Page 99 of Second Chance Savior

“I was upstairs. Saw sunlight on glass.” I panted between sentences. “A car.”

He glanced back at the garage. Cursed. “We don’t have time to take Jud with us, and I’m not done with him. You fall back to the art studio. That worked for Jud the last time the police came. It’ll have to work again.”

I was glad I’d tidied up the inside of the house. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too obvious that someone had been here. “But how do we get Jud to the studio? We’ve got two minutes tops.”

“We don’t. I’ll put him under a tarp in the garage and tell him to stay quiet if he wants to live. He’s got better luck with us than if Stillwater is on their way.”

“And what about you?”

“I’m going to see who our guests are. And deal with them accordingly.” River went back into the garage. He was putting himself into the line of fire once again.

I didn’t love this plan.

But he was the spy, not me. So I ran toward the art studio and around the back. Our packs were here, where we’d left them earlier after River had fetched me from the rock outcropping. I dug through, finding the extra ammo for the handgun. Did River have enough?

I knew he had his rifle and sidearm. He was always well prepared, thinking several steps ahead and planning out for any number of contingencies. But I still couldn’t help worrying about him.

I didn’t have his warrior training or military experience. I waged battles with my words and my mind, not physical weapons. Yet I didn’t want River facing danger in the name of protecting me. I much preferred to be standing right next to him.

And didn’t that say a lot?

He’d told me to go inside the studio. But I lingered in the shadow of the building, pulse rushing in my ears. Hands sweaty on the gun.

On the mountainside, sounds carried easily. I heard tires on gravel. Then the slam of a door. It had sounded like one car. And I didn’t hear any voices.

Then the thump of knocking met my ears.

“Charlotte!” someone called out. “Charlotte, are you here?”

I inhaled sharply. Was that…

Now, I heard shouts. Angry demands to get down, drop weapons.

I sprinted back to the house. Around the side.

Brynn was standing in the open space in front of thehouse. She had her gun drawn, aiming. River stood across from her, aiming his own rifle back.

“Put it down,” he growled.

“Hell no. You put yours down. Where is Charlotte? Where is she?”

“I’m here!” I waved my arms, continuing toward them both. “Both of you put your weapons away. This is ridiculous.”

“Stay back, Charlie. Do not take one step closer to her.”

I turned to River. “Brynn clearly came here alone. She wants to help. Like she told Trace.”

“Ha!” she shouted. “Youhavebeen in contact with your friends in Hartley.”

River ignored her. “A strike team could be right behind her, waiting on her signal.”

“I’m alone, dumbass,” Brynn said. “I’m on your side.”

He glared at her. “Then why is the media reporting I was behind the attack on the fundraiser? I’m wanted for kidnapping and murder.”

“That wasn’t my fault! I told my superiors what happened. But there were certain things I had to leave out because I was trying to keep your computer crimes under wraps. The fact that you hacked into Charlotte’s computer to warn her, and hacked into who knows what else to discover the threat against her in the first place? It wasn’t easy for me to explain your presence at the fundraiser. As far as my bosses knew, you were a donor who went rogue.” She arched her brow. “Youdidkill a lot of people.”

“I was protecting Charlie. You and the other agents at the event knew that. Agent Torres was helping me!”

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