Chapter 44

Hawthorne slowed his sprint as he neared the Flying Dragon.

A person stood in the rain wearing a light-colored jacket.

As he got closer, he spotted another figure, sitting next to the path. A dark hooded jacket was thrown over the person's shoulders.

Both people looked small and slim. Women?

Thunder roared as he stopped close to them, gaze locking on the person sitting down.

It looked like…yes. "Rebekah?"

She lifted her head, and he knew for sure. Rebekah's round, sweet face and big eyes.

She got up and sprang into his arms, hitting his chest hard.

Hawthorne held her tight, all his regret, guilt, and worry melting away as the desire to protect and cherish this girl swelled in his chest. "Thank you, Lord."

"Amen." The comment brought Hawthorne's attention to the woman who stood a few feet away, watching them with a soft smile.

"Did you save her?"

"No. Well, not alone. I'm with the Phoenix K-9 team."

Rebekah pulled away slightly, and Hawthorne kept one arm around her as she stayed tucked into his side.

"Phoenix K-9 is here?" Hawthorne's heart hiccupped. Did that mean Jazz was there, too?

"Yes. All of us. I'm Cora. The others are on their way to catch Pierce Cracklen before he leaves."

"Jazz's uncle?"

Cora nodded. "I believe he's the one who tried to kill her and your sister."

A surge of anger shot through him. Righteous anger, he hoped. No one could do that to his sister and get away with it. "Where'd they go?"

"Jazz went that way." Cora pointed toward the faint path by the Flying Dragon that he could barely see in the rain-soaked darkness. "I believe it's a shortcut Jazz knows to reach the east gate as quickly as possible."

Hawthorne ducked his head toward Rebekah. "Can you stay with Cora until I get back?"

Rebekah nodded against his ribs, slowly lowering her arms from around his torso.

"I'll be right back. I promise." His reluctance to turn away surprised him. God must already be preparing his heart for the relationships he wasn't going to hide from anymore.

But another relationship called to him. With a beautiful redhead, who happened to be going after the bad guy Hawthorne wanted very badly to take down right now.

He headed for the obscure path, hoping it would lead him to the villain and the heroine. And, Lord willing, a happy ending.

Jazz glanced over her shoulder as she darted under the supports of another ride.

Nev and Alvarez jogged close behind.

Phoenix and Dag followed them, though the ease of their movements made Jazz suspect the team could probably outpace them all if they wanted to.

"Where's Cora?"

"She stayed with the girl." Nev breathed hard as she answered. "Who is she?"

"I don't know. Pierce said she showed up when he was killing Butch, so he kidnapped her. Used her to hold me off."

"Nice."

Jazz knew Nev meant the opposite, though the sarcastic tone was lost in her heavy breathing.

Jazz pushed harder. They were close now. Just a few more seconds.

There.

She broke through onto the main path, the east gate to her left.

She stopped in front of it.

The gate was closed. No sign of anyone approaching from the main path. Should they stay and wait for him? Or had he already escaped?

Flash growled, then barked. The Malinois faced his ready stance toward the gate.

"Got it, bud." Jazz threw a glance at Nev and Phoenix as she went to the gate.

"Wait a sec." Nev stepped closer, pulling a gun from behind her back instead of her holster. "You took off so fast, I didn't get to give you this. Sof left one of her guns for you to use."

A laugh tumbled from Jazz's lips. Sof and her portable arsenal. Jazz took the Glock from Nev's hand.

"We got your back, Jazz." Nev's words landed in Jazz's heart, sparking more tears again. Good grief. She and Nev needed to have a long chat after this was all over, so she could say all her sorrys and hopefully get over being so emotional. Though maybe she'd always be emotional about almost losing Nev.

Flash's growl brought her back to the task at hand, and she hurried to open the gate. She stepped through, watching her peripherals, though she doubted Pierce would be waiting to ambush anyone.

He'd be desperate to get away as fast as he could.

Flash rumbled, a sound echoed by Dag and Alvarez. The K-9s stared in the same direction.

Toward a shadow that suddenly moved.