Sworn to Protect (Vows of the Heart) (35 page)

One man worked on the yacht
, but he also paid an inordinate amount of attention to the parking lot. Ethan growled, recognizing him instantly. Javier, the man who helped Cordova torture him. He was waiting for someone to arrive. More than likely that someone was Cordova.

The marina was only half full and strangely quiet. Gulls squawked at each other, playing in the strong breeze. Boats shifted subtly against the docks, rocking with the powerful under-current just below the calm, glassy surface of water. The smell of brine assailed Ethan. The air temperature dropped as the sun slowly descended in the sky.

Bethany should bring the reporter soon. The sun quickly descended and Ethan checked his watch. Where in the hell was Nathan? He reached for his cell phone then stopped when the man on the boat focused on a car pulling into the lot.

Ethan noted four men and a woman with a back cloth bag over her head get out of the car.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed, but he forced himself to look away from the woman, telling himself it was impossible. He concentrated on the men. One of them was Ricardo and the other Javier, the third wore an ATF jacket. Ethan’s gaze locked on the fourth man and a feral rage burned in his belly.

Cordova.

As they moved to the boat, Ethan noted there was no sign of Rick Gunther. Cordova removed the black cloth from the woman’s head. Long thick auburn curls tumbled down her back, her beautiful face was pale and terrified. Ethan was sudden forced to face reality and his rage iced into horror.

Bethany.

Sweet Jesus, how had this happened? How had they found her? Not even Captain Edwards knew the hotel. Wolf? Had the reporter betrayed them? Or had Rick Gunther found them through other sources?

Ethan’s heart slammed painfully against his ribs. Cordova hauled Bethany by the arm to the boat and held a gun to her back. Blood soaked her blouse near her left shoulder. Ethan forced his emotions down, he had to think clearly, he was her only chance.

They walked onto the boat and Cordova shoved Bethany toward the aft section. The two slips next to the boat were empty so there was no cover from there. That meant Ethan could only approach by either the aft section, where it butted up against the dock, or by the gang-plank. Neither option held much attraction.

Bethany backed up against the far rail, glaring at Cordova. “You’re too late, asshole. That information already went public. It doesn’t matter if you have the evidence now. Wolf is broadcasting it nationwide as we speak. You’re finished, Cordova.”

“It’s a shame that a pretty little thing like you has to have such a mouth on her.” Cordova slapped her.

Ethan’s gut clenched. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to
leap to Bethany’s aid. But to his surprise Bethany didn’t stagger. The blow turned her head and bloodied her lip, but she didn’t retreat.

“I never told anyone this
, but after I met Ethan, I made myself one promise,” she said as she faced Cordova and wiped the blood from her lip. “No man will ever hit me again.” Bethany lunged at Cordova, cocking back her right fist, and let fly. The girl had had scrapped a time or two - no cat fights for her. She attacked Cordova in an all-out brawl.

Pure terror pounded through Ethan. Bethany’s fist connected in a hard jab to Cordova’s jaw, snapping his head back. Then her knee landed firmly in his groin, dropping him like a sack of feed.

Ethan lifted his gun, Javier’s head in his sights. He squeezed the trigger. The bullet ripped through the man’s brain, killing him instantly.

Two men Ethan did not recognize wore an ATF jackets. One lurched unnaturally, staring down at his chest. A crimson stain grew larger by the moment. An instant later Ethan heard the report of the rifle. Thank God for Nathan! Ethan adjusted his aim again, pulled the trigger, and the second man with an ATF jacket dropped.

Bethany charged for the boat railing, trying to escape, but Ricardo grabbed her. She screamed, fighting, but was no match for his strength and Ricardo used her as an effective shield, his gun pointed at her head. Ethan couldn’t get a clean shot at him.

Cordova regained his feet, also pointing his gun at Bethany. His gaze scanned the docks fearfully.

Yeah, you bastard, how does it feel to have a target right between your eyes?
Ethan thought.

