Kidnapping in Kendall County (16 page)

Chapter Nineteen

“No!” Rosalie shouted, and she would have tried to go after the woman if Sonny hadn’t yanked her back by her hair.

Pain shot through her, but it was nothing compared with the pain stabbing through her heart. The woman had Sadie, Rosalie was sure of it, and if the hired gun found her as Sonny had ordered, Sadie might be hurt, too.

And even if the woman managed to get away, it was possible that Rosalie would never see her baby again.

That couldn’t happen.

This had to end tonight so she could be reunited with Sadie.

“I have to see her,” Rosalie tried again, and she fought, squirmed and did whatever she could to try to break loose of Sonny’s grip.

“Let her go,” Austin ordered, stepping out from cover and putting him in the direct line of fire.

Sonny immediately turned his gun on Austin. And fired. Thank God Austin got out of the way in time.

“Sonny!” someone shouted before he could take aim at Austin again. Whoever it was, the person sounded as if he was running straight toward them.

“Hutchins,” Sonny mumbled.

One of his hired guns. The one who was supposed to be out there hunting down Seth. She’d hoped her brother had managed to take care of him, but apparently not.

Did that mean Hutchins had managed to kill Seth?

Rosalie choked back a gasp and the tears. None of that would help her now. Only escaping would do that, and then she could get the baby and find Seth.

Her gaze connected with Austin when he looked out from the tree. Too bad they weren’t mind readers because if they could work together, they might be able to come up with a plan that wouldn’t get them both killed.

Austin had been right about one thing. If Rosalie died, it could have devastating consequences for Sadie. Either Austin or she had to stay alive to make sure Sadie lived.

Mercy, though, it hurt to think of losing Austin.

He didn’t deserve this. He’d made her fight his own, and he was out here because of her. Because he cared for her.

Rosalie’s feelings went a lot deeper than that.

She was in love with him.

And it was the worst time possible for her to realize that. Maybe she would get a chance to tell him.

“It’s me. Don’t shoot,” Hutchins warned Sonny, and several moments later, the man reached them. He had a bulky build and was wearing a black ski mask that he’d partially lifted up on his face.

“We got a big problem, boss,” Hutchins said. “Leon’s dead. I found him just up the road. Somebody had snapped his neck.”

“Hell.” And Sonny repeated it. “I sent him to check on you. Where the devil is Calder?”

Hutchins shook his head. “I don’t know. Don’t know about the other two lawmen, either. If they’re out there, they’re keeping quiet.”

That caused Sonny to spew another round of raw profanity. “Find them. Kill them.”

The death order had barely left Sonny’s mouth when there was a sound that Rosalie didn’t want to hear.

A gunshot.

Even if it was one of her brothers doing the shooting, she didn’t want the bullets fired around the baby. She also didn’t want Seth, Cooper or Colt hurt, but she knew it was possible that the shot had been aimed at any one of them.

While he kept a firm grip on her hair, Sonny pulled her behind a tree and moved a small communicator on his coat collar so that it was closer to his mouth. “Hendricks?” he said into the piece.

Nothing.

Rosalie wasn’t sure, but she was guessing this was the goon who’d gone after the nanny.

“Hendricks?” Sonny repeated not just into the communicator, but he shouted out the man’s name.

“Won’t do any good to yell for him,” someone yelled. “I just put a bullet in him.”

Yancy.

What the heck was he doing here? Rosalie couldn’t see him, but judging from the sound of his voice, he was in the woods where she’d last seen the nanny and baby.

Oh, God. Had Yancy done something to them?

“What the hell do you want, Yancy?” Sonny snarled.

“Figured that’d be kinda obvious. I’m here because you’re trying to set me up. Not gonna happen. I didn’t have anything to do with those kidnapped brats.”

Rosalie didn’t know where to aim her anger, but she was actually glad that Yancy had eliminated the man going after the nanny. One hired gun down, but she had no idea how many others there were.

Plus, now they had to contend with Yancy. Even though he appeared to be there to stop Sonny, she didn’t trust him. He could try a reversal of Sonny’s plan and kill them all, setting it up so that Sonny looked guilty.

