Chapter 9
“Are you ready?” Josh yelled from the boat. The morning sun had yet to take the chill off the cold night. He scanned the empty campsite, looking past the trees, just behind the tent platform, toward the outhouse. The door swung open, and she stepped out, plugging her nose. At least she’d stopped complaining about. He smiled. Everything about her was perfect. Everything except how they had met, and that still troubled him, something he wished he could forget.
He’d spent a year with Craypo, and Josh knew better than anyone the lengths at which that man would go to seek revenge. Josh once saw Craypo fondle a teenager in front of her father because he’d been late on his payment, and Craypo wanted to watch the man squirm because he could.
Delaney might have been the pawn, but now that she’d failed, Craypo would want revenge. The question was, how? Craypo liked to go for the jugular. He knew Josh had honored his father’s memory by following in his footsteps. After Josh lost his mother, his career became the only connection he had with both his parents.
Craypo thought he could exploit that.
So, what was Delaney’s blind spot, if it wasn’t her brother?
“Where are we going again?” She tugged at the bow rope, unlooping it from the post. He was about to help, but enjoyed this independent, stronger side.
“Jake owns a little cabin on Long Lake.”
“Does it have indoor plumbing?”
“Yes.” He patted the driver’s seat. “Let me teach you how to drive.”
“Okay.” She took the helm.
He had expected her to say no, but once again, she surprised him. He stood behind her, pushing the throttle into reverse and guiding the boat from the dock, before putting the boat in neutral when they were a safe distance from the shore. “Just ease into gear, and head toward the channel.”
“What’s that?”
“The green and red buoys over there?” He leaned over her shoulder, pressing his lips against her temple, pointing to the east. “You need to stay between them until we get past this group of islands.”
“The navigational beacons,” she said with an airy voice.
“Where’d you learn that?”
“An Alan Jackson song.”
He laughed. “You can go a little faster.” He didn’t wait for her to respond as he pressed the throttle a quarter of the way down. “You need to stay to the starboard.”
“What?”
“Starboard means right. So, going through the channel, stay to the right. Boats coming in the other direction—”
The sound of a speedboat approaching caught his attention. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the sun reflecting on a shiny metal object in the hands of the passenger.
“Hit the deck,” he yelled as he floored the gas pedal, grabbing the steering wheel and cranking it to the left, angling the boat across the lake, outside the channel. “Down.” He pushed her from the seat.
“What the hell?”
“We’ve got company.”
Bang!
She screamed, hunched in the corner, covering her ears.
Josh looked over his shoulder. The speedboat cut through the water, racing toward them. His boat didn’t have enough horsepower to outrun them, but he could outmaneuver them. He yanked the wheel hard left, cutting between two islands before turning left again, slowing down in small alcove the island created, hiding the boat for a few minutes.
“You okay?”
“No… Yes… Who are they?”
“I’m sure it’s someone in Craypo’s organization, but I don’t know how they found us.”
“Are we safe sitting here?”
“Not for long. By the sound of their engine, they must have slowed down, maybe trying to sneak up on us. As soon as they come into sight, we need to take off. I’m going to need you to drive.”
“Are you crazy?”
He pulled his weapon from the side pocket as he hoisted her back up to the seat. “You do have good hand-eye coordination. Would you rather shoot back?”
“That’s not even remotely funny.” She combed her fingers through her long hair, knotting the strands at the end as she sat down in the driver’s seat.
“You got this. You’re going to go back around this island the same way we came, then between the two other ones, but instead of heading back to the channel, you’re going to head back to our campsite.”
She gripped the throttle with one hand and the steering wheel with the other. “Around this island, between the other two, then turn to the right.”
“That’s my girl. It’s easier than driving a car.”
“I’m a terrible driver,” she muttered.
“Hear that?” He gripped her shoulder. “As soon as you see… Go!” He slammed the throttle, helping her turn the boat before leaning against the back of the driver’s seat, standing with his feet at shoulder width as he held his gun steady, waiting for the shot.
Bang!
