Backfire (13 page)

It was the man who’d called himself Clarence Mercado.

He aimed a weapon at them.

FIFTEEN

A
man stood in the road, aiming his weapon at the windshield.

At Tracy.

Police spilled from the forest shouting, pointing guns at the man. It all happened before David could blink.

“Get down!” David called out. He reached over and pressed Tracy’s head down toward her knees, shielding her as he swerved. He wanted to veer to the right, putting his side of the vehicle in harm’s way, but Mountain Cove police were in the path, forcing him to swerve left.

Not good.

Gunfire erupted. A bullet shattered the window on the passenger’s side. Another bullet ripped through the door.

Tracy screamed.

A tree loomed in David’s vision. He swerved and slowed, but Cade’s top-heavy vehicle rolled to the side and then over. The airbags exploded.

Seconds ticked by before David shook off his daze, his mind racing to catch up with what had happened.

“Tracy!” He pushed the layers of nylon away, unbuckled his seat belt and reached for her.

Hanging upside down, secured in her position by her seat belt, she didn’t move.

“Tracy, wake up.”
Lord, please let her be okay.

He pushed more of the deflated airbag out of the way and angled her face toward him. He felt her pulse. Strong.

Chief Winters pulled open the passenger’s-side door. “An ambulance is on the way.”

“Tracy,” David said. “Come on—wake up.”

When he pulled his hand back, it was covered in blood.

Panic sent his heart tripping. He didn’t want to move her, but it was difficult to examine her where she was pinned to the seat, held there by the taut seat belt.

God, show me where she’s injured.
His heart and mind scrambled for traction—she’d been hurt on his watch. Then he found the gunshot wound on her arm, and without moving her too much, he examined it more closely. Looked as though she’d been grazed was all. He pulled off his shirt to stanch the flow of blood.

Had she hit her head when the vehicle rolled or was there another injury? His hands shook, even as he kept his shirt pressed in place and prayed softly. Finally, Tracy’s eyelashes fluttered.

She sighed and then groaned. Opening her eyes, she blinked, frowning. Her position was awkward to say the least.

“What...? Where am I?” Her blue irises focused on David. “What happened?”

“The killer tried...” He couldn’t say the word. “Almost succeeded.”

She closed her eyes. “What happened to him?”

“He’s dead.” Winters spoke from outside the truck. “Couldn’t be helped.”

Tracy breathed a sigh of relief. “Any chance I can get out of the truck? The blood is rushing to my head.”

“We’re waiting on the ambulance and the EMTs before we move you,” David said.

She squinted at him. “Aren’t you a paramedic?”

How did he tell her his heart rate soared, making his chest hurt? How could he tell her didn’t trust himself? Why did he keep trying?

And failing.

Unexpectedly she reached up and put her hand against his cheek.

“David? Are you all right?” She searched his gaze with more intensity than David could stand.

He sucked in a breath. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“But you didn’t. I’m right here. Are you going to help me out, or what?”

He grinned. “Maybe I can manage that after all.”

Sirens blared in the distance. Were others injured, as well? David had failed to ask about them; his focus was on Tracy. “I’m going to release the seat belt. Brace yourself.”

But he had every intention of catching her when he released her.

The seat belt didn’t want to budge. David whipped out his pocketknife and cut her out. Then she fell against him.

His heart warmed. Releasing a grateful, heartfelt sigh of relief, he was glad she couldn’t see his face, and he didn’t resist pressing into her neck, breathing her in. If she noticed, she didn’t say anything, didn’t resist.

“It wasn’t your fault.” She held on to him as though she could feel his pain, but she didn’t know about the trauma from his past.

“You’re hurt. I should have done something differently.”

“Shh,” she said. “It’s over now. If Clarence—or whoever he was—is dead now, then it’s over.”

She’d stiffened, ever so slightly, when she’d said the words. He should have been the one comforting her. Some hero, some protector, he was.

But was it really over? He wanted to believe that, but he couldn’t quite trust in it yet. Even if it wasn’t, at least they had a reprieve.

He assisted Tracy out of Cade’s damaged truck.

