Page 113 of Present Danger (Rocky Mountain Courage 1)

“He must be checking the vehicle to confirm we’re dead,” Jack whispered.

“He’ll be coming for us.”

“Or if he’s smart, he’ll get into that truck of his and get out of town. He has to know that law enforcement is going to rain down on him from all corners of the state. Why would he do something like this?”

The truth was, they knew next to nothing about Leif Morrisey.

Jack’s face was close to hers. He held his weapon at the ready and eyed her. He pressed a finger to his lips. A breeze blew through the cornstalks.

Time to listen.

Someone made their way through the corn. More like marched without fear.

Leif was coming for them. Indignation settled in her gut. If Owen knew what his friend was up to, he would stop him. If anything, Leif should be running from them. Terra squeezed her weapon, wanting to shift her position, but that would make too much noise. Even in the cool of the evening, sweat crawled over her back and dripped down her temples.

Jack motioned for her to get up. She scrambled to her feet, quickly and quietly, and backed away from her hiding spot, this time careful not to disturb the plants. If Leif decided to fire his weapon into the field, they would be at risk.

Sirens resounded in the distance. Finally. But would they arrive in time?

Jack tucked her behind him. She stepped into a wider row of mowed stalks.

The corn maze.

The footfalls sounded closer. Terra ran with Jack, following the corners and curves of the maze. She gasped for breath.

They were making entirely too much noise.

“The more distance, the better,” Jack whispered. “But we’ll follow the maze, and then head back toward the road. Backup has to get here soon.”

“I have no idea which way the road is. Do you?”

Jack slowed to a stop and stepped into the cover of the cornstalks, pulling her with him. Weapons drawn, they stood perfectly still and quiet.

Sirens sounded louder.

The movement in the cornstalks sounded distant. Leif was now the one on the run. Jack pushed back out into the maze and she followed, though still wary of more assault-grade gunfire.

“We can’t let him get away, Jack. He has to be behind the murders.”

“The roads will be blocked, and he’ll know that. My bet is he’s going to try to get back to his vehicle and go through the cornfield. Or to that farmhouse. He could take hostages.”

“We need to make our way there to warn them.”

Jack once again slowed and held his hand up. Through the cornstalks she could see the road, and Jack slowly approached. They should have at least heard Leif’s truck. And if not, then he was on foot.

An engine roared to life.

Jack stepped out of the cornfield and onto the road. He aimed his weapon.

Terra stood by his side, her weapon ready.

Leif swerved out of the field and onto the road. Jack aimed for the man himself while Terra aimed for the tires, but neither of them fired since the truck disappeared down the county road, heading in the opposite direction. Jack limped around as if he would climb into his own destroyed vehicle and opened the door. It fell away and clanked to the ground.

Jack collapsed to his knees and hung his head.

Terra raced to his side. “Jack, it’s okay. We did all we could.”

He slumped to the road.

“Jack?”

Terra lifted the bomber jacket and saw the blood.