Thanks to all you readers for your continued support and kind words and for being dedicated members of the Samcedes fanfiction family. Standard disclaimer: I own probably ten percent of this story, the rest of the credit goes to the author Delores Fossen and creators/writers of Glee.
Triggers: More Violence
Chapter Twelve
Mercedes was there in the foyer, much as she'd been the night Ryder had taken her. Her hands were still cuffed behind her, and like the big bulky guy next to her, her attention was nailed to the front door. She opened her mouth as if to call out to him, but the thug said something to her. Something probably meant to make her stay quiet. She didn't.
"Sam, no!" she shouted.
The thug backhanded her, and Mercedes's head snapped back. Something else snapped, too. The leash Sam had on the rage inside him. He took aim through the crack and fired.
Two bullets slammed into the thug's chest.
Sam didn't wait for him to drop. He ran to the front door, kicking it open and then moving quickly to the side so that the second man couldn't shoot him. But the guy was already running toward the back of the house.
"He was going to shoot you," Mercedes said. "And he's got some kind of device. I'm almost positive it's to set off a bomb. There's a button labeled 'Execute.'"
Sam didn't have a lot of knowledge about explosives, but Ryder had clearly found someone who knew how to blow things up. The proof of that was in the front yard of the inn where there was a gaping hole and debris.
"Steven, tell everyone to stay put," Sam called out to his brother, and he went to Mercedes.
Hell, her face was bleeding, and she was shaking. But she also looked riled to the core. That was good. Much better than a panic attack.
The skinny second man disappeared into a room off a long, dark hall, but Sam didn't go after him. The thug on the floor was still alive, moaning in pain.
And he was armed.
Sam did something about that. He snatched up the thug's gun, putting it in the back waist of his jeans, and he moved Mercedes away from the man in case he tried to grab her. He didn't want one of the goons getting their hands on her again.
"You came," she said, her breath gusting. "That wasn't very smart."
He nearly smiled. "I swore I'd come back to you, and here I am."
This time when he looked at her, there were tears shimmering in her eyes. Sam wanted to kiss her, to hold her, but there wasn't time. He used his pocketknife to cut the plasticuffs and then handed her the thug's gun.
"There's really a bomb?" he asked.
"I think so, but it must be outside because I didn't see Dakota bring it inside." She tipped her head to the hall. "That's his name, and he said Ryder hired him." She paused. "I'm not sure I believe him."
"Neither do I."
But that left Sam with a huge question—who had done this? And what was he going to do about it? He couldn't take Mercedes back outside, not with the possible bomb, and he didn't want to leave her alone with the injured thug. If he wanted to catch this Dakota and get answers, then he'd have to go after him and take Mercedes with him. Not that he could have talked her into doing otherwise.
While keeping watch around them, he took out his phone to see if Dakota was still on the line. He wasn't. So Sam sent a text to Steven to let him know that Mercedes was okay, more or less, and that he should call the bomb squad to get them out there.
Sam wouldn't have backup until they cleared the place, and by then Dakota could be long gone. If there was a bomb, Dakota would know where it was and get around it.
"Watch our backs," Sam told Mercedes. He hated to rely on her for that. She'd just been through a horrible ordeal. A kidnapping. And she was probably having some horrible flashbacks, but he didn't have a lot of options here.
With his gun still gripped in his hand, Sam started moving. There was a large staircase to his right, but that was boarded off. Not that it would stop someone from going up there, but he didn't see any footprints in the thick layer of dust on the floor. All the footprints led to the hall so that's where Sam went.
Sam had been in this hall before, but he cursed when he saw all the doors. At least a dozen of them. The other times he'd been in this part of the inn, it had been weeks and even months after his father's murder. There hadn't been the threat of a hired gun ready to strike.
Unfortunately, the hall was even darker than the foyer, and it made it much harder to see the floor. There were dim pockets of light coming from the doors that were open, but most were closed. He didn't know if they'd been that way before Dakota's attempted escape or if the thug was hiding behind one of them.
Of course, since each room had windows, it was also possible the man was long gone. Because of the thick shrubs and trees around the place, Steven and the others might not have even seen him.
