Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
NICK
I exploded off the tarp and ran straight for Belinda. She spun at the first crinkle of the tarp and her eyes blew wide. She brought the gun up, aiming for my head, but I was too close, ramming her arm with my good shoulder before she could make the shot.
The gun flew to the ground and skittered over the rocks toward the water.
Belinda ran for it, but I got there first, kicking it into the lake and cursing the fucking cuffs that kept me from picking it up.
Belinda chased it, but I slid to the ground, the stones carving into my skin, and swept her feet from under her.
She crumpled and hit the ground with a wail, her knee buckling under her. I ran to where she was already scrambling to her feet and sent my boot into the side of her head. She fell back with a quiet grunt, and I added a second kick to her ribs.
She wasn’t out, but she wasn’t exactly mobile either, and I had no time to lose.
I sprinted for the lake, scanning for Austin as I ran.
He was wading onto the stoney bank about twenty metres away.
His head flicked from right to left, searching for Belinda, going still when he saw her lying on the ground.
Then he caught sight of me heading into the water and turned tail, running into the bush.
Shouts rang out, and the sound of a dog barking circled the quarry, but I’d lost too many precious seconds as it was.
I slicked my hands and tried once again to step through my cuffs.
My shoulder screamed with the effort and I was all but peeling the skin from my wrists, but I still couldn’t shift them.
I gave up and waded out, rolling to my back when I hit enough depth so I could kick my way to Chloe. The freezing black water clutched my heart like a vice, snatching the breath from my lungs. My pulse thundered in my throat and everything in my brain screamed, Get out.
But all I could see in my mind’s eye was Chloe, sinking in the distance.
My mother.
Drowning.
And I was having none of it.
I checked over my shoulder, adjusted my course, and kicked harder.
Just a few more metres.
With my hands cuffed, exactly what the hell I was going to do when I reached Chloe, I hadn’t quite figured out. Get her on her back, for a start.
The top of my head connected with her soft body and simply pushed it away. I rolled over and dived beneath, kicking as far down as I could before coming up fast, head butting the side of her torso to flip her.
Three times I tried, but all she did was float away, bobbing in the water like a scene from a horror movie.
The fourth time, I changed the angle and she finally rolled. Thank God.
“Nick! Behind you!”
Mads?
I spun toward the shore, my heart bursting in my chest.
But instead of Mads, I found Belinda’s gun pointed at my face.
“Oh no, you fucking don’t.” Mads rose up out of the water at Belinda’s side like some fucking sea monster and slammed his fist into her face.
Belinda’s head jerked back, blood spraying in an arc through the grey mist.
Before she could recover, Mads hit her again.
The gun fell into the lake and she went under.
Mads hauled her up by her hair and she let out a shrill scream. But she still wasn’t done. She clawed at Mads’ body, her nails raking red lines down his neck and across his face as she tried to free herself.
With my hands cuffed, all I could do to help was scissor Belinda’s legs between my own as Mads slammed his elbow into her temple. She grunted and went limp in his arms.
“Thank Christ,” Mads groaned in relief.
When I spun to check on Chloe, I froze at the sight of a large German shepherd circling my mother. A man, presumably the dog’s handler, blew a couple of breaths into Chloe’s lungs then began towing her toward a paramedic waiting anxiously on the shore.
Detective Wright swam up next to Mads’ shoulder and reached for Belinda. “I’ll take care of her,” he said grimly. “You two get yourselves safe.”
“Fine with me.” Mads happily handed the woman over.
“Oh, and you might need this.” Wright held a handcuff key out for Mads to take, then headed for shore towing Belinda beside him. She must have regained consciousness because Wright warned her to “Shut the fuck up or I’ll forget my manners.”
Mads swam closer, helping to support my weight while running his hands quickly over my body, checking for injuries.
His gaze fixed on mine, those bright green eyes flashing dangerously.
“What the hell did you think you were doing?” he growled.
“Goddammit, Nick.” I winced as he squeezed my bad shoulder and his worried gaze jerked to mine.
“What’s wrong? Are you shot? Stabbed? Hit with a blunt instrument? What is it this time?”
Deciding it was best to ignore the sarcasm in his tone, I simply said, “I’m fine. Just a torn shoulder. But it would be great to lose these cuffs.”
He shot me a less than sympathetic look. “Yeah? Well, don’t hold your breath.” He waved a hand in the air, indicating the quarry lake. “I suppose you’re going to tell me that this is you being careful?”
Shit. “Well, I—”
“Stop.” He made a slashing motion across his throat. “I don’t want to hear your excuses. Just get yourself back on dry land, you stupid, stupid man.”
“The cuffs? You’ve got the key,” I reminded him, trying to work the sympathy angle, which went about as well as expected.
“I’m well aware.” He held my gaze. “You got your idiot self out here. I’m sure you can get yourself back. If you’re lucky, I’ll uncuff you sometime before Christmas.” And with that, he turned and set out for the shore.
“But . . .” I flipped onto my back and frantically kicked off after him. “But you love me.” I looked across just in time to catch his eye roll before he continued on his way. I swore loud enough for him to hear and followed.
After a few strokes he slowed until I caught up and then swam alongside.
He kept a close watch on how I was doing, but every time I caught his eye, he looked away.
When we reached the shore, Mads uncuffed me in front of Wright, who couldn’t hide his amusement, then wrapped himself in a towel and sat in Wright’s car while the paramedics checked me over.
He didn’t return to my side. He didn’t talk. He didn’t ask any questions. He just sat there, staring at me through the window like I’d broken his goddamn heart.