Sara raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because like I told you, I know better. I’ve been here watching you.”
“But you haven’t told me why.” And the why might be the clue to getting out of here, Sara thought.
“Because John and I have a life to live, and I’m not going to let you get in the way.” Joy flipped her hair back defiantly.
“So, you’re John Morley’s mistress,” Sara said, comprehension dawning.
“Fiancée.”
“He didn’t wait long after offing his wife, did he?”
Joy narrowed her gaze. “All you need to worry about is that I outsmarted you. Cop versus cop, I come out ahead.”
Aha. Now they were getting to the bragging. “You’re a cop, too?”
Joy shifted her gaze, looking around to make sure they were still alone. “I was a corrections officer.”
Was. “What happened?”
“I was wrongly discharged for mental incapacity.” Joy sniffed as if the charge were offensive. “They just didn’t appreciate an independent woman.”
Sara figured the higher-ups in Joy’s department had read the woman correctly, considering she was armed, dangerous and holding Sara hostage.
“But Morley did, right? He appreciated everything about you,” Sara said, pushing Joy for more information.
“Of course. We planned everything. With Alicia gone and her money unfrozen, John could fix his business problems, and we’d live happily ever after.”
Sara thought she heard a car, then decided she was imagining things. “Sounds…perfect,” she said, refocusing on Joy.
The other woman nodded. “If only Alicia had died immediately, you wouldn’t be in this mess. Blame her.” Joy obviously missed Sara’s sarcasm completely.
“So, John sent you after me?” Sara asked, because Joy being here didn’t track with the man who’d approached her at the dance.
Joy rolled her eyes. “You are slow. Of course not. We women have to take things into our own hands, don’t we? He sent a man to scare you, but I’ve researched you. I know you don’t scare.”
“If you’ve been watching me, why did you wait so long?”
“I just knew to wait for the right moment. Just like I knew that blog story was a fake.”
Sara bit the inside of her cheek. “Can’t put anything over on you.”
Joy flushed with victory. “I knew John would buy the story and call his men off, but I’m smarter than that.”
“So you keep telling me.” The woman sounded more obsessed and insane than smart, but Sara respected dangerous even more. “Tell me something. How did you know when to pull over on the side of the road and wait for me?”
“When I heard John’s court date had been moved up, I knew to keep a closer eye on you. As soon as you loaded the suitcases into your car, I took up my position and waited. I knew it would only be a matter of time until you drove by, and I was right.” Joy’s eyes gleamed with pride.
Sara applauded. “Good for you.”
“I was worried I’d have to deal with your boyfriend, too, but you played right into my hands.”
Swell, Sara thought. She didn’t need the reminder that she’d made Joy’s life easier by stupidly bailing on Rafe and their well-thought-out plan. “And if Rafe and I had left town together?”
Joy shrugged. “I’d have gotten to you in the city,” she said matter-of-factly. “Okay, enough talking. Consider it your last request fulfilled.” She repositioned her hand, looking ready to shoot.
“So, now what? You’ll shoot me and leave my body by the tunnels and…what? Hope nobody connects you to me?”
“How will they?”
Sirens suddenly sounded in the distance. A combination of panic and relief washed over Sara.
Shock registered on Joy’s face. “How would they ever find us?”
Sara swallowed hard and decided to gamble. “You’re not as smart as you thought. I left Rafe a clue,” she said, goading the other woman, hoping to keep her talking and off balance so she wouldn’t shoot.
“And there’s no way out, so drop your weapon.” Rafe came up from behind, taking Joy off guard.
Sara, too. Apparently she had heard a car in the distance earlier, and Rafe had snuck up on foot.
Surprised, Joy swung toward Rafe, then back to Sara, who had safely stepped out of reach.
Joy was caught in between them both and chose to focus on Rafe.
Each had a gun drawn on the other.
“Stalemate,” Rafe said.
“She’s Morley’s girlfriend,” Sara informed him.
“Fiancée.” Joy’s correction sounded inane in light of the situation, but the distinction clearly mattered to her.
From behind Joy, Sara met Rafe’s steady gaze.
She’d left him, and he’d come after her anyway. There would be time later to reflect on what that meant. For now, she knew what she had to do.
She just hoped she didn’t get Rafe shot in the process.
Sara gave Rafe an imperceptible nod.
“Drop!” she yelled at the same time she dove for the back of Joy’s legs, barreling into her and taking her down at the same time a gunshot sounded, deafening in its roar.
And heart-stopping in that Sara had no idea whose gun it came from, or who, if anyone, the bullet had hit.
RAFE READ SARA’S MIND, anticipated her action and was ready to duck when the order came. He hit the ground and rolled away from the woman’s aim. The shot missed, and he quickly rose to his feet.
Sara had the upper hand, but the other woman still had the weapon, which they were grappling for. Rafe stepped on the woman’s arm, and the gun fell from her hand. Sara scrambled on hands and knees for the weapon, grabbed hold of the gun and rose to her feet.
It was over by the time police cars surrounded them and screeched to a halt. It took another forty minutes to get the cops up to speed, the story straight and Joy taken into custody.
Over an hour passed before Rafe and Sara had a minute alone.
From the moment he’d found her car on the side of the road until she’d taken possession of Joy’s gun, his only thought had been Sara’s survival. Once he’d accomplished that, the deal he’d made with his brother, to go after their women, took center stage. But Rafe had realized there was nothing left for him to say. He’d put everything out there for Sara, and by walking out on him earlier, she’d thrown it back in his face.