When Sam reached the first door, he kicked it open, and waited a heartbeat to make sure he wasn't about to be gunned down. No sound. Nothing. He glanced inside and didn't see a single footprint in the dust so he moved to the next one.
Behind him, he could hear Mercedes's still uneven breathing, and when her back brushed against his, he could feel her tight muscles. Maybe she wouldn't hate him too much for putting her through this kind of hell.
Sam kicked in another door. Nothing there, either. Ditto for the next two. He was about to bash in the door of the fourth when there was some movement at the end of the hall. Someone peered out from one of the rooms, and Sam automatically took aim at the person.
"Don't shoot," someone said.
Marley.
Hell, what was she doing here? He didn't like the way she kept turning up where she shouldn't.
Sam didn't fire, but that was only because the woman didn't appear to be armed. However, he did make sure he was in front of Mercedes.
"Ryder's dead," Marley said, her voice trembling. She seemed to be trembling, too, but Sam knew that could be faked. "You killed him. Good. I didn't want him alive after what he did. He did horrible, horrible things." Marley sounded as if she were about to lose it.
"How did you get in here?" Sam asked her.
"Through the back." She made a vague motion behind her. "Not all the windows are boarded up or locked. I came here because I wanted to see the place where he tried to kill me. He nearly blew me up in that explosion."
"And he still could. There's a bomb nearby. Did you see the man who set it?"
Even in the darkness, he could see Marley's eyes widen. "No. I didn't see anyone." Her gaze fired around. "We need to leave. We have to get out of here."
The woman turned as if ready to bolt, but someone reached out from behind her and put her in a choke hold. Just as the thug had done to Mercedes back at the ranch.
Seeing that felt as if someone had slugged Sam in the gut, but he kept his hand steady. Took aim. But he didn't have a clean shot, not with Marley in the way.
Marley shrieked, but the sound was strangled, no doubt because the man was already cutting off her oxygen.
"Let her go!" Sam tried, and he sent a warning shot at the man, aiming the bullet into the ceiling above the guy's head.
The man was behind Marley, but Sam saw his gun snake out. And the man fired.
Sam pulled Mercedes into the room in the nick of time because the bullet slammed into the doorjamb.
"Help me," Marley called out on the tail of another of those shrieks.
Sam wasn't sure if this was a trap or not, but he couldn't just let the woman be murdered in front of him. He leaned out to send off another warning shot, and that's when he saw the face of the man who was holding her. Not Dakota.
Cooter.
Everything went suddenly so still that Mercedes thought it was as if everything, including her body, had simply stopped. Her breath. Her heart. Even her thoughts.
The moment just froze.
Cooter stood there, his arm curved around Marley's throat, his gun aimed at Sam and her. And in that moment she knew why it'd come to this.
"You killed Kitty," Mercedes said, her voice carrying like a whispered echo in the empty inn.
"Then you murdered my father and Anthony to cover it up." Sam's voice wasn't exactly a whisper. More a dangerous growl.
"No. Not your father." Cooter spoke calmly. He didn't sound especially angry despite the fact he was on the verge of killing a woman. "But Anthony, yes. I'm sorry about that. Sorry it had to go down that way."
Strange that he would admit to one murder but not the other. But if Cooter hadn't murdered Dwight, then who had? Ryder had denied it, as well.
"The only thing you're sorry about is getting caught," Sam spat out.
"Yes," Cooter admitted. He was calm. Too calm. And that was even more chilling. He wasn't killing in some crazed haze like Ryder. This was ice-cold and calculated.
There was only a thin thread of light in that part of the hall, but Mercedes caught Marley's eyes and saw the terror in them.
"Is Marley part of this?" Mercedes asked.
"No. She's not what you'd call an organized thinker. Ryder used her."
Mercedes glared at him. "And you didn't?"
Cooter certainly didn't deny that, so maybe he'd lured Marley here. It wouldn't have taken much. She wasn't just an unorganized thinker, the woman was almost certainly mentally unstable.
"Sue's helping you." Mercedes threw it out there, hoping it would hit a nerve. By God, she wanted to know who was involved in this so they could be punished.
"No. Not Sue." Cooter didn't hesitate, but the moment he answered her, he shoved Marley forward, took aim at her.
