Tennessee Takedown Read online

  When her feet were throbbing so much she worried she couldn’t take another step, he stopped.

  “We’re here,” he whispered.

  She wasn’t sure where “here” was until lightning lit up the sky above them. They stood in front of a cluster of rocks that formed a small hill. But he led her around a large boulder and she saw what she hadn’t seen before: the entrance to a cave.

  He went in first, sweeping his gun out in front. What little light there was barely pierced the blackness of the cave. But the lightning filtered into the opening, showing it was empty.

  She shivered at the thought of what could have been in there. Wild animals, she supposed. Probably nothing like a bear on a small island like this, but there could have been any number of smaller animals, all of them dangerous if cornered or if they carried rabies. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. At least it wasn’t raining here. That was something.

  “You’re cold.” He shoved his gun in the holster on his belt and started to unstrap his Kevlar vest as if to wrap it around her.

  She placed her hand on his, stopping him. “No. That’s all you have to keep yourself warm. You already gave up your shirt for me. I’ll not have you freeze to death by giving me your vest.”

  He dropped his hands to his sides and nodded. “At least it’s dry in here. I’d start a fire, but it would be a beacon to the gunmen. Come on. Sit and we’ll huddle together to get warm.”

  The images that conjured in her mind had her feeling warm all over.

  “I promise I’ll behave,” he added, as if he thought she might be worried about his intentions.

  Ashley snorted. “Don’t expect me to make the same promise.”

  He laughed. “I consider myself forewarned.”

  She gave him an answering grin, felt her way to the far wall and slid to the ground. Thankfully it was dirt, not rock, making it a little less hard than the solid wall at their backs.

  He sank down next to her, keeping his gun on his far side, sitting close but not touching. She let out an exasperated breath. She was freezing. Now wasn’t the time to worry that they were practically strangers. She scooted closer until his hard thigh pressed against hers. Not feeling nearly warm enough, she lifted his arm and pulled it around her shoulders.

  He chuckled and pulled her closer. “Are you always this shy, or am I special for some reason?”

  Oh, he was definitely special, but no way was she saying that.

  “I wouldn’t normally snuggle up to a stranger, but I’m cold and you’re like a furnace. Impossible to resist at the moment.”

  He laughed again and rubbed his hand up and down her arm, warming her even more.

  Wouldn’t he be surprised if he knew how tempted she was to crawl onto his lap and wrap her arms around him, to get as close as possible and really get warm? That thought almost had her giggling, and that’s when she realized how exhausted she must be. She was not a giggling kind of girl. And she certainly wasn’t a crawl-into-the-lap-of-a-stranger kind of girl, either.

  “Miss Parrish—Ashley, what happened back at your house?” He asked the question in a quiet, hushed voice, as if to make sure no one outside could hear him.

  She yawned, covering her mouth with her hand.

  “I was on the phone with my friend Lauren, and the phone went dead. The next thing I knew, Iceman ran down the hall and pointed a gun at me.”

  “Iceman?”

  “The first guy, the one who drove the truck. He pulled me out of the house and made me get into his pickup. Somehow he’d managed to park out back without me knowing.”

  “And you call him Iceman because?”

  She shuddered. “Because his eyes are like ice. Cold and dead.”

  He lightly squeezed her arm. “You didn’t recognize him? Or the other man?”

  “Baldy? No, I didn’t recognize either of them. Honestly, I have no idea why people are suddenly trying to kill me. I’m a CPA, for goodness’ sake. I inspire fear in no one.”

  “I disagree. You perform audits, right? That’s why you were at Gibson and Gibson. Most people are intimidated by auditors.”

  “If I worked for the IRS, I’d agree with you. But when I audit a company, it’s usually because that company hired me. They need my reports to convince banks to give them loans, or to prove their practices are pursuant to regulations and tax laws.”

  “So there are times when you’re hired by an outside company? And the company you audit isn’t happy that you’re there?”

  “Well, I suppose that’s one way to look at it. Yes.”

  “What happens to a company if your audit reveals problems? Worst case.”

  “Well, worst case, someone goes to jail. But I don’t think that’s ever happened in any companies I’ve worked with. I really don’t have any way of knowing that for sure. I just provide the information and leave. I’m not the enemy.”

  “Has anyone ever lost a loan because of your findings? Or been fired?”

  She shifted her weight against the hard ground and stifled a yawn. Dillon’s heat was starting to make her drowsy.

  “Ashley?”

  She blinked and realized she’d started to nod off. “Sorry. What did you ask?”

  “Whether companies lose loans or employees get fired when you find discrepancies.”

  She nodded. “Of course. There’s always something at stake in an audit. And there are always consequences.”

  “Then it sounds to me like you are the enemy, at least sometimes, to some people.”

  She thought back over the many contracts she’d had in the six years that she’d been an auditor. “Honestly, I couldn’t say. When I turn in audit results, that’s the end of my assignment. I don’t even know what happens once I’m gone. I move to the next contract, the next client.” She yawned again.

  He pressed her head down onto his shoulder. “We can talk more later. Try to get some sleep. Sorry you have to sleep in a cave, but we should be safe here. I’ll keep watch for Iceman and Baldy.”

