Page 27 of Final Approach (Lake City Heroes #4)

“And I’ll be here too,” Ethan stated with a hard look at the man they all felt like they needed to team up against.

Kristine looked at Leanna. “I’ll go,” she said. Reluctantly, but she did have work to do. “Text me if you need me.”

“Perfect,” Leanna said. “You can come back in a little while. Now that she’s awake, we don’t want to tire her out with visits that are too long. She needs to rest.”

“Agreed.”

She kissed Emily’s cheek, hugged her brother, nodded to her father, and slipped out of the room with Leanna.

The nurse patted her shoulder. “I’ll watch out for her. Now that she’s awake, Naomi and I will be more strict about the rules. I’ll kick them out in thirty minutes.”

On impulse, Kristine hugged the woman. “You’re the best. Tell Naomi she is too and I owe her a big hug.”

“Thank you. Yes I am. You can put that on my evaluation. Naomi’s too.”

Kristine laughed and headed for the elevator, checking her phone as she walked.

She had about fifteen text messages. One was confirmation that her rental had been delivered with directions how to find it in the lot.

Thank goodness. No more Uber for her. The other messages were on the loop, letting her know that everyone was at James and Lainie’s house and updating her on their conversation.

And then a private message from Andrew, who wanted to know if she’d go shopping with him, then to dinner if she wasn’t too tired. Today.

She froze, reading the message four times. Was he asking her out on a date?

HAD HE REALLY ASKED HER to go shopping and then to dinner with him? He verified he’d typed those words and actually sent them.

Yep. He had. An hour ago.

Should he specify it wasn’t a date? Just two friends hanging out? No. He shouldn’t.

Why not?

Because deep down he wanted it to be a date.

But not if she didn’t.

He closed his eyes and huffed. He was a grown man. This should not be so difficult. But Kristine was special.

And intimidating, if he was honest. But definitely special. He didn’t want to blow it.

“Andrew?”

He opened his eyes and found everyone in the room looking at him. “Oh. Sorry. I was thinking about something.” Agonizing about a stupid text.

“More like a someone ,” Nathan muttered for Andrew’s ears only.

Andrew shot his partner a dark look and Nathan looked away with a grin.

“So, are we good with the plan?” Hank asked.

“I’m not sure I’m good with it,” Kenzie said, “but I’ll be close by to offer any medical assistance should any—hopefully not—be needed.”

Andrew tapped the update in his phone to Kristine. Three seconds later, his phone buzzed.

I’m here.

His heart did that weird thing it did whenever he was about to be in her presence. It really needed to stop doing that.

She knocked, then opened the door, stepped inside, walked over to the only seat available, and sat next to Andrew.

“Hey,” she said in response to the greetings.

“Fill me in on what I missed.” She looked at her phone.

“The last I heard, there was some kind of plan where Hank was going to be bait and draw out whoever is after him.”

“That’s basically it,” Hank said. “And these guys are going to be my rescue squad should I need it.”

“Okay, then. What can I do?”

“How’s Emily?” Kenzie asked.

“She was awake and tolerating our father’s presence.

Ethan is there to be the buffer or referee or whatever.

They’ll text me if I need to come back.” She rubbed a hand down her face and frowned.

“I’m in for helping with the plan, but don’t you think it’s going to be obvious that we’re trying to set him up? ”

“We’ll just have to be not obvious,” Hank said. “I think I know what to do. There’s a gun store in town, right?”

Andrew leaned forward. “Yes.”

“Then you and I’ll go there. I’ll go in, make a purchase while you stay outside looking like you’re standing guard.

I’ll come out and then we’ll head to the safe house in the mountains.

” He shook his head. “I just have a feeling he’ll strike at night at the safe house—and he’ll probably bring friends. It’s what I would do.”

“All right. We’ll make sure we have SWAT on standby,” James said with a glance at Cole, who nodded.

“How soon can we do this?” Hank asked.

Cole pulled his feet in and leaned forward to match Kenzie’s pose. “I think we can get it all together in two days. The hardest part will be getting the place, but I’ll find something. Then I’ll take the team up there to scope it out and see what kind of setup we need.”

“Perfect,” Andrew said. “James, do you and Lainie mind if we use your home for a hideout over the next couple of days? I can run to my parents’ and grab some stuff, but I’m going to need to go shopping.

I’ll get some things for Hank while I’m out.

Kristine’s going to help me, right?” She actually hadn’t answered his text.

She froze for a split second, then nodded. “Sure.”

Andrew wanted to kick himself. Or have someone else do it. He shouldn’t have put her on the spot. “I mean if you have time. If you need to be with Emily, I understand.”

“No, she’s okay right now. I’ll check in, of course, but unless there’s some kind of emergency, I should be good.”

She hadn’t taken the out he’d offered her.

His hopes rose. “Okay, great. I need to run by the bank, then we can get this done. Lainie, text me anything you need me to pick up for the next couple of days.”

“I’ll do that,” she said.

Andrew looked at Kristine. “I know you just got here, but you ready?”

She stood. “Ready when you are.”