And he fired.
The bullet slammed into Marley. She screamed, a hoarse pitiful sound that told Mercedes the shot hadn't killed her. Not yet anyway. But she was in pain. Worse, that scream might send Steven, Adams and the hands running into the inn, and they could set off the explosives. If that happened, they could all be killed.
Cooter didn't wait around. The moment Marley hit the floor, he turned and ran back into the room where he'd been hiding.
"He's not getting away." Sam took off after him, the sound of his cowboy boots slamming against the hardwood floor.
Mercedes went with him, keeping watch behind them in case they were ambushed. After all, Dakota could still be around, and if so, she needed to get that remote control from him and try to deactivate the bomb.
"Stay behind me," Sam warned her as they reached Marley.
The woman was moaning and had her hand over her shoulder, and while there was blood, Mercedes prayed it wasn't life threatening. There was no way they could get an ambulance out there, not until they'd secured the area. Whenever that would be.
"Put some pressure on the wound," Mercedes instructed the woman. It wasn't enough, but at the moment it was all she could do. She needed to make sure Sam wasn't about to be ambushed.
Sam peered into the room where Cooter had disappeared, and he immediately cursed. Mercedes soon saw why. The window in this room wasn't boarded up.
It was wide-open, the tattered remains of old white curtains fluttering in the breeze. It looked like a ghost.
Since there was some light here, she could also see the footprints in the dust. A lot of them, making her wonder if this was how Dakota had escaped, too. But she soon saw that he hadn't. Dakota was on the floor, in one of the shadows in the corner of the room.
"Stun gun," Cooter said, causing Mercedes to snap to attention, and she frantically tried to pick through the darkness and find him.
Cooter was in the opposite corner from Dakota. Sitting there, his back wedged against the wall. He had his gun in his right hand, and it was pointed directly at Sam. The remote control for the bomb was in his lap, the fingers of his left hand hovering over the button with that sickening label.
Execute.
Mercedes's first instinct was to shoot him, but she couldn't do that, not with him holding that remote.
He could blow the place up.
"You did more than stun him," Sam said.
Mercedes had a closer look, and she saw the syringe sticking out of Dakota's neck. It had been rammed into him like a knife, and she thought maybe it had killed him. She couldn't see any signs that he was breathing.
It was impossible for her to feel sorry for the monster on the floor who'd kidnapped her and brought her to this place. Not under Ryder's orders, either. But Cooter's. However, seeing him sprawled out on the floor like that was proof that Cooter was capable of killing. He'd already admitted to that, but it turned her stomach for it to be right in front of her.
"He was about to escape out the window, and he saw me. I could see it in his eyes that he knew what was going on, I couldn't leave him alive. He would have eventually blackmailed me the way Ryder did." Cooter's forehead bunched up, and he winced as if the impact of what he'd done was hitting him hard.
Good, Mercedes thought. She didn't want any of Ryder's insanity or cockiness. She wanted Cooter to understand every bit of the misery he'd caused.
Misery that wasn't over yet.
She nearly reminded him that his other henchman was still alive. Well, maybe he was. But hearing something like that might send Cooter even farther over the edge. If that was possible.
From out in the hall, Marley moaned, but it sounded as if the woman hadn't moved. Maybe if Marley had put some pressure on the gunshot wound, it would be enough until the medics could get to her.
"You need to put down your gun and that controller," Sam told the marshal. "You're not going to get out of this alive."
"No," Cooter readily agreed. He kept his eyes locked with Sam's. "It was never supposed to go this far. I don't expect you to understand, but it was never supposed to go this far."
Sam cursed. It was raw and mean. "You son of a bitch. You killed people. You just shot a woman out in the hall. And you brought Mercedes here to kill her. Why? She had nothing to do with Marley."
But Sam stopped, went still. "You were going to pin all of this on Ryder. His sick orders from the grave. Mop up. You were going to stand back with blood on your hands and let Ryder take the fall."
Cooter made a sound of agreement. "Both Dakota and his partner thought they were working for Ryder. They told you exactly what I instructed them to tell you. I figured if you believed Ryder was behind this, that he had killed your father and Anthony, that you'd let it go."
"Never," Sam assured him. "I would have kept digging."