“This isn’t your fight,” Sonny yelled back to Yancy. “Leave now, and you won’t get hurt.”

“Well, you see, I’m thinking this is my fight.” Yancy sounded like his usual cocky self. “Now, I don’t care a rat’s butt if Rosalie and Austin get killed in the process, but, Sonny-boy, you’re about to meet your unholy maker.”

That was the only warning they got before Yancy started shooting.

* * *

A
USTIN
LAUNCHED
HIMSELF
at Rosalie to pull her to the ground so he could get her out of the path of Yancy’s shots.

But Sonny beat him to her.

Sonny scrambled behind one of the trees and dragged Rosalie with him. Why, Austin didn’t know. Sonny had plans to kill Rosalie and him, anyway, but maybe he didn’t want his enemy to get that
privilege.

Yancy’s shots slammed into the tree that Sonny and Hutchins were using for cover with Rosalie. However, Yancy also sent a few Austin’s way. Since Yancy had already killed the hired gun who’d gone after the nanny, or so he’d claimed, then it was clear he didn’t intend to leave any witnesses behind.

Austin stayed low and looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Seth, Cooper or Colt. If they were out there—and he was pretty sure they were since someone had broken the other thug’s neck—then they were keeping well hidden. Austin hoped they were close enough in case he needed backup for what he was about to do.

And what he was about to do was get Rosalie the heck out of there.

That was the first step, and then they had to go after the nanny. Unless there was another vehicle nearby, then it meant the woman was out in the freezing-cold woods with a baby. Plus, there was the likelihood that Sonny had other hired guns out there. Ones who’d worked the baby farm for him.

In other words, goons who would do anything, including murder.

Another of Yancy’s bullets slammed into the tree just above Austin’s head. Since the man wasn’t taking time to reload, he’d obviously come with multiple weapons. Still, he’d eventually run out of ammo unless he, too, had brought significant backup with him.

A strong possibility.

Sonny and his man were doing their own share of returning fire, and while they were occupied with Yancy’s attack, Austin inched his way toward Rosalie. She had her head down, thank God, but she was also looking in his direction. Obviously waiting for him to put his plan of escape into motion.

Except the plan was a thin one.

Basically, Austin intended to grab Rosalie, head to the bullet-resistant car and, once he had backup in place, the search for the nanny and the baby could begin.

“Move back,” Austin mouthed to her, hoping that Rosalie could understand what he was saying.

Hutchins understood it all right. The hired gun pivoted, turning his weapon on Austin.

The shots came fast.

So fast that it took Austin a moment to realize that Hutchins hadn’t been the one to pull the trigger.

The shot had come from Yancy.

And the bullet hit Hutchins squarely in the chest. Obviously a kill shot because Hutchins crumpled to the ground without making a sound.

“You’re gonna pay for that!” Sonny shouted. He came out from the tree, his gun already aimed at Yancy, and started firing.

Nonstop.

Austin took advantage of the moment and hurried to Rosalie. He hooked his arm around her waist to get her moving just as he heard a too-familiar sound. One of the bullets slamming into someone. He made a quick glance over his shoulder.

That someone was Yancy.

The man made a guttural sound of raw pain, falling. His gun dropped right along with him.

Sonny didn’t waste a moment savoring his victory of killing an old foe. He whirled around, turning his gun on Austin and Rosalie. They scrambled behind a boulder in the nick of time.

Another shot came their way. Then another. Sonny took cover behind the tree again, protecting himself and keeping them pinned down at the same time.

Since his heartbeat was already crashing in his ears, it took Austin a moment to hear something else. And this time it was a welcome sound.

Sirens.

Lots of them.

Rosalie’s brothers had come through with plenty of backup. But would the cops arrive in time? Sonny’s shots were coming way too close.

Since Austin was covering Rosalie’s body with his, he could feel her knotted muscles. Could hear her ragged breathing. She’d come way too close to dying—again—and there was still time for Sonny to try to get off one more deadly shot.

That’s what Austin had to prevent.

“I love you,” she said.

At least that’s what Austin thought she said. But he had to be wrong about that.

Didn’t he?

