Page 53 of Trapped (Sheppard & Sons Investigations #6)

Nathan

H avoc stood on Perpura’s chest, blood dripping down his left front leg as he growled, a mere two inches from Al’s neck. One wrong move and Havoc would rip Al’s throat out.

Fuck, Perpura cut Havoc during the fight. It was hard to tell how bad the injury was, but I had to assume it wasn’t life-threatening since Havoc showed no signs of weakening.

I sent Doug to help Jay and Cate cover the front and left the rest of Sierra to cover the back. “If anyone moves, shoot them.”

Seeing Al again brought back memories. My skin itched, and my breath came in short bursts.

I can’t afford to have a panic attack right now.

“Breathe,” Kroup said beside me. “We’ve got him.”

We did. I counted as I breathed in and out. In and out.

Kroup ordered Havoc off Al’s chest. Havoc stood near Al—eyes glued to Kroupa—ready to attack the instant the command was given.

John zip-tied Al’s hands behind his back. Al complained about the nasty dog bites on his arm, groin, and ankle. From the looks of it, he’d fought hard. But Havoc fought harder.

Kroup gave the command for Havoc to stand down once John and AJ had rifles pointed at Perpura’s head.

“You can’t ignore my wounds. You’re the good guys.”

I glanced at his bloody, torn arm and broken fingers.

Not life threatening. No doubt the bites to his thighs and groin hurt like hell, but if those injuries were going to kill him, he’d already be dead.

I couldn’t see his ankle wound through his bloody, torn pants, but he’d live.

I almost said, you’ll live, but if I had my way, he wouldn’t.

“Those wounds won’t kill you.” I turned towards Sierra One.

“Don’t get close enough for him to touch you. ”

Perpura’s laugh grated on my nerves. “Dude, I’m all tied up.” It didn’t matter. Knowing I wouldn’t kill him until Ashley was safe, he’d kick and bite just to inflict pain.

When I asked where Ashley was, the fucker had the nerve to cackle.

“She’s inside, waiting for her knight in shining armor.”

A second later, a piercing scream came from the cabin.

Ashley!

I turned and sprinted to the window. Sure enough, Ashley sat in a chair, ropes dangling off the back and sides. She faced the door, so I couldn’t see her face, but it was definitely her.

When her head moved, confirming she was alive, I released my breath.

Please God, let them be unharmed.

As far as I could see, she was alone. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see everywhere, so we had to assume someone was in the cabin.

I turned back to Perpura. “What’d you do to her?”

“Nothing. I was waiting for you before having my fun.”

Before torturing her. In front of me.

Repressing the urge to kick him, I growled instead.

“Bravo Four, you and Havoc are with me.” I ordered John and AJ, “If he moves, shoot him.”

“My pleasure,” AJ answered.

“I can’t wait to see the look on your face—”

AJ cut him off by stepping on his throat. “Shut the fuck up.”

Perpura’s eyes widened before he complied with a grin.

“Sierra Two and Three, with us.”

“On your six,” Jack said.

Jamie jogged over and stood next to Jack. “Let’s go.”

“We’re coming around,” I said into the comms.

“Copy that,” Jay answered.

When I rushed towards the door, Kroup pulled me back. “Havoc, search.”

Havoc barked and sat at the door, letting us know something was wrong.

“The door is booby-trapped!” The door muffled Ashley’s warning, but her message was loud and clear.

“Fuck!” I scrubbed my face. “We’ll find another way in. Hold tight,” I called through the door.

“We’ll use a window.” The bedroom window was to the left, so we checked it first.

Unlike the door, the explosives in the window were readily visible.

There was only one other window—the one I’d looked through earlier.

When we walked around back, Perpura taunted me. “Fucking bitch ruined my surprise.”

AJ made sure he wouldn’t say anything else by pressing his bloody boot into Perpura’s throat until his eyes rolled back in his head. “He won’t be out long. Go save your girl.”

We checked the window but couldn’t see any obvious signs of tampering.

“Is the window safe?” I hollered my question.

“I think so,” Ashley yelled back. “He climbed out of it.”

The window was our best option.

Havoc whimpered and sat down, licking his wounded leg.

“Is he okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, give me a second to bandage it.” Kroup grabbed a roll of gauze from his IFAK and wrapped the leg, soothing Havoc with praise the entire time. When he finished, he said, “Let’s go.”

The window opened on a hinge and would be a pain in the ass to deal with. “I’m breaking it off,” I said.

The others stepped back in case the glass shattered.

“Ashley, we’re breaking the window,” I warned before slamming the butt of my rifle into the window frame and breaking the hinges. Jamie caught the frame when I tossed it back.

The small window redefined the term ‘fatal funnel’. I’d be a sitting duck the instant I put a body part through it until I had my rifle back in my hands.

“Are you alone?” I asked Ashley.

“Yes.” She nodded as she answered. Hearing the terror in her trembling voice erased any relief I felt knowing she was alone. This ends now.

“I’m going in feet first,” I said to the guys.

Ashley said she was alone, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t someone hiding that she couldn’t see. I’d take a bullet to my lower legs over a hit to my head any day of the week. “Help me up.”

Jamie and Jack stood on either side while I explained what we were doing.

“On the count of three.”

On one, I used the brothers’ shoulders to lift myself while I jumped and shoved my feet through the window. They pushed on my back and shoulders to help me get through faster.

As soon as my feet hit the floor, I brought my rifle up and scanned the room.

“Clear.”

When Ashley said “It’s a bomb” I forced myself not to respond. It wasn’t an issue. We’d leave the same way I’d come in.

Fighting the impulse to rush to Ashley, I held my rifle on the only internal door in the space. I wouldn’t risk her life, their lives, by not clearing all the rooms first. And for that, I needed my team.