He hit the side of the boat, but it didn’t stop them from speeding up. He focused only on his training, letting everything else go.
“You need to take the next turn really tight against the island, then you’ll barely be able to straighten out before turning again, but it should give us a little time.”
“A little time for what?”
“No idea,” he admitted. He turned toward the stern just as Delaney swerved around the next bend. The other boat coming into view. Josh aimed at the gas tank.
Bang!
Gas leaked out of the side, but the boat still soured across the water.
Bang! Bang!
They fired back just as Delaney turned the watercraft, a little too harshly. He skidded across the boat, his back slamming into the passenger seat. He fired again, nailing the side once more. “Straighten the boat out.”
She did, barely missing a dock that protruded from the shore.
Now, all they had to do was out run them until the speedboat ran out of gas, which didn’t appear as if it were going to happen quickly.
“Fuck,” he muttered. They were about to run out of islands, and in the open water, he didn’t stand a chance. But if he turned, going back through the islands, and cut across the rocky shallow section, he might be able to ground the other boat. He knew his boat draw was two feet with the inboard/outboard engine fully down. He figured, based on the shape of the speedboat’s hull, it had to need at least three feet. “I’ll drive now.”
She jumped from the driver’s seat, crouching on the floor. Once again, he turned the boat, heading around another island, before cutting across the middle of the lake. Rocks stuck up from the water. If his memory served him correctly, a small passage a little over two feet deep lay on the far end, near the tip of the farthest island.
“Hold onto something.” He hoped that section of water would be wide enough for his boat.
He held his breath, looking to the side at wet rocks reflecting the sun. He trimmed the inboard/outboard engine, which slowed the boat, but gave him a shallower draft.
“They’re getting closer,” Delaney said with a shaky voice.
He exhaled, then sucked in another deep breath. He’d seen many a boat accident on this stretch, and it was never pretty. He turned the steering wheel a bit to left, knowing he could hit rock at any time, but managed to make it back into the channel. He let his breath out as he put the inboard/outboard engine all the way back in the water, keeping an eye on their pursuers.
Crash!
The speedboat skidded across the rocks, making a high-pitched squeal. The two passengers cursed as they jumped from the watercraft. Rocks ripped a holes into the hull, grounding the boat.
“Take that, you assholes.” He put his weapon back in the side compartment, then held his hand out to Delaney, hoisting her up. “Sorry if I hurt you.”
She just stared at him with wide eyes.
“Sit down.” He maneuvered her back into the driver’s seat then stood behind her with his hand planted firmly on her shoulder. “It’s okay.”
She said nothing.
In the distance, a Lake George patrol boat sped through the channel. Josh slowed his boat, glancing over his shoulder at the wreck and the two men climbing up on the rocks.
“It’s Tristan.” Josh waved as the LG boat slowed, floating next to him.
“Hey,” Tristan said. “I got a report of a boat chase with gunshots. I take it that was you and those clowns over there.”
“I think they’re the ones that beat up Delaney.”
“I’ll take care of them,” Tristan said.
“See if you can find out how they knew where we were. I’m meeting Jake in Ticonderoga. He’ll take my boat back to my place, then we’re heading to his cabin.”
“I’m off tomorrow. I can head over first thing in the morning. Text me anything you need.”
“Will do.”
“Be safe.” Tristan put the patrol boat in gear, kicking on the lights and sirens as he floored it toward the rocks.
Josh eased the throttle down as he stroked Delaney’s hair. “You okay?”
“You’re seriously going to ask me that?” She jabbed his arm with her index finger. “In the last few days I’ve been beaten up and shot at and I don’t understand why, and you ask if I’m okay?” She glared at him through tiny slits, and he froze. “This insanity might be an everyday occurrence for you, but for me it’s…it’s…it’s fucking crazy shit.”
He placed a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. He had no words of comfort, but he wasn’t going to stop trying. “When I first started out as a Trooper, it was hard for me to go between the regular world and the world you just encountered.”
