Chapter 32
Skylar stared at the gun in her hand as she tried to realize what happened. Natalie had shoved Skylar behind some crates when Gerald came around the corner. She shot toward him, but he’d gotten a shot off before racing behind one of the large tarps.
Natalie had jerked back, the gun landing on the floor.
“Shit!” Natalie groaned, clutching her arm, blood seeping through her fingers.
Skylar darted to her side, but Natalie shook her head. “Get the gun!”
“I can’t take that,” she protested. “I’ve never even held a gun, much less shot one.”
“Put your finger on the trigger and pull,” Natalie said, grimacing. But only if you’re sure of what you’re shooting toward.”
Bending, she snagged it off the floor, holding it the only way she could figure out, keeping her finger on the trigger. Adrenaline raced through her blood, and her vision became laser-focused.
She tried not to cough as the smoke drifted their way. She blinked furiously to attempt to erase the stinging in her eyes. Kneeling, she jerked off the shirt she was wearing over her long-sleeved T-shirt and wrapped it around Natalie’s arm and shoulder. Using the shirt arms as the ties, she chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to ascertain if the bleeding had slowed. “What else do you need me to do?” she asked in a hushed voice.
“Let’s just get the fuck out of here,” Natalie said through gritted teeth.
Hauling Natalie to her feet, she took much of Natalie’s weight and gave her support. “The only open door I know of is the one in the front.”
Natalie nodded, and they slipped around one of the crates, heading in the direction of the offices.
Natalie stumbled, and Skylar tightened her left arm around Natalie’s waist. The smoke was billowing now toward the back of the warehouse. While she knew they were close to the front door, she feared that Gerald would be heading that way at the same time.
Suddenly, a lone figure loomed ahead, walking straight out of the billowing smoke. She gasped and instinctively started to raise the weapon. Then her arm dropped as she spied Jeb walking toward her, appearing like an angel with the fires of hell billowing around him. Suddenly, another figure emerged from behind a crate, and she recognized Gerald. Screaming, “Watch out!” she watched as Jeb dropped to his knees and lifted his weapon.
At the same instant, she fired at the man who made her life hell. She had no idea how to aim, but he was so close the bullet managed to hit his arm. He screamed and dropped his weapon as he grabbed his arm, blood oozing through his fingers as he swirled around and stared at her with rage. His expression didn’t cause any fear in her. Instead, she matched his anger.
The smoke had now obliterated her sight, and she couldn’t see Jeb for a few seconds. A figure loomed to the side, and she screeched until she realized it was Leo. He reached for Natalie, and Skylar released her hold as he swept his wife into his arms.
In the direction she last saw Jeb, he once again raced toward her through the smoke. Stopping just short of her, he jerked off his goggles. “Give me the gun, sweetheart. Adam has Gerald, and the other Keepers apprehended the pilot and guard at the back.”
She handed the weapon to him, and he quickly secured it. Then without wasting a second, wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. He picked her up and rushed toward the front door, following Leo with Natalie and his arms.
Skylar thought he’d let her go once they got outside, but he seemed unable to loosen his arms around her, and she didn’t care.
Outside the warehouse, the scene appeared to be total chaos as she watched men and women rushing around, some with jackets emblazoned with FBI on the back, others with ATF, and others in military uniform. If she wasn’t mistaken, she even saw an Oregon sheriff and deputies there as well.
“Natalie! We need to see how she is!” she cried.
“I’m heading to the ambulances, sweetheart,” he said. “I want you checked out.”
“But Natalie?—”
“That’s where she’ll be.”
The parking lot that had been so unused when she arrived hours earlier now swarmed with vehicles, including fire trucks and ambulances. “Natalie!” she cried, gaining the attention of the woman sitting up in the ambulance, glaring as the paramedic adjusted her IV.
“Jesus, I just got grazed. In the field, they would just patch me up, and we keep going?—”
“Be quiet,“ Leo said softly.
Natalie turned her glare toward her husband and lowered her brows. “You did not just tell me to shut up.“
“No, I didn’t tell you to shut up. I told you to be quiet.” Before Natalie had a chance to explode, Leo continued. “Babe, for hours, I had no idea if you were alive. And I couldn’t get here any quicker. So pardon me if my worry over you getting shot inconveniences you. Let’s just do what the paramedic says and get to a hospital. They can patch you up and then we will be on our way. I don’t plan on letting you out of my sight.”