The EMTs took her to check her over, but David stayed nearby. Winters huddled with the police officers as the killer was put into a body bag. Who was this guy, really? Was he working for Santino, as Tracy had said? Why hadn’t he tried to kill her last night if he stayed in the B and B? Or had the incident at breakfast forced his hand today, making him move up his timeline? They might never get those answers, now that he was dead.

David shook his head at the sight of Cade’s truck.

“That makes two this week.” Cade stood next to him, surprising him with his appearance. News traveled fast.

David blew out a breath. “I’m sorry, bro.”

Cade trudged closer and looked at the damage. “I’m just glad you’re okay, for the second time in twenty-four hours. But you’ve had—what?—two concussions in a few days. I’m concerned about you.”

“Don’t be. I’m hardheaded.” The symptoms had faded. The concussions were mild, thankfully. Besides, he couldn’t rest until this was over.

More vehicles pulled up, crunching gravel. Footfalls resounded. Adam, Isaiah, Heidi and Cade’s wife, Leah, joined them.

“Where’s little Scott?” David asked. A crime scene wasn’t the place for a child, but it wasn’t as if they could leave a two-month-old baby alone.

“Grandma gave us a break for a couple of hours,” Leah said. “We were heading off to lunch when we heard.”

“And I just destroyed your time alone.” David sent Cade an apologetic look.

Leah blew out a breath and grabbed her husband’s hand. “It’s okay, David. We’re just glad this wasn’t much worse.”

“Who’s in the body bag?” Heidi asked, her tone grim.

“The killer, and he almost killed Tracy this time.” David glanced back to make sure she was being examined. He caught her gaze as they shoved the gurney all the way in. “I have to go.”

He left his family behind and caught up with the EMT. “Whoa, there. What’s happening? Is she going to be all right?”

“Sure. Just taking her to the hospital to treat that gunshot wound. Get an X-ray or two. You might think of doing the same thing. You look a little banged up yourself.”

He was fine. “Can I ride with you?”

The EMT quirked a grin. “If you don’t think you’re needed here, then no problem.”

After a quick glance in Chief Winters’s direction, David confirmed the man was busy. He’d been there and had seen things unfold for himself, as had his officers, and didn’t necessarily need a statement from David or Tracy. He could always track them down if he did. David gave the EMT a nod to thank him for letting him ride to the hospital with Tracy. It paid to have friends in town. He climbed up and into the back of the ambulance. Tracy’s eyes widened.

“Mind if I come along?” He found a place to sit before she could reply.

“Of course not.” She tried to smile, but he could see she was in pain from her gunshot wound, and likely the shock to her body was catching up to her.

He ignored his own aches and pains. They weren’t anything serious.

Thank You, Lord, that it wasn’t much worse.

He tried to still the churning in his gut, and he grinned, hoping to hide his grim mood. He wished he could believe Tracy when she’d said that this was all over, but he knew she’d said that for his benefit. She’d already told him it would never end.

Before the EMT climbed inside, David leaned close, ran his thumb down her cheek. “I’m sorry this happened.”

She smiled, softly. “I’m glad it wasn’t worse and that you weren’t badly injured. I couldn’t live with myself if even one more person got hurt because of me.”

If she only knew how he related to that sentiment.

“I know what I said earlier.” She averted her eyes. “But we can’t be sure this is over.”

Then her gaze found him again.

He took her hand. “I know.”

He wanted to tell her he would see this through with her, but doubt coursed through him. Was he the best man for the job?

“If one more thing happens, then I’m leaving.”

His breath hitched. “You mean...”

She nodded. “WITSEC. I can’t watch anyone else get hurt. I have to leave Mountain Cove forever. My family. And I have to leave...”

When she didn’t voice the rest, he thought he read it in her eyes.

You.

* * *

While she programmed her new cell phone, Tracy stared out the window of her room at the bed-and-breakfast main house, looking at what little she could see of the cottage through the trees. She’d already texted her mother with the new number. She had no idea how Santino had found her in Mountain Cove to begin with, so getting a new phone and number was for the best. Still, she hadn’t gotten a new address.

As for her mother, Tracy would call her later, but she didn’t want to get into a long conversation just now when she was expecting David any minute.

