Page 166 of Noel Secrets

That comment worried Clay. He needed some reassurance. “Just to be clear, when we find them, what do you plan to do?”

Dean flashed him an irritated glare. “I also trained her on how to use a gun. I’ll take care of her. She’s my responsibility. You get Darby out.”

He gripped the steering wheel, still not one hundred percent sure Dean was on his side. He’d have to keep his eyes open.

Assuming they could catch up to them.

Tears stung Darby’s eyes as Suzanne sped down the deserted road, one hand on the wheel and the other on the gun in her lap. She turned off onto the highway. She was driving recklessly but Darby didn’t dare comment on it. Getting pulled over by the police wouldn’t be the worst thing, although she wasn’t certain Suzanne wouldn’t fire first and ask questions later.

Greed and revenge had fully taken hold of her.

The thought of leaving David behind had nearly broken Darby, but she wasn’t sure what else she could have done.

“What’s the plan?” Darby asked her.

“None of your business.”

“What are you going to do to David? Will that man hurt him?”

She gripped the gun and yelled at her. “I’ll hurt you if you don’t shut up and let me think.”

This wasn’t working out the way she’d thought, and now Suzanne was panicking. Darby saw it on her face. She didn’t have a plan for keeping her name out of it, so that meant running.

And Darby and David were disposable.

Oh, how she wished Clay was here. She should have called him when she’d first gotten the news about David being kidnapped, but how could she without alerting Max? He’d watched her the whole time.

But she couldn’t leave her fate—and David’s—in Suzanne’s hands. She had to find a way to get away from her before it was too late.

Suzanne’s phone buzzed on the dashboard. She reached for it.

Now.This was her chance.

Darby lunged, grabbed the steering wheel, and yanked it hard. The car veered with a screech as Suzanne screamed and tried to keep it on the road, but Darby refused to let go. The car swerved then went off the road and slammed into the ditch.

The airbags exploded, leaving Darby momentarily stunned. She gasped to catch her breath then, once she was able, grabbed for the door handle and fell onto the gravel. She had no idea where Suzanne was, if she was still in the car or not. She hadn’t bothered to notice. Darby knew only that she needed to get away before Suzanne released her murderous rage.

She crawled to her feet, using the car to steady herself as she inched toward the back of the vehicle. If she could flag down a passing car, maybe she could escape this nightmare.

Suzanne emerged from the other side, blood trailing from her temple, gun shaking in her hand. She, too, walked unsteadily, leaning on the back of the car to stay upright. “You just can’t leave well enough alone,” she snarled.

Darby didn’t wait. She surged forward and tackled her. They crashed to the ground, limbs entangled, as Suzanne tried to hold onto the gun, and Darby tried to knock it from her hand. This was it. This was where she either took back her life or lost it for good.

Suzanne rolled on top of her, trying to press the gun to her head. Darby grabbed her arm, using everything she had to fight back.

Rage burned in her eyes. She grabbed Suzanne’s wrist and used every bit of strength she had left to shove it to the ground. Suzanne still refused to release her grip. The weapon fired, startling Darby who stumbled backward.

Suanne used the distraction to press the gun to Darby’s head. “Now you’re finally going to get what you deserve.”

Time slowed as seconds ticked by. Her life suddenly came into clear view. She’d spent so many years just surviving when she should have been living, enjoying her son, enjoying the blessings God had bestowed on her.

She’d treated her inheritance like a burden rather than the gift it was. Suzanne claimed she didn’t deserve it and, in some ways, she believed it.

God had blessed her so completely, but she’d been ungrateful. Even with Clay.

Clay.

A handsome federal agent had swooped in and saved her life when she hadn’t even known she was in danger. He’d told her he loved her, and she knew it was real.