Shattered (LOST #3)(61)

Gabe had rolled down his window a bit. The better to hear the growl of the other engine? “Sounds like a Mustang and he’s—”

Gunfire exploded. It pounded into the back of Gabe’s car. She could hear the sound of breaking glass even as Gabe yelled, “Get down!”

She ducked, getting as low as she could in the car even as they raced forward. That bastard back there was shooting at them? What the hell?

Then she heard the thunder of gunfire again. It was slamming into the back bumper. Driving through the chunks of glass that remained. Gabe grunted, the sound quick and pain-filled.

He’s been hit!

“Gabe?”

“Gun . . . in glove box . . .”

She fumbled, trying to get to that glove box even as—

They crashed.

WHEN THEIR VEHICLE slammed into the pole, he braked his car. He was smiling as he exited and kept his gun at the ready. Had his bullets hit one of the targets? If not, he’d be sure to eliminate Gabe Spencer first. Then he’d have some nice, quality time with Sarah—

“Get back!” That was Sarah’s yell, and he froze because Sarah didn’t sound afraid. She sounded furious. “You’re not the only one with a weapon!”

Sirens screamed in the distance. Someone had heard the shots or the crash, and some damn fool good Samaritan had called 911.

“Sarah . . .” He called out her name. He wanted her to know—this was all about her. “Did my bullet hit your friend?” Because he could just see the guy’s slumped figure in the front of the car. “That’s on you, Sarah!” But he took a step back into the darkness. “Anyone between us . . . I’ll take them out. You’re going to be mine. You’re—”

That bitch shot at him. And she hit him. The bullet burned across his upper arm and he jerked back.

Then she was running around the car. Coming at him. And the scream of that siren was just getting louder and louder. He jumped back into his car. Revved the engine.

Fucking bitch.

He’d be seeing her again.

HE ROARED AWAY. Sarah’s finger was squeezing the trigger but he was weaving, going so fast, and she couldn’t aim at him.

Dammit!

He’d shot Gabe. He was hurting everyone . . . because the guy wanted to get to her. “I’m right here!” Sarah yelled after him.

But the shriek of the sirens was the only response she got.

Sarah whirled around and ran back to the car. She yanked opened Gabe’s door. When she touched his shoulder, she felt the wet warmth of his blood.

“Eve . . . is gonna freak,” Gabe managed.

Her breath heaved out. He’s okay! If he was talking about his Eve, he had to be all right.

She unhooked his seat belt and Sarah hissed out a breath because she could see his wound now. Blood was pumping from his shoulder.

“In . . . and out . . .” He shifted his body, trying to get out of the car. She pushed him right back inside. “Just . . . lost control when it . . . hit me . . .”

“Stay in there until the cops can help us!” She didn’t want to risk that guy coming back. He’d just been . . . shooting at them. Right in the middle of the street. He’d followed them when they left Jax’s house. That was the only explanation but that would mean . . .

He was out there the whole time. Waiting for us. Waiting for his chance to get at me. When the cops had taken Jax, he’d seen his moment to attack.

And he had.

A police cruiser rushed down the road. Sarah looked down and realized that she still had her gun. Oh, such a bad move. The last thing she wanted was to appear armed in front of the cops. She knew how that scene would go down. She put the gun on the cement, raised her hands, and yelled, “We need help!”

Two uniformed cops jumped from the vehicle.

“He’s been shot! Hurry, you need to help him!” One of the cops ran forward. “There’s a man who was in a—a Mustang.” Gabe knew his cars. The guy had been able to identify the ride just by the growl of its engine—how wild was that? Sarah rushed to add. “He was just here! Put out an APB. You have to find him. You can—”

“Gun!” the closest cop yelled.

Sarah tensed. “I put the gun down when you arrived. He was shooting at us. I had to stop him from killing Gabe!” They had to listen to her. “The man who did this—he just left! Get the APB out now. We can find him!”

But they weren’t grabbing for their radios. They were closing in slowly. And the man so determined to kill her—he’d just gotten away.

Again.





Chapter 12

SARAH RODE IN THE AMBULANCE WITH GABE. THE EMTs had cut his shirt away, and she could see that he’d been right. The bullet had gone in and out. It had blasted through the back of his seat, into his shoulder, then exploded into the front of the car.

The man who’d done that . . . a guy who had a thorough knowledge of explosives and was skilled enough to fire from a moving vehicle like that . . .

Military training. This guy isn’t some amateur. He’s deadly. He’s honed his skills and he’s done this before.

This wasn’t some tentative killer. A guy out for revenge who was testing the waters. No, this was a guy with balls of steel who didn’t hesitate to blow up buildings or shoot at his prey in the middle of a public street. He was unpredictable, and that just made him all the more dangerous.