Skylar watched the tension in Natalie’s face melt away. Turning to Jeb, she said, “I had no idea what to do, but Natalie made me feel like we were going to get out of this.”
“Don’t give me all the credit,” Natalie called out. “You held your own and saved my life at the same time.” Natalie’s gaze moved to Jeb. “Just saying, man… she’s a keeper. And I mean that in every sense of the word.”
The ambulance doors closed with Natalie and Leo on the inside, then moved around the other vehicles and headed down the road.
“Ma’am? Let’s check you out,” another paramedic said, hustling over.
“I’m fine, really?—”
Jeb stopped her words with a squeeze. “I’d feel better if you got checked out.”
She held his gaze, seeing the worry lines etched into his face. She reached up and gently cupped his jaw, rubbing her thumb over his cheeks. Unable to deny him anything, she nodded. “Okay.”
It didn’t take long for the paramedic to check her out. He said she was mildly dehydrated but wouldn’t need an IV. She took the proffered water and drank gratefully.
She and Jeb walked over to the group of Keepers, standing just to the side. They’d barely made it to them when she found herself engulfed in hugs. Finally getting passed back to Jeb, she smiled at all of them.
“What’s going on?” she asked, looking around at the chaotic scene.
“The FBI has Gerald and his pilot, plus the truck drivers who were on their way here. The ATF and military have confiscated the warehouse”s contents, and they will take possession of them. They have Gerald’s confession on the tape we supplied from Natalie’s watch recording.”
Her eyes widened as she grabbed Jeb’s arm. “He took it… Gerald did. I don’t think he noticed it at first, but when he took us to the top office, he suddenly decided to get rid of it. I was afraid when he smashed it with his foot, it would mess up everything.”
“Nah, we got it,” Bennett assured.
She sighed in relief, suddenly exhausted. Landon walked over and said, “Good to see you, Skylar. I hate to do this, but I need to interview you. You”ll be free to go once we finish this initial interview.”
She nodded, knowing it would have to happen. Before she had a chance to begin, another man walked over to shake hands with Jeb.
Jeb looked at her and said, “This is Logan Bishop. He flew me, Leo, and Adam here so we could get here quicker.”
She rushed forward and clasped his hand with both of hers. “Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Bishop. You all came just in time!”
The dark-haired man smiled as he allowed her to hang onto his hand until Jeb pulled her back into his embrace. “It’s my pleasure. And Logan is fine.”
She knew he wasn’t a Keeper, so she’d probably never see him again, but she smiled in return. “And I’m just Skylar.”
He nodded, then made the rounds among the Keepers, shaking their hands, introducing himself to those he hadn’t met. He turned to Jeb and Skylar again and said, “I’ll head back to Montana now, but Carson is providing your transportation back to California. If Carson and Mace get their way, I have a feeling I’ll be seeing you real soon.”
Jeb grinned and nodded before Logan waved goodbye and walked toward another helicopter in the distance.
With the attention back on her, she and the Keepers followed Landon to an area set up by the FBI. She was able to sit down for the interview and was grateful for Jeb’s constant presence as he stood behind her with his hand on her shoulder. At times, his grip would tighten, especially when she repeated the threats made against her, how she and Natalie had to go through the third-floor window to get away. And then, when she recounted how the fire escape ladder separated from the building, and they had to hold the window ledge to survive, she grabbed Jeb’s hand on her shoulder to get him to ease his grip.
Twisting her head, she offered him a soft smile. “I’m okay, honey.” Those words didn’t seem to have the desired effect, but she understood it would take time for both of them to get beyond the nightmare of the day.
Turning back to Landon, she explained how she had assumed it was Alistair Montague, but according to Gerald, he was the one behind the military equipment black-market scheme.
“Don’t worry about that, Skylar. The Bureau is investigating Montague Industries and Alistair. What you’re providing is icing on the cake, but we have the evidence needed to stand up in court.”
As soon as she finished his last question, she stood and was engulfed in hugs again, finally ending in Jeb’s arms. “How do we all get back home?”
“Carson has a plane ready to take all of us back to California.”
“Whew,” she heaved. “I much prefer a plane over a helicopter!”
He leaned down and whispered, “Sweetheart, when we get home, we might never leave again, so you won’t have to worry about another helicopter.”
She grinned and melted into his embrace. Then as they climbed aboard the plane and settled into their seats, she wondered when she should ask him for a gun and shooting lessons. Glancing to the side, she decided that maybe later would be best.
With a smile, she reached her hand over between them. And just like old times, he rested his palm over hers, and their fingers linked.