  She heard the laughter in his voice, but his teasing reminder about keeping watch had her blinking her eyes and looking toward the cave entrance again. How could she have forgotten about Iceman out there searching for her? Supposedly he needed her alive, for whatever purpose he had in mind, but she wasn’t so sure he was going to stick to that dictate now that she’d shot him in the shoulder.

  “I’ll help you keep watch,” she whispered. “There’s no way I can sleep knowing those men are looking for us. As for the accommodations, no worries. This won’t be the first time I’ve slept in a cave.”

  * * *

  “YOU’VE SLEPT IN a cave before?” Dillon was both surprised and curious to know what circumstances would make her want to sleep in a cave. When he’d seen her in a conservative gray skirt and matching suit jacket this morning, she hadn’t struck him as the outdoors, camping type. And he’d noticed the reluctance in her eyes when she contemplated sitting on the rotten hull of a tree earlier so he could bandage her cuts. Getting dirty or risking a bug or two crawling on her would probably go in her auditor column of negatives instead of positives.

  Apparently he’d have to wait for the answer to his question. Her breaths had grown deep and even. She’d already fallen asleep. He couldn’t help but smile. She’d probably be horrified to realize she’d fallen asleep after declaring she would help him keep watch. Not that he wanted her help. Her bravery in the face of danger had already scared the hell out of him today. Twice.

  Most women he knew—heck, most men he knew—wouldn’t approach an armed man unless they were armed, too. Ashley had done that twice in one day, both times to try to help him. He hadn’t needed her help, but she hadn’t realized that. She thought he was in trouble and had jumped right in, with no thought for her own safety.

  That kind of brav
ery was rare, but it was also dangerous. Sometimes jumping in to help someone wasn’t the best option, and it was more likely to get them hurt, or killed. Hopefully she’d never have to learn that lesson the hard way.

  Like he had.

  He shied away from those thoughts. Those memories were better left buried and taken out when his only company was a bottle of Jack Daniel’s.

  He settled more comfortably against the hard rock wall, wishing the storm would hurry and break. His men were probably out in the rain right now looking for him since he hadn’t checked back in after his last call-out. Once they found his Jeep and saw the deep ruts the truck had left beside the river, they’d figure out at least part of what had happened. He just prayed they’d figure it out before the gunmen realized he and Ashley were holed up in this cave.

  If he’d been stranded on Cooper’s Bluff by himself, he wouldn’t hide. He’d go on the offensive, sneak up behind his pursuers. But with an innocent civilian to worry about, that wasn’t an option. If something happened to him, Ashley would be left alone to fend for herself. That wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.

  She whimpered and jerked against him in her sleep, and mumbled something that sounded like “Iceman.” He rubbed his hand up and down her arm, trying to soothe her, but she continued to toss and turn. Feeling helpless and rusty in the ways of comforting a woman, he whispered nonsensical words to her, much like he did to his horses back home when they were agitated. To his chagrin, she immediately calmed down and relaxed against his side. He had a feeling if she ever found out he’d treated her like a horse, she wouldn’t be a bit pleased.

  Several hours later, the storm finally relinquished its hold on Cooper’s Bluff. Thunder rumbled only occasionally now in the distance, and the flashes of lightning were replaced with the first rays of sunlight filtering into the cave. He could pick out details now, like Ashley’s curly brown hair falling across her face as she lay against his chest. However, the arrival of dawn was not something to celebrate.

  Because the blood drops from Ashley’s wounds were now visible to their pursuers.

  This was the moment he’d dreaded. It had been too dark last night to be sure he’d wrapped her feet well enough to prevent the blood trail from giving their location away. And although he didn’t think he’d broken any branches and he’d kept them walking on hard ground as much as he could, it was impossible not to leave some evidence of their passing in the damp earth. Staying in the cave was no longer a safe option. They’d have to take their chances on the run again.

  He gently shook her. “Ashley, wake up.”

  She mumbled in her sleep and lightly punched his arm. Apparently she wasn’t a morning person.

  He shook her again. “Wake up. We have to—”

  A loose rock shifted at the entrance.

  Dillon dove in front of Ashley as a gunman stepped into the cave.

  Chapter Six

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Chris Downing raised his hands in the air, his pistol pointing up toward the roof of the cave. “You aren’t still mad about Becky Abrams, are you? That was twelfth grade, man.”

  Dillon lowered his gun. “For the record, Becky slept with you because she knew I wasn’t interested.”

  “Ouch.” Chris grinned and holstered his weapon. “Looks like you’re in one piece, but your lady friend could use a doctor. What happened to her feet?”

  Ashley had slumped over but was still sound asleep with her head pillowed on her arm. Dillon winced when he saw the bright red splotches on her bandages.

  “I didn’t realize the cuts were that bad. We had to run halfway across the island and she didn’t have any shoes.” He looked past Chris to the cave opening. “Did you come alone?”

  “Randy and Max came with me, but they’re following a trail some clueless city slickers made. Two sets of footprints slogging through mud, broken branches all over the place. Whoever left that trail must have run through the woods like a herd of cattle in a stampede.”