“But you’re used to it now.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” He kissed her temple. He had to help her this if they were going stay alive. “What just happened scared the shit out of me. I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you and I sure as shit don’t want get shot again. But I can’t think about that or we wouldn’t be here right now.” He squeezed her shoulder, and this time, she didn’t shrug it off. “During the heat of the moment, you didn’t think about any of that, either. You focused on helping me keep us safe...but when the moment is over, it’s impossible not to crash back into the reality of it.”
“You don’t seem to be crashing back.”
“I’ve had to get very good at holding that in.” He wrapped an around arm around her and nuzzled his face into her neck. “I can’t afford to be vulnerable.” He closed his eyes. It had been a year since he’d nearly died, and the thought of anything happening to Delaney created an earthquake inside his body, one he’d normally take cover from, but now he welcomed it.
Her fingers laced around his forearm, pulling it from her body. “You’re shaking.” She twisted her body, cupping his face.
The sting of a tear reminded Josh that he couldn’t let her worm her way into his heart until it was over, and he and Delaney were safe.
She brushed her lips against his.
Keeping their gazes locked and their lips in a tender dance, Josh maneuvered himself into the driver’s seat with Delaney in his lap. She dropped her head to his shoulder. Her body trembled, and the sound of a stifled cry echoed with the hum of the engines.
“Let it all out.” He held her with one arm, rubbing her back. “Trust me, you’ll feel a lot better if you don’t try to bury the fear. Feel it. It will make you stronger.”
For the next ten minutes, as he drove up the shoreline, barely in gear, she cried and he chomped down on his emotions, mentally tossing them from his heart and mind. He needed to remain focused.
Her body relaxed into his as she took in a deep breath. “I didn’t mean to do that.”
“You needed to.” Josh saw Jake standing at the end of the dock in Ticonderoga, holding a little girl in his arms, and his wife stood next to him.
Josh’s body went rigid.
“What’s the matter?” Delaney moved from his lap to stand next to him as he maneuvered the boat toward the docks.
“I didn’t realize Jake would bring his family.”
As Josh pulled the boat up to the ramp, Delaney tossed the lines to Jake’s wife Kenzie.
“I appreciate the help, but I didn’t think you’d bring your family”
“Tristan let me know the culprits had been detained, otherwise I would have sent them away and dealt with my truck and your boat another way.”
“How are you two holding up?” Kenzie held her hand out to Delaney and helped her onto the dock.
“I’ve seen better days,” Delaney muttered, turning her attention to the little girl who held her hands out, leaning away from her father.
“How old is she?” Delaney asked.
“Nine months,” Kenzie said, with a proud smile. “She’s lucky she has her father’s golden locks and not my flat, pin-straight hair.”
“She’s cute. What’s her name?” Delaney reached out to touch the baby’s curls when the baby reached with both arms, scrunching her little fists open and closed.
“Emma,” Jake said, pulling the little girl back toward his chest, but she kept reaching for Delaney. “Not thrilled she’s got mother’s outgoing personality. Going to make my life miserable when she’s a teenager.” He handed the little girl to Delaney, who hesitated, but took Emma as they headed toward the parking lot.
The lines on Delaney’s face softened a little as she cooed with Emma. Josh stayed two steps behind, watching how natural Delaney was with a child on her hips.
“Any ideas on how they found us?” Josh asked in a hushed tone, resenting where his thoughts were taking him.
“Either someone tipped them off, like Delaney.” Jake lowered his gaze with an arched brow as they continued down the path. “Or maybe you’ve got a tracking device on the boat.” Jake wasn’t the kind of guy to keep his opinion to himself, but at least he kept his voice down.
“We were there for two nights, and I don’t think rain has ever stopped a hitman before. Why would they have waited until we left camp?”
“They wouldn’t have, which is why I think Delaney contacted them, because it's the only other possibility.”
Josh let out a long breath. “I gave her my iPad to read a file on her ex-boyfriend.”
“You did what?” Jake growled. “And why do you have a file on her ex?”
“Because he owns the restaurant that warehouses weapons.”
