Out of the Storm (Buckhorn, Montana #1) - B.J. Daniels Page 0,66

good as dead.”

“If you’re looking for sympathy—”

He swore and banged his fist down hard on the steering wheel. The SUV swerved, and he had to grab the wheel to keep them on the narrow, snowy road. “I was just telling you how it is.” He ground his teeth, wishing he hadn’t bothered, as ahead he had to slow to make the turn toward the first small Canadian town of Val Marie.

“I’ve been desperate in my life,” Kate said, a softness to her tone. There were tears in her eyes when they met his. “I do understand. But I can’t forgive you for involving my daughter.”

“She’s safe. I promise. I just needed leverage. I knew after you found Jon Harper you would never go with me.” He saw that he’d been right about that. She didn’t deny it. If she had her way, she’d be back in Buckhorn in that woodshop with a man who could very well be her husband. Or a complete stranger. Both preferable to her fiancé, Collin thought bitterly.

“How do you plan to get the fentanyl across the border?” she asked.

He gave her that blank look. “Who said anything about fentanyl?”

“Oh, for cryin’ out loud. Don’t tell me there isn’t a plan. Otherwise—”

“There’s a plan, if you must know.” He figured there was no reason to keep it from her. She already knew the worst of it. “The car is being adapted with containers on the undercarriage tomorrow.”

“Won’t they look at the border?”

He shrugged. “Hopefully not. But even if they do, they might not see them. The guy who does this sort of work, I’m told, is very good at hiding any extra storage compartments. But they probably won’t look because of you. You aren’t the kind of woman who makes cops suspicious.”

“Lucky me,” she said, glancing in the side mirror at herself as if assessing if that were true or not.

He drove past the first small Canadian town and headed north. “You can’t save him,” he said after a few miles. “Jon Harper,” he added in case she didn’t already know. “He’s on the run from mobsters. One of them or their friends will eventually find him and kill him. It’s why you can never be with him.” She said nothing. “It’s also why he can’t save you.”

She was staring straight ahead, giving him nothing but her profile. He was struck by how beautiful she was, how stubborn and determined and loyal. It would take a very special man to have this woman, he realized. Someone much more special than him. The thought angered him and made him think of his father. It turned his stomach that his old man’s prediction for his son might come true.

The sudden flashing lights in his rearview mirror startled him. He swore and looked over at Kate. “What did you do?”

“Nothing, I promise,” she said, sounding scared. She turned in her seat to look back.

“Don’t look back,” he ordered. “Maybe I was going over the speed limit. These damned kilometers.” Or maybe it was something far worse. Either way, he had no choice. He pulled to the side of the road, two wheels at the edge of the borrow pit, and put down his window. Cold winter air rushed in. The area was isolated, no buildings in sight, with nightfall coming on fast.

Bright headlights filled the car as the light bar on top of the rig flashed. Collin watched a man in uniform exit the vehicle behind them and make his way toward them. He thought about the loaded gun taped under his seat that had come with the rental. He shot a warning look at Kate as he turned to face the officer.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

IT WAS DARK by the time Jon had almost reached the border. He checked his phone. Both signals on Matthew’s rental SUV came in clear. He’d crossed the border at Port Morgan, but what surprised Jon was that the vehicle was now headed east. He considered the map on his phone. It appeared that Matthews had turned before Swift Current onto Highway 13 and was now headed in his direction. Where was he going?

The question was answered a moment later when the vehicle turned north again onto Highway 2, headed for Moose Jaw.

His cell phone rang. He’d been waiting for this call. “How’s Earl Ray?” he said into the phone, anxious for some good news.

“He wants to talk to you himself,” Bessie said and handed over the phone.

“Mia is fine,” his friend said without preamble. Earl