Page 64 of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

“I don’t—”

“To make him think we don’t know where you are.”Caitlin. The ‘duh’ apparent in her voice. “We don’t think he knows I’m here. And with Elise thinking you’re still locked up, he thinks he’s getting away with it.”

“How are we going to stop him?”

Elise pauses to unzip the small duffle she had slung over her shoulder. Elise Hollister is packing serious heat.

“I know you know how to shoot,” she says to me. “Duke has had Caitlin practicing and obviously after what happened last time, Beau made sure I know what I’m doing.”

“Caitlin’s pregnant. Should she be here?”

“I’m early. Unless I take a shot to the gut, it’s safe.” She says, flippantly flapping her hand in the air as if waving off my concern for her and her unborn progeny.Or unless you die, I think while she goes on, “You and I will be hiding. If done correctly, Houdini won’t know we’re there.”

I’m skeptical. Houdini doesn’t seem like the kind to let much get past him. He’s already proven as much. But this is what we have—to finally get out from under this maniac once and for all.

Once and for all. That sounds nice. Gage will be pissed.

No. Nope. Once and for all is too enticing a proposition to ignore. “Then let’s do this,” I tell them.

We resume moving in a speed walk instead of a run because hello,woods. It’s dark. There are branches and tree roots. I couldn’t even maneuver through during the day when running from Houdini. Speed walking is absolutely safer.

Hopefully, if there are any animals in the vicinity, they’re sleeping.

The forest abruptly stops at the start of a clearing. Beyond the clearing there’s a rickety old cabin. This is where Houdini instructed Elise to meet him.

Caitlin and I separate, going in opposite directions. Closer to the cabin. The better to kill Houdini. Elise walks straight down the center, stopping halfway between the woods and house.

“Logan,” she calls. “Logan, I’m here. Come out and please bring Liv. I kept my word.”

A figure emerges from the cabin. Tall, strong and fierce. The kind of physique built for intimidation and pain. My heart rate quickens. I know what he’s capable of. The hand holding the gun feels sweaty and lethargic.What if I can’t shoot? What if he gets Elise?We should have brought the brothers in on this ludicrous plan.

“Don’t take me for stupid, bitch,” he bites out. “I know she’s with you.”

Shit.

“Come out, come out wherever you are…” His eerie singsong.

The thought of facing him again turns my stomach. Maybe this was a stupid idea, but at the same time it makes the most sense. He won’t expect us to take him down. He’d never give the idea credence.

As scared as stepping out from my cover makes me, I swallow down my fear, hide the gun in the waistband between my yoga pants and tight tank for stability, even though admittedly that’s not the best location.

Is the safety on?

To be safe I withdraw the gun, slide the safety off, whichphew—it had been on—then slide it back into place so I know for sure I won’t shoot myself in the ass, and replace it back where I’d hidden it so hopefully Houdini won’t see it, pulling the bulky sweatshirt down to conceal the bulge.

Big breath in. Big breath out, I step out of the woods toward my friend Elise.

“Where’s the baby?” It’s dark, but I feel like he’s narrowing his eyes at us. Searching, maybe? Or upset we hadn’t followed his directions? He couldn’t think we’d really bring Gun into a firefight.

“You have me,” Elise says. “I’m not bringing my son.”

“I gave you an order. What? You think I’m gonna be a good guy and leave him alive? Think, you fuckin’ bitch. I’m never a good guy. More people are gonna die now until I have him too.”

“Listen now, you piece of shit.” Elise’s momma bear instincts kick in, kick in a way that he’d be stupid to discredit them. “I brought you me, but you will never,neverget my son.” We were supposed to draw on the count of three. Apparently, Elise forgot that little fact as she draws her weapon and my brain kicks on, so I pull mine from the waistband and point.

He begins to laugh. “Oh goody, I was starting to lose interest in our game. Challenge accepted.”

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