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Chapter Forty-Four

AJ’s fingers were growing numb as she slipped lower and lower into the river. The water lapped her ears. She was almost as low as she had been the last time Miles had raised her up, so she’d been in the water for about twenty minutes already.

She hoped Miles didn’t forget to hit the button.

The rope let out a little farther, and AJ had to crane her neck to keep her chin out of the water.

With a jerk the pulley began to raise her out of the water again until she was hanging with only her hips and legs in the water.

The gentle night breeze felt like tentacles of ice wrapping around her wet body. How long could she endure this?

Her already-sore body screamed as she shivered. She should probably be grateful she wouldn’t get hypothermia. The water wasn’t cold enough to do anything but make her uncomfortable.

She was so tired. She’d rather be locked up in Miles’s panic room. At least there she wouldn’t drown if she fell asleep.

In her exhaustion, her mind wandered back six years. Her daughter’s lifeless face stared back at her, Logan’s anguish matched only by her own.

What if she drowned tonight? What if Logan found her too late? It would wreck him beyond repair. She’d seen what losing Bree had done to him, and she wasn’t sure he could handle another blow.

He’d made such growth in the last week. Would this undo it all? Would he lean into Jesus this time? Or would he turn to a bottle of whiskey?

Lord, help Logan. Draw him to Your heart.

But what if Logan didn’t survive whatever Miles had planned?

Her breath caught in her throat. She wasn’t sure she could handle that loss.

Logan turned into the long driveway in a nice neighborhood near the river and stopped. This was the address nearest the coordinates, but was it the right place? Was AJ here somewhere? Was Miles?

He didn’t know what kind of trap he was walking into. Was he even going to see it coming or would he be dead before he made it down the driveway?

How he wished he had a clue what he was headed into. He was tempted to draw his concealed pistol before he rode closer to the house, but at the same time keeping it hidden longer might be the better bet. He didn’t know if AJ was here or somewhere else. He might need to let Miles talk before he shot him.

Adam’s voice came across his earpiece. “We’re down the street and will come in at the first sign of trouble. We’ll keep listening.”

Logan wanted to say thank you, to say anything. But he was sure Miles already had eyes on him, so he didn’t dare.

With a hefty breath, he drove down the driveway. A strip of fabric caught his eye. What was that?

As the house came into sight, his ear filled with static and a high-pitched buzz. He had to remove the piece. Coasting down the driveway he yanked off his helmet and popped out the screaming earpiece.

His phone vibrated that it had lost signal. No surprise, Miles was jamming communications. Logan should have seen that coming.

He slowed. The house came into view completely. A sweatshirt lay discarded on the driveway.

Miles sat on the front steps, computer on his lap. He looked up as Logan parked his bike and got off, keeping the bike between him and Miles.

“Well, it’s about time. I was beginning to wonder if we were going to have to contend with daylight.” Miles stood. He pressed a button on his phone before sliding it into his pocket. The laptop stayed in his other hand.

“What did you just do?”

“Oh, nothing you need to worry about. What you should worry about is that red dot on your chest.”

Logan looked down at his chest, then up to a drone flying above him. He drew his gun and pointed at the drone.

“I wouldn’t do that. I hold AJ’s life in my hand.”

Logan lowered his gun.

“And while you’re at it, put that thing down.”

Logan set his pistol on the ground at his feet.

“Nice try. Kick it away.”

Logan kicked it behind him. “You didn’t say where.” At least he still had Adam’s extra pistol strapped to his ankle.

Miles’s eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t matter. Come over here.”

“Why should I listen to what you say?”

“Because I’m the one who knows where your wife is. I’m the one who has control over her life.”

Miles had him beat there. Logan walked toward Miles, the drone hovering not too far away.

With a few clicks on his computer, Miles flew the drone down and landed on top of a car parked nearby.

Miles closed the computer and set it on the stoop.

Logan seized the opportunity and rushed toward Miles, but the madman spun around, pointing a knife at Logan.

He raised his hands and took a step back.

“Do you forget so quickly that I hold her life in my hands? With the push of a button, I can decide if she lives or dies.”

“Where is she?”

“It’s irrelevant to you. I’m truly sorry I can’t give you the opportunity to say goodbye, but it’s not possible.” Miles pointed the knife toward the side of the house. “March.”

Logan needed a plan. What little plan he did have had faded when the coms went down … and why did he draw his gun on that stupid drone? It probably only had a laser light on it and nothing else. Drawing a gun from an ankle holster was a lot more difficult than from a waistband.

He followed a path lit with sunken lights around the side of the house. The ground sloped so much that by the time they were at the back, they were level with the basement. A large stone patio spread out behind the house. Beyond that, a set of stairs led down to the river. No doubt this house had a beautiful view during the day. The full moon reflecting off the surface of the river was amazing at the moment. Too bad Logan couldn’t linger to take it in. He needed to figure out how to get control of the situation.

“Walk toward those stairs.”

To the river it would be. But Logan couldn’t let them get there. He could sense where Miles was behind him, but without line of sight, he was hesitant to turn.

Miles was decently built and easily matched Logan in height and weight. He hoped they were evenly matched enough that Logan could get the upper hand.

They walked past a built-in grill with a chrome lid. The bright moon filled the area with light, and the surface of the grill lid reflected Logan’s image back to him. He slowed.

Miles came closer and into the reflection. Logan now knew exactly where the knife was.

He spun around and caught Miles’s wrist, seizing at least some degree of control.