Page 33

THIRTY-THREE

P enny clamped her jaw tight as she glanced in the rearview mirror as they loaded Emma Kemper’s body into a body bag. Jude was right.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go down.

But she didn’t have time to think about that as they bounced down the dirt road to where Tony and Olivia were waiting for them. She wasn’t sad to have Bryce pressed up against her in the middle of the bench seat of Zack Stephens’s truck.

Jude sat in the passenger seat, on the phone. At least driving, she had one hand free to drop down and squeeze Bryce’s fingers, relishing his strong hands and gentle touch.

She might never tire of having him close. Not after the scare he’d given her. For a moment, as he fell to the ground at Sosa’s feet with all the chaos and shooting, she’d been certain he’d been hit.

But he wasn’t. Even beaten, one eye purple and swollen, a fat lip that was split, his handsome face had the ability to make her melt. But right now, it was the fact that with him by her side, they were stronger and better.

And they needed that to rescue Cindy and Adam Noble.

“You gotta be kidding,” Jude grumbled from the passenger seat and dropped his phone into his lap.

“What?” Bryce asked.

“They can’t find the governor. Or Jason Woods.”

Bryce had already told them of Woods’s part in all this. “I still can’t believe I didn’t see through him earlier.” Bryce sighed. “No wonder I never liked that punk. How low do you have to go to resort to kidnapping an innocent woman and child?”

“Let alone your own family,” Jude added.

“Do you think Noble could be dirty? Is he working with Sosa and Jason?” Bryce asked.

Penny slowed down to take the turn she needed. “We can’t rule anything out, but I don’t think so. He might be coerced into doing something with his family held hostage though.”

Look at what lengths she’d gone through to free Bryce. Yes, she’d had permission. She’d gone out on a limb to get the team behind her and ask for help. But if Jude and the chief of police hadn’t given her the permission, she might’ve pulled off a real jailbreak herself if it meant she could save Bryce. Who knew what a desperate husband would do for his family?

Because, yes, she would do just about anything for the people she loved.

But that didn’t make her weak. It made her motivated. Focused. There would always be those who exploited. But there were also others, like Bryce and Jude and Elizabeth Crawford, who were motivated by truth and love, and that’s the kind of person she wanted to be. Running away from Bryce was a coward move. So who was the weakling there? It took a lot more guts to stay in the game.

A picture of Jesus hanging on the cross, that used to hang in her mother’s room, came to mind.

It wasn’t weakness that had kept Him there. It was love.

So maybe God wasn’t so far off as she thought.

Maybe Libby was right. A cord of three was stronger. Instead of going on instinct and breaking Emma out herself, Penny had asked for help.

And low and behold, it hadn’t killed her. Together they’d rescued Bryce. So really, there was no “maybe” at all.

So, I think I see what all the hubbub is about, Lord, what Libby and Bryce and Jude have been trying to tell me. And I’m ready. I’m ready to admit I need You. I want in. And I want to stay. And we could really use Your help and protection with what we’re about to do.

Please keep the innocent protected tonight, and help us fight the injustice and make this world a little safer by capturing these men so bent on power and destruction.

Something settled over Penny in that moment and seeped down to her core. Something warm and comforting. Like that feeling of peace Libby had talked about when she’d said she’d known she would be okay, even while she was captured by Sosa’s men.

Like that moment in the mountains with Bryce, looking at the stars. Only stronger.

Is that You, Lord?

Bryce squeezed her hand. He leaned over, dropping his voice. “Just in case I don’t get a chance to say this later, I’m glad you came back. It hasn’t been the same without you. And I just want you to know that I love you.”

Penny couldn’t tell if they were Bryce’s words or the answer to her question, but they filled her heart to overflowing and brought tears to her eyes. Maybe it was both. Because she could finally see. The God Libby talked about, the God Penny had learned about so long ago in Vacation Bible School, would’ve said the same thing.

I’m glad you came back. It hasn’t been the same without you. And I just want you to know that I love you.

She didn’t have the words, so she squeezed Bryce’s hand back and smiled at him.

Okay, Lord, lead on.

Before they reached the farm site where the Nobles were being held, Penny killed the lights on the truck and slowed to a crawl. She rolled off the side of the dirt road and into the ditch. They jogged down to the tree line at the edge of the property, where Tony and Olivia were.