"Yes. I know." Cooter dragged in a long breath. "You and Mercedes just wouldn't let it go. Anthony, your father and you kept digging and digging, Ryder, too."
"Ryder?" Mercedes challenged.
"Stay behind me," Sam warned her as they reached Marley.
The woman was moaning and had her hand over her shoulder, and while there was blood, Mercedes prayed it wasn't life threatening. There was no way they could get an ambulance out there, not until they'd secured the area. Whenever that would be.
"Put some pressure on the wound," Mercedes instructed the woman. It wasn't enough, but at the moment it was all she could do. She needed to make sure Sam wasn't about to be ambushed.
Sam peered into the room where Cooter had disappeared, and he immediately cursed. Mercedes soon saw why. The window in this room wasn't boarded up.
It was wide-open, the tattered remains of old white curtains fluttering in the breeze. It looked like a ghost.
Since there was some light here, she could also see the footprints in the dust. A lot of them, making her wonder if this was how Dakota had escaped, too. But she soon saw that he hadn't. Dakota was on the floor, in one of the shadows in the corner of the room.
"Stun gun," Cooter said, causing Mercedes to snap to attention, and she frantically tried to pick through the darkness and find him.
Cooter was in the opposite corner from Dakota. Sitting there, his back wedged against the wall. He had his gun in his right hand, and it was pointed directly at Sam. The remote control for the bomb was in his lap, the fingers of his left hand hovering over the button with that sickening label.
Execute.
Mercedes's first instinct was to shoot him, but she couldn't do that, not with him holding that remote.
He could blow the place up.
"You did more than stun him," Sam said.
Mercedes had a closer look, and she saw the syringe sticking out of Dakota's neck. It had been rammed into him like a knife, and she thought maybe it had killed him. She couldn't see any signs that he was breathing.
It was impossible for her to feel sorry for the monster on the floor who'd kidnapped her and brought her to this place. Not under Ryder's orders, either. But Cooter's. However, seeing him sprawled out on the floor like that was proof that Cooter was capable of killing. He'd already admitted to that, but it turned her stomach for it to be right in front of her.
"He was about to escape out the window, and he saw me. I could see it in his eyes that he knew what was going on, I couldn't leave him alive. He would have eventually blackmailed me the way Ryder did." Cooter's forehead bunched up, and he winced as if the impact of what he'd done was hitting him hard.
Good, Mercedes thought. She didn't want any of Ryder's insanity or cockiness. She wanted Cooter to understand every bit of the misery he'd caused.
Misery that wasn't over yet.
She nearly reminded him that his other henchman was still alive. Well, maybe he was. But hearing something like that might send Cooter even farther over the edge. If that was possible.
From out in the hall, Marley moaned, but it sounded as if the woman hadn't moved. Maybe if Marley had put some pressure on the gunshot wound, it would be enough until the medics could get to her.
"You need to put down your gun and that controller," Sam told the marshal. "You're not going to get out of this alive."
"No," Cooter readily agreed. He kept his eyes locked with Sam's. "It was never supposed to go this far. I don't expect you to understand, but it was never supposed to go this far."
Sam cursed. It was raw and mean. "You son of a bitch. You killed people. You just shot a woman out in the hall. And you brought Mercedes here to kill her. Why? She had nothing to do with Marley."
But Sam stopped, went still. "You were going to pin all of this on Ryder. His sick orders from the grave. Mop up. You were going to stand back with blood on your hands and let Ryder take the fall."
Cooter made a sound of agreement. "Both Dakota and his partner thought they were working for Ryder. They told you exactly what I instructed them to tell you. I figured if you believed Ryder was behind this, that he had killed your father and Anthony, that you'd let it go."
"Never," Sam assured him. "I would have kept digging."
"Yes. I know." Cooter dragged in a long breath. "You and Mercedes just wouldn't let it go. Anthony, your father and you kept digging and digging, Ryder, too."
"Ryder?" Mercedes challenged.
No sound of agreement that time. It was more of a quick hollow laugh. "A year ago, Ryder contacted me a few hours before he kidnapped you, said that he'd worked it all out. That he knew I'd killed Kitty and tried to cover it up so Sue wouldn't find out. But it wasn't like that. I didn't plan to kill her. It just happened when she tried to blackmail me."
