He took a step back. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying he let her go.” She steadied her attention on him, tried to keep the warning out of her voice as much as possible. Benning was a smart man, but sometimes the fear of losing a child hazed over a parent’s ability to string reality together. “Whoever took her, whoever took Owen? They wanted Olivia to be found. They wanted you in this room and planted the device we found to ensure you followed whatever instructions they’d given you the first time they contacted you.” She studied his expression for any hint she’d hit the nail on the head, and her heart rate spiked as he flinched against the accusation. She was right, and the phone call he’d received seconds ago confirmed it. The kidnapper had warned him not to involve law enforcement, on threat of harming his son, because they weren’t finished with Benning. “They knew exactly where to find you. Do you really want to put Olivia’s life in more danger by staying here, or do you want to save both your daughter and your son?”
One breath. Two. Benning grabbed the near-empty IV bag, then scooped his daughter gently into his arms. Olivia’s small body fell limp against his muscled chest as she continued to combat whatever sedative her doctors had put in that IV. He rounded the end of the bed, those bright blue eyes settling on her. Warmth shot up her neck and into her face as the veins in his sinewy arms fought to break through skin. He hadn’t changed much over the years since she’d last seen him, but there was a new roughness to him, a strength that hadn’t been there before and she couldn’t look away. “Do whatever it takes to get her out of here. Okay? She’s the only one who matters.”
“I’ll get you both out of here. I give you my word.” The adrenaline rush increased her focus. She’d memorized the layout of the hospital before she’d left Knoxville. There were three exits from the second floor, not including the windows, but they’d take the stairs at the back of the building in case the shooter had stuck around. She headed toward the door and intercepted his path into the hallway. Adjusting her grip on her weapon, she pulled open the door a crack and studied both ends of the hallway. Lucky for them, Olivia’s room was positioned in the corner, the closest to the stairs. Somehow, her kidnapper had gotten access, left the listening device and escaped without notice. Which meant they weren’t dealing with an amateur. “Stay behind me. Use me as a shield if you have to.”
“Okay.” His voice dropped into graveled territory, as though he was fighting to keep the inflection out of his words.
She twisted her chin directly over one shoulder. “As soon as we’re safe, you’re going to tell me why someone would target your kids to get to you and who exactly was on the other end of that phone call.” Because unless he trusted her, his son might not make it home alive.
She moved into the hallway, shouts hiking her nerves into overdrive. The officers assigned to sit on Olivia Reeves until she woke up would’ve heard the gunshot, but she and Benning couldn’t wait around to give their statements. There was no telling how far the abductor would go to ensure they weren’t connected to attempted murder and kidnapping charges. Or how many people they’d hurt along the way. She cleared the hallway, the lights reflecting off the white tile bright. Nodding toward the exit to their left, she maneuvered Benning and Olivia past her. “Stairs.”
She followed close on his heels through the door as uniforms came around the corner down the hall. Carefully closing the stairwell door behind them, they descended the stairs and pushed through the maintenance exit on the first floor until crisp winter air brushed across the exposed skin of her neck. Swinging her weapon up, she swept the parking lot. No movement. Nothing to suggest an ambush, but she wouldn’t let her guard down until Benning and his daughter were safe. “Black SUV five stalls back. Go.”
They crossed the parking lot at a jog, but every cell in her body screamed warning as movement registered off to her left. She had only a moment to react. Ana shoved Benning and Olivia behind the nearest car with everything she had. Gunfire ripped across the asphalt. A bullet cut through the thick fabric of her coat as she fired back at the masked shooter taking cover behind a vehicle two rows over. Once. Twice. Olivia’s scream pierced through the thud of her pulse behind her ears, but Ana couldn’t focus on that right now. Both hands around her weapon, she centered herself behind a parked vehicle between her and the shooter and pulled the trigger three more times, but it was too late. The shooter was already climbing behind the wheel of a black SUV. Maybe even the same vehicle used to abduct Owen and Olivia. In the span of two breaths, he fishtailed out of the parking lot and disappeared down the street.
Hijo de...
“I think it’s safe to say my cover is blown.” Her exhales crystallized in front of her mouth as she turned back toward Benning and his daughter, the girl’s hands locked over her ears. Her fingers tingled with the urge to comfort the six-year-old, but Ana chose to reholster her weapon and positioned her coat over the fresh wound in her side before Olivia saw the blood. The girl had already suffered so much. She didn’t need more material for her nightmares. “Let’s get her in the car. We can’t wait around for the shooter to come back and finish the job.”
Hauling
