Sabotaged (26 page)

The air bit crisp through Reef's layers. If Jason Keller had Meg somewhere out here, it was somewhere without electricity. Unless a generator was being used, their only heat source would be fire—which meant smoke for them to follow. Reef scanned the area. Were they searching in the wrong spot? He heard no generator, saw no smoke.

At the next abandoned building, Reef and Kirra worked their way in through a loose board across what at one time had been a window.

The interior was cold and dim, and the frozen floor planks creaked beneath them.

Reef swung his flashlight around the empty space, moving for the stairs.

They swept the top floor and found nothing.

Kirra rubbed her arms, shifting her weight from foot to foot, her breath white in the beam of his flashlight. “Do you think they'd really be holed up out here?”

“Seems like an awfully barren place. Not a bad place to hide out, but we may be thinking about this all wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“Systematic doesn't work for me.” He grinned. “I like to go by instinct. If it were me, and I was familiar with this area, I'd pick a place of high ground—a place with open sight lines and a back way out.”

They walked down the rickety stairs and stepped outside, and Reef took a moment to really survey the landscape.

“Where would you pick?” she asked, standing beside him.

Reef once again scanned the area, his gaze finally settling
on the gold-dredge building—windows blacked out and boarded up.

“The dredge?”

“It's the largest building, and it has the best view.”

“Minus the boarded-up windows.”

“Which would prevent people from looking in.”

He radioed the others and explained his idea. “We're going to check it out.”

“Be careful,” Landon radioed back.

He and Kirra moved across the barren plain toward the hill where the dredge building sat. As they mounted the rise, an explosion shook the ground, vibrating the earth beneath them. Reef pulled Kirra into his arms and covered her with his body as they dropped down.

Terror recoiled through him as he glanced up to find metal parts spewing through the smoke-filled air.
The train
. Keller had rigged the train that sat in the center of the ghost town to explode, knowing its placement would cause the most widespread damage.

As soon as parts stopped flying, he lifted his head and surveyed the ground below, searching through the smoke for his siblings.

His ears ringing, he released his protective hold on Kirra and helped her to her feet.

“You okay?”

She nodded. “Your family?”

“Cole?” he called, his voice hoarse, his throat burning. “Cole?” he tried over the radio.

Nothing.

Panic clawed through his chest. “Piper?”

“Down here,” she hollered. “Landon's hurt.”

They rushed down the hill, stumbling, climbing over scorched train parts to find Landon crumpled in a heap.

Piper rolled him over, and he coughed.

“I'm fine.” He coughed some more. “Just landed awkward. But I saw them.”

“Them?” Kirra asked, looking back at the dredging building.

“When the explosion went off, through the smoke, we caught a glimpse of a man yanking a woman out back behind the dredge building.”

“Meg?” Kirra asked, hope infusing her words.

“I couldn't say for certain, but I think so.”

“Where's Cole?”

“He went after them, over that ridge,” Landon said, struggling to get to his feet. “Let's go.”

“You're not going,” Piper fussed. “You've got a broken arm.”

“Fine, then you all go. I'm good, really.”

Reef and Kirra ran back across the plain and up the hill around the back of the building. They crested the first ridge as a gunshot fired.

Reef's heart dropped.
Cole
.

“Stay back,” he urged Kirra, but she didn't listen, just kept barreling on beside him.

They rounded a hill and found Cole ducking behind an old mining cart as a second shot flew overhead. Relief swarmed inside.

“Get down,” Cole hollered, waving them to the ground.

He yanked Kirra down beside him, and they crawled to Cole's side.

His brother peered around the cart's edge. “Looks like he's got help.”

Another bullet whizzed overhead, and Reef cradled Kirra close. “What do you mean?”

“They're climbing into a black Tahoe. I'd fire at them, but I don't want to risk hurting Meg.”

Car doors slammed shut, and they looked around to see the vehicle pulling away—Meg gagged and staring out the rear window, terror rampant in her wide eyes.

They gave chase—Reef racing beside Cole and Kirra, his lungs and thighs burning.

Meg's name tore from Kirra's lips as the vehicle pulled out of sight.

There were no license plates, but at least they'd gotten a good look at the vehicle and could provide a decent description.

“We were so close,” Kirra said, stooping to catch her breath.

“We'll get them. It's only a matter of time.”

Reef couldn't help wondering if it would take more time than they had.

Landon and Piper crested the ridge, Landon's arm braced across his chest with Piper's scarf.

“They got away.”

“How?”

