slid to the floor. At the security gate, Kristi entered the access code. The gate slid open, and she drove to the front of the house.
“Leave the front door unlocked when you get the money,” Rafe said. “If you run into trouble, I’ll be inside in less than a minute.”
Run into trouble? Kristi swallowed hard. She should have thought of that possibility. Hale and Fleming worked for the company providing security for her father’s home. They could have someone inside waiting to grab her.
She exited the SUV, walked to the front door, and unlocked it. She left the door open and headed for her father’s home office, turning on lights as she went.
Kristi opened the safe and removed the stacks of cash, dropping them into the bag she brought to carry the money. “Leaving now,” she murmured.
“You’re clear outside,” Rafe said.
A minute later, Kristi climbed behind the steering wheel and laid the cash bag on the passenger seat. She drove away from the house.
“I programmed the address into my phone’s navigation app,” Rafe said. “The drive will take 90 minutes if you drive the speed limit.”
“Is that what I need to do?”
“We need a few minutes to get into position,” Eli chimed in. “Drive a little faster than the speed limit, then take your time getting out of the vehicle and walking to the cabin.”
“Do you have a bazooka handy? I can probably hit some of Hale and Fleming’s friends with that.”
More laughter in her ear and from the backseat. Rafe laid his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “You don’t need a weapon. We’re prepared for just about anything.”
“As long as we get Dad out of there, I don’t care what happens to the rest of them.” Her hands tightened around the steering wheel.
“Including Ward?” he asked.
“Especially Hugh. He lied to me, stole from me, and cheated on me. Worse, he’s threatening my father’s life.”
“Rafe, Jon sent a file to your email,” Eli said. “Pull it up, and we’ll fine tune the plan now that we have the target location.”
“Yes, sir.”
The buzz of conversation between Wolf Pack and Dan Adams became background noise as Kristi followed the navigation directions to the address the kidnappers gave her. She contemplated the conversation she and Rafe had earlier that night. What was Rafe’s secret? Was it possible he had serious feelings for her?
Butterflies took flight in her stomach. She hoped one day he might come to love her as much as she loved him. Rafe Torres was the only man for her. If he rejected her, no other man would measure up.
Ten minutes from their destination, Eli said, “Kristi, go to the rest stop ahead. Rafe needs to change vehicles.”
Although she wanted Rafe to stay with her, Eli was right. Hale and Fleming weren’t likely to trust her.
“Everything will work out. We have your back and your father’s.”
“Backup is ten minutes behind us,” Jon said. “Trust us to do our job.”
Two minutes later, she took the exit Eli had indicated and parked. The other vehicles pulled in on both sides of Rafe’s.
After exiting the SUV with his equipment, Rafe handed the duffel to Jackson, opened Kristi’s door, and kissed her, hard and fast. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Listen for our instructions. Obey them to the letter. If we tell you to drop, do it.” Another hard kiss. “Be safe, baby.”
“Be careful, Rafe.”
“Always. I have the best reason in the world to keep breathing.” He flashed her a grin. “You.” With that, he closed the door and climbed into Cal’s SUV.
The operatives waited for Kristi to back out, then fell into line behind her. Five minutes from her destination, Wolf Pack pulled off the road and into the cover of trees near the roadway.
“Drop your speed, Kristi,” Rafe said. “Give us time to move into position.”
“Okay.” She eased up on the accelerator.
“What do you think about attending a rodeo?”
She smiled. “Sounds like fun.”
“Have you been to one?”
“I watched one on television a few months ago.”
“Not as good as being there in person. The music, the clowns, and the crowd make the experience worthwhile.”
“What’s the best part of the rodeo?”
“The food,” Jackson chimed in.
“The horses,” Cal added. “I’m taking Rachelle this year. She’s never been to one, either, but she asked me to take her when she saw an advertisement for one.”
“What do you think about a double date with Cal and Rachelle?” Rafe asked Kristi. “Would you like that?”
“I’d love to go with them. I’m looking forward to meeting Rachelle