He hit Jesse’s name but silenced his end and put the call on speaker. Jesse would hear everything, while Gordon would hear nothing. The station wasn’t far. He could only pray they didn’t take long.
As Gordon stepped into the walk-in closet, Colt inched forward and set the phone face down on the dresser. One step forward, then the next. He wanted to be as close as possible in case he needed to act.
They stopped just inside the closet and Indie pushed clothes aside. Gordon had loosened his hold on her throat, but that knife was still close to her face. He couldn’t see the safe from where he stood, but the soft beeps of her typing in her passcode were loud in the otherwise quiet room.
What’s your plan, Cricket?
He had to hope, pray, that she wouldn’t give Gordon any reason to hurt her. But hell, Gordon probably didn’t need a reason.
Blood roared between Colt’s ears as he prepared to lunge forward.
The click of the safe door opening sounded. Gordon’s eyes widened—and he took the arm away from her throat to reach inside. When he pulled his hand back, he held a wad of cash.
She was telling the truth.
Gordon was still holding the cash when Indie thrust her hand inside and pulled out a pistol.
“What are you—”
Gordon’s words were cut off when she fired at his foot. He cried out, shoving her hard against the doorframe.
Colt had already lunged, wrapping an arm around his father’s middle and sending them both to the floor in the bedroom.
Gordon growled, swinging to dig the knife into Colt’s side, but Colt was faster, gripping the man’s wrist and smashing his hand to the floor so hard that Gordon cried out.
Colt squeezed, and Gordon dropped the knife. He tried to lift a knee, but Colt immobilized his body with his own before throwing his other elbow into his father’s cheek.
The hit was so hard that Gordon’s head dropped, eyes closing, body unmoving.
Colt turned back to Indie—and fear immediately seized his chest. She lay on her side in the doorway, blood coating her head.
No…
He grabbed the knife in case Gordon woke and tossed it deep into the closet before dropping beside her. “Cricket, can you hear me?”
Nothing.
He rolled her to her side and touched her pulse. It was strong. Good.
Sirens wailed outside, but he ignored them.
“Come on, Cricket, I need you to wake up.”
The front door opened on a bang. Then footsteps.
When Jesse stepped in, Colt’s gaze flew to him. “We need an ambulance!”
CHAPTER 26
Astrong, rhythmic beeping pulsed between Indie’s ears.
She squeezed her eyes shut. Where was she? And what was that sterile smell?
A deep ache in her head made her want to groan. But it wasn’t just the ache that bothered her. Her head felt heavy and foggy, and even with her eyes closed, the world was spinning.
Then she became aware of something else. A warmth wrapped around her hand. Fingers. Familiar fingers.
Colt.