“In a waiting vehicle,” Cole said. “But we've got a description.”

“Great. I'll alert SAR along with police in Nome and the state troopers.” Landon fished his phone from his pocket awkwardly with his left hand.

Tears welled in Kirra's eyes. “We were so close.”

“Frank, you've got to listen to us,” Jake pleaded with the man, thankful he'd stopped short of running him over, which exhibited great command over his dogs.

Frank shook his head. “Not until you have Meg safe and sound.”

“Reef and Kirra are closing in on her now. We know the men behind this and the area they're hiding in.”

“That's all well and good, but until Meg's safe and sound, I'm doing as I'm told. You've got to understand. She's my baby girl.”

“I understand,” Jake said, looking at Kayden. “Believe me, I do. I've had the woman I love held hostage.”

“And I bet you'd have done whatever it took to get her back.”

“Yes, but think of the lives you're endangering.”

“Until Meg is safe, I'm finishing the job.” Frank's right leg jiggled, his gaze fastening on the path beyond.

Jake knew he had better find a way to break through, and fast. “Why Nome? What happens there?”

“I turn over the trigger so he can remotely kick in the code changes I've programmed into the pumps.”

“And then?” Maybe if he said it out loud he'd realize the devastation his actions would cause.

“Then he gives me Meg in exchange.”

“You really believe he'll just let you both go?”

“It's the only hope I have.”

“So none of this had anything to do with the Fabergé egg,” Kayden said more to herself than to him.

“The Fabergé egg?” Frank frowned. “I haven't thought about that in years. How'd you know about that? And why'd you think any of this had anything to do with that?”

“Because rumor was you hid the egg worth millions along the Iditarod trail and Henry Watts just got released from jail.”

“Watts knows better.”

“Meaning?”

“He knows I returned the egg to Bartholomew's place later that night. But none of that has any bearing on Meg . . . unless Henry wants revenge for my testifying against him.” Panic swelled in his voice. “Is Henry connected to the men who have Meg?”

“No.”

His shoulders dropped in visible relief. “That's good.”

“Why?” What was so upsetting about the possibility of Henry Watts being involved?

“Because Henry Watts would kill Meg just out of spite.” Frank's dogs pawed the ground—antsy like their master. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm due in Nome.”

“If you hand over the trigger to Keller, we'll be looking at the worst chemical spill in Alaskan history,” Kayden said.

“And if I don't, they'll kill my girl.”

“Please,” Jake pleaded. “Let's find another way.”

“There is no other way. You failed to rescue Meg, and now I have no choice.”

“You
always
have a choice,” Kayden said.

“And I'm choosing the one that protects my girl. I already lost her mother. I can't lose her too.” He gave his dogs a signal, and they took off in a flash, mushing up along the hillside past Jake.

He'd never seen anyone keep a sled upright on such a steep incline.

Frank mushed over the narrow bridge and stopped on the far side. “Sorry,” he yelled, “but Meg's my choice.”

Jake rushed for the bridge, Kayden following at a close clip.

“Don't come any closer,” Frank screamed, his dogs howling.

Jake heeded his warning, stopping Kayden just shy of the bridge. “What did you do, Frank?”

“Made good time. Got here early and did what I had to before rigging that pump.” He gestured back to the station on the other side of the trees. “Now, I won't tell you again.
Get back
.”

A snowmobile roared behind them.

Frank shook his head grimly. “He's never far behind. This was meant for him, not you. Now! Move!”

As the snowmobile burst past them, Jake grabbed Kayden's hand and yanked her away from the bridge, running as far and as fast as he could until an explosion knocked them to the ice-packed earth.

Landon's phone rang as they approached the outskirts of Nome.

Reef squeezed Kirra's hand. Maybe someone had spotted the SUV.

“What?” Landon said, his gaze shifting to Piper, then back to the road. “When? All right. Thanks for the call.”

“What is it?” Kirra asked, a tremble quivering in her voice.

“A member of the Iditarod air force searching for Frank spotted an explosion out by the Elim pump station. He called it in to Iditarod SAR headquarters, and Ben forwarded it on to Nome SAR, as they're the closest responders to Elim, and my friend there in turn called me.”

Reef swallowed hard.

“Elim?” Kirra said. “Isn't that where Jake and Kayden were headed?”

Reef closed his eyes as nausea rumbled through his gut.

Please, Father, let Kayden and Jake be okay.
The thought of losing someone else he loved was devastating.

“I'm afraid so,” Landon said, reaching for Piper's hand.

