Chapter 33

Ash’s bodyburst into action before his mind fully assimilated the facts.

He grasped Kayla’s arm and thrust her inside the house. “Get down on the floor and stay there.”

To his surprise, she didn’t hesitate. She dropped to the hardwood floor, her face inches from blood spatter and brain matter.

A quick scan revealed they’d spilled into the front room. Unlike the outside, the inside of the small house was tidy and modern. A leather couch and matching recliner faced a seventy-inch TV and a white marble fireplace nestled into one corner of the room.

He kicked Grimball’s feet out of the way and slammed the door shut. Crouching low against the wall between the door and large bay window, he drew his service weapon and checked the chamber.

“Stay there,” he said.

“Where are you going?”

“To clear the rest of the house.”

Her terrified, yet controlled, gaze slashed from the dead body to the front door. “I’m coming with you.”

“I’ll be able to clear the place faster if you stay put.” He hardened his voice. “No going rogue like last time.”

Embarrassed, she glanced away.

“I’ll be back in under two minutes.”

Her gaze snapped to his, their eyes locked for a long moment, then she jerked her head once. The amount of trust and bravery it took for her to let him go wasn’t lost on him.

Using the toe of his shoe, he slid Grimball’s gun over to her from where it had fallen at the ex-con’s side. “Shoot anyone who comes through this door.” He didn’t question her ability with the Glock, recalling the way she’d handled her own.

She nodded, grasping the weapon with confidence and checking its load.

“Keep your head down,” he said.

“You, too.”

Pushing away from the wall, he kept to a low crouch as he dashed toward what appeared to be the kitchen.

He flinched as a bullet blasted through the front window and embedded into the wall separating the front room from the kitchen. Two more holes appeared, each one getting inches closer to his position.

Ash ducked into the hallway, listening for movement in the kitchen. Hearing none, he made quick work of the two small bedrooms and shared bathroom before returning.

He took a knee near what were probably once lemon-colored cabinets, but had now taken on the hue of yellow squash left on the counter a week too long. The new wood flooring in the front room extended down the hall as well as the kitchen. Grimball appeared to be putting his murder money to good use.

When no bullets thunked near his head, he moved to clear the kitchen. A single glance confirmed the room was empty. But a familiar scent caught inside Ash’s nose. He inhaled again, to be certain.

Gas.

“Kayla,” he whispered.

She lifted her head. Glass shards from the shattered window tinkled from her hair to join the other thousand on the floor around her.

“Crawl to me, quickly. Now.”

She snaked her way toward him. Thankfully, she’d kept her suit coat on or her forearms would’ve been shredded. “What’s wrong?”

“One of the bullets hit the gas line.” He motioned for her to hurry. “We need to get out of here. His next shot could spark an explosion.”

“You want us to go through the kitchen?” she asked, guessing his intent.

“It’s the only other exit. Unless you’d prefer to take your chances through the front door.”

Taking one last lungful of clean air, he crouch-ran through the breakfast area, bypassing the small dining table and two chairs, his senses split between the path ahead of him and Kayla’s rapid steps behind him.

He flicked the lock on the slider, pushed it open wide, and waited for another barrage of gunfire. When none came, he turned back to Kayla, who squatted at his six.

“There’s a pile of old tires fifty feet out. I’m headed there to draw their fire. If all stays quiet, run like hell to my location. I’ll cover you.”

“You think there’s more than one shooter?”

“I always expect the worst.”

“I don’t like this plan.”

“It’s the only one we’ve got.” He kissed her swiftly. “Ready?”

“Do I get one of those at the other end?”

He liked that she used humor to defray the tension. The woman was solid. Fearless.

Despite the pressure of the clock ticking in his head, he threw her his cockiest grin. “As many as you can handle.”

She coughed, the gas choking the air. “Don’t die, G-man. I have plans for you.”

Ash surged forward.