“Christ,” Jake muttered. “She’s pretty connected to these people.”
“More than you know,” Josh admitted with a heavy heart. “Her father owned it before her ex did.”
Jake let out a sarcastic chuckle. “I’m not even going to tell you what I’m thinking right now, since I’m sure you’ve thought of it, too. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I do.”
“You should know, as of now, you’re off-grid, not to mention a person of interest in Delaney’s disappearance.” Jake stopped just short of a red Jeep. “You’re on vacation for the next week, and no one knows where you went. All we know is you went and Delaney went off on a romantic getaway.” He tossed Josh a new cell. “All our numbers are programmed into this. I’d turn off yours, and don’t connect to Wi-Fi with the iPad.”
“I need to,” Josh said. “Only way we’re going to finalize this plan.”
Jake leaned into the passenger side of the Jeep. “Stacey thought you might need this.” He held up a new tablet. “It’s Windows, but it’s got cellular, so you don’t need Wi-Fi. Kenzie packed a bunch of books, cards, board games.”
“Thanks. I appreciate what you’re doing.”
“Anytime, man.” Jake strode to the other side of the Jeep then took his daughter from Delaney’s arms. “Just watch your back.”
Josh climbed into the driver’s seat, glancing at Delaney, who looked in the other direction. As he pulled out of the parking lot, he said, “It’s going to be all right.”
“Nothing will ever be all right again.”
* * *
Delaney sat in a chaise lounge in front of a window that overlooked nothing but nature, in a cabin somewhere on the side of some mountain, somewhere in the middle of nowhere. The sun had disappeared from the horizon as the night sky blanketed the woods in darkness. Pitch-black darkness. Her chest tightened as if someone had reached inside her and ripped her heart out. She twisted her hair, still damp after taking the hottest shower she could without actually burning her skin.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get the hurtful words she’d overheard out of her head.
Josh sauntered into the small living room smelling of fresh, clean pine. The car ride to this place had consisted of her being co-pilot, reading the directions and help him navigate back roads. Once in the cabin, she tried not to converse with him at all. He seemed clueless to her mood. That spoke volumes.
He stretched out on the sofa, his stupid new tablet in his hands, acting like there wasn’t a care in the world. She wanted to punch the back of it and make the screen smack his face.
“When you read through Kirk’s file, are you sure you didn’t log into to any email service?” It was the third time he’d asked her the same question in the last five hours.
“No. I only read the file,” she said behind gritted teeth. All he did was glance at her. He might have arched a brow, but she was doing her best to ignore him. She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but he was the only one protecting her, and those bullets today were very real.
“I can’t figure out how they found us. The campsite was registered to Stacey’s dad.”
“You think I contacted someone,” she said with a much venom as she could muster.
“That’s not what I said, but—”
“The word ‘but’ negates everything you said before it.” Fiddling with her hair, she twisted it into a bun and wrapped her hair tie around it. “I overheard you and that Jake guy talking. You still don’t trust me.”
“Maybe he doesn’t, but I do.” Josh set his table down.
“But you did think I could have contacted one those assholes and given them our location.” She stared at him, mentally shooting daggers across the room, nailing him right between the eyes.
He cocked his head. “I know you didn’t contact anyone directly. Or intentionally. Craypo has really good IT guys, and even checking your email could have let him trace us. Or if you’d logged into Facebook.”
“I don’t have a Facebook account,” she muttered.
“So, this is why you’re mad at me.” He tossed the tablet on the sofa before standing up. He had the audacity to stroll across the room and sit on the arm of her chair and place his hand on her shoulder.
“So, you noticed my mood.” She glared at him, shrugging it off.
“I’ve been trying to figure out what could have upset you so much.”
“You could have asked and for the record, it’s not just what you said, but you didn’t even defend me to your friend.”
He stroked her chin, but she pushed his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
“You really don’t have the right to be this mad at me. What would you do if the tables were turned?”
“Are you kidding?” She bolted from the chair, pushing him to the ground. His ass hit the floor with a thud.
“That was uncalled for, and you’re overreacting.”
