Page 71 of Scorched

“Say goodbye to your boys. They’re next.” His hand tightened on her hair and his body tensed for the next slam.

Then Cain jerked off her back and fell across her legs, sliding down the muddy slope.

Stunned, Elise kicked free of Cain’s legs and rolled to the side, scuttling to her feet to bump into a broad, solid chest.

“Paul!” She fell into his arms, her body sliding against his, coating him in a layer of mud.

Paul clutched her to him,regardless of the mud. Feeling her soft body against his helped to slow his heartbeat and steady his breathing. He’d never been more scared in his life than when he’d seen Cain brutalizing her. Now, he didn’t want to let go of her. Ever again.

“Stay with Elise. I want to take care of this.” Melissa pushed around Paul’s side, gun drawn, and stalked down the hill toward the man who’d terrorized Breuer for the past week.

“Don’t kill him, Melissa,” Paul called out. Much as he wanted to see the man die for all he’d done, Paul knew he had to live by the laws he’d sworn to uphold. “The families of the victims will want justice.”

“I’ll show him justice.” In the limited glow from the fallen flashlight, Melissa stopped in front of Cain. “Come on, coward. Your murdering days are done.”

“What’s wrong, Fletcher,” Cain called out from flat on his back in the mud. “Not man enough to take me on? Have to send awomanto do your job? Took you long enough to figure it out. So much for being a hero.”

“Cuff him and read him his rights, Mel.” Paul’s arm tightened around Elise. He pushed a muddy strand of hair from her face. “Are you okay?”

Elise nodded and snuggled into his chest.

Paul couldn’t tell if it was tears or more rain that soaked his shirt.

She looked up at him, her face filthy but the most beautiful face he’d ever seen. “Luke and Brandon?”

“Safe in my truck, although I think they’re pretty scared.” He returned his attention to Cain. “You should join them.” Although he said the words, he didn’t loosen his grip on her.

Melissa bent toward Cain, handcuffs outstretched. “Take a swing, try something. I’d love to get one in for the women you terrorized and murdered.”

“Don’t, Mel,” Paul said. “He’s not worth it. He’s nothing but a coward. He didn’t get the job I did, not because of me, but because he couldn’t handle it.”

“Don’t ignore me, Fletcher. You’ll never be the agent I am. You’re just not that good. You didn’t deserve that promotion. I did!” The man on the muddy ground, surged to his feet with a roar and shoved at Mel hard.

Caught off guard, she slipped and fell in the mud, cursing her own stupidity.

But before Cain could reach Paul, Melissa flung out her leg, catching the killer in the shins, bringing him to his knees. Then she was on his back, slamming his body into the ground, her arm around his throat, pulling hard until he gasped for air.

“Like the way that feels?” she said, her voice low and angry. “Like being helpless and scared? You ought to try it sometime. I’m sure the guys in the prison you’re going to will love practicing on you. They eat agents for lunch.”

“Mel.” Paul set Elise to the side and went to Cain. “He’s not worth it.”

For a moment she hesitated, her eyes blazing. Thenshe loosened her hold on Cain’s throat and stood, bringing one of his arms up hard between his shoulder blades, keeping the man immobile, his cheek in the mud.

Paul retrieved a plastic zip-tie out of his pocket and cinched the man’s hands together behind him, then yanked him to his feet. “It’s over, Cain. The killing, your career...it’s over.”

Sirens penetrated the roar of the river and the drenching rain. Flashing lights pierced the darkness as several police cars skidded to a stop on the road above them.

Paul’s gaze scanned the dimly lit path leading up to Elise’s car. She’d disappeared. Probably headed for her boys. Which was just as well. He had a lot to explain to the police and his boss at the Bureau before he could check on her, Luke and Brandon.

Though the murders had been solved, and Elise and her boys were alive, Paul couldn’t help his confusion. Now that Trevor had confessed to the killings, would Elise still want to stay in Breuer?

Paul hoped she’d stay. The last time he’d been with her in North Dakota, the timing hadn’t been right. He couldn’t consider this encounter as good timing either. But if he’d learned one thing out of all of this mess, he couldn’t wait for perfect timing. He had to reach out for what he wanted and hope she wanted it, too.

“Let’s go, Cain. I’m ready for this night to be over.” He hauled the killer up the mud-slick road to thehighway above, delivering him into the hands of Sheriff Engel.

An ambulance stood to the side, the back door open, Elise climbing in to join Brandon and Luke. More than anything, Paul wanted to go with them to make sure the boys and their mother were all right. Luke sported a nasty bruise on his forehead when Paul had run across him and Brandon standing on the highway, crying and scared for their mother.

A fresh wave of anger washed over him. He thought he’d lost Elise. Seeing her face down in the mud with Cain beating the crap out of her had nearly driven him over the edge. He’d kicked the man so hard, he wouldn’t be surprised if he’d cracked a few of Cain’s ribs.

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