“I-”
A dark shape hurtled out of the trees and barreled into Kat just as a gunshot rang out.
Jeff dived for Kat and the prone figure on top of her. Before he could do a thing to help her, Kat had moved like lightning, slipping the grip of her captor and reversing their positions.
Another shot rang out, and a foot-long divet of grass flew up a scant inch beyond Kat’s head. Jeff jumped to his feet, grabbing the attacker by one arm as Kat took him by the other. The three of them sprinted across the lawn, zigzagging for cover.
A French-accented voice panted. “One shooteur. In the woods that way. I show you.”
“Ahh. We meet again,” Kat answered warmly.
The Ghost? Jeff’s jaw dropped as he ran. The guy had literally run right into his grasp? Exultation shot through him.
They dived into a stand of fig trees and the shooter paused for the moment.
“This way!” The Ghost took off crawling on his hands and knees, with Kat in tow.
“You’re not going to follow him, are you?” Jeff demanded in a whisper.
“Of course I am.”
“You’ve already walked into one trap tonight. Are you going to dive into another one?” Jeff challenged.
“He just saved my life. He’s not a killer.” And with that, Kat turned away and rose to a crouch, running after the thief.
Jeff closed his eyes for a moment in sheer exasperation and then gave chase. The pair had paused at the edge of the fig grove. He drew close in time to hear Kat murmur, “Can you point him out from here?
“I t’ink not.”
“Use this,” she said. Jeff gaped as she pulled out her spotter’s scope and passed it to the Frenchman.
“Ahh. There ’e is.”
Kat glanced over her shoulder. “Give me your gun, Jeff.”
“I’ll take the shot-”
She cut him off. “I’m a trained sniper. You’re not. I’ll take the shot.”
Shaking his head, he peeled his MP-7 off his shoulder and handed it over. “It’s sighted true. I make corrections manually.”
“Perfect.” Kat sounded distant, already completely focused on the shot to come. She transmitted over her radio. “Does anybody have the current winds at this location?”
She stretched out on the ground, settling into a prone position, the rifle coming up to her cheek.
Jeff recognized Carter Beigneaux’s voice from H.O.T. Watch Ops. “Five knots, variable from heading one hundred to one hundred and thirty.”
“Thanks,” Kat muttered.
“What’s going on?” Jennifer demanded.
Jeff answered, “A stray shooter.”
“You need telemetry?” Jennifer blurted in alarm.
“No. Cobra’s got it handled. Stand by.”
And something deep in his gut really did believe she had the situation under control. He was still and silent behind her as she set up for the shot.
“Where is he?” she murmured to the Ghost.
The Frenchman began to give a description, and after a few seconds, Kat cut in. “Got him.”
She murmured, “Target acquired. Request green light.”
Jeff answered immediately. “You are greenlighted.”
At his feet, she went completely still, as relaxed as if she were deeply asleep. Her legs sprawled wide to stabilize her body on her belly. Her right arm draped over his gun’s stock, and her cheek pressed against the housing as gently as a lover. He actually felt the calm that rolled off her, the utter concentration as her entire world narrowed down to a single point in her sights.
She exhaled slowly.
And then a single shot rang out.
Kat spoke emotionlessly. “Clean head shot. Target is down.”
Jeff sagged behind her.
She rolled over onto her back and the Ghost helped her to her feet. To the Frenchman, she said, “Thank you, my friend. I owe you one this time.”
“No, we are even. You went into that ambush instead of moi. I t’ink I would have died in there.”
“Not before you told them where you got that disk of yours,” Jeff commented.
The Ghost looked at him in surprise. “The Renoir job.”
Jeff nodded. They’d been right. The Indian businessmen. “Do you know who those men waiting for you were?”
“They are Russian. Not government. Private. How you say-mafiosi. The oil minister. He want his movie back and hire them.”
“Can you prove that?” Jeff asked.
The Ghost shrugged. “My source…’e cannot reveal himself to the likes of you. But ’e is never wrong.”
Jeff sighed. As he’d expected.
Jennifer spoke into his ear. “Police en route. Those outside shots were heard and reported by a neighbor.”
Kat started. “You must leave, my friend. The police are on their way.”
Jeff started. “Leave? Not on your life! He’s stolen a hundred million dollars’ worth of art. He’s under arrest!”
Kat turned to him. She didn’t say a word. She just looked at him with sad, wise eyes. And he knew in his heart that she was right. The honorable thing to do was as plain as day in her gaze. No wonder Vanessa Blake called her the Medusas’ compass arrow of right and wrong. He hesitated a moment more…
And then nodded in acknowledgment.
He turned to face the Ghost. “In light of the fact that you just saved the life of the woman I plan to marry, I think we can make an exception in this case. If you head down toward the beach, we can stall the police here.”
A wide smile broke across the thief’s face. He bowed his head briefly at Jeff, then turned to face Kat. He pressed a small rectangle of white into her hand. “If you ever have need of me, you have but to call this number. A message will reach me.”
He turned to leave, then paused and looked over his shoulder.
“She is a precious diamond, a woman of extraordinary worth. Take good care of her, monsieur.”
“Trust me. I plan to. For the rest of my life and hers.”
And as the Ghost faded away into the night, Jeff turned to face his future. Kat stepped into his arms eagerly, fitting against him as if she’d been born for him.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“For what? For letting him go? Or for finally seeing you for who you really are, and finally wrapping my brain around the fact that you can handle yourself every bit as well as I can? Or for accepting you for who you are-all of you, including your job and your crazy training and your blasted sense of honor?”
She laughed quietly. “All of that.”
“I love you, you know.”
She froze. Slowly she leaned back to look up at him. “Are you sure?”
It was his turn to laugh. “Oh, yeah. I’m sure. I was ready to slay lions and charge into hell for you in there. I’m a goner. Cupid’s Bolt did me in.”
“Gee, and here I thought it was Medusa’s arrow that got you.”
“That she did. She’s got all of me forever if she’ll have me. What do you say, darlin’? Will you marry me?”
Her smile was bright enough to light the heavens and illuminated his heart until he thought it might burst. “I thought you’d never ask. It would be my honor to have you.”
Jennifer Blackfoot’s voice came up on frequency, startling them both. “Uh, one of you is leaning on your transmit button.”
Kat buried her face against his chest in mortification as laughter and cheering erupted over their earpieces. And then General Wittenauer’s voice came up on frequency. “You’d better take good care of her, son. She’s like a daughter to me.”
Jeff closed his eyes in chagrin. “Yes, sir. I will, sir.” He gazed down at Kat apologetically. “So much for privacy for the two of us.”
“Welcome to my world,” she said, rolling her eyes.
He grinned down at her. “I think I’m gonna like it there. A lot.” He took her hand in his, and together, the two of them turned to walk into whatever the future held.
CINDY DEES
started flying airplanes while sitting in her dad’s lap at the age of three and got a pilot’s license before she got a driver’s license. At age fifteen, she dropped out of high school and left the horse farm in Michigan where she grew up to attend the University of Michigan.