Page 59 of Mountain Trial

She’s right.

Already there are fewer bullets flying around.

A man stepped out from the smoke. Luc’s heart almost stopped as he recognized Mako. He was bleeding profusely from a wound to his gut, the blood seeping thickly from between the man’s large, sausage-like fingers. It wasn’t the blood, however, but rather the man’s eyes, which told Luc that Mako wasn’t a threat anymore. Those dark eyes, so cold and indifferent just minutes earlier, were now glazed over with the imminence of death.

Mako stumbled to his knees, and from there his body hit the ground with a thump. He didn’t move again.

Another male figure appeared from behind the smoke, this one clad in black tactical gear. Unlike their attackers, this man’s face was almost completely covered by a dark ski mask. Only his dark eyes were visible.

“Kat Barreau, Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne,” Kat said quickly, standing to face the figure.

The man inclined his head. “Lemans. We met at the briefing session last week.”

Although she was still all too pale, Kat’s mouth broke up in a smile. “It’s good to see you.”

“I was hoping for an uneventful evening, standing outside in the parking lot, to tell you the truth. But glad we could be of service.”

“There were six of them. They each had a shark name. This was Mako―”

Lemans’s head came up sharply.

“Six? Are you sure?”

Even as he spoke, his hand went to his ear-piece.

“Capitaine, there were six attackers.” He paused for a moment, clearly listening to something. “Yes, she’s a credible witness. Its Kat Barreau, from the PGHM.”

“What’s wrong?” one of the hostages asked fearfully from his position on the floor.

At least one of the terrorists has escaped.

“Nobody move yet. We’ll need to speak with every single person in this room.”

Kat nodded and sat back down on the ground, leaning her back against Luc’s wheelchair. Her fingers sought his, squeezing his hand gently. It was at that moment that Luc finally admitted to himself that he loved her.

Chapter 23

Kat

Somebody handed Kat a blanket. She took it gratefully, wrapping it tightly around her torn, black dress, which in the early morning light looked almost indecent. She didn’t want to think about what her make-up looked like.

It felt strange, being on this side of things.

A victim.

The word gave her pause.

She looked up. All the hostages had finally been sent back home or to their hotels―only Luc, Damien and Tess remained with her in the ballroom. Jacques had disappeared before she could thank him, but she knew she owed him. That’s something she’d have to worry about at a future time.

Damien looked drained. He kept a tight hold on Tess by his side, as if she might disappear any second. As Kat had figured, Tess had been in the bathroom when it all started. She’d watched the entire thing go down from a police van.

Kat looked at Luc and realized in a sudden burst of clarity that she knew exactly how Damien felt. The thought that she might have lost Luc frightened her more than anything else that had gone on that night.

She walked over and took his hand in hers.

“I wish you’d agree to go to the hospital,” she said. Luc had repeatedly refused a visit to the hospital.

“The doctor checked me out already. I’m fine―just bruised―and there isn’t much the hospital can do about that.” His calloused fingers caressed the back of her hand. “How are you feeling, Kat? When can we go home?”