“Screw you,” she said. “I don’t care how good an orgasm you can give me. It’s not worth being treated like shit. I’ve had that my entire life. Turns out you’re no better than anyone else I’ve encountered.”
He plopped himself in her chair. “I’m not treating you badly, and as far as what Jake said, it’s his job to question and doubt, and he doesn’t know you like I do. I’m grateful for his help. I only questioned whether or not you could have accidently, or without your knowledge, clued Craypo in to our whereabouts. That’s a big difference.”
“Right, because I’m so stupid.” She turned her back to Josh, closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths. “You can’t keep wooing me into bed when you don’t trust me.”
“I do trust you.”
“No, you don’t. And you never will. You will always wonder if I’m lying about something. I don’t blame you for that, but stop acting like you care about me and want to be with me whenever you get horny.”
“You think I’m using you for sex?”
She opened her eyes as the floor under her feet vibrated.
“If that’s what you honestly think, then I will keep my hands to myself from now on. But you’re very wrong.”
“I’m going to read one of the books Kenzie packed. But I want to do it alone, and there are only two rooms in this place.”
“You can take the bedroom.”
“Thank you. I would appreciate it if you stayed out here the entire night.”
“Fine.”
Not looking over her shoulder, she snagged the small bag of books on the tiny kitchen table, trudging into the bedroom before slamming the door shut. If there had been lock on the door, she would have clicked it as loudly as she could, to drive the point home.
Her eyes burned, but she wasn’t going to cry. The hardest part was, she’d brought this on herself. No, her brother had, but she’d followed through with it and slept with Josh. What did that say about her?
She settled into the double bed, fluffing up the pillows, beating them as if they were every man that had hurt her or insulted her. She plopped herself on the bed with the first book she grabbed from the bag. She didn’t care the genre, just wanted to get out of her own head space. Thunder rumbled in the background, and raindrops pitter-pattered the window above the bed. The first lightning strike startled her as it crackled in the night sky.
Snuggling under the blanket, she did her best to ignore her surroundings and situation. But the words on the page never made it to her brain. She tried to focus, but she found herself flipping pages, not knowing what she read as her mind wandered to every moment she’d spent with Josh. She heard him moving about in the other room.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn’t love him. How could she love him when they barely knew each other? It wasn’t just what had been said between him and his buddy. He’d let her walk away. He didn’t beg her to listen or try to explain things.
That hurt more than she could have anticipated.
According to the clock on the nightstand, it was only a little before nine. She gave up on the book and clicked off the light next to the bed as a rumble of thunder echoed in the night. She sat up, looking out the window as multiple lightning flashes lit up the sky. She froze, opening her mouth to scream as she stared into the hungry eyes of a big bear, but made only a pathetic whimper.
More lightning flashed, and the bear inched closer, staring at her, licking his chops, and she could have sworn it smiled at her. “Oh, my God!” She jerked back, tumbling off the bed and knocking over the lamp. As she tried to scurry back to the bed, something sharp ripped into her palm. “God, damn it!” Blood oozed out of the wound and trickled across her hand.
The door flung open, hitting the wall, just before the overhead light flickered on. “What the hell happened?” Josh asked as he tiptoed around her and the shattered lamp, scooping her into his arms, and carrying her to the bathroom.
He wore nothing but his boxers. His firm chest tightened, and his skin felt like a silky robe. She told herself it was pure lust and nothing more. “Put me down.”
“Sure thing.” He dropped her on the toilet seat, yanking her bleeding hand and running a little warm water over it. “What happened?”
“There’s a freaking bear right outside the window, and he looked right at me. In the eye.”
“You don’t bother him, he won’t bother you.”
“Yeah, right,” she muttered, then groaned as he pulled a tiny piece of glass from her hand.
“This is going to hurt,” he said before he doused her tiny cut with rubbing alcohol.
She gritted her teeth, refusing to swear, moan, or scream.
“Hold this on the cut to stop the bleeding. I'm going to go clean up the mess.”
