Search and Rescue by April Wilson

Chapter 28

Hannah McIntyre

I feel giddy, like a high school girl out on a first date with the boy she’s been crushing on forever. And here we are, arm in arm, dancing, and we just made it official.

Maggie comes up behind me, puts her hands on my shoulders, and whispers, “Having fun?”

Glancing back, I see Owen looming directly behind Maggie like a guard dog. I lean close to her and whisper, “We’re going steady.”

She laughs. “Good for you. I told you so!”

It turns out that two dances is my limit. My arms are shaking from trying to keep my balance, and my ankle is starting to throb.

I think Killian can tell, because he looks at me and frowns. “Let’s sit down.”

Owen claps Killian on the shoulder. “Hey, do you wanna play a game of Eight Ball?”

“Sure,” Killian says. “As long as Hannah can sit down and rest.”

Owen and Killian end up commandeering an available pool table, while Maggie and I take our seats to watch them play and cheer them on. Killian slides a spare chair over to me so I can prop my ankle up.

Ruth drops off fresh beers for me and Maggie, as well as soft drinks for the guys. Steve comes over to watch, and a small crowd of friends joins us. I think they’re curious about Killian and Owen. I would be, too, if two über hot guys showed up at my favorite watering hole.

While they’re playing pool, Killian and Owen have some quiet conversations, and they don’t seem to be keen to share with us.

Killian nods and types something into his phone while Owen takes his next shot.

“What’s going on?” I ask Killian when he checks on me.

“Not much,” he says. “We’re just making some arrangements.”

“For what?”

“You’ll see.”

Ruth comes to join us, standing beside the table where Maggie and I are sitting. She lays her hand on my shoulder and winks at me. “I like him.” Then she looks to Maggie. “The other one’s not bad either.”

Trying not to grin, Maggie gives Ruth the evil eye. “Stop it.”

The guys end up playing three rounds, Killian winning two out of the three. Owen offers him a raincheck on a bottle of beer.

Killian comes up behind my chair and leans down to brush his lips against my ear, giving me delicious goosebumps.

I shiver.

“You ’bout ready to call it a night?” he asks me. “This is a lot for your first time venturing out.”

He’s right. I am tired. Stretching out on my sofa at home, or better yet in my bed, sounds really good to me.

Killian goes to the bar to pay our tab, but Ruth brushes him off. “On the house tonight,” she says, “as thanks for saving our girl.”

We return to our booth to grab our coats and walk down the hall to the rear door. Just a few feet away from the door, Killian stops me. Owen moves on a few feet, closer to the rear door, and peers out the window.

“Be prepared, ladies,” Killian says to me and Maggie. “We’re not sure what to expect when we walk outside.”

Maggie frowns. “What d’you mean?”

“I’m pretty sure the guy we saw earlier tonight is one of the poachers. He took off like a bat out of hell once he realized I was scrutinizing him. If it is him, he may have contacted his accomplice, and they might be out there waiting for us.”

I glance down the hall to the back door and can see that it’s dark out. Owen stands at the ready by the door, his hand on his firearm holstered at his hip.

“Stay inside with Maggie,” Killian says to me. “I’ll pull the Jeep up to the back door.”

I grab his arm. “You can’t go out there alone. What if you’re right, and they’re out there? At least take Owen with you.”

“Owen stays inside with you two. I’ll be fine.”

Killian heads for the door, and before I can say another word, he’s walking into a pitch-dark parking lot to get my Jeep.

A few moments later, he pulls up to the back door.

“Let’s go,” Owen says as he opens the door and ushers Maggie and me outside.

Killian’s behind the wheel still. Owen walks me to the front passenger seat, opens my door, and helps me climb up while Maggie holds my crutches.

“False alarm, I guess,” Maggie says as she hands me the crutches.

“Yeah, false alarm.” I have to admit, I feel relieved no boogey men have jumped out of the shadows. I’m not looking forward to confronting those guys again.

Killian makes eye contact with Owen, and the two men look deep in conversation even though neither one says a word. Owen nods, then closes my door.

Killian reaches over me and locks my door. “Let’s go home.”

He’s uncharacteristically quiet on the drive home. I expected him to tease me more about Steve, or maybe about our dances. Instead, he keeps checking the rearview mirror.

“Is something wrong?” I ask him.

His posture is tense. “We’re being tailed.”

I glance at my sideview mirror but there’s no one behind us. Still, the roads are dark and full of curves, so I can’t see very far back. “You’re sure we’re being followed?”

“Yep. They followed out of the parking lot.”

“Who did?”

“Not entirely sure, but I can guess. It’s a dark SUV with tinted windows.”

My stomach sinks like a stone. “What do we do?”

“We act normal,” he says as he reaches over to pat my knee. “We don’t want to tip them off. Don’t worry, everything’s under control.”

Under control? How can he remain so calm? I wish I could be as cool under pressure as Killian, but pardon me if I’m a bit concerned that we’re being followed by two men who want me dead.

