Page 105 of Coveted Justice

Would they be able to catch the plane? Maddie was sure that the only reason that Trisha hadn’t chased and shot at her was because she’d bolted onboard and was trying to flee the law.

Seth’s SUV managed to get in front and to the right side of the aircraft while Tanner was on the left, gaining ground quickly. Maddie held her breath as the two vehicles turned toward each other and right into the path of the taxiing plane, their front bumpers only inches from one another when they came to a stop.

Seth came out of his truck, holding his gun and pointing it at the nose of the airplane, along with Tanner who did the same. For a moment, she thought that the aircraft wasn’t going to stop, instead mowing down her beloved husband and their friend, but it slowed and then came to a halt.

I can breathe again.

The plane engine was still running. No one came out.

Seth walked over to his police SUV and used his loudspeaker to tell the passengers to come out with their hands up.

Nothing.

And then the stairs began to slowly descend. The man from earlier came out, his hands in the air.

“Don’t shoot. I’m just the pilot,” he yelled, stepping down onto the dirt runway. “I don’t know what you want with us, but I swear I didn’t do anything. I was just hired to fly the plane.”

“Down on your knees,” Seth commanded. “Keep your hands up. Who else is onboard?”

“Just that crazy bitch,” the pilot yelled over the engines. “She says that she’ll fly the damn plane herself if she has to.”

No sooner had the man finished his sentence than the plane lurched forward, clipping the car Tanner had been driving and then pushing into the door and front panel of Seth’s SUV. With the sides of the vehicles thoroughly caved in, the plane was effectively stopped. It wasn’t big or heavy enough to push its way through.

Trisha had miscalculated. She wouldn’t be flying anywhere. If she’d hired a bigger plane, it all might have turned out differently.

This time it was Trisha who came out with her hands up. Seth immediately stepped forward and handcuffed her while Tanner handled the pilot. When her husband was done, she saw him step into the open, his gaze taking in his surroundings. He was looking for her. The moment his gaze landed on her where she was sitting in the brush, he took off running toward her.

Maddie tried to stand on her still shaky legs, but she needn’t have bothered. She wouldn’t have to hold herself up for long. He practically tackled her, his arms squeezing until she almost couldn’t breathe. She didn’t care. She’d never take this for granted ever again. She wanted his arms around her every day for the rest of her life.

“I’m okay,” she heard herself say. “I’m fine. Nothing happened. You arrived in time. How did you even know where we were?”

He pulled back and she could see the tears in his eyes, the real fear that he’d felt. Her fingers tightened on his arms as a wave of emotion washed over and through her. So much love for this man. They had so much to live for. She couldn’t wait to grow old with him.

“I took a chance,” he replied, his voice rough and gravelly. “I didn’t know whether I’d be wrong or right. This is the airfield where Seth picked up Presley from Evan. Sam and the other guys were covering the other possibilities. But I…I wanted to find you myself.”

“You found me.” She glanced around the airfield, still deserted after all these years. “I think this place must have some good karma. Look what it did for our friends.”

Pulling her close, he pressed his lips to hers, not caring that several other law enforcement vehicles were arriving, sirens screaming and lights flashing.

“I’m never letting you go,” he said when he lifted his head. A silvery tear had slid down his cheek. She had a few tears of her own and she dashed them away with the back of her hand. This was a happy occasion. They were alive.

“I love you so much. You and Amanda were all I could think of when I thought she was going to shoot me.”

A flash of anger crossed his features, but she reached up and placed her palm on his cheek.

“She didn’t get to do it. You don’t have to kill her now.”

Maddie was really only joking. Sort of. She wasn’t sure what Tanner would do if someone shot her.

She knew what she’d do, though. She’d hunt Tanner’s killer down personally. And she didn’t know shit about catching criminals.

“If she’d hurt you–“

“She didn’t,” Maddie said. “She’s going to jail and we’re going to have the rest of our lives together.”

“A hundred more years wouldn’t be enough with you. You and the kids…are my life. I’d give it all up for you. I would,” he said, urgency in his tone. “Say the word and I’ll drop out of the race. It doesn’t matter as much as you do.”

“I’m not going to say it. You’re going to run and you’re going to win. But if you don’t, it’s okay, too. I love you no matter what.”

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