Montana SEAL (Brotherhood Protectors #1)(36)

Sadie felt along the darkened interior of the trunk, searching for release catches on the rear seats. Didn’t most new vehicles allow the seats to fold down to get long items into the trunk, stretching into the back seat? She worked her fingers around what she assumed was the back seat, searching for a hard plastic button, and prayed she’d find one. Finally, she located a plastic button and pushed it. Nothing happened. She mashed the button again and shoved as hard as she could. Half of the rear seat flopped forward at the same time as the car made a sharp turn off the road and bounced down another gravel road, going so fast, it skidded sideways, throwing Sadie across the trunk. Doing her best to brace herself against the trunk lid, she grabbed the side of the seat still standing and pulled herself through the opening.

She glanced toward the windows. The snow had thickened into near whiteout conditions.

Carla leaned forward in the driver’s seat, peering through the windshield, the wipers working overtime to keep up with the developing storm. She was concentrating so hard on the road in front of her, she didn’t hear Sadie, or see her in the rearview mirror until Sadie reached around the back of her seat and wrapped her arms around her neck. “Park it, Carla,” she said.

Carla screamed and slammed on the brakes.

Sadie lurched forward, but held onto the seat and kept one arm tight against Carla’s throat.

Carla clawed at her arm with one hand. “Let go of me,” she gasped, “or I’ll crash the car and we’ll both die.”

“Don’t do it, Carla. You don’t want to die anymore than I do. Just park it and let’s talk this over.”

Instead, Carla jammed her foot onto the accelerator, and the car leaped forward. The road ahead was little more than a trail, climbing up into the Crazy Mountains, twisting and turning. “I’d rather die than go to jail,” she said, pushing the car faster and faster up the mountain.

Soon the road grew narrower, and the sides fell away, plunging down jagged slopes.

Sadie loosened her hold and rested her hands on the other woman’s shoulders. “Carla, please stop the car. We can talk this over.”

“No. We can’t. If I have to die, you’re going down with me.” She reached over to grab the gun off the passenger seat. When she did, she took her attention away from the road. A curve loomed ahead.

Sadie saw it but Carla didn’t, until it was too late.

The car flew over the edge of the road, and raced down a steep slope. Carla flung her hands into the air and covered her face.

Sadie was thrown onto the backseat floorboard and couldn’t pull herself out.

As if in slow motion, the vehicle bounced, slid, and careened down the hill.

Sadie closed her eyes and braced herself for what would surely come.

The vehicle slammed into something hard and unforgiving. The front and back seats squashed together like an accordion. Trapped between them on the floor, Sadie lay, bruised and dazed.

Metal creaked and cold wind whistled through broken windows.

A low moan filled her ears, and it took a moment to realize it came from her own throat. Sadie wiggled her toes, moved her arms and legs, and made a tally of all her muscles and bones. She was alive. For a moment, she rejoiced.

Then the pungent scent of gasoline wafted in the air, stinging her nostrils and spiking her fear.





11





Hank started after Carla’s disappearing vehicle, but stopped and went back to Fin.

“Don’t worry about me.” Fin waved at Hank. “Go! Save Sadie. Carla is completely insane. There’s no telling what she’ll do to her.”

“I can’t leave you to bleed to death. Sadie would never forgive me.”

Fin shoved the shirt Sadie had used to staunch the blood at Hank. “Then used this.”

Hank made quick work applying a pressure bandage, using the shirt. Then he helped the other man back into his coat, and half-lifted and carried Fin to his rented SUV, where he deposited him in the passenger seat.

Less than a two minutes behind Carla, he peeled out of the drive, leaving the burning house behind.

Fortunately, the falling snow made it easy to follow Fin’s crazy wife. As long as the snow didn’t thicken and cover her tracks too quickly, they should be able to catch up.

“I’m sorry about all this,” Fin said. “I knew she was losing it, but I thought she’d be all right if she went to visit her mother in Reno.”

Trying not to think about what might be happening to Sadie at that moment, Hank asked, “Do you still love her?”

Fin held his hand over the wound on his leg, his gaze ahead on the road in front of them. “I’m not sure I ever loved her. I’m not sure I know what love is. But out here in Montana, the pickin’s are slim. I liked her in high school. We got along okay. I thought we’d make a good team.” He shook his head. “I was wrong.”

“Wrong or right, we have to find her before she hurts Sadie.”

The snow fell in big, fat flakes, blowing sideways and blanketing the ranch road. Hank slowed as they neared the cattle guard. For a moment, he lost the tracks. Which way had Carla turned? Toward Eagle Rock, or away?

Fin leaned forward, staring hard out the window. “There! She turned right!”

Hank bumped over the metal cattle guard and turned onto the highway, headed away from town. The tracks in the snow were getting harder to see. He floored the accelerator, pushing the rented SUV faster than was safe on the slick roads. If he didn’t find Sadie soon…