Part 25 (1/2)

Jan could hear the rush of her own breathing, but beyond that was silence. Trevor seemed to be motionless behind her; the other two men also stood still. The Colonel, however, seemed annoyed and not the least bit concerned.

”Girl, you are making a fatal mistake. There are three guns to your one. The second you shoot me, you're dead. Is that what you want?”

”I'd prefer that to being tied up in this h.e.l.lhole again.”

He looked at her for a moment and then turned his head to Martin.

”Shoot her,” he said Jan heard Martin raise his rifle as she locked her hands in place to fire. A shot cracked out of the woods from the direction of the armory, and Martin went down. The other two soldiers swung their rifles toward the armory and opened fire and they quickly went down with two more shots from the woods. Jan kept her pistol trained on the Colonel and looked to see if the soldiers were moving. The Colonel drew his own pistol as she looked away.

”Don't do it, Colonel. There are two guns to your one. Now it's you who'll be making a fatal mistake.”

”Don't you think I know that?” he said as he c.o.c.ked his old revolver.

Another shot rang out from the woods and the Colonel fell to the ground, giving Jan a clear view of the bullet hole in the back of his head. Jan swept the area with her gun in both hands as Catherine raced into the clearing and pulled the rifles away from the two soldiers on the ground.

”They're alive,” she said, moving over to Martin to take his weapon as well. ”He's dead.”

Jan heard Maddy crying behind her and looked to see them both staring wild-eyed at them. She moved quickly toward them.

”We've got to get out of here quickly,” she said. ”The other men will be on their way.”

She and Catherine tried to open the stocks and found it shackled shut. Catherine reached into first the Colonel's and then Martin's pants pockets to find the key.

”Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,” Kristi was saying. She seemed catatonic.

Catherine came up with the key and as she unlocked the stocks, Jan went to the cook tent and called in through the closed door.

”Do not come out,” she said as forcefully as she could. ”Your children are not safe. Wait until your men return and let you out. Do you understand?”

She heard some children crying in there and then a woman's voice saying they understood. It would have to do. She raced back to the stocks and helped Catherine with Maddy and Kristi, each holding them up by an arm. Maddy was especially wobbly.

”Where to?” Catherine said.

”There's only one way. Let's head east. There should be a car about half a mile that way. They used to leave the key in the front seat. I don't know if they still do that.”

”They probably do. The armory was unlocked. Nice selection of rifles in there,” Catherine said. ”Anyway, if the key's not there, I can start the car. It's not a problem.”

”Nice shooting, by the way. I guess I owe you one.”

”Believe me, I'll be happy to collect. Perhaps a bit later though?”

They hustled back into the woods. Jan didn't look back at her father.

Chapter Twelve.

Vivian brought a thermos of coffee into the conference room and poured them each a cup. This was almost unheard of behavior for her, but even Vivian had been a little in awe of Jan and Catherine since their return the day before from Idaho. They were cautious, solicitous. Everyone acted like they were strangers. Jan hated it. She watched as Vivian slipped out the door and closed it behind her.

”It's a bit like they think we'll pull a gun on them,” Catherine said.

”No one's had to so much as draw a weapon in all the years I've been here. I suppose they're a little freaked out.”

”Not the ex-police, surely.”

”No, not them. Though Peet was shocked. It's not like the police are in that many shootouts themselves.”

Catherine scrolled through e-mails on her laptop and stopped to read one. Jan watched as her normally relaxed expression turned to alarm.

”What is it?” Jan asked.

”The home office. They're ordering me back to London.”

Jan sat up straight. ”But why? You still have at least a week here.”

”Apparently, they're not happy that I've killed two people during a field a.s.signment when I was supposed to be here in the office.” She shrugged.

”f.u.c.k.” Jan sprang from her chair and began pacing. ”Is there anything you can do?”

”I don't think so. They already have someone on their way here to replace me.”

Catherine was leaning back in her chair, her face relaxed again, but her eyes looking far away. She didn't seem to notice Jan's agitation.

There was a quick knock on the door before LJ came in, looking unusually somber.

”Jan, would you give us a moment?” he said.

Jan met Catherine's eyes and waited for her to nod before walking out of the room. She moved quickly past Vivian, anxious to get back to her desk without talking to anyone. Peet was hanging up her phone as Jan sat down and started to close down her computer. She felt on the verge of panic.

”What are you doing?” Peet said.

”Getting the h.e.l.l out of here.”

Peet watched for a moment as Jan stuffed her things into her bag. ”That was Mrs. Harrington on the phone. She said they have Maddy in therapy, but that she seems to be okay. Except for the broken jaw that is.”

”Yeah, she seemed okay when I talked to her. She's a tough kid.”

”I talked to her too. She's got a thing for you. She kept asking about you, wanting to know all about you. I should have just said that no one knows all about you. It's a state secret or something.”

”Funny.” Yet now there was someone who knew everything about her. Jan never believed that would or could happen.

”Maddy thinks you're a hero. She wants to thank you in person.”

”It's Catherine she should be thanking. But she'll have to do it quickly. The London office is sending her home.”