He would recognize his little shrew anywhere.
Relief went through him, for just a moment.
Even in the pitch-black darkness underground.
She was yelling.
Cursing.
She didn’t sound hurt. Madison sounded pissed off. He had heard that same tone from her at a lot less volume thousands of times now.
Usually directed athimfor something.
Damn it, he adored that woman.
Nothing had ever sounded better to him.
Until he heard the sound of falling rocks.
"There. Up ahead. I see two on thermal,” Miguel said. “One is definitely smaller. But not by much. We may have a problem. Acardi, you and I aren't going to fit. Unless we can turn and hug the walls, but I don't know what we're going to face going in."
"Madison and Newcomb fit," Miller said. She was so close to where Dom stood the knit hat she wore brushed his chin. "I'll fit. I'm right between the two of them in size."
"That might be our only option. Remember the plan. Take him down without firing.”
As soon as Dom had her safe, he was going to tear that bastard to shreds and leave him down here to rot. It was better than what Newcomb deserved.
“Everybodyhold now,” Miller said, harshly. “We have incoming. And I think she’s in front. Nobody move or make a sound.”
Dom froze.
117
He was goingto get that girl and he was going to throw her to her death. And make it hurt. She had struck him in the eye. Then in the cheek.
He was bleeding. There was so much blood. And it was his.
Ernie had always been fascinated by the sight of blood—but not when it was hisown.
He had to give it to her—she was resourceful. No denying that.
Now he had no light. He could turn around, carefully. Make his way out of there. But she wasresourceful,after all. That meant she could get back to that van and use the radio to call for help. It wouldn’t stop him from achieving his goal, but if anything went wrong retrieving Riely, he would not have a way to get her out of the country with him. And he would not leave his grandchild behind to face the world alone.
Now he had no way of calling in one of his associates to get him out, either.
No. Madison had to be stopped somehow.
And then…Ernie was leaving. He had just enough time to get to the house and get Riely. The girl should be getting ready for bed for right now.
He refused to leave without his granddaughter.
Ernie would not leave the only family he had now behind. He just wouldn’t do it.
He knew this path.
Ernie just had to keep going.
He sped up.
