Between Darkness and Daylight (46 page)

Zane squeezed his eyes shut, trying to concentrate on the beating of his heart and nothing else. Not how sick he felt right now at the idea of deserting his nephew. Not how weak he felt at wanting to stay and see Ransom grow up into a young man. Not how afraid he was that he might never see Nova alive again.

I can’t do this. I can’t leave him again.

Swallowing hard, he opened his eyes, hating the decision he had to make. The resolute glimmer he saw in Ransom's eyes made his heart throb with sudden, painful hope.

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“Go, Uncle Zane. You have to save Nova. For me, because I love her too." His voice wobbled. "Just be safe, okay?"

* * * *

Not certain he could get it past Martinez, Zane stashed Leary's gun in the potted plant on the top step before he rang the doorbell and waited.

Martinez flung open the door, manic and bouncy as he grabbed him by an arm and pulled him into the house. "About time you showed up, Youngblood." He looked him up and down, then turned him to face the door, pushing him against it. "Take off your coat."

Zane did as he was told and Martinez grabbed the coat from his hand.

"Turn around."

He turned and the other man frisked him as thoroughly as any cop would have. He was glad he'd left the gun behind, but his heart pounded at the knowledge that he was up against a madman and totally unarmed.

"You're just in time for the festivities." Martinez pointed his gun, directing him through the vestibule further into the house.

Zane paused on the threshold of the living room and took in the scene with a swift glance. Frenchie sat off to his right, arms and legs tied to a dining room chair. Angela and Ricky sat at her feet, their hands tied behind their backs and tape across their mouths.

He didn't know why Martinez had gagged the children, but it tore at his heart to see the tear tracks on their faces. He wanted to run across the room, scoop them into his arms, and make a mad dash for the door; instead, he fisted his hands at his sides to control his emotions.

He finally made himself look at Nova. She sat alone on the floral-print sofa and he swallowed hard when he caught the bruise on her temple and noticed how tightly her arms were bound behind her back. His chest tightened when she looked back at him, her full mouth unfettered. Though no tears stained her face, her eyes glistened, and he caught himself smiling at her brave front before Martinez pushed him forward and he stumbled to one knee.

"Well everyone, the guest of honor has arrived."

"Enrique, please, you don't have to hurt anyone else," Nova said.

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"Who gave you permission to speak?" He pressed the muzzle of the gun to the back of Zane's head. "I'll hurt who I want to when I want to!"

"Please, Enrique, don't! I apologize. I won't say anything else. Please don't hurt anyone."

Her voice cracked on the last word and Zane's heart squeezed at the audible chink in Nova's armor. If she fell apart, then he was done for.

He carefully raised his hands. "You've got this, man. Just let me stand up."

"Don't try anything."

Zane stood, glancing back at Frenchie and the kids. "You guys doing okay over there?"

The kids shook their heads, but Frenchie just nodded, eyes wide with shock.

"Of course she's all right, Youngblood. Her white knight has arrived."

"Ricky, please don't do this."

"You had your chance to make everything right before you left me."

"You didn't give me a choice, Enrique."

"The hell I didn't, bitch!" He raised the gun and strode across the room, prepared to strike her across the face.

Frenchie flinched and Zane took two steps forward before Martinez turned the gun on him. He froze with his palms raised.

"Either I punish her, or I punish the bastard who took her and my kids away from me."

"Fine, punish me. Just don't hurt her or the kids."

"I think the best punishment for you would be to watch them die. What do you think?"

"I think we can try and talk this out."

"Oh, do you? So you can change my mind?"

From the corner of his eye, Zane saw Nova struggling against her bonds. He licked his dry lips as he stared at Martinez and tried to hold his attention, keep him talking.

But Martinez had other plans. He turned on Frenchie again, this time pulling the hunting knife from his belt. He grabbed her hair and pulled back her head, pressing the blade to her throat while she whimpered.

