Page 152 of Running to You

Great. And Sam had missed it.

He approached the chair beside Eliza but didn’t sit, just snatched the coffee and gulped it, scalding his tongue. He barely felt it. “So you found him. If he owns the place, then obviously he’s there.” He plopped the cup down, spilling liquid onto the white tablecloth. “What’s the problem? You guys were special forces. You went into situations like that all the time, right?”

“We always had some intelligence,” Grant said. “We were never sent in blind. If nothing else, blueprints and—”

“I can get blueprints,” Sam said.

“Already tried.” This from Michael. “The ones at the courthouse are old. The structure’s been remodeled and added on to since then.”

“Usually, we’d have an idea how many people we’d be up against,” Grant continued, “or where weapons were being stored, or where hostages were being held, assuming we were on a rescue mission.”

“Even if we didn’t know all that,” Jon said, “we went in armed and prepared to take out targets. In other words, kill them. This isn’t Afghanistan. We can’t just shoot our way onto private property and start killing people. I’d rather not end up in prison.”

Prison. Right. Sam would go to prison to keep Eliza and Levi safe. But yeah, that wasn’t his first choice. And he didn’t want his brothers or Jon to end up there either.

Jon added, “And none of that would stop us if not for the sheer number of vehicles.”

“Four SUVs,” Grant supplied. “Four eight-seater SUVs. Meaning there could be as many as thirty-two people in that lodge.”

At that news, Sam sat heavily in the chair.

Thirty-two?

Even accounting for Nicole, Linda, and Levi, that left twenty-nine. How many of those would be armed and ready for a fight?

“Is the place big enough to hold that many?”

“Not comfortably,” Grant said, “but for a few days. Probably four thousand square feet.”

“Thirty-two assumes there aren’t two vehicles in the garage,” Jon added. “We tried to get a look, but its windows are covered as well. We have to assume there’re more.”

How could there be so many?

Sam turned to Eliza. “Did he employ that many guards?”

“There were ten, last I knew.”

“He could have hired them.” Jon’s tone was patient. Sam figured they’d gone over this all night long. “They don’t have to be mercenaries, soldiers. They can be bodyguards—like we were. If bad guys come in with guns, they’re going to shoot. And then we’ll end up having to kill innocent people.”

“They’re not innocent if they’re working for Keller.”

“It’s not like Keller’s going to introduce himself as a cult leader,” Grant said. “They won’t know.”

“Fine.” Sam stood and paced, thankful that they were at least giving him a minute to consider the problem. “We have to call the FBI. That’ll give the good guys a chance to walk away. Assuming there are any in there.” He looked from man to man, willing each to disagree. He was too angry to look at Eliza. The fact that she’d even consider walking into Keller’s hands again…

But she was the one who spoke. “If he came with that many, he’s prepared for a fight, maybe even itching for one.”

“That’s them talking.” Sam tipped his head toward his brothers and Jon. “Don’t let them scare you into doing something stupid.”

“It’s me talking.” Eliza’s voice didn’t shake or tremble or even pitch higher. She sounded eerily confident. “I know him. He used to talk about how he’d handle it if anyone tried to get on his land, how he’d fight them off. How he’d take a stand. I always thought it was crazy talk. Now I think…I think maybe he wants it. Maybe he’s trying to prove something.”

“What? That he can get people killed?” He stood over her, arms crossed, doing a lousy job of hiding his anger. “All you’re doing is proving my point. He’s dangerous and volatile. There’s no way…” He forced a calm tone and crouched in front of her. He took her hand, kissed her knuckles. “I can’t lose you. I can’t let you do this.”

“I’m not asking your permission. My son is in there. Your son is in there.”

It would have stung less if she’d slapped him again.

Michael had been quiet for most of the conversation. Sam stood and swiveled to face him. “You aren’t on board with this.”