Page 95 of Cold Light of Day

He lowered his gun, easing it onto the floor.

“Kick both guns over.” Kresky increased the pressure against Grier’s head, igniting pain. “The weapons at your ankles too.”

Nguyen, Kresky’s waterboarding partner, entered behind them, his weapon drawn.

Autumn and Nolan shared a look, and she shook her head, warning him off. Good.Do as these guys tell you, Chief, or you’re going to die.

Autumn and her brother did as they were asked. Grier looked between the two, hoping they could read the regret in his eyes, but in theirs, he saw only determination.

Kresky shoved him all the way into the small space in which he’d spent four of, yes, the best months of his life, falling in lovewith this woman whom he’d now endangered. Then pushed him to sit on the old sofa.

Nguyen yanked Autumn forward, but she elbowed his nose and he cried out in pain. Grabbing her by the hair, he pushed her head down so she was bent at the waist and pressed a gun into the back of her head. Nolan reacted, and Brown rushed in from outside and slammed his head with the butt of his gun, knocking him out cold.

Or was he? Grier held on to hope that between the three of them, they could outsmart and overpower these criminals who had chased him all the way to this hidden fjord in Alaska.

Brown stared at Grier.

“Now, give me what I want or he’ll blow her head off.”

She gasped and struggled, angling her head up slightly so that he could see the sweat beading on her temple. She looked up at Grier from beneath her brows—those stunning, amazing, one-of-a-kind eyes. An ache he’d never felt before surged behind his own. Tears. He held them back.

“I...I can lead you to where I’ve hidden it. You’ll never find it on your own.”

Brown smirked. “I knew I could make you talk. That’s why you should never fall in love.” He gestured at Nguyen, who released Autumn.

She stood tall, lifted her chin. He wanted to smile at her bravery, her determination, but what was he thinking? None of them were going to make it out of this alive.

But Grier had to try.

He had a purpose greater than himself. Right?

He stood from the sofa, and one of the jerks started to push him back down, but Brown spoke up. “Leave him.”

“I’ll take you to it, but you won’t get your hands on it until Autumn and her brother are free.”

“We’ll see if I like what you give me. Now, how do we get there. Boat? Airplane? Any travel involved will require planning.You’re not going to best me, thinking you can lead me on a fat goose chase and escape.”

The expression is “wild goose chase,” you idiot. “We have to hike into these woods.”

The man’s eyes widened. “You’re going to try to escape in the wilderness.”

“No. I’m going to take you to the place where I hid the cold wallet that you stole after murdering an operative. More than one, I should say.”

“No. You committed the murders.” Brown glanced at Autumn, as if hoping she would believe his lie. “I’m only retrieving what you stole.”

“Let’s go.” Grier headed for the door.

“Hold up there. She’s going with a gun to her spine. If she flinches, if she trips, if she makes me nervous, I’ll kill her. Ifyouflinch or trip or make me nervous, I’ll kill her.”

Grier didn’t glance at Nolan for fear Brown would simply shoot him where he lay. As if reading his mind, Brown pointed his gun at Nolan.

“You shoot him, and you get nothing.” Grier had to win this.

“But she lives, right?”

“She would never forgive me if I let you shoot her brother.” His wrists cuffed in front, he stepped forward and ground out the words. “You shoot him, hurt him more than what you’ve already done, and you get nothing. I won’t tell you. The same goes for Autumn. Hurt her. I won’t tell you.”

Brown searched Grier’s eyes, and what he saw must have convinced him that it wasn’t worth the risk. Grier thought he detected a subtle sigh of relief from Autumn.