“It’s about time you got here.” Olivia fist-bumped Penny as she stepped out from the trees.

“We had a few hiccups at the other end.” Penny took the ponytail holder from her wrist and pulled her hair back. “Sosa got away.”

“Again?” Tony whispered. “That man needs to be in a maximum security prison.”

“He didn’t show up here?” Bryce asked. “This is where he had me before. And where’s Zack?”

“No Sosa since we’ve been here.” Olivia pointed to herself and Tony. “We sent Zack back with the rest of the rescue squad. They’re down the road, about half a mile away for support if we need them.”

“And the governor is now missing along with Jason Woods,” Penny said.

“No sign of them either.” Tony rubbed his hands together. “Now, what exactly is the plan?”

“Where are the Nobles?” Jude asked.

Olivia pointed through the trees. “In the barn. Zack was able to get a visual, and we confirmed it when we arrived with the drone. They have Cindy and Adam in the middle of the barn. Hands are bound. They’re sitting on hay bales. Oh, and they have a bomb strapped to the boy’s chest. Six men are in there guarding them.”

“So we can’t go in guns blazing. We need another tactic.” Jude looked over at the barn as if studying it.

“We need to convince them to take the bomb off the boy.” Penny paced between the pine tree trunks. “I can do it.”

Bryce bristled. “Go in there? Alone? Are you nuts?”

“It could work,” Jude said.

“Aw, come on. Tony? This is crazy, right?” Bryce asked him.

“I dunno, Crawford. I think it’s our best shot.”

“Think about it. As far as they know, I broke Emma out and brought her to Sosa. They might believe me if I tell them I turned. That I’m working with Sosa now. And I’ve got the most experience with explosives. I can disarm that vest. Once I get that bomb off Adam, you guys can storm the castle.”

“It’s too dangerous.” That brooding look on Bryce’s face said he wasn’t convinced. And she understood. But they were running out of time.

She tugged Bryce a few steps away from the others.

“Look. I know you’re scared?—”

“For good reason!” he hissed. “I’m not a little scared. I’m terrified of something happening to you.”

“Yeah, a little like how I felt when I got that picture of you from Sosa. I almost fell apart.”

“Then you get it. How am I supposed to let you do this? You’ll be walking into the enemy camp. Alone.”

“But I won’t be alone.”

Bryce stilled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…I know I’m not alone. I get it now.” She looked up through the branches at the stars for a moment. “I know God is with me, Bryce. Just like you’ve been trying to tell me. Like my sister has been praying for me. I know He’s here.” She laid her hand over her heart.

“You believe that?” Bryce’s voice was so soft she almost didn’t hear. He reached for her hands, and she easily slid them into his.

“I do. And you are here too. You guys will be right outside the barn, ready to help if I need it. I’m depending on you. But you know this is our best shot at saving that kid and his mom. It’s a risk we have to take.”

He tugged her close and laid a whisper-soft kiss on her temple. “I hate it when you’re right.”

She chuckled. “I know. And I know how hard it is to see me walk into a dangerous situation. But I think we both better get used to that. It’s the kind of lives we live. The jobs we have. And I know you. You wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“Maybe.”

She framed his face with her hands. “Maybe?”

“All I know is I want a life with you.”

“Good, then let’s get on with it.” She kissed his bruised cheek, and they walked back to the others hand in hand.

Once everyone was in place—Tony and Olivia by the back entrance of the barn, Jude and Bryce crouched by the tractor outside the front doors—Penny knocked on the main entrance and walked in.

Bobby Prescot jumped to his feet along with three other men and Moira. “What are you doing here?”

The other three men and Mo trained their weapons on Penny.

She smiled, her own Smith & Wesson in hand, and walked farther in. There wasn’t much in the way of cover. The back of the barn was sectioned off as a corral, where three Holstein cows munched on hay. In the middle, Adam and Cindy sat on hay bales, just like Olivia had said. The sixth guard stood behind them with a shotgun. The rest of the barn had been cleared of all clutter and machinery.

“Hey, Bobby.” Penny smiled up at him. She kept her gun out where everyone could see.

“The man asked you a question. What are you doing here?” Mo aimed her own Sbr at Penny.

“Sosa sent me. You can release the prisoners.”

“We don’t answer to him.” Mo’s gaze didn’t flinch. “And we certainly don’t answer to you.”

