Page 28 of Deadly Pride
“Sometimes people don’t believe because they haven’t been introduced.”
He laughed, the sound strange under his helmet. “You are a worthy adversary of my…”
“You’re what?” Employer? Friend? Relative?
“Lord.” He whipped the van to the right taking a dirt road that would take them to the lake.
He had to slow again, but the trees crowded the van too close for her to be able to get much of an impact. Not enough to knock the man unconscious at least. She caught a glimpse of the lake up ahead.
Saying a quick prayer, she reached over and pressed the man’s foot harder onto the accelerator. “Hold on, Liam!”
They shot for the water. The van took a slight incline, went airborne, and splashed into the lake before slowly starting to sink.
She then rammed Billy’s head against the steering wheel until the face shield on his helmet cracked and stopped moving. She fought with her seatbelt as cold water seeped into the vehicle.
~
Liam tried to find something to stop him being thrown around the back of the van as soon as he realized what Harper expected to do. Nothing. With his hands bound, he was helpless.
When they hit the water, he slammed against the back of Billy’s seat, knocking the breath from him. His head whipped to the side, striking the wall. Things went dark for a moment.
“Liam!” Harper slammed her feet against the passenger side window. “Once I break this, you’ll have to come to me. I’ll pull you to the surface.”
“You’ll never be able to get me to the shore. Not with my hands tied.” His heart sank as he realized this could be the end for him.
“I won’t leave you.” The window drifted from the van. Harper reached toward him and grabbed the collar of his shirt, yanking him between the two front seats. “Take a deep breath, we’re going under.” She took one and dove, keeping a hold of him.
One foot caught him under the chin, and he bit his tongue. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. She moved her hold from his shirt collar to his arm and kicked for the surface.
They broke the surface, both gasping for air.
“Relax and lay back.” She rolled over and cradled him against her as a mother otter would her offspring. She kicked her legs slowly, taking them closer to the shore.
Billy shot to the surface. With long strokes, he swam toward them.
If Harper let go of Liam to fight the man off, Liam would sink, unless he could kick hard enough to keep himself above water. “Let go of me.”
“No.”
“Harper, you can’t hold onto me and protect yourself. I’ll make it to shore.” He wouldn’t dare leave her to fight the man alone.
A shot rang out. A hole appeared in Billy’s helmet. The man sank below the water’s surface.
“Help has arrived,” Harper said. “How did the chief know our location?”
“He slipped a tracker in my pants pocket while wiring me.” He kicked along with her to make her burden easier. “Thank you for staying with me.”
“Hey, we’re partners. That’s what we do. It’s going to take both of us to stop this mad man.”
Yes, it would.
Hands reached down and pulled them from the water. The chief cut the tie from Liam’s wrist.
“You’ve got a text,” he said, handing Liam and Harper their phones.
Liam glanced at the screen. “Covetousness teaches people to be cruel and crafty, industrious and evil, full of care and malice; and after all this, it is for no good to itself, for it dares not spend those heaps of treasure which it has snatched.” He glanced at Harper. “Round two.”