Denver flopped onto the floor and tried to move closer to the guy.
The wounded soldier shoved to his feet and stumbled toward them, more blood pouring from his mouth. “Get out of here before the police arrive.”
“She’ll kill us,” the guy holding her said.
“No choice,” the second guy yelled. “Run now.”
Noni struggled hard, trying to loosen his hold while still protecting Talia.
Denver growled and tried to crawl toward them. She glanced frantically at him but couldn’t see blood on his body.
Fury lanced through her. She kicked the guy next to her in the knee, and he pivoted, clapping her over the ear. Pain sparked behind her eyes, flashing bright. He reached for the baby, and she fought him, all the way to the door.
With a low snarl, he ducked and lifted both her and Talia up, turning to stride into the billowing snow. She screamed louder, and he ignored her, planting her in the back of a dark SUV. She struggled to both hold Talia and push on the useless door handle, pressing her face against the cold darkened window to look for help.
The last thing she saw was Denver stumbling out the doorway, darts still in his chest. Terror screamed through her. Then he dropped to his knees and fell face-first onto the ice.
“Denver,” she whispered, terror taking her. Something sharp pierced her neck and then darkness descended all around her as she slipped into unconsciousness.
CHAPTER
26
Denver woke to the sound of a person wailing. And corn nuts. Loudly crunching corn nuts. Something was also beeping.
He opened his eyes to see he was in a hospital bed. Muted lights shone down, an IV pumped liquid into his arm, and his other arm was handcuffed to the bed. His entire body felt like it had gone through a cement mixer and was still coated with heavy rocks. He could barely move. His brain seemed to be firing too slow to catch a thought.
Where was he?
“Mornin’” came from his left. “You’ve been out cold awhile.”
He partially turned to see a country deputy complete with cowboy hat, munching on corn nuts, seated in a plastic yellow chair.
Denver blinked. “Who is screaming?”
That quickly, it cut off.
“Dead great-grandma down the hall,” the deputy said, continuing to chew, his brown eyes seeming bored. “Makes folks sad.”
Denver shook his head. He was supposed to be somewhere else. Everything was fuzzy, and his tongue was thick. This wasn’t right. “Where’s Noni?”
“Dunno.” The guy had to be about thirty. He stretched his long legs out and crossed his cowboy boots at the ankle as if he had all the time in the world. “She the baby? We saw baby stuff in the hotel room.”
The baby! Denver tried to sit up but his body wouldn’t work. Panic rushed through him. He banged his cuffed hand on the rail. Hard. The morning fight filled his mind. Three men, dart guns, gas masks. They had worked like a superior fighting unit. Oh God.
“Doc said you had enough tranq in you to knock out a grizzly.”Munch. Munch. Munch.
Jesus Christ. Denver barely held on to his temper. He was stuck in a fucking Stephen King novel all of a sudden. “I have to get out of here.”
“Nope.” The guy scratched his chin. “Sheriff Thistle is on vacation in Hawaii. Won the Elk’s raffle this year, you know.”
Denver blinked and tried to clear his head. There was so much to do. Where were his brothers? Could he get to a phone? The idea that Noni and Talia had been taken churned his stomach. No time for emotion. He had to think. “Listen, Deputy, ah, listen, pal.”
“Barney. You can call me Barney.”
“Funny.” Denver shook his head and tried to move his arms. His body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.
“Why is that funny?” The cop tilted his head to the side.