  “I don’t think they were worried about leaving a trail. Make sure Randy and Max know the men they’re following are armed and extremely dangerous.”

  “We all kind of figured that when we found the truck tangled up in the downed tree with the passenger window shot out.”

  “When are they supposed to report in?”

  He checked his watch. “About six more minutes.”

  Dillon debated whether to wait for their call or retrieve his men right now so he could get Ashley off the island. She needed those feet tended to, might even need stitches. But if the men who were after her got away, she would still be in danger if they decided to come after her again. And next time, she might not be lucky enough to have a friend call the police.

  She mumbled in her sleep and shifted position.

  “You going to tell me what happened?” Chris asked. “We know you responded to a nine-one-one call to check on Miss Parrish, but never called to make a report.”

  “You found my Jeep?”

  He nodded. “After a search up and down Little River Road, we started searching side roads until we found your car. We found tire tracks by the river, along with your jacket. Since the river had rapids last night an Olympic white-water rafter wouldn’t dare try, I’m pretty sure I have to be wrong about what it looks like you did. Because no one with any brains in his head would have gone for a swim in that river, not in that storm. That would have been a suicide mission.”

  “Apparently not, since I’m still here.”

  Chris cursed. “You, of all people, know how dangerous a rain-swollen river can—”

  “Don’t,” Dillon rasped, his fists clenching at his sides. “Don’t you dare go there.”

  They stood nose to nose, each of them staring the other one down. Finally, Chris backed up and held his hands out in a placating gesture.

  “Sorry,” he mumbled.

  Dillon let out the breath he didn’t even realize he was holding. He gave Chris a curt nod and forced his fists to relax.

  Chris held his hand out. Dillon clasped it and Chris hauled him to his feet.

  “Why didn’t you call for backup?” Chris asked.

  “I couldn’t. My cell phone wouldn’t work. I’m pretty sure the man who drove that truck had a cell phone jammer.”

  “A cell phone jammer? Fill in the gaps, boss man,” Chris insisted.

  “When I got to Miss Parrish’s house, a man took off with her in a truck. I followed them and tried to call for backup, but the call wouldn’t go through. I figured the signal was jammed but I couldn’t risk falling back far enough to get a clear signal. I would have lost them. I followed them to the bridge, where the fool driver ended up in the water.”

  “Who shot the window out?”

  “I did. I tried to pull Miss Parrish out the window before the truck slid the rest of the way into the river.”

  Chris crossed his arms. “And you thought it was a good idea to jump in? The river was too rough last night for us to risk taking the boat out, but you went for a frickin’ swim.”

  “I told you. I didn’t have a choice.”

  Chris’s answering frown told Dillon what his friend thought of that statement.

  “Regardless, when I got on the island the man who’d abducted her was tying her up. I managed to handcuff one of his wrists when another man came out of the woods and got the drop on me. You pretty much know the rest. We ran and hid in the cave.”

  “Tell me about these guys.”

  “I can’t say much for the second guy, didn’t get a good look at him. But the first one, the one who abducted Miss Parrish, he was hardcore, stone-cold dangerous, focused on his mission.”

  “He must not have been too focused, since you two are still alive.”

  Dillon shook his head. “He wasn’t trying to kill us, or at least, he w
asn’t trying to kill her. He could have done that back at her house. His goal last night was to kidnap her.”

  “Any clue why?”

  “Not yet.”

  “I don’t suppose it occurred to you it’s a heck of a coincidence that Miss Parrish was involved in two different shootings in one day?”

  “I’ve thought of little else since last night. There’s got to be a connection. Either that or she’s the world’s most unlucky accountant ever.”

  “I’m hoping for bad luck, personally,” a feminine voice interjected. “Seems to be the lesser of two evils.”

  Dillon and Chris turned to see Ashley sitting up, shoving her hair out of her face.

  Chris stepped over to her and offered his hand. “I’m Chris, in case you forgot. We met at Gibson and Gibson yesterday morning.”

  “I remember. I’d say nice to see you again, but I’d be lying. No offense.” She shook his hand.

  He laughed. “None taken.”

  A sound near the entrance had Dillon standing protectively in front of Ashley while Chris drew his gun.

  “Police,” a voice called out. Seconds later, Max and Randy stepped into view.

  Chris holstered his weapon.

  “You didn’t find them,” Dillon said, disappointment heavy in his voice.

  “No. Looks like they had a boat on the east side of the island at the community dock. They must have left some time during the night, or maybe early this morning before we got here. We didn’t hear a boat motor.”

  Dillon introduced Max and Randy to Ashley. “Destiny’s a pretty small town, so our police officers fill many roles. Max, Randy and Chris—like me—are detectives and SWAT, when needed. They were at the office shooting yesterday, too.”

  Ashley waved and offered a small smile.

  Dillon noted the light flush of embarrassment on her face and the way her eyes slid longingly toward the entrance. He had a pretty good idea he knew why. “Where’d you moor the boat?” he asked Max, meaning the police boat.