When we reach the turnoff to my place, Killian takes it and drives up the lane toward my cabin.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? We’ll be sitting ducks up here if they cage us in. There’s only the one way in and out.”

Sure enough, as I’m watching my sideview mirror, another vehicle turns into my drive behind us. It’s dark, so they’re hard to make out. They turn off their headlights, but occasionally I see the glint of moonlight off their front grill. “They turned their lights off.”

“It’s all right. We’re not the only ones with a tail tonight.”

Before I can even ask what he means, we pull into the front yard of my cabin. The cabin’s dark, except for the single bulb lighting up the porch. Killian parks the Jeep and kills the engine and lights, leaving us in a pool of darkness.

Sure enough, the SUV pulls in a few yards behind us. Two men jump out and take cover on each side of the vehicle, behind their open doors. They’re aiming handguns at us.

One of them shouts, “Get out of the vehicle! Now!”

Killian reaches inside his jacket for his holstered gun. “Don’t move, love. Stay in the Jeep and keep your head down.” He disables the interior light and reaches for his door handle.

I grab his arm. “Please don’t go out there. You’re outnumbered.”

“Not for long,” he says with a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

I hear the crunch of tires on gravel before I see a familiar vehicle approaching. It’s Maggie’s red pickup truck pulling in directly behind the SUV, cutting the poachers off from behind. Then floodlights fill the yard from multiple angles, all trained on the dark SUV, and half-a-dozen uniformed deputies armed with shotguns come from all directions—from the woods, from behind the cabin—to surround the two intruders. Owen steps out of the pickup, his shotgun trained on the poachers.

“Sheriff’s department!” Bob Nelson yells. “Drop your weapons and put your hands up where we can see them! Now!”

Killian’s standing outside the Jeep now, his hands clasping his gun, which is pointed at one of the poachers.

I stare in awe at the sheer strength of force surrounding us. Not just Killian and Owen flanking the poachers, but also all the police officers.

When the poachers, who are greatly outnumbered, comply with the sheriff’s orders, the officers swarm in, cuff them, and search them.

I pivot to face Killian, who has already holstered his gun. “You planned this. How in the world did you do it? When did you do it?”

Killian touches the mic on his radio. “Copy. I’m taking Hannah inside.” He walks around the front of the Jeep to my door, opens it, and helps me down. He walks me up the porch steps and into the cabin. A moment later, I’m sitting on the sofa.

“Stay inside, love,” Killian says. “I’m going outside to help.” And then he’s gone.

Scout paces restlessly in front of the door as the sound of heated voices comes through the wall. I hate being unable to see what’s going on outside.

I’m tempted to move over to the window, so I can see, when there’s a knock at the door.

“Hannah? It’s me, Owen. I’m comin’ in.” He steps inside, closes the door, and turns on the light that hangs over the kitchen table. “You doin’ okay?”

“Where’s Maggie? She’s not out there with you, is she?”

“No. She’s with Ruth back at the tavern. She’s safe.”

A few minutes later, Killian comes back inside. “All right, they’re gone. Nelson took the chickenshits to the county jail to await arraignment.” He grins at me. “We got them, love. We got them.”

Now that the excitement is over, Owen heads back to the tavern to pick up Maggie. Killian secures the cabin and comes to sit with me on the sofa. I realize I haven’t stopped shaking since the poachers followed us up my lane.

Killian lays his arm across my shoulders and pulls me close, dropping a kiss on the top of my head. “It’s okay. They’re in custody. You’re safe.”

Then he pulls out his phone and makes a call. “I’ve got an update for you, Shane. The poachers have been apprehended by the sheriff’s office. They’ve been taken into custody.” He pauses to listen. “Yes, she’s fine.” Another pause. “I’m sure she wants to speak to you, too. But before I hand the phone over, there’s something I need to tell you.” He gives me a telling look and takes a deep breath. “I’m resigning, effective immediately. I’m staying here in Bryce, with Hannah.” Another pause, this one longer. “I don’t know, but I’ll think of something.”

He hands me the phone. “Your brother wants to talk to you.”

“Hi, Shane,” I say as I hold the phone to my ear.

“First things first, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

He sighs. “Well, that’s what matters. So, you and Killian? He said he’s staying in Bryce. With you.”

“Yeah, he is.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“I am. Really, Shane, I’m more than okay with it.” I smile at Killian, who’s listening to every word.

Killian snags my free hand and brings it to his mouth to kiss my knuckles.

“All right,” my brother says. “Let me think this over. I’ll get back with you both.”

I say goodnight to my brother and end the call. “He said he’ll think it over and get back with us, but I don’t know what he has to think about. It’s your decision, not his.”

“It’s our decision.” Killian moves to sit on the coffee table so he can face me. He leans forward and cups my face. He kisses me, his lips warm and comforting. “It’s late, and you should be in bed. Why don’t you get ready while I take the dog out for a potty break? I won’t be long.”

“You have five minutes,” I tell him. “And then I’m coming after you.”

“I’ll be back in four.”