"You think that excuses what you did?" Sam snapped. "It doesn't."
"No. It doesn't. But Ryder used it. He said he'd go to you with some so-called proof. Something that I left behind at the scene of Kitty's death. Ryder lured me here to the inn that night, and that's when I shot Anthony. I thought I was shooting Ryder." His gaze came to Sam's again. "But not your father. I swear on Sue's soul that I didn't kill him."
Sam certainly didn't jump to say he believed him. Neither did Mercedes. But he hadn't sworn on his own soul but rather Sue's. So, maybe Cooter didn't have that death on his head.
Mercedes glanced at the syringe in Dakota's neck and wondered if the drugs inside it had been meant for her. Re-creating the scene of what Ryder had done to Tina and her a year ago. Just one more piece of a pretense put together so a killer could get away with what he'd done.
"Ryder had given Anthony proof of my affair with Marley," Cooter continued. His eyes were blank, the look of a man who'd been defeated. "That's how Ryder lured me here that night. He wanted me to kill you, your father and Anthony." He glanced at Mercedes. "He was going to save Tina and you for himself."
That wasn't a surprise. Ryder loathed her. Tina, too, because they'd been the ones to expose him for the monster that he was. Still, he was no more of a monster than Cooter. Because Cooter had sworn to uphold the law, and here he was taking it into his own dirty hands. In that moment, she despised him more than she did Ryder.
"You didn't have to involve Marley in this," Mercedes said, glancing over at the woman.
"Yes, I did, because I couldn't be sure what Ryder had told her." Cooter looked up at Sam then. "I didn't kill Ryder, but I wanted to. God, I wanted to. It's a nice touch that he got betrayed by one of his own men."
Yes, it was. If Ryder had lived though, she doubted he would have been amused by it. He would have murdered Goolsby in a brutal way.
"You gave Ryder the location of my WITSEC house?" Mercedes asked. Not that it mattered, but it would tie up that one loose end in her mind.
Cooter nodded. "I was the breach in WITSEC. Whatever you do, don't try to pin any of this on Sue."
"That's exactly what I'm going to do," Sam replied. "That's why you're going to put down the remote and your gun so I can take you into custody. You can confess to everything and by doing so, you clear your girlfriend's name. If not, I'll go after her and find a way to connect her to your crimes. I'll put her behind bars for the rest of her life."
Mercedes could see what Sam was doing. He was trying to goad Cooter into making sure Sue didn't get hurt in this.
But she would anyway.
If Sue loved Cooter as much as she claimed, this was going to destroy her. And when Mercedes looked in Cooter's eyes, she saw that he knew exactly that.
"Please don't do that to her. Please," Cooter said. "Tell her I'm sorry." He moved both of his hands.
In the same motion, Sam lunged at him. But it was too late. Cooter hit the button on the remote just as he fired a bullet in his own head.
Sam's heart stopped dead. He automatically lunged at Mercedes, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to the floor so he could try to use his body to protect her.
They hit, hard, the jolt of the impact slamming through him, but Sam shoved aside the pain and braced himself for the explosion.
It didn't come.
He held his breath, waiting, wondering if the bomb was on a timer. Maybe. If so, the threat was still there, and it was possible that the sound of the last gunshot would cause Steven and the others to come closer. Sam took out his phone, to call them and tell them to stay back, but then he saw the controller still on Cooter's lap.
Cooter was clearly dead, his head now slumped to an obscene angle against the wall, and his eyes blank and lifeless. There was blood spatter everywhere, including on the controller, but it didn't cover the lights.
The green light was off.
Sam had a closer look, and he realized that Cooter hadn't executed the bomb. He'd turned it off.
The breath of relief swooshed out of him, but there'd be no real relief until he had Mercedes safely away from this place. There could be another way to set off the bomb, one that didn't involve the controller. A marshal—especially a dirty one—would have seen to that. Cooter had obviously changed his mind about blowing them up, but there could be other hired guns out there waiting to do the job. They wouldn't have gotten the "memo" that their boss had just offed himself.