Like the earlier kiss, maybe this was her way of saying goodbye, but he sure as hell wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her.

“Rosalie? Austin?” someone called out.

Seth.

He sounded close enough to help Austin put an end to this.

“Over here,” Austin shouted back just as he levered himself up a little and fired a shot at Sonny.

Sonny jumped back behind cover and sent another shot Austin’s way. Austin braced himself for another hail of bullets. Sonny’s last-ditch attempt to take them out before he turned his killing efforts on Seth.

But that didn’t happen.

“This isn’t over,” Sonny said, adding some vicious profanity.

And he took off running.

* * *

S
INCE
R
OSALIE
WAS
flat on the ground, at first she didn’t understand why Austin practically jumped off her. And then she lifted her head and saw what was happening.

No!

Sonny was getting away, and worse, he was running in the same direction as the woman with the baby. If Sonny caught up with them, he might carry through on his death order, and the baby could be hurt in the process.

“We have to stop him,” Rosalie insisted.

Even though Austin tried to take her by the arm and stop her, she threw off his grip and instead got him moving after Sonny.

“There might be other gunmen out there,” Austin reminded her.

The thought of it spiked her heart even more, but she couldn’t let Sonny take this fight to Sadie. Thankfully, Austin must have understood that because he finally gave up struggling with her and moved ahead of her so he could quicken the pace.

“We’re here!” Austin shouted over his shoulder.

Rosalie glanced back and saw Seth running after them.

Good.

They might need an extra gun or two before this was over. Also the sirens were close now, probably right on the road where Austin had left the car. If there were any of Sonny’s goons on that side of the clearing, Cooper and Colt could take care of them.

Austin didn’t wait for Seth to catch up. He kept her moving until they reached a thick clump of trees, and he pulled her behind them with him.

“Sonny could be waiting somewhere to ambush us,” Austin whispered.

That put her heart right back in her throat. It was exactly the sort of thing that scum like Sonny would do. Still, they couldn’t just stand there and wait because if his plans weren’t to ambush them, then he was escaping.

That couldn’t happen.

If he got away, the danger would just continue, and worse, she might never get Sadie back. If Sonny managed to get his hands on Sadie again, he would no doubt make sure Rosalie never found her.

Austin and she waited, the wind and the sleet swiping at them. Mercy, it was so cold, and her baby was out there in this with a killer on her trail.

“Any sign of Sonny?” Seth asked when he hurried into the trees with them.

Austin had to shake his head. All of them were breathing through their mouths now. All of them on edge and primed for a fight.

“We can’t wait any longer,” she insisted, figuring she would get an argument from at least one of them.

She didn’t.

Austin motioned for Seth to go to the left, and he motioned for her to follow him to the right. They fanned out, looking and listening for any sign of Sonny or another of his hired guns.

Both Austin and Seth turned on their phones and used the light to have a look at the ground. Rosalie didn’t see anything, but Austin must have because he gestured at Seth again, and they took off, heading deeper into the woods.

Rosalie tried to pick through all the sounds. The bitter wind, their footsteps crunching onto the icy ground and her own heartbeat. She hoped to hear something that would help them find Sadie.

But there was nothing.

They just continued to work their way through the clutter of trees and shrubs while Austin followed some kind of tracks that she couldn’t even see.

“It’ll be okay,” Austin whispered to her.

It took her a moment to realize the reason he said that was because she had a death grip on his shoulder. Rosalie eased back her fingers a little, but there was nothing she could do to ease the tension in her body.

Or forget what she’d said to Austin earlier.

I love you.

Judging from the look he’d given her, he’d been just as surprised by it as she had been.

But it was true.

It had taken their near deaths for her to come to that realization, and the timing couldn’t have been worse. When this was over and Sadie and everyone else was safe, Rosalie needed to make sure that her saying “I love you” didn’t mean anything.

Well, nothing except that she meant it and would probably get her heart broken.

Austin hadn’t given her even a hint that he was ready for a relationship. Yes, they’d had sex, but again, that’d happened after yet another nightmare attack. She didn’t want that to have been the reason he’d landed in bed with her, but she had to accept that it had played a big part in it.