"Ricky, plea—"

"Don't think I don't know how you aborted my last baby, whore."

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Zane watched her eyes widen as she swung her gaze his way.

No! Don't make him think…

Shoving the knife back into his belt, Martinez pointed the gun at him.

"You knew about it, didn't you, Mr. Caseworker? Probably suggested she do it. You've got a bad habit of telling women what to do with their bodies, what to do with other men's babies!"

Oh God, this was turning into a lot more than he could handle, his past as a caseworker and counselor coming back to haunt him in a mean way.

He didn't know what to say, how to defuse the situation. The man was so wound up, he probably wouldn't believe the truth if he heard it—that Zane had had nothing to do with Francesca's decision, hadn't even known about her condition.

"Martinez, let's just stick to the point. You want to see me punished, and I want to get these people out of here alive."

"Oh c'mon now, Mr. Caseworker. These people? They're a little more to you than that."

"Let's be fair, Martinez. Me for the kids, Frenchie, and Nova."

"Zane, don't."

Martinez glanced at Nova, then chuckled as he turned back to Zane.

"Sounds like your lady isn't in agreement with that. And after making such a heartfelt promise not to butt in anymore."

Zane glared at Nova, but said nothing.

"Here's what I think would be more than equitable. How about you add your woman to the equation. Your life and hers for my wife and kids. I take you two out, here and now, then go off into the sunset with my family, happily ever after, end of story."

"Do you honestly think you'll get away with this?"

"Of course I'll get away with it. I have it all planned."

"There's not enough planning in the world to get you out of this." Zane couldn't believe how firm his voice sounded, how calm.

"You know, I had just this type of dilemma a few years back when I killed your wife."

Zane's head suddenly tingled with the memory of finding that note and getting the call from the police soon after. He didn't think he could listen to this maniac rehash it, didn't want to live it all over again.

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"See, the thing is, I was green back then, not as calculating and cool as the man you now see before you. But I still managed to evade you and your precious cop friend all this time. Just what do you think I could accomplish with a plan?"

"Martinez—"

"I mean, I didn't plan it, but it came down to a choice; either kill your wife or listen to her pleas for the life of her child and let them both live.

But by then, it was too late; I'd gone too far. I had to finish her, I had to show you…"

It was all coming back to Zane now, the helplessness, the rage, the fear when he’d sat in that interrogation room enduring Leary’s scrutiny and questions, the prime suspect in his wife’s murder.

Sinny and their baby were dead, and instead of going after the killer, the police had pegged him a scorned husband who’d killed them both because he didn’t want the baby his wife was carrying. He’d had to defend his honor, his job, his way of life, while he grieved his loss, and all because of this man in front of him now.

He clenched his teeth, fisting his hands at his sides. Leary’s earlier fury had nothing on his. But he didn’t have the luxury of jumping Martinez and smashing his fists into anything. He had other people to think about; he had Nova, and Frenchie and the kids to get out of here.

"Cat got your tongue, or didn’t you know she was pregnant?

“I knew,” Zane rasped.

“Good. And now you know who killed them.” Martinez smirked.

"How does it feel, Mr. Caseworker, to know I killed your woman and your baby? Or at least I'm assuming it was yours."

Zane staggered back as if from a blow, the room spinning around him, closing in on him until only Martinez was in his line of sight, everyone else outside the perimeter of black shadows framing his vision. He couldn't hear anything except his own labored breathing and the click of the service revolver as it was cocked and aimed at his head.

"How's it feel to have the shoe on the other foot? To know I took away your wife and child the same way you took away mine?"

"It wasn't the same."

"Either way, they're gone." Martinez shrugged. "And so are you, Youngblood."

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"Zane!" Nova lurched to her feet.

She flung herself at Martinez just as he fired, and Zane heard the blast, felt the heat of the bullet as it whizzed past his right ear and slammed into the wall behind him.

