her thoughts churning in a dozen different directions, Rachel tried to come up with a means of escape on foot. She had the advantage. She knew the area like the back of her hand. If she could make it to her neighbor’s house, she could call for help from there. But if Liam’s suspicions were true? What then? Liam was a seasoned CIA agent. If what he believed proved real, then she could be walking straight into the enemy’s arms by calling in the authorities.
Rachel didn’t dare take a direct path to the Reagans’ place. It wouldn’t be long before her pursuers figured out the direction she’d gone. She’d be bringing her troubles to the Reagans’ doorstep. She couldn’t do that.
“This way,” the woman yelled. “I see her up ahead.” More shots rang out; bullets flew past, one barely missing her shoulder. They were gaining! Would Tom Reagan hear the shots and come to investigate?
Please, God, no.
She had a feeling these people wouldn’t be opposed to killing anyone who got in their way. Even someone as innocent as Tom.
Rachel shoved branches out of her way as she ran blindly through the woods. Just in front of her, Callie suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. Rachel almost tripped over the dog in the process. There was just time to sidestep in an attempt to avoid the mishap when she slammed headfirst into something warm and solid. A man! He reached out and grabbed her tight. One thought raced through her head. They’d found her. She had to get away if she wanted to live.
Panicked, Rachel fought with everything she had, but she was no match for the man’s strength. Before she could scream, a hand clasped over her mouth and the man pulled her close.
“Don’t scream, Rachel. It’s me.” Alex! He was alive and he was here.
Relief made her knees weak. She hugged him close and struggled to let go of the panic still electrifying her nervous system.
“I heard the shots from the road and guessed something had gone wrong. We need to get out of here fast. Those shots sounded close. And this place is crawling with men. My car’s just over there.” He pointed up ahead, then glanced in the direction Rachel had come. “They’re almost here. Run for the car. I’ll try to distract them. I’ll be right behind you,” he added when she didn’t budge.
Alex gave her a gentle shove in that direction, but Rachel stood her ground. She might not be part of the CIA anymore, but one thing was still ingrained in her brain: you never left your partner behind.
Alex drew his Glock and opened fire. Rachel didn’t hesitate before doing the same.
A scream of pain rang out. They’d hit one of their pursuers. Rachel didn’t believe it would slow the other down one little bit.
She turned and hurried toward the car with Callie. Alex cleared the woods shortly after her and the dog.
Before they could reach the vehicle, someone opened fire on them. Rachel ducked for cover behind the side of the car. She caught a glimpse of a man holding his shoulder. He was injured but it didn’t stop him from shooting at them. Alex managed to get off several rounds, forcing the man to hide behind a nearby tree to avoid another direct hit. Where was the woman?
“Hurry, Rachel,” Alex yelled as he opened the driver’s-side door and lunged inside. Rachel yanked her door open. Callie hit the front seat first. She followed seconds later.
“Go, go, go,” she urged in an unsteady voice, reflecting the magnitude of what had just happened.
Alex put the vehicle in Drive and floored it while staying as low as he possibly could and still see where he was going.
Rachel glanced behind them. The man had stepped from his tree coverage and began shooting at them again. Several other men joined him, all firing. The back window shattered. Rachel tucked down low while from the back seat Callie let out a frightened yelp.
“It’s okay, girl. Everything is going to be okay.” She stroked the dog’s fur, trying to reassure them both.
Alex jerked the wheel to the right to avoid another hit. The car veered close to the edge of the road. He quickly corrected and managed to keep them from crashing just in time.
Soon, at least four sets of headlights flashed behind them. The men were coming full force. Alex floored the gas pedal once more in an attempt to lose them.
“What happened back there?” he asked, the tension in his voice evident. He spared her a glance as he continued to push the car to its limit, still unable to shake the vehicles.
Numb from shock, Rachel shook her head. “I don’t know.” It was the truth, but she could see that he didn’t believe it. Not that she could blame him. People just didn’t come to your house and start shooting at you for no reason. “A man and a woman showed up at my door. He said they were lost. I could tell he was armed. When I refused to let him come inside, the man started shooting at me. Alex, I barely got away...” She stopped for a much-needed breath and glanced down at her hands. They were shaking. She’d almost died. Both of them had come close.
“There’s no way they just happened to show up at my front door. This is connected to Liam’s disappearance somehow. What I don’t understand is how they knew where to find me?” Rachel had gone to great lengths to disguise her identity after leaving the Agency. She’d created an alias last name. Even after she’d gotten married, she hadn’t taken her husband’s name simply because there was always the chance that her past might come looking for her. No one would be able to track her by that association.
Rachel cast a suspicious look Alex’s way. “Did you tell anyone you were coming here?”
His response came quick, his tone reflecting his hurt. “Of course not. Rach, you asked me not to tell anyone, so I didn’t. But the woods were crawling with people back there. I’m surprised they didn’t spot me before I was able to reach you. Or hear my car, for that matter.” He shook his head. “You said on the phone you hadn’t spoken to Liam in more than a week. You believe he’s gone missing?” She nodded. She hadn’t said as much when she’d called, but Alex had guessed. “Why do you think that? How does this ambush fit into Liam’s disappearance?”
She’d been brief on the phone. Afraid to tell him her worst fears. “I don’t know how this fits into it, but I know Liam, and I haven’t heard from him in over a week.” She realized how foolish she sounded right now, but she knew if her brother were able to, he would have been in touch by now.
Rachel kept a nervous eye on the vehicles behind them. So far, Alex had been able to keep them at a distance, but they had to find a way to lose them soon if they were going to help Liam.
“We need to get off this road, Alex. It’ll drop us into the town of Midnight Mountain, and who knows how many more men they have waiting for us there.” She pointed up ahead. “There’s a side road coming up on the right, just after we make this next curve around the mountain. Take it.”
Alex nodded and turned his full attention on his driving. When the road in question came into sight, he slowed the car’s speed slightly.
“Hang on,” he warned. Alex was an excellent driver and yet it took all his skills to make the curve at the high rate of speed. Once they’d safely exited, he killed the lights to give them a fighting chance.
With adrenaline pumping through her body like crazy, Rachel spotted the vehicles swerving onto the same road. “They’re
