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Micha turned to Eric, then looked back at her father. “I’m sorry, Ed. I can’t believe that. Eric helped my family when my mother’s school debt was about to bury us. He was there for us. All he wants is what should’ve been his. That land belonged to the Thornquist family before they couldn’t pay the taxes. Hardship shouldn’t cost you everything. Eric’s father is Oliver’s brother.”
She could understand—not kidnapping and killing people—but faced with losing her own business, she could understand the need to hold on to what was hers. “There has to be another way.”
“No,” Eric yelled from against the wall. His lip was now bloodied from the fight with Allen. “Don’t listen to them. This is the only way to make sure the land never ends up with anyone else. I told you I’d give you some. It’s yours. Just follow through.”
Allen was doing his best to hold Eric back, but he’d lost a lot of blood and was weak. She knew he wouldn’t be able to hold Eric much longer. Once he was free, they’d be tied again and watched much closer, though she wouldn’t live long without help.
She closed her eyes and prayed for strength, then turned and, lowering her shoulder, ran as fast as she could toward Micha.
CHAPTERELEVEN
Allen only realizedwhat Heather was doing when he heard the gun go off. She was bleeding, and he had to get her to a hospital, now. That was the thought that kept racing through his head. If he didn’t get her to safety, she would die. While he always fought to keep victims alive, this was different. The pull was so intense he couldn’t think straight.
Heather had to be safe. His life depended on it.
He slowly shifted his grip, knowing he had to lose some control over Eric’s arms to gain control of the situation. Allen prayed the man didn’t have another weapon on him as he made his move and gripped the pistol in Eric’s hand. They fought for a second, but Eric was much more suited to business and already sweating profusely, even in the cold cave.
As he knocked Eric’s hand against the jagged rocks, Eric’s grip loosened, and Allen tore the gun from his hand. “Freeze.”
Heather screamed, distracting him for a split-second, and he took a step back as Eric swiped at the gun.
“Allen! Get Heather. He’s going to kill her!” Ed’s plea turned his gut to ice. If Ed was asking him for help, the situation was dire.
Holding the gun steadily on Eric, he quickly glanced at Micha. He and Heather were in a battle for the knife and Heather wasn’t strong enough, not with a knife wound and maybe not even in perfect health. Micha was much stronger and meaner.
“Please, help her,” Ed begged, taking a step toward the two with his hands still bound in front of him. Ed couldn’t help. It was up to Allen.
Eric laughed. “You can’t do both. If you go after her, I’ll come after you. As long as I’m alive, we’ll go after that land. I’m not alone. Aaron is preparing the paperwork to take the land after the vote. If you think you won, just because you’ve got an upper hand for a second, you’re wrong. You are so much smaller than this. We’ll get what’s ours, and I’m willing to die to make sure my family name is back on that land.”
Heather gave a shaky scream. He had to decide what to do, and he only had seconds to figure it out. Eric grinned. “Ed is right about you.” He pulled a gun from the back of his waistband and made his way around the outside of the room, then ran up the stairs, leaving Micha to face them alone.
“Eric!” Micha screamed.
Allen let the man go so he could help Heather, tearing her from Micha’s grip. While running away, he was no longer a lethal threat and shooting a man in the back would get him arrested. Micha swiped his knife at them and slowly went around them, the shining tip pointed at Allen’s chest. Allen froze with Heather at his feet, but if he moved, Micha would lunge. He knew that and he needed to be able to carry Heather.
Micha found the shadows and raced after Eric, leaving them in the cave. The moment Micha was out of sight, Allen kneeled on the ground next to Heather. Her side was hot and soaked with blood.
“We need to get her out of here,” Ed lowered himself next to his daughter. Tears ran freely down his cheeks. “She’s all I have in this world.”
“Forgive me,” Allen said to Heather as he reached behind her and tugged the phone from her back pocket where she’d hidden it. He called the ranger station and begged them to hurry to the coordinates on Heather’s phone. He then sent a text with a pin on their exact location.
“We need to get her as close to the road as possible. I don’t have a knife to help you get free. Can you walk?” He wasn’t sure how he was going to manage to carry Heather when his head was already swimming and he felt weak, but this was what men did. Men were created to push harder than they thought was possible when they cared about someone.
The reality hit him, and he stilled for a moment. He cared about Heather. He couldn’t go back to life without her. Maybe her father would never allow them to have a relationship, but he had to at least have her in his life.
Ed looked at Allen and firmed his jaw. “Thank you, and I forgive you.”
He wasn’t sure what he’d done that needed forgiveness, but he’d take it. “Thank you.” He steeled himself against the pain and fatigue, then lifted Heather off the ground. She wasn’t responding to his voice anymore, but her slow and steady breaths gave him reassurance that the rangers could help her. She would be okay. She had to be.
Taking the incline out of the cave slowly, he let Ed lead the way. The man had been up and down more often than he had, that was certain, and probably had a clearer idea of where to go. “The path to the road is outside, to the right.”
Ed nodded. “There’s a faster way. They found it when those two men escaped then found us taking pictures. If I ever get back to doing my job, I don’t know that I’ll be able to trust people ever again.” Ed held his bound hands in front of him, navigating the darkness by feel.
The rocks themselves were light and almost sparkly in the moonlight. Allen had never been so happy that the fog had cleared. He couldn’t recall if the fog had been there when they arrived or if that had only been in Wall. The weather near the Badlands could be unpredictable.
The sound of an engine in the distance made Ed move faster, and Allen did his best to keep up. Speaking was impossible under the strain. Heather wasn’t a heavy woman, but carrying her in his state was difficult.
A flashlight beam bobbed ahead of them. “Ed? Allen? Is that you?”