They tried reaching them via Jake's satellite phone but had no luck. They only got static.

“We need to get out there,” Piper said. “Now.”

Reef looked at Kirra, knowing she was torn. She wanted to help his family, but hers was still very much in danger.

“Here's what we'll do,” Landon said. “We'll drop in at local SAR headquarters. Piper and I will find a pilot to take us out to Elim while you, Cole, and Kirra continue the search here.”

“Are you sure?” Kirra said. She turned to Reef. “Your family is only out here because of me.”

He silently prayed for wisdom, and God filled him with assurance to stick with Landon's suggestion.

“I'm positive.”

Her eyes welled with gratitude. “Thank you.”

Nome SAR headquarters was situated in the fire station. Once there, it didn't take long for Piper and Landon to coordinate a flight out. Working SAR provided the McKennas with wide-reaching contacts that came in particularly handy in these situations.

As they were getting ready to split up, Kevin Hoffman rounded the corner.

“Kevin,” Kirra said, “what are you doing here?”

“After we released Sam Matthews, he caught a flight headed out here.”

“Sam Matthews is in Nome?”

Hoffman nodded.

“Any idea where?”

“I asked a local cop friend, Dave Carter, to keep an eye on him. So far he's made a couple stops, including the post office and the general store.”

“Any idea why those places?”

“I think he's trying to make sure no one is following him, but Dave's good. If we're lucky, we'll get a call anytime.”

“We've also got everyone keeping an eye out for a black Tahoe that Keller left Solomon in—with Meg,” Reef added.

“That's great,” Kevin said. “You found her?”

“Yes,” Kirra said wearily. “But Keller triggered an explosion and got away with Meg in the chaos.”

“Don't worry. We'll find them.”

She looked at Reef, clutching his hand. “I know we will.”

They'd do this together. It seemed insane to be thinking so long term when, as Kirra had pointed out, they technically hadn't even been on a first date. But after what they
had
been through, had come through
together
, with the Lord's strength, they were so far beyond first dates.

The thought of not being with her for the rest of his life terrified him far more than any thought of commitment did. He prayed she felt the same. They could take things as slowly as she wanted. Just as long as they were taking the journey together—side by side.

Jake lifted his head once the explosion settled.

Tendrils of smoke rose in vapor-like streams above where the bridge had stood moments earlier—its planks now bobbing in the water, spread out across the narrow inlet. Frank and his team were nowhere to be seen.

He loosened his death grip on Kayden, brushing her hair gently back from her face and examining her for injuries. “You okay, baby?” Other than some snow matted in her hair, she looked untouched.

“I'm good.” She tugged his jacket, pulling him back to her, and laid a kiss on him that had his knees wobbling, and he wasn't even standing.

She released him with a satisfied smile on her face.

“Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?” The lady kept him spiraling, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

“Can't a girl kiss her man?” She stood and pulled her gun from her side holster. “Now, we better see what happened to our snowmobile friend.”

A kiss and a gun. The woman was an intoxicating mix of feminine strength and sensual appeal—the heady kiss still rattled his bones.

He stared at Kayden—her taste still on his lips—in awe of how deeply he loved her. “Hold up.” He tugged her into his arms.

She smiled. “Another kiss first?”

“Actually . . .” He pulled the velvet pouch from his pocket. “I can't wait a moment longer.”

Her brows arched, her pink snow-kissed nose crinkling.

He lowered to one knee and dropped the ring from the pouch onto his flattened palm.

Her almond eyes widened. “What are you doing?”

He cleared his throat. “Asking you to do me the honor of being my wife.”

Love welled in her eyes, her smile, and the surprised blush caressing her cheeks. “Now?”

“We could have died right here, just moments ago. So, yes, now. I can't wait another second to make you mine forever.”

Tears, actual tears, welled in her eyes. “In that case.” She dropped to the ground in front of him and looked him straight in the eyes. “Yes. Jake Westin Cavanaugh. I'd love to be your wife.”

He slid the ring on her finger, kissing her with all the love in his heart.

“I love you,” he whispered against her mouth.

“I love you too,” she whispered back. But then she jumped up. “Now, let's go get our man.”

He chuckled. “And that's exactly why I love you.”

“Any word?” Kirra asked as Reef reentered the fire-station bay.

His downcast expression said it all.

“How could they just disappear? Nome's not that big.”

Cole hurried in from the chief's office. “Our luck may just
have changed. The Tahoe was spotted out by an old cannery warehouse on the southwest side of town.”