To Take Up the Sword (8 page)

Chapter 8

“You found them. I want details.”

“Yes. I sent them to a safe house in Waynesboro, Tennessee where they have been since last night. I’m parked behind it now.” Mac whispered into his cellphone as he drove up the gravel driveway to park behind the old farmhouse. “Spiller is supposed to turn the diamonds over to me. Should I play it cool? Take the diamonds and walk away?”

“I want those diamonds. Do whatever it takes to get them, or your sister will die.”

“You bastard. She’s pregnant. Did you know that her husband was killed in Iraq a month after she found out? She’s fragile. I would have flipped on them for the money. You didn’t have to take her.” Mac heard Rebecca scream in the background. “You son of a bitch. I’ll kill you.”

“Do what you’re told and she’ll be fine. You’ll be compensated.”

“Enough to get us out of the country? The FBI doesn’t take kindly to dirty agents.”

“Directions now, or I’ll cut her again. Maybe across her belly this time. I wonder how deep I need to cut to take off one of your niece’s fingers? Yes, lovely Rebecca told me she was going to have a little girl while she was begging for her life. Tell me how to get there.”

“You’re not going to hurt them once you get the diamonds, are you?”

“Hurt them? No. Once I have what I want, this will all be over.”

Mac proceeded to tell Smythe directions to the safe house.

* * * *

She woke to the sound of a car coming up the driveway. Grabbing the robe from the foot of the bed where Gabe had folded it during the night, Lea quickly slipped her arms into the flannel sleeves. She felt stiff and maybe just a little tired, but it was a small price to pay for last night. When had she fallen for Gabriel? When he’d first kissed her? Or in all the time since that first meeting in the cabin? She had known when her finger squeezed the trigger of his pistol, had broken the most hallowed commandment. And like everyone else she’d ever loved–mother, father, sister–she feared he would eventually leave her too. He had a dangerous job. Gabe could be killed at any moment, like her father and sister, in the line of duty.

Lea walked to the window and peered around the edge of the blinds. A new silver Dodge Charger pulled behind the house before it disappeared from view. Could it be Mac? Had they slept that late?

“Gabe. Wake up. Someone’s here.” She watched as he tossed the quilt aside and rose from the bed completely nude.
He’s beautiful and he loves me
. Gabe grabbed his jeans off the dresser, pulled them on and shoved his unloaded weapon into the back waistband. The clip went into his pocket, but he left the pistol for Lea on the nightstand. He walked over to her.

“Good morning.” And then he kissed her as if they were alone in the world and nothing else mattered.

“Mmm. Hi.”

“Hi. Feel okay?”

“I feel amazing. I wish we could go back to bed, but someone’s outside.”

“Let’s take a look.” Lea took his hand in hers while he peeked outside through the blinds. “It’s Mac.”

“Good. The sooner we are rid of those diamonds, the better. Come on and I’ll fix us some breakfast.”

Gabe went ahead of her to answer Mac’s knock.

* * * *

Gabe opened the door for his partner.

Lea watched the dark haired man take his hand to shake it.

“Hey, Mac. This is Leannan O’Neil. She prefers Lea.”

Lea watched a smile bloom across Gabe’s face and recalled just what he’d been doing the last time he’d spoken her given name. She blushed.

“Lea, then.”

“Hi. It’s nice to meet you. I’m sure we’d both rather it was under better circumstances.” She took Gabe’s hand and snuggled closer to him, hyperaware she was only wearing her flannel robe. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go get dressed.”

Something’s wrong. Don’t trust him, Lea. Get Gabriel’s gun. Hurry
.

But Mac was his partner, right? Lea went into the bedroom, got dressed and retrieved the pistol from his nightstand. Holding it steady behind her back with the safety on, she went down to the kitchen doorway to listen.

* * * *

“It would seem you two solved your communication problem. Sex is an amazing equalizer.”

Gabe glared at him. “None of your business, Mac. Butt out.”

“You made it my business. And speaking of it, where are the diamonds?”

“In my pocket.”

“So Serena hid them in a Madonna figurine and gave them to her sister. No one thought she’d go to the little mouse for help. Smart. So let’s see them.”

He pulled the small velvet pouch out of his pocket and set it on the table. Mac reached out to take the diamonds, but Gabe covered them with his palm.

“Why, Mac? We were sitting ducks all along. Weren’t we? You led us right into a trap.”

“Money is another great equalizer. Give me the diamonds, and I’ll be out of here. You and your lady can go back to your nice lives and I’ll hit the first flight to Mexico. End of story.” Mac pulled his pistol and pointed it at Gabe’s chest. “How did you know?”

“I never said what kind of figurine. Only myself, Gueraldi’s men, and my informant knew about the Madonna. No one else. How long have you been dirty?”

“I met Smythe in London about fifteen years ago.”

He suddenly felt sick to his stomach. If only he hadn’t trusted him.

“Let Lea walk out of here. She doesn’t know anything about the diamonds or Smythe.”
I have to get Lea out of here.

“I don’t think so. See, you gave me a bargaining chip. I have Leannan O’Neil, I get what I want. Diamonds now, or this little chat is over. Permanently.”

He reacted with fear, lashing out with his feet to kick Mac’s chair out from under him. Mac fell backward, sending his shot wild, hitting Gabe in the upper shoulder. Gabe watched as Mac rolled over and got to his feet, ready to do damage. He heard another click and
boom!
this time from the doorway. Mac dropped to his knees and over on his face, dead. Lea stood in the open doorway, his pistol in her hands.

