Page 21 of Outlaw Ridge: Hayes

“He’s at the edge of the garden, by a hedge shaped like a rearing horse,” Reed replied.

She knew the exact spot since she’d noticed that one. There was plenty of cover around it, what with more hedges and some of those statues.

“Aiden and Declan, deal with the sniper in the trees,” Hayes instructed through the earpiece. “Keep him occupied. Blind the bastard with the lasers from the drone. Jemma and I are going after the one on foot.”

She knew that Hayes would have preferred her to stay put. Or go back inside. But he was also aware that wasn’t going to happen so he probably figured the safest option was to keep her near him.

“Stay behind me and move fast,” Hayes told her, and the smoke was dissipating just enough that she could see the fierce focus in his eyes.

Good. She wanted that focus because she wanted this snake stopped. And caught. Then, they could find out why the hell he was trying to kill her.

Jemma moved when Hayes did, following right along in his path. Unfortunately, the smoke didn’t cooperate. It swarmed right at them, bringing that smothering sensation right along with it. She tried not to cough since it would give away their location.

“Gunman has moved to one of the statues,” Reed relayed. “You’re on a direct course with him.”

Hayes didn’t respond, but he kept moving, their boots crunching on the broken glass from the windows. They stopped by a marble statue of what appeared to be some Greek goddess in a drapey garment. And he waited, lifting his head and listening. Or rather trying to do that. Hard to hear with Aiden and Declan firing nonstop at the sniper.

“The one on foot is at your one o’clock,” Reed said. “About twenty feet away, and he’s still on the move.”

Mercy, that was close. Too close.

Hayes continued to wait. And the ticking off seconds seemed to have both stopped and sped up at the same time.

“Stay put,” Hayes whispered to her, right before he leaned out and fired a shot.

In a blink, the gunman returned fire, the bullet slamming into the statue. Bits of marble flew like little missiles through the air.

Hayes didn’t pull back. He immediately adjusted his stance and aim.

And he fired three more shots.

Jemma heard the sickening sound of the bullets slamming into a body. Heard the sharp groan of pain. Then, of someone falling.

“Shooter is down,” Reed verified. “Not sure if he’s dead though.”

“Cover me,” Hayes told her.

That was all the warning she got before he stepped out from the statue, moving straight toward the downed gunman.

A gunman who could still be very much alive and ready to kill.

Jemma latched onto that reminder and relied on her training, her instincts. And she kept her Glock ready as they approached the man.

He was in a heap on the ground. Not moving, no signs of life. The smoke cleared enough around him for her to see the blood. Lots of it, pooling around him on the limestone stepping stones.

Jemma kept her gun trained on him as Hayes leaned down and touched his fingers to the man’s neck.

“Dead,” Hayes muttered.

“Sniper is on the move,” Reed said, the urgency in his voice. “He’s out of the tree and running.”

Hayes seemed to have a debate as to what to do about that. He was no doubt considering sending Aiden and Declan to try tochase the shooter down. But that was a risk. Because if there was a third attacker, he could move in once the two operatives were out of the way.

“Come on,” Hayes snarled to Jemma. “We’re going after him.”

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Chapter Seven

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