Page 101 of Exacting Vengeance

“Everything okay, here?” Jack asked.

“We’re fine.” Kyle blew out a breath. “Search the house and surrounding woods for Asimov. He’s gotta be here somewhere. And can you dig up a blanket?”

“You got it,” Jack said. “Deke’s calling an ambulance.”

Gently, Kyle picked her up and carried her to his Explorer. Along the way, she shut her eyes, not wanting to see Yuri’s bullet-riddled body. At the open door of the SUV, Kyle placed her on the passenger seat.

“Glad you’re okay,” Jack said, handing over a blanket that Kyle tucked around her, practically swaddling her like a small child.

“Thanks.” She gave Jack a quick smile.

Kyle touched his fingertips first to her bruise, then to the cut on her lip. His lips compressed more.

“I’m fine. Really,” she added, sensing he needed reassurance.

His jaw clenched as he took in the blood trickling from her wrist, and his gaze dipped lower, to where her belly was covered by the blanket. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

“Honestly?” The time for absolute honesty was now. “No. I packed a bag, and I was going to run. I don’t want to give birth in prison and have my baby taken away from me.” She shook her head. “But I wasn’t lying when I said I couldn’t have children. At the time, I didn’t think I could.”

“I know. Tracee told me.”

“Tracee? When did you talk to her?”

“She’s the one who called me to say you were missing. She went to your apartment and found the door unlocked and signs of a struggle.” The worry lines on his face seemed to etch deeper. “Is the baby okay?”

“He—or she—is fine.” At least she assumed so. She’d been on the verge of declining the ambulance, but there was someone else to think about besides herself. Someone else he’d referred to as the baby, not our baby. Now probably wasn’t the best time to discuss parental rights and other custody issues. There were, however, other important things he needed to know. Things that could affect her future, as well. “Yuri admitted that he and Nikki killed those people and put their bodies in the lake I told you about.”

Kyle’s brows rose. “What exactly did he say? In as much detail as you can remember.”

She relayed their brief conversation, recalling the chilling fury in Yuri’s eyes. When she was done, Kyle’s expression had darkened considerably.

“Will that get you onto the lake property?” And maybe keep her out of prison.

An ambulance rolled down the runway, stopping behind the state police vehicles.

“Deke!” Kyle waved his brother over, then lifted her from the seat and carried her to the gurney paramedics had taken from the back of the ambulance.

A paramedic strapped a blood pressure cuff around her arm.

Deke jogged over. “What’s up?”

“Go with her to the hospital. Keep me posted.” Again, his gaze lowered to her belly, his lips compressing tighter. “Don’t leave town,” was all he said before tugging out his phone and heading back to his Explorer.

“Don’t leave town?” she whispered to herself. Wasn’t that what cops said to bad guys right before they got arrested and thrown in jail?

Moments ago, she’d stupidly harbored hope that Kyle would help her out of this mess. Yet here he was, leaving her again and with no explanation.

“Hey!” Deke called after him. “Where you going?”

Just before jumping into the SUV, Kyle turned.

“Fishing.”

Chapter Forty-One

Bitter-cold wind blew through Vermilion County, Illinois, rippling the tall, dry grass in wavelike patterns and whipping open Kyle’s raid jacket.

It had taken him two days to get a search warrant from the same Chicago judge who’d declined his first application weeks ago. The rock-solid financial link connecting Lebedev to the property hadn’t been enough by itself to convince the judge. Nor had the fact that property would have been seized by the government a decade ago, had they known about it then.