The FBI Thrillers Collection Books 6-10 - Catherine Coulter [353]
Sam stared up at his father, his small mouth working.
Miles came down on his knees next to Sam and Keely, drew them both into the circle of his arms. “Linnie’s here to take care of you guys. She’s going to get you dry and warm.”
The kids, pale and wet, stared up at him, saying nothing. They weren’t buying it, and he was trying his very best, dammit.
“Okay, Linnie is going to watch you and keep you company, okay? She’s also going to lock this place up tighter than your bank, Sam.”
“Papa, you’re going to leave us?”
He said simply, “I have to help Katie. Okay?”
“Don’t let those bad men hurt my mama,” Keely said, and burst into tears.
“I won’t let anyone hurt your mama, Keely. I promise,” Miles said as he stood up. “You guys, stay with Linnie.”
He mouthed a thank you to Linnie, who was gathering both children against her.
“Wait, Mr. Kettering!” She tossed him a cell phone. “Use it. Call us whenever you can, right, Sam?”
“Call me, Papa.”
“You got it, kid.”
“I’ll hug Keely,” Sam said. “She’s scared.” Miles watched his son pull Keely close and pat her back.
As Miles drove back through the heavy cold rain, the driver’s window cracked down, he could still hear sirens. He saw the glow of the flames from a mile away. With the heavy rainfall, at least the trees were protected. He pulled the truck up behind one of the deputy’s cars and jumped out.
The firemen were hosing down the roof of the house, but even with the heavy rain there was no hope. Katie’s house was gutted, and everything in it gone.
Miles threw back his head and yelled, “Katie!”
One of the deputies came running up, panting as he said, “Are the kids okay, Mr. Kettering?”
“They’re with Linnie in jail, I mean that literally. Where’s Katie?”
“I think she’s still in the back.”
Miles said, “They shot at the sheriff’s truck. You’ll probably be able to dig out the bullets, identify them. Are you sure Katie’s okay?”
“I heard her yelling,” the deputy said. “When she yells like that, she’s okay, just real mad.”
Miles nodded and ran to the back of the burning house, rain blurring his vision. He swiped his hand over his eyes, and shouted, “Katie!”
“I’m here.”
He nearly ran right into her. She was leaning against a sugar maple, tying something around her hand.
“Dammit, you hurt yourself,” he said, then pulled her tight against him, unable to help himself, he was so afraid.
“Nothing bad, I promise,” she said, and pulled back to give him the ghost of a smile. “A flying spark burned my hand. It’s not bad. The guys who bombed my house are long gone. Wade and the other deputies haven’t found anything yet.”
“Both of us know where they went,” he said. “First, let’s get your hand bandaged a bit better. I saw the paramedics out front.”
Ten minutes later they were in Katie’s truck, Miles driving, headed for the McCamy house.
Katie turned back to look at the devastation of her house. “Gone,” she said. “Everything’s gone, including all my pictures of Keely and even her chess set.”
“We’re alive and that’s all that matters. And you’ve got your hat.”
She was wet and dirty, her hair straggling down beneath her beautiful cream-colored straw hat, her hand hurt, but she managed a smile. “Yes, and now I want to face down the monsters who have tried to wreck our lives.” She drew her ankle gun and handed it to him. Driving with one hand, he shoved it into the waistband of his jeans.
As he leaned forward to wipe his hand across the fog building up on the windshield, Miles said, “The rain is finally letting up a bit.”
Katie said, “It’s nearly four o’clock in the morning. Do you think the McCamys will pretend they were sleeping?”
He just shook his head, concentrating on not sliding off the road. “Unless we get lucky, and these guys have gone back to the McCamy house, I don’t know what we’re going to accomplish tonight.”
Katie said slowly, “I’ve got an idea on how to get us through the front door.”
Miles raised