“Lancaster,” Cordova barked. “Come out now or she dies.”

Ethan drew a deep breath into his lungs, trying to shove down his fear and panic. Rage burned within him, clenching his gut. With Bethany in danger he could barely see straight. Never had he felt so vulnerable and he hated it.

****

“Shit, Steve,” his cameraman said as he parked the van. “Are you sure about this?”

Wolf gazed through his binoculars, searching the marina. “Mike, this is a story of a lifetime.” Fear rattled his pulse
, but he had not exaggerated. His reporting had helped expose corruption far deeper than anyone ever imagined. With the airing of the live broadcast, the studio’s ratings had tripled. The public was already fascinated with Lancaster and Kress as a sort of modern day Bonnie and Clyde. With the evidence of their innocence, their popularity had just skyrocketed. Wolf’s director had called and told him the U.S. Attorney General was already making arrests.

“Where is Leonard?” Mike asked.

“Still waiting on his backup. That accident was a bad one.”

Wolf spotted movement on a yacht and focused the binoculars. “Shit,” he growled. “Mike, get the camera. If Leonard doesn’t get here fast, all he’s going to find are bodies.” He jumped out of the van, staying low while Mike got the camera.

“You see her?”

“I got her,” Mike said. “Move left a little and I can get you in frame. We’re going live in 3, 2, 1….”

****

Nathan gathered his sniper rifle. His shot had given away his position. He needed to fi
nd a new vantage point. While on base, his duty with the SEALS had been mostly as a computer nerd, but in the field, on an op, Nathan had led his small team and his marksman scores were very high. He had been able to hold his own against the team’s two best snipers. The team cross-trained in various duties because one never knew when another would have to step up and take the place of a fallen team member in the middle of an op.

Two men doing good imitations of shadows hovering around the docks caught Nathan’s ey
e
He shifted the sniper rifle to his left hand and drew his Glock. The growing twilight made shadows deeper and more confusing. The artificial lights of the harbor were on, but it wasn’t dark enough for them to be truly useful. It was the worst time of day, when natural light and artificial light vied for power, neither winning, and both cancelling each other out.

A soft scraping noise to his left was his only warning. He started to turn when a dark blur moved in the corner of his eye. Something slammed into his head, blinding pain tinted with red sliced through his vision. Darkness intruded and his knees buckled at the same moment he told his body to turn and fight.

The shadow tackled him. Again agony cut through his skull. He brought up his Glock, acting purely on his training, and squeezed the trigger. The report of the pistol seemed inordinately loud as did the thud of the body next to him. Nathan sagged as he struggled to pull himself to his feet. Using his sleeve, he tried to wipe the blood from his eyes, but blackness possessed his vision entirely and he crashed back into the dock.

****

A single gunshot, followed by a second, echoed across the harbor and Ethan’s heart hesitated in his chest. Nathan? Tommy? What the hell had happened?

“Lancaster,” Cordova barked. “Don’t be a fool. Do you really want to see her dead?”

Another man ran up to the boat, a gun in hand. He spoke urgently with Cordova, but Ethan couldn’t hear his words. He then took his place at the head of the gangplank, his gaze also scanning the docks.

“Ah,” Cordova said, smiling. “So, you had some back up this time. Well, now your brother is really dead, Lancaster. Give it up!”

Oh God, no!
The shot, the man who returned to Cordova and now stood guard.
Oh Jesus, he found Nathan. God, no!
This couldn’t be happening. What about Tommy? Shit, he had a family. Ethan couldn’t sacrifice him too.

Fury and frustration clawed at him. He couldn’t deny what was before his eyes. Despite Ethan’s best efforts, Cordova still managed to gain the upper hand and was now killing the people who meant everything to Ethan.

Nathan was dead.

Bethany would be next.

“I’m losing patience, Lancaster. Perhaps if I shoot her in the knee you might be encouraged to come out of hiding.” He stepped closer and realigned his gun.

