Page 63 of Operation: Return
“We’re down here in the eastern pasture waiting for any sign of the men. There’s been heavy fire. A couple of the Guardians have night-vision goggles and they’re helping me keep a lookout. We won’t leave them.”
Edwyn was there, the Guardians were there, ready to help, but she wanted more. “At least an ambulance. With all that shooting, there’s a huge likelihood someone has been shot.”
Brendon stared at her again, like he was taking her measure. She was beginning to hate that look. He gave a curt nod and picked up the phone. A minute later he hung up. “They’re sending an ambulance.”
She nodded, unable to take her eyes off the growing flames in the distance. Would anyone call the fire department, or would the fire have to reach another property before it became enough of an issue to be called in?
“Brendon, I have a visual. All four are accounted for.”
“All four?” Her stomach twisted. Who else had been there?
“Edwyn? Repeat.” Brendon leaned closer to the walkie as if it might help him hear better.
“Cole, Dominic, Spenser, and Pete are accounted for. We have one gunshot victim and some smoke inhalation, but all are breathing.”
“All are breathing,” Erica repeated. “Why won’t he say who was shot?”
“Probably because Frank is still listening. He has one of these walkies and knows exactly where everyone is.”
Frank had known about the timing of the security camera in the hall. He’d known about the deserted ranch. He’d known about all the men at Wayside. Yet he shot blanks from his gun. What was he doing? “Did any of the men know about the underground bunker?”
Brendon shook his head. Very few people know about it. And even if they know it exists, they don’t know how to get to it. Finding it isn’t as easy as your usual bomb shelter.”
“Unless he’s been poking around for a while. Has anyone gone to check on the guests since Frank left? We haven’t heard from him.”
“Sam is down with them right now, as is Gabby. They know they are only supposed to text from down there. Nothing that makes noise. We would know if anyone was down there.”
Erica drummed her fingertips on the windowsill, waiting to hear further word. In the distance, sirens squealed and flashing lights added to the mayhem of fire.
“I need to go out there and see him.”
Brendon slowly shook his head. “You don’t know this ranch well enough to get out there. There’s a kidnapper on the loose who’s probably working for Viceroy, and I haven’t received the all clear to let you leave.”
She hadn’t realized she was a prisoner. Though less locked in then kept out of the way. “I have to know he’s safe.”
The ambulance pulled into the front yard and silenced their sirens. “Sorry, Brendon. That’s my cue.”
ChapterTwenty-Four
Erica couldn’t slow her steps as she saw Cole walking out of the trees carrying her son. Pete clung to Cole’s neck and oily soot covered both of them. It shone in the reflection of the blue and red lights of the ambulance.
Two men rushed toward Pete but he put up a fuss, turning away from them and clinging harder to Cole. She stopped dead in her tracks. She’d known her son looked like his father, but together, tonight, they looked like father and son.
“Sir, can I take your son and look him over? You can sit with him in the ambulance.”
Cole looked up and met her gaze with a challenge. She wasn’t sure how he knew after all of her hedging and trying to protect her relationship with her son. She opened her mouth to answer, but he hugged Pete close and answered first.
“He can sit on my lap. He’s been through a lot and I don’t want him to be alone.”
Erica pushed through to them, needing to feel Pete, needing to hold him. “Pete?”
He whipped his head around, looking for her. “Mom?”
“I’m here.” She touched his back and he jumped toward her. She looked up at Cole, gratitude clogging her throat. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Ma’am? We should check him over.”
Instead of handing him back to Cole, she followed the EMT to the gurney and sat on it, with Pete on her lap. Another ambulance arrived and Cole directed them to Dominic who’d just walked out of the trees, another Guardian limped along by his side, holding his shoulder.