The helicopter lurched upward, but it was too late. The structure hit the tail rotor.
Sparks flew, and the helicopter’s tail swung crazily.
BLAM! BLAM!
Two more shots from the hill, probably from Lynch’s gun.
Another gunman tumbled from the open helicopter hatch.
Definitely Lynch’s work, she thought.
The copter spun wildly as the pilot tried to gain altitude. But it suddenly veered sharply to the left.
BOOM!
The helicopter struck the hillside with a force that seemed to shake the night. It caught fire and rolled back down onto the athletic field.
Kendra ran down to the field to join Lynch, Harley, and the FBI agents who were watching the helicopter consumed by the fire.
“Interesting solution,” Lynch murmured.
Kendra couldn’t take her gaze from the burning helicopter. She could hear screams. The flames were devouring Delgado and all those people…“It was all I could think to do…”
Lynch and the FBI agents suddenly raised their weapons toward the helicopter.
A figure was upright and walking through the blaze.
Dietrich, Kendra realized. He was on fire, stumbling forward, one foot at a time. He emerged from the inferno and stopped, almost as if regarding them in bewilderment for one long, last moment.
He fell face-forward onto the lawn, burning blue with engine fuel.
Kendra made a sound deep in her throat and then was turning, running across the field. She didn’t stop until she was halfway to the gates. Then she dropped down on the grass, holding her knees and rocking back and forth.
“Kendra.” Lynch sat down beside her. “They were monsters.”
“Do you think I don’t know that? They murdered Elaine and Mr. Kim and heaven knows how many other good people. But it doesn’t make any difference, I’m the one who killed those particular monsters. I did it with my ‘interesting solution.’ And death is always terrible.”
“Yes, it is.” He was pulling her gently into his arms. “Are you going to be all right?”
“Yes.” She buried her head in his shoulder for an instant. “I just had to take a minute. Thanks for putting up with me.” She pushed him away and got to her feet. The vision of that moment before the helicopter had blown might stay with her for the rest of her life. She forced herself to lift her head to look back at the burning inferno that was still shooting flames into the sky. “They’re all…dead?”
He nodded. “There wasn’t a chance of getting anyone out.” He smiled faintly. “And no one but you would have made the attempt anyway. Every one of those guys would have put a bullet in you if they’d gotten the opportunity.” His smile vanished. “Maybe they did try to do that. How do I know? I don’t like working blind. I still don’t know what happened to you out there earlier tonight. Tell me.”
“Nothing good except the ending and I’m not sure about that.” She was hearing sirens. “Oh, great, that must be the fire department. They need to put out that fire before it spreads to the buildings here.”
And she was suddenly aware that Harley was standing a few yards away and barking at her. “I hear you, Harley. Just a minute.” She saw several FBI vehicles streaming through the gates. “Griffin. You’ll need to talk to him, Lynch. We can catch up later.”
“Now,” he said, through set teeth.
“I can’t.” She broke away from him and was running across the field after Harley. “Because Harley’s right, we’ve got to go check on Roberts…”
Chapter
18
Kendra saw Olivia the minute she turned away as the ambulance with Agent Roberts pulled out of the driveway. “What are you doing here?” Then she saw her expression. “It’s okay, Olivia. Everything’s all right. Dietrich’s dead, and they say that Agent Roberts is going to be okay.”
“What am I doing here? It didn’t occur to you that I might be worried about someone besides Agent Roberts?”
Kendra smiled teasingly. “And Harley is okay, too. He was a hero. You would have been proud.”
“I’m always proud of him, except when I’m not.” She walked over to Kendra and went into her arms. “You should have let me stay.” Her voice was muffled against Kendra’s shoulder. “It was a mistake. I could have talked some sense into you.”
“I didn’t know it was a mistake at the time. And it turned out all right, except for Roberts.” She held her close. “And I always let you run too many risks for me anyway. When I get a chance to not do it, I grab at it.”