Sam pulled her to her feet, and that's when their eyes met. Definitely not relief, either. Or shock, something he had expected.
"We have to get out of here," she said.
He wasn't going to argue with that, but when he glanced at Marley who was lying in the doorway, he knew leaving wasn't going to be easy. The woman was bleeding, and unlike Mercedes, there was some shock.
"Dakota was going to leave out the window," Sam reminded her.
Or rather that's what Cooter had told them. Sam didn't like to put any stock in anything Cooter had said, but judging from the position of Dakota's body, it made sense. And if it was a safe enough way for him to escape, then they could use it, too.
"Are you hurt?" Sam asked Mercedes, and it twisted at him that he hadn't already asked, or checked for himself. He'd soon remedy that when he had her safe.
"I'm okay. Let's get Marley out the window."
Sam figured the okay wasn't anywhere close to the truth. Her face was bleeding, and the bruises were already forming on her cheek. Still, Mercedes moved fast when they went into the hall, got on each side of Marley and hoisted the woman up.
He kept watch because the hired thug was still in the foyer, but Sam didn't see the man as he and Mercedes made their way to the window. It was a risk because he could end up hurting Marley more than she already was, but they couldn't stay inside. Thankfully, Marley cooperated, but she did let out a long whimpering sob when she saw Cooter.
"He shot me," Marley said. "Why? I never did anything to him."
Since Sam didn't have an answer for that, he just stayed quiet and eased Marley out the window. "Don't move," he told the woman. "There could be explosives out here."
In hindsight, he should have figured out a gentler way of telling her that because he had to latch on to Marley to keep her from running. Sam held on to her while he climbed out. Mercedes was right behind him, and she landed on her feet right next to him.
"Sam?" he heard Steven shout. There was plenty of concern in his brother's voice.
Sam sat Marley on the ground and took out his phone. Steven answered on the first ring. "We're out of the house, and in the backyard. Mercedes and I are...fine." He used Mercedes's answer only because he didn't want to get into the truth.
"Good." Steven blew out a breath. "Stay put. The bomb squad just got here to do a scan. There's an ambulance here, too."
Since Sam hadn't heard any sirens, it must have made a silent approach, but he was glad it was there. Marley's injuries didn't appear to be life-threatening, but she needed help. That's why it was so damn hard to stand there and wait.
"There's another hired gun in the foyer," Mercedes said, leaning in closer to the phone. Closer to Sam, too. He wanted to pull her into his arms. Wanted her against him. But he needed to keep his hands free in case he had to defend them. "Marley's also been shot, and she's in the backyard with us."
"I can try to get to you," Steven offered.
"No." Sam couldn't say that fast enough. "Make sure the grounds are clear first. The thug Dakota said the walls of the inn weren't that thick, meaning that the bomb was outside." Well, unless there were others.
Steven didn't sound relieved now. He cursed. "How bad did things get in there?"
Bad. But Sam didn't say that aloud, either. "It was Cooter. He killed Kitty and Anthony. Cooter did that to cover up his affair with Kitty." Sam had to pause. "Cooter just killed himself."
Silence. Followed by more profanity that was raw and punched up with emotion. "And Dad? Did Cooter kill him, too?"
"He said he didn't." Sam hated to add this next part. "And I believe him."
The words had hardly left his mouth when Sam heard the footsteps behind them. He immediately turned, putting Mercedes behind him, and he saw Sue making her way toward them. She had drawn her gun, but she held it down by her side.
Sam's first thought was that she'd come there to finish the job that Cooter had started, but then he saw her eyes. They were red from crying, and there were fresh tears on her cheek.
"Is Cooter here?" Sue asked, her voice trembling. "I tapped into the GPS, and I know he came here. I found his car on a trail." She made a vague motion to the right, but she never took her gaze off Sam.
"Put down the gun, Sue," Sam warned her.
She shook her head as if not understanding. Sue's gaze fired from Marley to Mercedes and then back to Sam.
"If you tapped into his GPS, then you knew something was wrong," Sam said. "You knew what he'd done to Kitty and Anthony? You knew he was a killer and was ready to kill again to cover his tracks?"