“Drop the gun, Ms. O’Neil.”

Gabe heard Lea scream as Smythe wrapped his hands around her throat, and then darkness took him.

* * * *

“Let me go. You don’t want to do this. Please. Don’t.” Lea fought against the duct tape Smythe had used to bind her to the chair.

“Careful now. Wouldn’t want rope burns on that lovely neck of yours, would you? If you move the chair one inch either way, it will fall off the beams through the insulation and into the bedroom. The rope around your neck will hang you before anyone could get to you.”

She cried silently. The rope felt tighter around her throat, but at this point she didn’t care. Her future, her love was dead. “Mac betrayed us. Why?”

“Why else? Money. The one true loyalty. We go back a few years, and for added insurance, I’m holding his pregnant sister hostage.”

“You are the worst kind of evil. Where is she?” Lea raised her chin.

“Ah ah ahh.” Smythe trailed the tip of his knife along the delicate flesh at her neck, nicking her to bring blood.

Lea cried out with the pain and fear.

“It’s not a good idea to make me angry. Stay put and I might let you and her live.” Smythe sliced the knife across her forearm, cutting a deep gash in her flesh. Lea screamed. “I’m very good with a knife, Leannan. I can keep this up for hours without killing you. How long can you last? Another minute? An hour perhaps?”

“Stop. Please. Tell me.”

“Could you die in peace if I told you? Where are the diamonds?”

“Gabe has them.”

“She’s in the bathroom of an abandoned gas station about a mile down the road. It won’t do you any good to know, she’ll be dead in ten minutes.”

* * * *

Lea’s screams carried down to Gabe from the attic stairwell to the kitchen where he lay under the table. Mac hadn’t moved since Lea had shot him, another life taken because of a madman.
I have to get to Lea.

He reached behind his back with his good arm, retrieved his pistol from the waistband of his jeans and clicked its clip into place. Taking the stairs two at a time, Gabe reached the attic door in time to see Smythe slice Lea’s thigh, barely missing the main artery in her leg.

“I have the diamonds, Smythe. Choke on them.” Gabe emptied the clip into the man.

Smythe grabbed his chest and fell through the insulation to the first floor below.

Gabe ran to Lea and carefully removed the duct tape that held her arms and legs bound to the chair.

“He has Mac’s sister. She’s in an abandoned gas station a mile down the road. He said she’d be dead in ten minutes.”

“Another bomb. Damn. It’s okay. We’ll find her.” Gabe checked the leg wound, which was more serious than the others. It would need stitches.

“Find her. Serena said Mac’s sister has gone into labor.”

With that, Lea slumped, unconscious.

* * * *

Her eyes fluttered open and took in her surroundings. The walls weren’t the white of a hospital, so she must be in a hotel. Dark blue drapes blocked out the light, making it hard to tell if it was day or night. She groped in the dimness and found a lamp on the bedside table and then the switch. Her leg burned like hellfire where Smythe had almost sliced into the femoral artery. Lea ran her fingers along the line of stitches.

“You’ll have a nasty scar, but it will give you a story to tell. How do you feel?”

Gabe sat in a chair beside the bed. His shoulder remained wrapped in a sling to allow the gunshot wound to heal. What had she told him before she blacked out?

“Like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck. Where am I?”

“A hotel in Lawrenceburg. We found Mac’s sister. She’s alive, thanks to you.”

“I’m glad. She and the baby will be okay?”

“Yes. She’s healthy. The doctors think she’ll be fine.” She heard the coolness in his voice, and wondered what she’d done to upset him.

“You have to arrest me, right? That’s why you’re acting like this.”

“No. You acted within your rights.”

“You’re leaving.” Lea could tell by the tone of his voice the separation was coming. He was already letting her go. “It’s because of what I said. About Serena. I don’t know why it happened, but I keep hearing her voice. Just before we get in trouble.”

“I have some things that have to be taken care of in Washington. In person. Whatever gifts you possess have nothing to do with it.”

“I see. There’s no need to explain it to me. To let me down easy. ‘It was a wild ride, but now it’s over, Lea.’ I get it. See you around.”

Gabe sat beside her on the bed and pulled her into his arms. “It’s not like that at all, Lea.” He kissed her.

She couldn’t stop the tears that fell. He was saying goodbye.

“It’s exactly like that. Don’t make it any worse for me, Gabe. Just go.” She couldn’t watch him go, but held her tears until the door clicked, leaving her alone in the room.

Chapter 9

Lea glanced at the round metal clock over the blackboard. Only nine. Nine o’clock on her first day back at school since she’d run. She had no house to come back to but Amabel had welcomed her into her home until she could set up elsewhere. She loved this town. It was small, but filled with great people. People who’d back her up, even if it meant their life. For every friend she had here, there was one she missed. One who left an aching hole in her heart. Gabe. She caught herself choking up. He’d be back in Washington, DC by now, probably being assigned to another case. She imagined the woman he was trying to protect would fall for him. Would he seduce her, turn that white-hot heat toward someone else? Pretend to love them and say all the right words? Who wouldn’t fall hard for a man like Gabe? He was all strength, cunning and gilt brilliance. Okay, so she was biased. So what? What did it hurt to love him from afar? It hurt no one but her. The heart is an idiot. She was an idiot.

One of her students raised a hand to ask for the bathroom pass. She knew Jane would spend the last five minutes of class in the bathroom primping for second period and her crush Derek Simon. Normally, Lea would have asked her to wait, but today she didn’t care. Let Jane’s twelve-year-old heart twitter and primp. She handed Jane the pass.