Solomon rested his chin on the windowsill and whined.

She ran her hand over his head and behind the thick fur of his ear. “I know, boy, I know.”

He’d had much more freedom to roam when they’d lived in the cottage. Should she move back in, give Jewel a chance to rent this room out? Except Tracy didn’t know if it was a good idea. She didn’t know if she was safe or not. Or ever would be.

Chief Winters was still conducting the investigation. He seemed to believe that Mercado had come to town to taunt Tracy by harming others, repeating what she and Derrick had gone through before. Then, when his cover was blown and he’d run out of options with the police closing in on him, he’d attempted to finish the job. That was their theory, anyway.

Tracy wished they could have faked her death, somehow, so that no one else would be dispensed to come and get her now that Santino knew where she was. Chief Winters was working with other law-enforcement entities to keep Santino’s men from returning, but she wasn’t sure how he could be so confident that it wouldn’t happen again.

It made her head ache even more to think about a life spent living in fear, looking over her shoulder. And her arm still ached where she’d been shot. The doctor said it would take a few weeks to heal completely. She’d been fortunate the bullet had only grazed her.

Solomon barked at the door. Tracy smiled and opened it just as David was about to knock. “Jewel sent me on up,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.”

“Are you ready?”

“Sure.” They’d never made it to see Jay and he was scheduled to be released from the hospital next week, surprising them all. But he’d had no back, head or internal injuries. Still, the road to recovering with so many broken bones would take weeks. Tracy was certain he would be glad to recover at home with his family.

Family... Tracy sighed, missing her own family.

Solomon whined again. “You can’t come. I’m sorry.” To David, she said, “I took Solomon for a walk. He hates being cooped up in the room.”

“So let him out. Jewel doesn’t care.”

“I know, but he knocked a vase over. One of the guests threw a ball and he caught it. They should have been outside. So, I don’t want him bothering anyone.”

“Let’s take him and drop him off at my grandmother’s house. She’d welcome the company, and he’d have a little room to roam.”

“Oh, no. I couldn’t trouble her.”

“No trouble at all, Tracy. And in fact, I’ve been thinking about something.”

“Yeah?”

“Wasn’t sure when to bring it up, but now is as good a time as any.”

Tracy eased into the chair at the desk, both smiling and a little wary.

“I don’t think you should stay here anymore. At least, until we’re sure this is over.”

“I’ve been thinking the same thing.” But she wasn’t sure she was ready to stay in the cottage. Not yet.

“No, I don’t think you have been.”

She cocked her head, unsure what he meant or if she wanted to know. “I’ve already told you if anything else happened that I’m going into WITSEC.”

Frowning, he nodded and moved to stare out the window. His reaction wasn’t any surprise. He’d told her on more than one occasion he didn’t want her to leave, but he had to be feeling the burden of having her around, too, the same as Chief Winters and the rest of the town.

“When my mother died, over two decades ago, Grandma Katy moved in to care for us and she never left. We all think of it as her house, and we all used to live there. Cade got married and moved out, and the same with Heidi when she married Isaiah a few months ago.”

A deep, painful sigh eased from David. Tracy wanted to know what brought on the palpable pain emanating from him. He hadn’t mentioned when he’d moved out, but it had probably been after his own marriage. Was he thinking about his wife? Tracy had learned that she’d died, but she didn’t know the details.

She understood that kind of pain. She’d felt it after losing Derrick. They hadn’t made it to the altar yet, but she had pictured herself with Derrick forever. She’d thought that they were getting close, that he might propose... And then he’d gotten involved in his research to write a dangerous investigative article and Santino had taken him from her.

“David?” She knew his thoughts were far away, and snagged his attention back. “What are you suggesting?”

“That you could stay with her in the house. She’s all alone. Or even live in the apartment above the garage—that’s where Cade used to live. You wouldn’t have to go back to the cottage, it’s too isolated, and Jewel wouldn’t have to worry about her guests being in danger.”

“But what about your grandmother?”

“She’d be fine—all her neighbors look out for her. You’d be closer to town and in a neighborhood. We all live close. It’s safer than out here...and it’s just in case.”