Page 136 of Present Danger (Rocky Mountain Courage 1)

“I’m not losing my gun. I don’t trust you.”

“You won’t get a shot off before I kill her. Do you want to risk it?”

“Don’t do it, Dad,” she said. “He’s bluffing.”

But she saw in her father’s eyes how precious she was to him, and he would do anything to save her. He’d given her up in order to save her. He hesitated before finally acquiescing to Marcus’s request, putting the gun down and stepping away from the package. Terra hoped that wasn’t a mistake.

Once Dad stood next to Gramps, he said, “Okay. Take the package and get out of here.”

“I’m taking the package, but she’s coming with me,” Marcus said. “Terra, pick up the package and let’s go.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you. Why would you want to take me?”

“I’ll let you go when I’m safely away.”

“Are you crazy?” Gramps asked. “You’ll never escape your crimes!”

Marcus exploded with anger. “You’re wrong, Robert. I’ve escaped my crimes for nearly two decades. Now, pick up the package!”

The sound of too many bullets flying, pinging Jack’s car, accosted her. Marcus was about to lose it. Like Leif? She couldn’t let him kill her family.

“My wrists are bound. How can I pick it up?”

“Reach down and grab the corner with your hands.”

Suit yourself. She stood from the chair and then bent over for the package, using the opportunity to kick out her leg and clip his gun. But he maneuvered quickly like a trained soldier. Terra tried again.

Marcus fired the gun toward the desk.

“No!” she shouted. She scrambled toward the desk, but Marcus snatched her back.

Gramps pressed his hands over Dad’s midsection as blood seeped through his fingers.

“Come with me now or I’ll shoot your grandfather too.”

She’d just got her father back. She couldn’t lose him again. She tried to be so strong through it all, but the strength drained out of her. “No...”

“Pick up the package, and let’s go.”

Terra picked it up, her hands straining against the plastic ties. It seemed too light to be of any value.

“Leave her!” her father shouted.

He sounded strong, but for how much longer? She’d watched Jack nearly bleed out.

“We had a deal! I brought you the package, now let her go. Leave us alone.”

Marcus dragged her along with him through the house.

“What are you doing?” She had to convince him to leave her. “You can’t get away with this.”

“I have a plane waiting at the airport. I’ll be gone, out of this country, before the police even arrive at the ranch. I’ll just have to find a different way to deliver the artifact now that Neva is gone. I had been planning to move my operations back to Morocco anyway.”

Uh-oh. Marcus telling her his plans didn’t leave any doubt as to his intentions. He would kill her when he was done using her.

He dragged her toward the meadow between the ranch house and the base of Stone Wolf Mountain, where a running helicopter waited.

Marcus pointed the gun at her. “Get in.”