Penny continued to walk until one of the men blocked her way. She needed to get that bomb vest off Adam.

“Look, I know the plan. Jason and Sosa told me everything. I’ve been involved with this before any of you guys knew what was going on.” Penny tilted her chin up and popped a fist on her hip.

Bobby was the first to soften. “You did? But at the bar, you said you was looking for that girl. But then later we heard you was working with the law.”

“Yeah. That was the plan. How else do you think Jason knew what was going on? I kept him informed every step of the investigation.”

“We have orders, and we’ll follow them until we hear otherwise.” Mo didn’t look like she was gonna back down.

“Then you’re wasting time. Sosa and Emma already left the county until things cool down. Who do you think broke her out of jail and helped her escape? Jason doesn’t need these guys anymore. He has what he needs.”

Bobby’s gun drooped lower. He was buying it. Penny looked past Mo and the other three. Cindy had her arms wrapped around her son.

“Look at these guys! What have you been doing?” Penny skirted between Bobby and Mo and stood in front of Adam and Cindy. She studied the vest. It wasn’t Vince Kemper’s work, thankfully. This would be simple. She looked for the detonator.

Wait. She almost laughed. The whole thing was fake. There were no blasting caps. The wires were just for show.

Penny took the knife out of her boot and cut the strap on Adam’s shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Mo pointed the Sbr at Penny. She stepped back just so Adam wouldn’t be hurt if the gun went off.

“I already told you. Jason said to let these guys go.” Penny stared her down. She put herself between Mo and the Nobles. “You should probably go check the perimeter or something. These guys are coming with me.”

Bobby looked at the others and shrugged. They were caving. Penny turned back to Adam. She cut the other strap of the vest.

Cindy’s shoulders relaxed. She let out a long quiet breath.

Penny indicated for Adam and Cindy to stand up. “Let’s go.”

“You really think you’re gonna walk on out of here? I think we should give Jason a call.” Mo tightened her grip on her gun.

“Go for it.” Penny resheathed her knife. “Tell him I’m on my way. I might stop for coffee though. I’ll grab him one.”

Penny gently pushed Adam and Cindy toward the big barn doors. Just a little farther…

Mo dropped her gun and pulled out her phone. But while her head was down and the others dropped their guard, Penny picked up the pace.

A few more steps. Adam was practically running at this point. He and Cindy reached the door.

As soon as they opened it, Jude and Bryce rushed in, guns drawn. Penny spun, taking aim directly at Mo. Olivia and Tony snuck in from the back while everyone stared at Penny, Jude, and Bryce.

“Looks like you’re outnumbered, princess.” Mo smirked. “I knew you were lying.”

“Not so fast. You’re all under arrest.” Tony and Olivia quickly disarmed the man in the corral.

More cops followed, and within minutes, the militia members were all face down on the ground with their hands behind their backs.

Penny walked over to Bobby Prescot. “Do yourself a favor and tell me where I can find Sosa.”

“Why would I do that? You think I’m some dumb hick?”

“I think you’re a good guy, and you care about people and want to do the right thing.”

“She’s trying to manipulate you, Bobby. Shut up,” Moira yelled from the ground.

“Aren’t you tired of being bossed around?” Penny asked him. “Be your own person. The good person I know you can be. Tell me where Sosa and Jason are.”

Bobby sneered as he looked Penny in the eye. “I don’t know. And if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

So much for that.

Penny walked back to Jude and Bryce. They were talking to Cindy and Adam outside in the barnyard.

“They’re not speaking. But I don’t think they know where Sosa or Jason are. I get the feeling they kept things compartmentalized in their operations.”

“I think we might know.” Cindy spoke up. “I overheard Jason’s voice on the phone when he called that lady. Mo. He said something about getting a plane ready.”

Jude looked at Penny. “Remember what the governor said? He was supposed to meet Sosa at the airport. The secret one on the other side of town. I think it’s our best shot.”

“Can we see my dad now?” Adam asked.

“Soon. But first we have to make sure he’s safe. I need you and your mom to wait a little longer.” Jude called Olivia over. “Can you bring these guys to the police station? You can call Andi if they need medical attention.”

“Sure thing.”

Olivia escorted them to the squad car.

Penny faced Jude and Bryce. “Let’s go find Sosa and Woods.”