CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

" It should be the next driveway, " Steven said.

Jake killed the lights, thankful for the half-moon that hung high above them. The lot was wooded, and Jake pulled her Land Cruiser among the trees and stopped. They could see lights through the branches.

" I hope this is the right fucking cabin, Steven." She opened the door quickly. " Be right back. I just want to take a look."

She moved through the shadows, small twigs and pine cones cracking loudly beneath her boots. Her breath frosted around her as she squatted behind a large spruce. She moved the lower branches out of the way, seeing figures move across the windows. Smoke trailed out of the chimney, and she wondered if they had the wrong place. Surely their killer wouldn't take the time to build a fire. Then she spied the two vehicles in the drive and her eyes widened.

" Fuck, " she whispered. She backed up, moving as quietly as possible to her vehicle. Once inside, she reached into the console and took out a gun. She inspected it, then loaded the chamber

before handing it to Steve. " Here."

" No, Jake. I don't do guns. I'm a computer geek, remember."

" Take it, Steven. There are two cars. One belongs to my lieu-tenant. I'm going to assume the other is his son's."

" We need to call for backup, " he said quickly.

" Yes. You do that. I'm going in."

" Jake, no, you wait for backup."

She met his eyes. " I just realized why police procedure forbids fraternization between partners. You lose your objectivity. Hell, you lose your common sense, " she said.

" What the hell are you talking about? "

" I'm in love with her. And I'm going to get her out."

" Oh, fuck, Jake."

" You take care of my dog, Mr. Bond." Jake ruffled Cheyenne's head, then was gone.

" I said I would shoot you, Matthew. I'm not going to shoot the doctor. That would be far too quick and painless."

Joni struggled to sit up, and Gregory kicked her down again. Nicole could stand no more. She moved from behind Matthew, her voice pleading.

" Let her go. She's done nothing."

" Nothing? Why, Dr. Westbrook, surely you know the crime she's committed. She has a son. A teenage son."

" No. She's not touched him."

" Oh, please. They all have. They all do. That's why they're being punished. One by one, they're being punished."

However futile, Nicole tried to reason with him. " Lieutenant Gregory, you're a police officer. You should know better than anyone that you can't take the law into your own hands."

His hearty laughter caused her to take a step back toward Matthew. " They teach you that in school, did they? Are you going to quote next the line about me not being above the law? " His grin was wicked. " But you see, I am above the law. As McCoy likes to say--no prints, no fibers, no nothing." He laughed again. " And they'll never find anything." He walked closer. " And you know why? Because I'm a cop, and I know what they look for. How ironic is that? "

Matthew again stepped between them. " You've got to stop this."

" Shut up, " Gregory said as his fist connected with Matthew's face, causing him to fall back against Nicole. " Fucking pervert." He looked at Nicole. " Do you know what he did? He fucked his own mother. Not just once, but for years. Fucked his mother. How sick is that? "

" Matthew was a victim of child abuse. How can you possibly blame him? "

" He was seventeen years old! " Gregory yelled. " Not a fucking child." He pointed his gun at Matthew. " Tell her how you fucked your mother."

Matthew wiped at the blood dripping from his nose. " I've already told her. You couldn't satisfy her so she turned to me."

Nicole pushed Matthew out of the way as Gregory swung at him. Her punishment was an open palm slap to the face. The force knocked her to her knees.

" Goddamn bitch! Oh, I'm going to enjoy you. Yes, I am."

Jake crept between the trees, her boots kicking blindly at the rocks that littered the forest floor. To her ears, it sounded inordinately noisy, and if not for the loud voices coming from the cabin, she was certain they would hear her approach. She heard her lieu-tenant's angry voice, and then heard Nicole. The tension that had gripped her for most of the afternoon eased somewhat. At least she knew Nicole was alive.

But her first step on the wooden deck screamed loudly in the night as the old wood creaked beneath her weight. She held her breath, waiting, but the voices continued. She squatted down below a window, making out Lieutenant Gregory, watching as he moved his weapon from his son to Nicole.

What the hell?

Instincts told her to break in and end this before he did something crazy. However, the tiny bit of rational thought she still clung to urged her to wait for backup. She didn't think Nicole was in immediate danger and with luck, her backup was on the way. Rick would be proud of her. She was operating somewhat by the book.

But when she saw her lieutenant hit Nicole and knock her to the ground, she stood, her anger bubbling to the surface. She walked purposefully to the side of the cabin and kicked in the door, tumbling on the floor to avoid the shot Gregory fired her way. She rolled up, her weapon ready. She found herself face to face with Lieutenant Gregory.

