They traveled the rest of the way toward Malloy’s house in silence with Denver driving way too fast for the conditions.
“Do you need the phone?” Noni finally asked.
“Not yet.” The second he turned the vehicle into the subdivision, his gut sank. Flames licked into the dawn, and sirens wailed from every direction. “Fuck.” He slowed down and drove through the streets, coming upon Malloy’s house engulfed in fire. Cops, firefighters, and neighbors milled around.
An ambulance roared by, heading for the main street.
A car followed it with Tina hunched over the steering wheel.
Thank God. She was okay. Denver squinted to see better. A man in black sat in the passenger side, facing her. Ah shit. Denver swallowed, forcing control through his veins. He’d put a defenseless veterinarian into danger.
He drove down the street a ways and turned around in the plowed driveway of a small ranch house. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. “Sweetheart? Tina’s in trouble.” He kept his voice low and drove sedately past the melee before punching the gas. Within minutes, he was behind Tina’s car, which was racing behind the ambulance.
Noni leaned forward. “Why do you think she’s in trouble? She’s following the ambulance. Oh no. Do you think Malloy is in the ambulance?”
“Yes.” Denver bit back panic. The guy next to Tina was tall and wasn’t dressed like a cop. Denver reached for the phone and quickly dialed Jory. They had to get Tina free. Now.
“What’s going on?” Jory asked without preamble.
“I think they came after Malloy, but I’m not sure.” Denver sped up, trying to get closer to Tina’s car, spinning over the ice.
Something clicked over the line. “What can we do?” Jory asked, his voice low.
Denver took a deep breath. “We have to get him out of here. I need transport for Malloy, if he’s able. If not, I still need transport for his girlfriend, Tina. I also need all the on-hand cash you have. I wasn’t going to ask, but since you’re sending a copter, add the cash. I’ll pay you back.” The world was squeezing him, and he was letting everyone down. Danger was everywhere. The list of people he needed to save kept growing while his time did not.
“Copy that,” Jory said, all business. “Give me a minute.”
Denver put the phone on speaker and slapped it onto the seat before yanking his gun from his waist. “I’m going to run her off the road, baby. Try to stay loose and get ready. Don’t point the gun.”
“Okay,” she said.
“Denver?” Jory came over the speakerphone clearly. “We have a helicopter heading your way. I’m sending coordinates to this phone. It’ll be there in thirty minutes for whoever wants to get on, and I’m having them bring all the cash we have from that location. Then I’m coming your way.”
“Not yet,” Denver said. He couldn’t look out for one more person.
Jory’s growl was full of frustration. “We’ll see. If you need help with the baby drop, I’m there. Just say the word. Let me know the second you have intel on Malloy. He’s one of ours, whether he likes it or not.”
“Agreed.” Denver shook out his arms. He had to calm himself. Now.
The phone went quiet and Denver clicked off the call.
“You guys can just get helicopters?” Noni asked, her knuckles white from her grip on the gun.
Denver shook his head. “I can’t. But my relatives in Montana have a kind of protection and private military business. That’s how we have the supplies and guns. And helicopters.”
“Crazy.” She straightened up, tension pouring from her. “What if that’s a cop with Tina?”
He grimaced. “Then we’re fucked.” Waiting until the road around them was clear, he moved to pass on the right side, took a deep breath, and swerved into the rear of Tina’s car. Metal crunched loudly, and he slid on the ice. The small compact jerked and then spun, turning around several times before crashing into brick pillars of another subdivision. Within seconds, Tina was out of the car and running for him, blood flowing down her face.
Denver leaped from the car, his gun out.
She reached him and grabbed his arms, incoherently coughing. He shoved her behind him just as the guy in the car shook his head as if dazed. Then he snapped up and leaped from the car.
“Get in,” Denver ordered, lifting his gun.
The man lifted his hands, a gun visible in his waistband. Bruises already formed along his temple, but his eyes were clear. And unafraid. Definitely one of Madison’s soldiers.
Tina yanked open the back door. “We have to get to Jamie. The ambulance driver isn’t a real one. I mean, he’s one of those guys. Who are those guys?” Her voice had risen to a panicked shrillness.
