Chapter 3

"I got him some protein and electrolytes in that drink and now the morphine is really kicking in. He probably won't wake up for a while. The transfusion is working. We'll switch in the helicopter. Let's go," the medic said, but Hunter was staring at Tristan even as they lifted Langston and began to carry him out.

"It can't be Lydia's husband, can it?" Hunter asked Tristan, a feeling of dread settling over him.

"How many Landry Langstons can there be?" Tristan stared with shock at the man whose life was hanging on by a thread.

One. There was only one, God help them all.

"Listen to me," Hunter ordered the second they got loaded into the helicopter. "Go straight to the hospital as fast as you can. We have to save him. We know his family."

The medic's jaw tightened, and as they lifted into the air, he unhooked the transfusion needle from Hunter's arm. He changed needles and then inserted it into Tristan's arm. "This is giving him the best chance he's got."

Hunter leaned down and kept his hand over Landry's. "Hang on Landry. I'm from Shadows Landing. I know Lydia. She'll raise you from the dead and then kill you again herself if you die now. Landry Junior is getting big, man. He's surfing with Granger and thinking of trying to compete. Lacy, wow, what a spitfire she is. Just like you are. You should see how she wields a rapier." That got the medic's attention. "It's a Shadows Landing thing," Hunter told the medic.

"Hey Landry. I'm Tristan Durand. I'm Edie's husband. I'm from Shadows Landing, too. Edie has classes at the church with Lydia, Lacy, and now Leah since she turned ten. You must be so proud of them. You have a great wife and super kids. Did you know they alligator surf? Apparently, you used to do that too. At least that's what they say when they're yelled at for surfing."

Hunter leaned forward next. "I bet if you live Miss Ruby and Miss Winnie will make you so many apple pies you'll never run out. So, fight, Landry. Fight for your family. Fight for your wife. Fight for those apple pies."

* * *

Maggie sliced through the stuffed dummy and felt her stress melt away. The long sword she was using was heavy and she felt her muscles flex as she pulled it free. Not only could Maggie shoot 18th century firearms with breathtaking accuracy, but she could also wield a rapier, a dagger, a sword, and a cutlass with ease, thanks to the women's only church group.

Shadows Landing was founded by pirates. The clergyman who founded this church was a pirate. The town was filled with the families the pirates had when they chose the location to be a safe place for them to settle down. However, that didn't mean it was safe for the women when the pirates went off to plunder.

The Carolinas were still very much a frontier as the colonies were growing. British soldiers could be a problem. Thieves could be a problem, too. So, the pirates installed one of their own as the pastor of the church who, along with others who were too old to plunder, taught the women of Shadows Landing how to defend themselves. That tradition carried on through the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, both World Wars, and to today. As soon as a girl turned ten years old, she could learn the ways of the Shadows Landing women.

"Very good, Leah!" Lydia clapped as her fourth oldest and second oldest daughter stabbed a dummy with her small dagger. Leah had just turned ten a couple of months ago and was so excited to come to class with her mother and her older sister, Lacy.

Lacy, now a teen, moved from a dagger to a rapier and was something to behold. She'd joined the fencing club at school and it was almost comical how fast she won matches.

Here, Reverend Winston taught them, encouraged them, and pushed them to their max, just like his father had, and his grandfather had before him. The Winstons had led the women of Shadows Landing in more than prayer for generations.

"Very good, Melinda," Reverend Winston said proudly. Reverend Melinda had come to Shadows Landing three months ago as a pastor in training from Key West. Her warm, tawny brown skin seemed to glow with sweat as she worked with the dagger. She'd taken to the classes as if born for it. Considering that Key West had its own pirate history, maybe she had been.

Maggie's sun-kissed skin was not glowing. It was dripping in sweat. Melinda somehow still looked put together after an hour of training, while Maggie felt she could scare Anne Bonny if she floated in right now.

"How are you doing, Edie?" Maggie asked in a whisper. Edie had confided that she hadn't told anyone yet about the pregnancy and asked Maggie to keep it quiet.

"So sick, but Kenzie said exercise is good for me, so here I am. Thanks for not telling anyone yet."

"Telling anyone what?" Lydia asked as she joined them. She kept her eye on her two girls, but here bickering wasn't allowed. Instead, Lacy was helping Leah. It was really sweet to watch.

