Seconds to Live (Scarlet Falls #3)(98)

He was going to catch up to Josh. He wasn’t going to let that killer escape. His smashed hand throbbed. Each beat of his heart said getJosh getJosh getJosh.

The cold water numbed the pain in his hand. Fury fueled his strokes. He gained on the vessel. Josh was looking back, searching the water behind the canoe. Mac dove under the surface. Swimming hard, he came up on the other side of the boat. He put one hand on the aluminum side and tipped it. The canoe capsized. Josh fell into the lake, splashing and sputtering. His oar flew into the air and landed ten feet away.

Mac grabbed the back of his shirt and dragged him back toward the bank. Josh flailed. Mac held him under for a few seconds. Clearly at a disadvantage in the water, Josh came up spewing lake water and curses. Mac dunked him again, and he ceased resisting. Mac towed his deadweight to the shore.

Once his feet were on the ground, Josh came alive. He pulled a knife from his pocket and swung at Mac’s face. Mac grabbed his wrist and slammed the back of his elbow with an open palm. The snap of bone sang over the lake.

But psycho killer wasn’t ready to give in. He dove at Mac, teeth bared.

Mac hooked the back of Josh’s head and slammed it downward, meeting his face with a rising knee. And that finally took Josh down. He went limp, folding into the water face-first. Mac was tempted to let him drown. Hell, part of him wanted to hold the bastard’s head under for a few minutes.

But he didn’t.

He snagged the killer by his unbroken wrist and dragged him out of the water.

Grant, Hannah, and Stella raced from the woods toward him. Mac released Josh, letting him fall onto his face in the wet grass.

Stella didn’t break stride. She was on Josh in a second, cuffing his hands behind his back. With Josh restrained, she rolled him onto his back. His face was a bloody mess and Mac still wanted to kill him.

Mac dropped onto his butt. The rain slowed, and the thunder that cracked sounded farther away. The storm was moving on, but not without leaving damage in its wake.

Stella sat next to him. Her bun was drowned, her breaths heaved, and she looked as sopping wet and out of breath as he felt. “I didn’t even throw up this time.”

“Progress.” He bent his head and planted a kiss on her lips. “Let’s try and have a regular date, OK?”

She rested her head on his shoulder. Her body shook. “OK.”

Grant took charge of Josh, heaving him across his shoulders and carrying him back toward the house. Stella stood. Hannah held her hand down to Mac. He took it and let her pull him to his feet.

“If you ever do anything that stupid again, I’ll kick your butt,” Hannah said.

“And I’ll help,” Grant called over his shoulder.

Mac pulled Stella to his side. He couldn’t get her close enough.

She leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Me, too.”

Mac let Grant and Hannah draw ahead. He pulled Stella under the branches of a mature oak tree. Turning her to face him, he took her hand with his unbroken one. “I’m sorry. I lost it. I couldn’t let him get away.”

Anger flushed her cheeks. “It was reckless and foolish.”

Mac dropped his chin. “I know.”

“I could have lost you.” She squeezed his fingers. “You have to promise me you’ll never do anything like that again.

“Deal.”

She cupped his jaw. “I thought you were going to die tonight because I wouldn’t find you in time.”

“You found me.” He covered her hand with his. “I knew you would.”

“I’ve never been that scared in my life.”

“You are a damned good cop, Detective Dane.” Mac took her hand and held it over his heart. Her grip was warm and solid. “I never doubted you for a second. I knew you’d never give up on me or Gianna. You are solid and smart, stubborn and sexy, dedicated and compassionate. You are the whole package.”

Stella rested her forehead against his chest as dawn brightened the horizon. A shudder passed through her. When she lifted her face, her eyes shone with tears. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He kissed her. She tasted of rainwater and hope. “I’m done with being reckless. No more risks for me. I have too much to lose.”



Stella balanced her laptop on her knees in the plastic hospital chair. In the bed next to her, Gianna was a slip of pale skin and bones. Her eyes were closed, and thick blankets were drawn up to her chin. One arm protruded, and an IV line snaked from her forearm to a small bag of liquid.

A knock sounded on the doorway.

“Come in,” Stella said softly.

Mac walked into the room. A splint immobilized his injured hand. His eyes locked on hers, the intensity in his gaze filling her with warmth.

He eased into the plastic chair next to her “How is she?”

“She’s going to be OK. They warmed her up and gave her a dialysis treatment. She’s sleeping it off.”

He lifted her chin with a fingertip. “You look exhausted.”

“I don’t want her to wake up alone, not after what she went through.”

“What are you doing?”

“Reports.” Stella closed her laptop.

“We wouldn’t want your paperwork to be late,” he teased.

“I like to get the facts down while their fresh in my head.” She stretched her arms over her head. Stiffness gripped her back muscles.