Page 49 of The Heat is On

A shot fractured the morning air.

Tucker took off running.

She sprinted after him and nearly plowed him over when he stopped short. Standing across the road, Stevie held up her hands, edging toward…March. He stood in front of an old truck parked next to a dilapidated trailer and held Archer by the collar. Archer was pale, breathing hard, as if in pain.

No sign of Rio.

Tucker grabbed the pack strap and dragged her over to the forest, pulling her down beside a bushy spruce tree.

“You stay here,” he whispered. “I’m going to try and get behind March and tackle him.”

Had he lost his mind? “Don’t die!”

He gave her the strangest look. Then, “Right. Radio in to Seth, tell him our position so the marshals can get here.”

Oh, uh… she had nothing but a nod for him as he suddenly sprinted out behind the trailer.

“Throw the keys!” March shouted, and Skye put it together.

Stevie had gotten here before March and taken the keys out of his truck. Preventing his escape.

Where was Rio?

She spotted Tucker edging out from behind the truck, as if to sneak up on March, who pointed his revolver at Stevie.

Shoot—she shoulddosomething, not just sit here—

Stevie tossed the keys to March.

No!

Archer shouted and launched himself at Stevie.

A shot, and Archer fell hard on Stevie.

Somehow she got free, but March grabbed Stevie, hauled her to her feet.

Hit her.

Oh—no, no—

When he hit her again, Skye leaped to her feet.

Tucker was already there, tackling March.

Skye ducked her head and fled to the cover of the truck. Stevie crawled over to Archer, begging him not to die.

Skye paused behind the truck, breathing hard. She couldn’t see the fight, but she heard the grunts—too reminiscent of Rio’s own fight with March. She eased around the truck to help Stevie.

The fighters came back into view. March had crawled on top of Tucker, pinning him to the ground with his knee. March raised a tire iron above his head—

“No!”

Skye’s scream ignited Stevie, who turned and ran straight for March.

Thank You, God—Stevie caught March’s arm. Pushed him off Tucker and clamped her hands around March’s neck.

Skye ran to Archer. He was bleeding from a wound in his gut, blood pooling on the ground as he tried to press a coat over his injury.