Cowboy In The Crossfire(57)

Her entire body trembled with relief, and her son's terror-filled gaze fueled her courage. This man would pay for what he'd done to Ethan.

Then he saw her. "Mommy!"

He squirmed against his bindings.

"Please," she begged.

"She might be able to control him, sir," Johnson said.

His boss's lip curled up. "Cut the ties. I can afford to be generous."

Amanda ran over to Ethan. With a glare, she untied the ropes around her son and pulled him tight to her. That they let her hold him, scared her to death. She must stall for Blake's arrival.

She rocked Ethan back and forth, reveling in the warmth of his alive body. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Mommy!" Ethan hugged her neck and pointed his finger at the man standing in front of her and whispered in her ear. "He has the dragons. He hurt Uncle Vince."

Their captor looked down at his boots. His eyes hardened. "So you did see me. Not that it changes anything."

"Please just let us disappear," Amanda begged. "I promise we'll vanish. We won't say anything. I don't even know who you are."

"Hey, Boss," Yancy said. "We got a problem. The evidence is fake."

*

Damn.

Blake watched the plan's implosion from a small gap in the warehouse's steel walls. "Their computer guy is good."

Lieutenant Paul Irving from Internal Affairs rounded on Amanda. He raised the Colt .45. "I don't play games." He turned the weapon on Ethan. "I warned you."

Blake raced around the warehouse followed closely by Rafe. He burst through the door. "Stop. I know where the real file is."

Several men followed Blake in.

"Cover them," Irving said, his smile slow. He turned on Johnson. He raised his weapon and pointed it at the cop's head. "You just sacrificed your family for the Hawthorne kid."

Johnson's face lost what little color it had.

Irving pulled the trigger and Johnson's body fell to the floor.

"One piece of business completed. Now on to the next." He propped his boot on a stool, the fire coming out of the red dragon's mouth visible from beneath his black jeans. He stared down Blake. "You've been trouble since you made detective. Do you even know how easy it was to get rid of you?"

"My family's accident."

Irving shrugged. "It was a start, but I needed more. Farraday got the idea. A few fireworks can make a horse a deadly weapon."

Blake's jaw tightened as the realization shot through him. His father, Smithson. He pushed back the fury. He'd grieve later. "You have us, but I can offer you something in return for letting Amanda and Ethan run. I can show you the real file. Just let me at the computer."

Blake started across the room.

"No." Irving raised his hand, and Blake paused in stride. "I want the woman at the keyboard. Alone."

Amanda shook her head. "I'm not leaving my son. Not ever again."

Irving grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the chair, but she didn't let go of Ethan's hand. Blake cursed under his breath.

"Sit down. Keep the kid quiet."

"Go to your email, Amanda," Blake said sharply, hoping the tactic would work.

She looked down at the computer, then glared at him. "I can't believe you're doing this. You betrayed me. And Ethan. You're no better than him." She nodded at Irving. "A murderer." She gave him a look of hatred, her hands planted on her hips.

Good girl. Every second counted.

"Enough of your histrionics!" Irving said. "Show me the file."

Amanda opened the browser, then stared up at him. "How do I know you'll let us go?"

"If you don't show me that file, your boy dies. Now."

Irving grabbed Ethan and held him by the neck.

Damn it. If only Amanda hadn't taken Ethan over there. It would make Blake's job that much harder.

"Please don't hold him so tight."

Irving gripped Ethan even tighter. Blake struggled not to go after the bastard. He sent up a prayer. Patience. The timing had to be perfect.

Amanda played the game well. She had grit, but he could see Irving losing his temper. She stalled as long as she could. But she recognized the danger, because after a few seconds Amanda logged into her email. "It's at this link."

"Click to open it."

The password dialogue box popped up.

"We don't know the password," Blake said.

Irving let out a string of curses. Ethan whimpered in his arms.

"Leave him alone." Amanda stood up and took a step to Irving.

"I want the evidence. I want to know who betrayed me. Vince couldn't have had enough information to tie me to everything."

No wonder. Everything made sense now.

"You really should've been smarter," Blake taunted. "You killed Vince before he could let anyone in on the password. We have two chances or the file will be destroyed."

"Mommy! Mommy! He's hurting me." Ethan squirmed and kicked out against Irving.

Irving spun Ethan toward him. "You saw me shoot your uncle."

Ethan's face was full of terror.

"No!" Amanda screamed.