Assumed Identity(73)

The red targeting laser dotted Robin’s chest and he had no time to do more than to shove her out of the way before the front window shattered and a white-hot poker ripped through his left shoulder.

“Jake!”

The impact of the bullet knocked him back across the table. “Get down!”

A trio of shots peppered the brick fireplace, spraying chips of shrapnel across the room. He heard the reports a split second later and tried to gauge the distance of the shooter, but three more shots zinged over his head before he could crawl back to the sofa to kill the flashlight and pull Robin and Emma down to the floor beneath him.

“You’re bleeding.”

They were all going to be bleeding soon if he couldn’t get a bead on this guy and take him out. “It went through. That’s better than having the bullet inside.”

He felt Robin’s cool hand at the scar on his temple an instant before he felt the pain webbing through his shoulder. “Ow!”

“Sorry. No, I’m not. Not really.” She’d dumped Emma’s bag and was pressing a diaper against the wound to stanch the bleeding. Oh, yeah, this one was smart. But tending to the injured wasn’t going to keep them alive over these next few minutes. He checked the magazine in his gun and the one in his pocket. Thirty shots. The shooter had already fired off at least half that number.

Right now their best move was the phone, not more guns. He dug Robin’s cell out of the mess on the floor and thrust it into her hands. The diaper fell and warm blood trickled down his arm again. “Call Montgomery for backup.”

Six more shots. He palmed the top of Robin’s head and pulled her into his chest to shield her as chunks of wood and plaster rained down on them.

Jake’s go-bag was missing. That meant whoever was out there was armed to the teeth. And judging by the message on the coffee table, he knew how to use any weapon Jake could.

“Can you take a picture with that phone?”

“Yes?”

“Send a picture of that carving to Montgomery. Tell him to show it to Agent Nash to see if it means anything to him.”

Robin nodded and raised the phone to capture the image. Jake pushed up from his position to fire three random shots to give her some cover. “Got it.”

“Texts only. I don’t want any phone ringing to give our position away.”

“Who’s Agent Nash?” Robin huddled back against his chest and sent the text. “What’s going on? Who are those people?”

“It’s just one guy. Somebody like me.”

“Who is Agent Nash?”

“Robin, you know all that talking you like me to do?” The laser-targeting light swung away and Jake saw their chance to move to a more secure location. He pushed the carrier into Robin’s hands and pulled her to her feet, urging her to keep low as they ran toward the back door. “It’s going to have to wait until later.”

A flash-bang grenade lit up the room they’d just vacated. Someday, he’d think about how angry it made him to think the place where he’d first made love to Robin was now burning. But right now, Jake could only think about getting them all to safety. “He can’t find us in the house. Let’s move.”

A second flash-bang hit the kitchen and startled Emma into a screeching panic. Jake opened the back door and pulled Robin along the side of the house behind him. “If we can get to the barn, you and Emma can hide out inside the wall of hay bales. That should give you a little more protection.”

“You’re coming with us.” Robin accidentally tugged on his wounded arm and Jake cursed.

“I’ll get you to the barn.”

Their attacker had found Jake’s semi-auto and was cutting a line of bullet holes through the front room now. With every new loud sound, Emma cried out. “Can you keep her quiet? Hiding won’t do us any good if her crying gives us away.”

Robin pulled Emma from her carrier to hug her right up against her chest. “Shh, sweetie. Mommy needs you to quiet down.”

A knot of dread formed in Jake’s stomach as nightmare and reality blended together. Darkness. Burning. Explosions. Somebody wanted him dead.

“Jake?” Robin’s touch startled him and he looked over the jut of his shoulder at her. “Stay with me. Don’t go to that place. Here.”

She placed Emma into the crook of his good arm.

“Feel the rain? It’s cool.” Another burst of gunfire made him jump. “Listen to Emma. See?” The infant’s shrieks had quieted to a few intermittent sobs. Robin stroked her hand across his brow and quieted the nightmare. “Are you with me?”