He tried to shake off the shock of it as the gun skittered across the polished wood floor, but the other man was quick, diving for the gun before Zane could get his bearings. Martinez grabbed the revolver in one hand and caught Nova's arm with the other before dragging her to her feet.

Then someone came through the front door.

* * * *

Nova's world tilted sickly when Ransom stepped over the threshold and Enrique swung the revolver in his direction. Her dream was unfolding in slow motion right before her eyes and there was nothing she could do to stop it!

Enrique squeezed her arm so tight, he almost cut off the circulation as he pulled her close and pressed the gun's barrel to her temple.

"Ran, I told you to stay outside in the car!"

"Oh really? Who was out there in the car with you, Ransom? Wouldn't happen to have been the police, would it?"

Ransom stood frozen, looking from Zane to Enrique, his immature Adam's apple bobbing.

"You didn't pay attention to my instructions, Youngblood. I said no cops!"

"Wait, Martinez, and just think for a minute! If the cops were out there, they wouldn't have let him come in by himself. They wouldn't have let him come in at
all.
"

"Good point. But I think it's still time for you to make a choice. Your woman, or your nephew." Enrique pointed the gun from Nova to Ransom.

"Eeny, meeny, miny—"

"Martinez, it doesn't have to be like this."

"I'll make the choice for you, then." Enrique stopped at Ransom, aimed the gun at the teen's chest, and whispered, "I'm sorry," before pulling the trigger.

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Nova watched as Zane leapt in front of Ransom, saw her vision replaying as if she were watching the video of a movie she'd already seen.

It looked like the bullet struck Zane in the shoulder but she couldn’t stop to dwell on it. She threw her body into Enrique with as much force as she could muster and the gun went flying again.

"You've done that to me for the last time, slut!" Enrique backhanded her and reached for the knife.

Several officers burst through the front door, with Leary leading the charge.

"Freeze, Martinez!"

Enrique laughed and lunged toward Nova, straddling her hips and imprisoning her beneath him.

"Drop it, Martinez!"

Ignoring Leary, he raised the knife high and Nova closed her eyes and waited for the sharp steel to pierce her heart.

Instead, several shots rang out and the impact knocked Enrique off her, allowing her to breathe again.

And with her renewed breath, she screamed at Leary and his backup,

"What took you so long?"

* * * *

Zane lay on his back, the smell of pine needles and gunpowder heavy in his lungs. He heard the muffled roars of booted feet marching back and forth through the living room and sirens screaming to a halt outside.

Christmas tree, guns, and ambulances; what a wonderful combination.

He almost laughed, surprised to not feel as much pain as he'd expected—just a searing heat where the bullet had struck him.

"Zane? Zane, look at me!"

Nova knelt beside him and caught his hand. "Hold on, baby. Please, just hold on."

He opened his eyes and was immediately struck by the frightened look in hers. They were bright and brimming as the EMS workers lifted him onto the stretcher. "Where's Ransom?"

"He's okay. He's with Leary."

He grinned, knowing his nephew couldn't be in better hands.

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Nova ran alongside him as the EMS technicians loaded him into the back of an ambulance, stayed with him as one of them slammed the door shut. Then they peeled away from the curb, sirens wailing.

He felt himself slipping away, though he only knew that was what was happening when he clearly spotted Sage and Sinny beyond Nova's head.

"Zane?" She turned to glance behind herself, then returned her gaze to his, tears finally overflowing, as if she knew what he was seeing. She squeezed his hand painfully tight, like she could stop him from going.

"Zane, don't leave me!"

They were the last words he heard before he flatlined.

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Chapter 31

"Hey bro! Glad you could make it."

Zane opened his eyes, reeling from his trip, unsure yet whether or not
it was over.

"Zany Zane, over here!"

He spun in the direction of the voice, vaguely recognizing Sage's
essence nearby before he spotted her a few feet away, frantically waving
at him.

He started towards her, then realized that he wasn't walking, but
floating. He stopped a foot away from her, grinning from ear to ear as his
twin did the same.