" Drop it, McCoy... or I'll drop you."

She grinned. " Right back at you, Lieutenant."

" You're not going to shoot me, McCoy. Everyone knows you're gun-shy."

Jake mirrored his movements as they circled the room. " No, sir, I'm not."

" Yeah, you are, " he said. He fired the next instant, the bullet hitting her in the shoulder and knocking her weapon out of her hand. " See? Sharpshooter, my ass."

Jake stumbled backward against the wall. " No! " she yelled when Nicole would have run to her. Nicole sunk back down to the floor beside Matthew, her eyes wild with fright. Jake's right arm hung limply at her side and she fought against the pain.

" Well, well. We've got a houseful of people here now, don't we? " He paced, his weapon waving out in front of him. " What to do, what to do? " He stopped pacing and looked around. " You know what, McCoy? There are only two people in this room that I want to play with. And you're not one of them. Neither is the pervert."

" Sorry to crash your party, " she managed.

He cocked his head. " By the way, where's that useless partner of yours? "

" Hospital."

" Oh yeah? What happened? "

" He's got a little headache." Jake shoved away from the wall, trying to turn her body. Her weapon lay next to the fireplace, too far away. Her spare gun was tucked behind her back. Unfortunately, it was positioned so that her right hand could reach it. Her now useless right hand. " Oh yeah, Captain Zeller was quite amazed at the tale we told him. You know, how you doctored the dispatch records six years ago. How four officers responded to a non-existent 911 call, three of whom are now dead. He was pretty interested in that part."

" You don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

" Computer geeks. They can find out so much shit, Lieutenant." Jake flicked her glance to Nicole. " Matthew knows all about that."

" Shut up! You didn't tell Zeller anything! "

Jake smiled. " Backup's on the way. You're done."

" The hell I am, " he hissed. He grabbed Nicole and jerked her to her feet. Matthew tried to stop him, tugging at Nicole's arm. Gregory turned the gun on his son and pulled the trigger. Matthew clutched his chest, blood seeping through his fingers as he sunk to his knees. Nicole screamed, reaching for Matthew as he slipped away. She instinctively used her elbow to pound into Gregory's midsection as she fell to the ground.

Jake dove for her gun, picking it up the instant Gregory fired. She felt the pain shoot through her and she squeezed her eyes shut for a second, trying desperately to hold on to consciousness. She saw Nicole fall away and she fired, sending Gregory backward. But it wasn't a clean shot. He sat up, taking aim again. Jake tried to shoot but her right hand gave way and the gun fell harmlessly to the floor. She watched, helpless, as he pointed his weapon at her.

When she heard the shot, she braced herself, but she felt nothing. Instead, she watched as Lieutenant Gregory sunk lifelessly to the ground. Behind him, a wild-eyed Steven stood, hands shaking so badly, the gun fell from his hands.

Jake's eyes slid closed as the world faded away.

Nicole ran to Jake, falling to her knees beside her. " Steven! Help me, " she yelled. There was so much blood, she didn't know where to start. She pushed open Jake's coat, finding her shirt nearly spotless. Oh God, her leg again. She saw the dark spot on her jeans as blood seeped through at an alarming rate. She lifted Jake's shirt. She wore no belt.

" Give me your belt, " she said to Steven. He quickly took it off and Nicole snatched it from him, tying it tightly above the wound, trying to stop the blood loss. " Ambulance? "

" Yes. I called for backup. They should be here by now."

Nicole motioned to the woman still tied and gagged. " Check on her. Her name is Joni."

When Steven moved away, Nicole bent close to Jake, whispering in her ear. " Please don't leave me, Jake. Please don't go."

She listened for a moment to her shallow breathing, praying the ambulance would hurry. She heard moaning behind her and looked up, seeing Matthew's hand twitching. She kissed Jake softly, then moved to Matthew, surprised that he was still alive. She took his hand and felt his gentle squeeze.

" Hang on, Matthew. It's all over now." His eyes fluttered open, and Nicole couldn't stop the tears that escaped. She squeezed his hand harder. " It's going to be okay."

" I don't... think so." He tried to swallow, but blood came out his mouth. Nicole smoothed the hair on his handsome face, trying to comfort him. " Remember me once in awhile, " he whispered.

" I'll never forget."

His last breath came quickly, and Nicole wiped away her tears with blood-stained hands. She moved back to Jake, gently cradling her head in her lap, brushing her hand through Jake's hair over and over again. Joni was huddled in one corner, in shock, no doubt. Steven was on the phone, asking where the goddamn ambulance was. Nicole felt a brief smile touch her face. Steven had been hanging around Jake too long.