"That Edie is trying to figure out Miss Ruby and Miss Winnie's secret apple pie recipe," Maggie answered.

"Ha! Good luck. It's all right here," Miss Winnie called out, tapping her head.

They laughed, and then Lydia's smile fell. "I know you and Hunter aren't together, but I also know you care for him. I see how you make sure he knows we're all waiting for him to return home when he goes on a mission. And you, Edie, bless your heart. How are you two holding up with both Tristan and Hunter gone?"

Edie's eyes began to shine with unshed tears. Maggie reached out and took her hand in hers. "It's hard. How do you do it? Landry is gone for a year at a time, back for a short bit, then off again."

Lydia nodded. "In just two more years, he'll be thirty-eight and he'll have twenty years in service. The plan is for him to come home then and work out of the Charleston base maybe. Luckily, he's in communications so I don't have to worry about him going out on missions like Hunter does. He goes with them to a certain point and sets up their comms. So many times, he's unreachable and it's all top secret, but at least I know he's safe."

"Hello?"

Reverend Winston heard the voice from the church's entry and stepped from the room as Lydia told them about Levi's improvement with hockey since Stone was helping him.

The door opened and Edie gasped. She reached out and gripped Maggie's hand so tight that Maggie flinched. But then she saw why. Reverend Winston was looking serious as a military chaplain stood next to him.

Edie screamed such a primal, guttural sound of pure pain as the chaplain's gaze met hers. She fell to the ground, but his eyes didn't follow. They moved to Maggie's next. Hunter? But he'd tell Olivia . . . who was standing just behind Maggie and was now rushing to Edie, which was where he was looking.

Maggie's heart broke. In that moment, it shattered and fell like boulders into her stomach. Was it Hunter? Maggie had lost love before she ever had it. She should have told Hunter she liked him. She should not have taunted him to teach him a lesson. She should have told him so many things. But now it was too late.

"Mitzi," Reverend Winton said softly to the elderly woman wearing a T-shirt with cats in ninja suits on it. "Would you take Lacy and Leah to get a piece of pie across the street at the diner for their good work today?"

The girls began to protest. "Yes, you did such a good job. We're going to say a prayer, then I'll join you," Lydia said with a determined smile, trying not to frighten the children.

Edie stopped crying and stared wide-eyed at the chaplain as the girls left and Reverend Winston closed the door behind them. "Okay. I'm ready. Tell me," Edie said as she stood with an inner strength that had Maggie in awe of her.

"Lydia Langston, your husband is Landry Langston. Is that correct?" the chaplain asked, turning to Lydia.

Edie gasped and instantly grabbed one of Lydia's hands as Maggie took her other to prevent her from falling down as Lydia swayed with shock. The entire class came to give their silent and their physical support. "That's correct. I'm Mrs. Langston."

"I'm sorry to inform you that your husband has been gravely injured. He's not expected to make it. I've come to give you our support during this difficult time," the chaplain said gently.

Lydia shook her head. "You have the wrong person. My husband is a comms man. There's no way he's injured."

The chaplain hid his surprised expression quickly with a comforting look. "Your husband was on a mission overseas. His team was ambushed, but he has been rescued. He's unconscious and has been transported to the hospital, but he's not expected to live. I'm here to orchestrate a secure video feed so that you can see him and say your goodbyes."

Maggie could feel Lydia's body shaking. "I don't understand. I know he works on top secret communications, but how could he be ambushed? It's not Landry. It just can't be."

Reverend Winston placed his hand on her shoulder and turned to the chaplain. "Could you shed more light on this situation?"

"Ma'am, your husband wasn't in communications. He was the team leader of the Marine Raiders."

Lydia froze, then straightened. Her jaw tightened and her nostrils flared. "If that ambush doesn't kill him, I will! We discussed that and decided it was too dangerous! And bless his dumbass heart, he thinks he's going to die on me before I kill him for lying to me for eighteen years? Well, he has another thing coming. Where is my husband?"

"I'm sorry, that's confidential." The chaplain looked a little nervous.

Then he looked scared when Lydia growled and turned to Olivia and pointed at her. "Find my husband. I know you can. Do it and do it now."

Then Lydia stormed from the church, leaving the slam of the large front doors echoing in her wake.