No! Ethan couldn’t take any more of this. He focused on Cordova and slowly rose, only thirty feet away from the boat.

“Don’t move, Cordova,” he snarled. “If you hurt Bethany, you’re a dead man.”

Cordova’s lips stretched into that terrifying smile Ethan had seen before. He shifted his gun to point at Ethan
, but Ricardo still held his gun to Bethany’s head.

“I believe this is what they call a Mexican stand-off. Who will blink first, Lancaster?”

“You will.”

“I think not. I have what you want. You have nothing.”

Ethan rolled his shoulders confident of his aim. If he pulled the trigger now, the bullet would enter Cordova’s brain right between the eyes. If Ricardo didn’t have Bethany under the gun, Ethan would have gleefully squeezed the trigger.

“What’s your point, Cordova?” Ethan growled.

“Actually, I’m willing to make a concession. It’s a draw, Lancaster. I’m truly impressed, you have been a worthy opponent.”

Ethan scowled. This was totally against Cordova’s character. It had to be a trap.

“Thanks to you. My business in America is over no matter what happens,” Cordova said. “I have the evidence you stole from me. But I need one more thing...the information you have in your brain, Lancaster. So, I propose a trade. You for Bethany’s life.”

Ethan’s heart lurched painfully.

“No, Ethan,” Bethany gasped.

He spared a glance at her, she stared at him, her face pale. The vice around his chest grew tighter. “If I give up, Bethany walks away and back to a normal life? What about the testimony she was supposed to give?”

“Even if I was caught, her testimony alone would not be enough to put me away, especially because she’s a thief. They have to have you, Lancaster. You are the only one who is truly a threat to me. Unfortunately, you have to die, but I can’t help that. Bethany will live, no more looking over her shoulder, no more living in fear. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

Again Ethan looked at her and a deep longing rose within him. He wanted her to live. He wanted to spend the rest of his days loving her
, but if she lived he would be happy. His child grew within her, a part of him would continue.

Slowly, he relaxed his stance.

“Ethan, no!” Bethany cried. “He’ll kill me too.”

“That is a possibility,” Cordova replied. “But do you remember one fact during those two years you worked for me? When I gave my word in a deal, I never once broke it. I give you my word, if you give yourself up, Bethany will live a normal life without worry.”

That was one truth about Cordova Ethan had to admit. There was some sort of honor among thieves with him. Once he gave his word, he kept it. Never once had Ethan seen him break it.

Perhaps he was a fool
, but it was more important that Bethany and his baby live. Ethan would gladly give his life to guarantee their survival. He straightened and slowly approached then tossed his gun to the deck. “All right, Cordova, you got a deal.”

“No!” Bethany screamed. “Ethan, no!”

Ethan held up his hands as she struggled futilely against Ricardo. “Bethany, I’m sorry. I don’t have a choice.” His heart twisted as he saw the tears streaming down her face.

“You are a smart man,” Cordova said. “I’ve always respected you for that.”

“Let her go, Cordova.”

“I will, Lancaster. But there is one thing that must be done to completely end this. Bethany has to watch you die.”

Ethan’s gut twisted. “What?”

“It’s only fair to give her some sort of closure, don’t you think? I don’t want her believing some Hollywood version of this and think I might somehow leave you alive.”

“You can’t do that to her, Cordova. If you kill me, how do I know you don’t turn around and kill her too?”

“You’ll just have to trust me on that one.”

No matter what he did, at worst, they were both dead. At best, Cordova would keep his word and Bethany would live.

“All right,” he said slowly. “Just let me say good bye.”

“How touching. All right, Lancaster, I must admit always being a romantic at heart. But don’t take too long.”

Ethan swallowed around the lump in his throat and reached for Bethany.

****

Bethany’s heart raged in pain, fear, and grief. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she was certain her soul had shattered. Ethan’s powerful arms wrapped around her and he held her tightly to him. Maybe this was all some crazy ruse and he had a plan. But when she gazed into his mercury eyes and saw his defeat and regret, she knew.