually, knit gloves—on her feet. With no shoes on the wooden floors and stinging prickles making her feet ache, running would be a disaster. She remained in the chair. As soon as she stood, he’d know her intention. She slid a foot closer to the fireplace tools, a weapon, something to give her a fighting chance.

What would Cord do? He’d give himself two ways out. So she curled her legs to each side of the chair and quickly pushed her socks down around her ankles. She’d time her movements to get the slick cloth off her feet. If she couldn’t get shoes from her bedroom, she had a set of mud boots in the barn.

Success, one bare foot.

Serna hit the wall with both fists, then spun around to face her. She met his crazy-eyed stare and wouldn’t look away. Fear of what an insane person filled with revenge would do ended up giving her strength to meet him straight on. If she made a move, she was three or four feet away from the fire tools.

Her enemy’s face was the color of the bloodred middle oozing from his T-bone. His hands were still at his sides, not close to the butt of the gun. She didn’t have enough time to grab the shovel or poker without his drawing and shooting her in the back. He wouldn’t miss. Not this time.

Enraged as he was, he wasn’t ranting around the room like three years ago. And this time, she was much more frightened. She couldn’t see a way out. Armed only with shoelaces? What had she been thinking?

“Your husband has made my life hell.” He cocked his head like a curious dog. “What, no response? Aren’t you going to beg for your life?”

“Would it do any good?” Second sock at her toes.

“No.”

“Then I’ll just wait.”

“Wait for the end?” He caressed the clip of his gun wedged down the front of his pants.

She choked back a laugh at the thought of him shooting himself in the crotch and ending this nightmare. She must be very tired to let her imagination venture down that road.

“You find it funny? McCrea can’t rescue you. Not here.”

“No.” There was movement outside the window. Cord? Serna caught the direction of her eyes and began to turn. “Well, yes, actually I find it hilarious.” He pivoted back to her. “After all your work, an explosion is going to bring people from miles around. But I imagine you don’t find that funny at all.”

“No time for games.” He removed the gun and aimed it at her. The string from the blinds was dangling from his hand. “Stand up and turn around. We’re leaving.”

She stood, barefoot, ready to run.

Serna jerked her hands behind her, wrists on top of each other and tied. She didn’t move but frantically searched the windows and mirrors trying to find a glimpse of Cord.

Gun in his right hand and his left holding her bound wrists, he shoved her toward the front door.

What would Cord do? He’d be waiting just outside that door.

Serna opened the door and pushed her into the screen. She pretended to stumble, bending her body almost in half, just in case her rescue was about to begin.

“Get up!” Serna yelled, jabbing her with the gun.

A jet stream shot above her head, aiming toward Serna’s face. She was shoved forward by Cord. He stepped between her and Serna’s gun just as it went off.

“No!” She fell to the front porch, rolling to her back, using her feet to slide out of the way.

Cord wasn’t shot. He pushed inside, jabbing something into Serna’s chest. “Get out of here, Kate.”

The machine gun bounced on the floor and the men used their fists on each other too fast for her to count the blows. The screen was still propped open by her feet. She scooted, stood, got back inside.

Her gun. She ran, opened her nightstand. She heard another weapon fire from the living room. She was certain her pistol was loaded. It would be so much easier to have her hands free. No time to find a kitchen knife. She heard the click after placing her thumb in the scanner. She grabbed the pistol and ran back to the living room.

The men were rolling, punching, grunting. Serna still had his weapon. There was blood on Cord’s side, across his face. Both of his hands were holding Serna’s in place away from him.

With her hands behind her back she couldn’t help or use her own pistol. Serna’s strength seemed to be prevailing. He was lying across Cord, pinning his legs. They seemed to be deadlocked—both gripping each other’s wrists. A contest of sheer willpower. She could see the determination on Serna’s face and the desperation on Cord’s.

“Run,” Cord demanded.

She couldn’t run, she had to help. This was their fight, not just Cord’s job. She dropped the gun on the floor close to Cord’s head. She ran to the hearth and picked up the fireplace tools. She couldn’t wield anything backward, but she could drop it all onto Serna’s back.

Close to both men again, Serna guessed her intention and rolled off Cord, knocking her feet from under her. She fell, unable to avoid colliding with the brick hearth. Trying to absorb the impact to her midsection, she heard the discharge.

“Are you okay?” Cord asked.

She opened her eyes, saw her gun in his hands and Serna on his back, unmoving across her father’s footstool.

“Yes,” she answered, still trying to catch her breath. A tight pinch started in her back and quickly spread across her abdomen. “Oh, God, Cord, what have I done? I think I’m in labor.”

He was by her side in an instance. “I’m here, babe. We’ve got this.”