“Stop right there!” Gammon barked. He lifted the controller, waving it in warning.
“Okay, okay!” Egan held up his hands in defense. “Novah, you go back to the car.”
“Fuck no! She needs to hear this too. If she makes a move, I’ll blow all three of us away,” Gammon said through tight lips.
Novah didn’t move but Egan sensed her fear.
“I wasn’t talking about my wife. She was good to me. I’m talking about the woman who screwed with me…and fucked with my head.” He couldn’t seem to bring himself to say her name.
“What happened?” Egan realized he couldn’t get too close. Gammon’s hand clutched the controller and he was shaking like a leaf. The only choice was to keep him talking and hopefully talk him out of doing anything stupid.
“I fucking killed her. Dead. She told me I was the only one but there were others—many others. I lost my family because of her. She thought it was funny. Even as I wrapped the rope around her neck she laughed at me. I did everything she asked. I didn’t want to kidnap that woman, but I thought it would mean ShyAnne would be happy.”
“Where is ShyAnne’s body?”
He blinked as if wrapping his head around Egan’s question. “Where it belongs.”
“Where is that?”
“In Hell. You both should go now, or you’ll end up there too. Tell people what I did because I was wrong.”
“Egan?” Novah’s voice came to him on a drift of wind. “Let’s go.”
“Go, Novah. Now!” Egan urged.
“What about you? Let’s both go!” Novah grabbed his arm.
“Listen to her, Banks.” Gammon patted the controller.
“Novah! Go!” Egan demanded. “Gammon, don’t do this. Think of your kids.”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing. You should have listened.” Banner pressed a button and a red light switched on followed by an ominous ticking sound.
Egan’s training snapped into play. He swiveled, grabbed Novah and they both ran for cover. They dropped down beside the cabin and he covered her body as an alarm sounded. Then the blast came and debris rained down upon them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“DAMN! THAT FUCKIN’ bastard! What the hell was he thinking? Are you okay?”
Novah heard Egan’s muttered question through the ringing of her ears. Realizing what had just happened, she pushed herself to a sitting position, seeing a cut on his face. “I’m okay. Are you okay?”
He placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’m fine. Are you really okay?” He made a quick, frantic investigation of her face, her arms. A smell remarkably like fireworks filled her nostrils, making her sputter.
“I-I’m okay.” Unidentified debris scattered the area around them. “There was an explosion,” she muttered, mostly to herself.
Egan cupped her cheeks. She’d never see him look so frenzied. “Listen. We’re miles from anyone so it’s possible no one heard the explosion, but if they had they would have called it in by now. Are you okay to drive?”
“Yes…but what are you saying?” She tried to wrap her head around his words. The ringing had finally faded some.
“The law will come and they’ll ask a lot of questions. I don’t want you involved. I’ll handle it all. You get in the SUV and drive back to Justice’s.”
“Why? What about you? I can’t leave.”
“Don’t worry about me. Go be with Finley and I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He helped her up from the ground. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Y-yes. Are you?”
“Peachy.” With nod, he plucked his phone from his back pocket and used it to call Justice.
~~~~~
The house was quiet.
He found Novah asleep with Finley. They both looked so peaceful. She could have been hurt tonight and it would have been his fault. He should have never let her come along. His feelings were getting in the way and that made him dangerous.
Leaving the bedroom, he took the stairs down to the kitchen where Justice had been waiting. “What the hell, man. What was Gammon thinking?”
Rubbing the ache out of his jaw, Egan swallowed his emotions. “He wasn’t. Langley will twist it to put all the blame on Gammon. Bastards. He made a good patsy for them. I need to go.”
“Are you sure this is what you want to do?”
“I think Gammon’s wife should hear his fate from me. He wanted the truth to be out. Novah and Finley will be okay now.” He felt he owed it to Gammon to tell his wife the truth, at least enough that she understood her husband cared for her.
“You don’t want to tell them that you’re leaving?” Justice pulled a chair out from the table and sat down, stretching his legs.
“Trust me, she’ll be grateful that I didn’t stick around.” He remembered the expression she’d made when he told her he’d signed a contract to do training overseas. He’d witnessed any chance for them fade on her lovely face. Egan loved her enough to let her go completely so she could be happy.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“I COME TO you tonight for the first time to speak about the tragic death of my lovely wife, ShyAnne Langley.” Peter paused as if to gain his equilibrium. “Law enforcement, as well as my own security team, are still investigating the event but what I can tell you now is that one of my own staff is responsible for her death. Mike Gammon was infatuated with my wife and when she resisted his advances, he strangled her in a fit of rage. I ask that everyone please give me the necessary time so that I might grieve for my terrible loss. I assure you though,” he looked straight at the camera, “I will continue the race for governor. That’s what my adoring wife would have wanted. Thank you for all your concern and condolences.”
Novah