While he was gone, she looked through the medicine cabinet and found some gauze and bandages. She dried the cut, satisfied it was minor and free of glass before wrapping it up herself.
She stood in the doorway, watching the way he bent over, brushing debris into a small dustpan. His tanned skin glowed every time lightning flashed in the sky. The overhead light flickered when he breezed past her, dumping the glass and ceramic pieces into the trash. As she stepped toward the bed, the room went completely dark.
“Josh?” she questioned. “Did we just lose power?”
“It appears so, but I’m going to go check the breaker box.”
“Where is that?”
“Outside,” he said.
“Where the bear is?”
“Yeah. Not thrilled to go out there, but it’s necessary.” He handed her the new tablet. “For the record, I do trust you. I only wondered if they had somehow tapped into my system.”
She nodded. The anger had subsided, but her hurt feelings still lingered.
“You can use the light function on this for now. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
She held the tablet in a tight grip. Her heart hammered in her chest as she angled herself on the bed so she wasn’t facing the window, nor was her back to it. Every time the thunder clapped in the background, she jumped. She shivered, and her mind conjured up pictures of Josh’s limbs being to shreds by the beast looming outside her window.
The front door slammed shut, and in less than a minute, Josh reappeared at the foot of the bed. “All the breakers are on. I texted Jake, who did some checking, and there is a power outage.” He took the tablet gently, then turned off the light. “We can’t use our devices because none are fully charged, and they are our lifeline.”
“So, no light?” She did her best to keep her voice strong.
“I could probably find some candles and—”
“Then I’d be worried we’d burn the place down.” She hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
“Then we’ll have to deal with the dark,” he said. “I know you’re mad at me, but I also know you don’t like the dark, so let me stay in here with you.”
“I’ll be fine, really,” she said, thankful he’d turned off the lights on his devices so he couldn’t see how she chomped down on her lower lip.
“I’m sorry I didn’t defend you and tell him that he’s wrong about you.”
“I appreciate that.” She climbed under the sheets, curled up in a ball, then closed her eyes tight, mentally pretending there was a nightlight in the corner.
She heard the scuffling of his feet and then the wooden door shut with a gentle click.
“Josh?”
The door squeaked open. “What is it?”
“The bed is big enough for both of us.” She told herself she’d only asked him to stay to be nice since the couch hand a million lumps in it. “But you have stay on your side.”
“I’m not going to try to take advantage. I’m not that kind of man.”
She knew that, but it didn’t change how she felt...or the fact she would never be able to say no.
The bed shifted as he tucked himself under the sheets, his feet brushing against her calf. “Sorry.”
She did her best to lie still. “I’ve never seen a bear before, unless it was at the zoo.”
He laughed. “Me, neither, and while I like the outdoors, that’s one animal I hope I never come face-to-face with.”
She let out a long sigh, forcing her muscles to relax. There was something calming having another heartbeat close by. “Will you tell me something about your mom? She sounded wonderful.”
“She was the best. Strict, but very understanding. She would have liked you.”
“After what I did? I highly doubt it.”
“She was a forgiving woman,” he whispered. “She would have understood, as I do, why you would have done anything to save your brother.”
“I felt dirty, listening to what your friend said about me.”
“I don’t want you to ever feel that way.” His fingers glided up her arm. “Jake’s job right now is to protect us, and if that means he’s going to question your statements, considering every possible angle, then so be it. Like I said before about Kirk’s file, you may not think you know anything, but when we go through it tomorrow, we may uncover something that will help us.”
“I trust you. I need the same in return.” She wanted a whole lot more, but she needed to prepare for the affection to end the second this ordeal ended.
“You have it.” He kissed her shoulder. “Now let’s get some sleep, and we’ll go through things tomorrow.”
He wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling his face in her neck, but by the sound of his rhythmic breathing, she suspected he was minutes from sleep.
She settled into his arms, feeling safe. She both resented and welcomed the comfort he offered. She didn’t want to love him, but he had managed to break down all her defenses and barriers, and now she loved a man who might care, but would never love her back.