fed.”
Burke would have preferred waiting until his teams had the women and children safely loaded into transport. He heard gunfire and shouting from the front gate where another confrontation was underway.
He spoke into his microphone, “Give me a report on the hostages.”
“One woman ran off. We’re almost to the vehicles with the others.”
“Move fast,” Burke said. He didn’t know what else Logan might have up his sleeve.
Another voice came through the headset. “We’re at the front gate. Both men have surrendered.”
The only problem left was Logan, holed up in his trailer.
Burke wanted this over. He wanted to get back to the ranch and to Carolyn. The thought of her spurred him on.
He stepped away from the trailer. From his belt, he unclipped a flashbang canister—similar to a grenade but without the lethal effects. This canister would make a big noise and a fierce burst of blinding white light before exuding a stinging burst of smoke. Should be enough to drive the rattlesnake from his hole.
Aiming high, Burke shot out a side window on the trailer and lobbed the canister inside.
He turned his head aside so he wouldn’t be affected by the flash. The blast was deafening. Smoke poured through the broken window.
From inside the trailer came yelps of surprise.
Burke moved into position near the bullet-riddled trailer door. He saw Agent Smith emerge from his hiding place behind the vehicle and position himself in front of the injured woman so she wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire. Smith would take care of her.
Logan flung open the door. His heavy-duty rifle was poised at his hip. Before he could spray bullets, Burke lunged. He tackled Logan, pinning him to the ground on his belly.
A second man came out of the trailer with his hands in the air. “Don’t shoot.”
The only one who hadn’t given up was Logan. He struggled on the ground. The correct protocol would be to cuff him and proceed with standard interrogation, but Burke had a different idea. If Logan thought he had a chance, he’d spill more information.
Purposely, Burke gave him just enough room to scramble to his feet. Logan took off, running toward the barn.
Burke pursued. Though he could have easily overtaken Logan, he stayed one step behind. Just before Logan entered the barn, he grabbed his collar and spun him around. They were face-to-face.
“Where’s Nicole?” Burke demanded.
Logan took a wild swing, and Burke allowed the other man’s fist to make contact with the Kevlar vest. That had to hurt.
Logan yelled in pain. “Take off your armor. Fight me like a man.”
“Give me a reason,” Burke said. “Where’s Nicole?”
“She was here. But not anymore.”
Burke flipped off his helmet. “Your men abducted her by the creek. Right?”
“It was a joke. I was going to let her go.”
The cold night air felt good on Burke’s face. He was nearly as anxious to take off the protective gear as Logan was to have him do so. He yanked off the arm guards and tossed them aside.
Remembering his training as a negotiator, Burke offered a morsel of hope. “If you’re not involved in the kidnapping, this might turn out okay for you.”
Except for the murder of Barbara Ayers and the illegal smuggling. But Burke didn’t mention those charges. Or the fact that he’d just seen Logan shoot that woman in the leg.
Burke said, “We could make a deal.”
Though Logan’s eyes were red and watery from the smoke, he brightened. Deal making was his thing.
“It’s Butch Thurgood and Pete Richter,” he said. “They’ve got her. They took Nicole to the cave and never came back.”
Burke shed his Kevlar vest. His arms and upper body were free. “You asked for half a mil in ransom.”
“But I didn’t have Nicole. Like I said, just a joke.”
“Not very funny.”
Burke balanced his weight on the balls of his feet, ready to attack. He laid back and waited for Logan to make the first move. Which he did.
Logan took a jab toward Burke’s chin. He missed.
Burke retaliated with a quick body shot—hard enough to double Logan over. “You’re working with somebody inside the Carlisle Ranch. Who is it?”
Logan dragged himself upright. “I’m not going to prison, right?”
“Give me a name.”
“Lucas Mann. I paid him to help us with the sabotage. He let us know when we could get inside the ranch and make trouble.”
Burke feinted right. With his left hand he smacked Logan’s left arm. “Lucas wouldn’t set fire to the stable.”
Logan drew himself together. His posture signaled that he was getting ready for a final assault.