More tears came, and this time her head shakes became frantic. The moment the gun slipped from her hand and fell, Sam hurried to her to restrain her. He doubted she was an actual accessory to Cooter's crimes. Not before the fact anyway. But he wasn't taking any chances. When he put plasticuffs on her, Sue sank to her knees on the ground.
"Cooter's dead," she muttered. It wasn't a question.
"Yes, he killed himself."
Sam steeled himself to give her details, but he didn't get a chance because he heard a new wave of footsteps.
"It's me," Steven said, and Sam spotted his brother coming up the trail Sue had taken. "I saw Sue making her way back here, and since she didn't set off any explosives, I figured I'd come back and lend a hand."
As Sue had done, Steven glanced around as if piecing things together, and he cursed softly. Not because of Sue or even Marley but when his attention landed on Mercedes. "You've been taking some punches lately."
Mercedes nodded. "But I'm okay now."
Unlike her earlier assurance that she was okay, Sam thought this one might be closer to the truth.
"I didn't see any other gunmen," Steven went on, and he looked at Sue. "Is she under arrest?"
"No," Sam answered, and since he had his brother's help, he risked slipping his arms around Mercedes's waist. "Just being cautious."
Steven made a sound of agreement. "Come on. We can use the trail to get Marley to the ambulance. To get you and Mercedes to the cruiser, too. I'll handle Sue while Adam deals with the bomb squad."
"There's an injured man in the foyer," Mercedes reminded him. "And Dakota's in the room."
"Yeah. We'll take care of him once the building and grounds are cleared." Steven went to Marley, lifting her so he could support her weight. Sam did the same to Mercedes so they could start walking.
Sam continued to keep watch, but he no longer felt that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Ryder and Cooter were dead. For now, the danger had passed.
"Evander called," Steven said as they walked. "No change in Tina's condition. He said he'd call you after you were at the sheriff's office."
Good. Because they needed to talk.
"Tina will have to stay in protective custody," Mercedes muttered.
And Sam had to nod. Tina was the only person who could possibly ID his father's killer. That meant she was in danger. Well, maybe she was. Maybe like Cooter and Ryder, his father's killer was dead, too. Still, it was too big of a risk to take not to keep Tina under protection. Then, once her memory returned...well, then they'd have to deal with whatever was now trapped in her head.
When they made it back to the front road, Steven handed off Marley to a medic who immediately whisked her into the ambulance.
"You should let the medics check you," Steven added to Mercedes.
She shook her head. Sam nodded. He compromised by adding, "Soon."
And the look Sam gave her let Mercedes know that he wouldn't budge on that. He'd come close to losing her, and he had to make sure she was truly all right. First, though, he wanted to get her off her feet before she fell flat on her face.
Sam threaded his way through the medics, bomb squad, Adam and the hands who were still around, and he led Mercedes to the cruiser. He got her in the front seat but didn't drive. That's because he wasn't sure he was steady enough to do that. Not yet. She wasn't the only one who was shaken.
He reached for her, to pull her into his arms, but he was surprised when she stopped him.
"You're not going to apologize," Mercedes said, and she sounded a lot stronger than he'd expected. "Ryder was a bastard. Cooter was a bastard. And they both failed."
She put her hands on the sides of his face, forcing eye contact even though he had no intention of looking anywhere else. "You swore to me that you'd come back, and you did." Her breath shuddered now, the nerves showing. "You did," she repeated, the shudder making it to her voice.
He nodded. "I have this thing about keeping my promise to a woman I've seen naked." It had the intended effect.
It made her smile.
Sam smiled, too, when he eased his hand around the back of her neck, pulled her to him and kissed her. There it was. That kick of both comfort and heat. It slid right through him, healing all the raw parts of him. She probably wouldn't believe him if he told her the effect she had on him, so he went in a different direction.
"I love you," he said. "And, no, that's not a goodbye," he quickly added. "I have this thing about saying 'I love you' to a woman whom I, well, love."
Mercedes stared at him. And stared. Before she smiled again. "I love you. And I have this thing about making sure it lasts a lifetime."
He felt another surge of comfort and heat, this one like an avalanche. It was exactly what Sam wanted. "You swear?" he asked as he pulled her to him for another kiss.
"I swear," Mercedes answered, and her mouth met his.
