“What? No.” He stared at the front grill. Bullets had pierced the engine. Likely damaging it beyond control. The first shots they’d heard. Even if the SUV started, they couldn’t risk the vehicle breaking down and leaving them as sitting ducks.
He pushed Ava toward the other vehicle. Same thing. His mind raced. His gut clenched, and he wanted to hurl. But he had to stay in control. Stay in charge.
A gunshot rang out from inside the cabin.
Time to go to plan C.
“The boat,” Colin said, obviously agreeing. “I’ll get the two of you launched, then head into the woods, take cover, and call for backup.”
“Why can’t we come with you?” Ava asked.
“Alone, I can disappear in the woods. Three people, not so easily. The odds are great he would take one of us out.”
“The boat’s our best chance.” Micha grabbed Ava’s arm and dragged her toward the river.
“But Colin,” she protested. “He could shoot Colin.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Colin said. “If he sees you two take off in the boat, he might not even come looking for me.”
“We have to move. Now!” Micha held fast to Ava’s arm and stepped as fast as he could in the mucky, wet soil sucking at his feet. Go too slow and the shooter could reach them. Too fast and Ava could fall, making certain the shooter had more time to catch up to them.
They reached the boat. Without a word, he and Colin took opposite sides and flipped it over. They recovered the oars and placed them inside and fixed the motor to the back.
“Get in,” Micha directed Ava. “On the bottom.”
She climbed in and quickly lowered herself down.
Colin and Micha slid the boat on sodden soil to the water. Micha climbed in before the river’s roaring current took the boat with Ava alone inside.
“See you soon, bud,” Micha said.
“Of course.” Colin pushed off.
The current caught the boat and swung them around in time for Micha to see Colin race for the trees.
A gunshot rang out, and Colin dropped.
Had he been hit? Just taking cover?
Just in case he could move, Micha had to buy time for him to get away.
“Here! We’re over here,” he shouted as loudly as he could to be heard over the noisy rain. “It’s us you want.”
The gunman turned. Micha didn’t remain seated to see if he took the bait or not. He dropped to the floor of the boat, laying on top of Ava and letting the roiling current carry them away.
The boat caught. Spun. Rose. Fell. Water spilling over the side, soaking Ava. She couldn’t breathe. Not only from the terror of the rushing water. From the cold. The shooter after them. Colin possibly shot. Micha’s heavy weight on top of her. He was protecting her. She got that. She would ask him to ease off, but while he was protecting her, he wasn’t sitting up and making himself a target for the shooter, whoever he was.
But how could she not be terrified? She’d peeked over the top after Colin launched the boat and had seen him go down. Was he okay? Shot? Dead? All because she didn’t do the right thing and turn herself in to the police when she should have instead of invading the lives of these fine men?
Tears came to her eyes, and she couldn’t stop them. She sobbed. Hard.
“Hey, hey,” Micha said. “Don’t, honey. We’ll be okay.”
“Even if I believed that, what about Colin?”
“He’ll be fine, too.” Micha raised up on both hands, removed his weight, freeing her to take a hearty breath. “Turn over. Look at me.”
She did as asked, her back instantly soaking up the rain in the bottom of the boat.
