Safe at Last (Slow Burn #3)

Gracie turned earnest eyes on him and uttered in a low voice.

“Tell them not to spend too much time on each man. Have them question them all. No matter what they say, I can pick up on what they think. And when they asked the first one where the others were and how many, he immediately thought of the place and numbers even though he refused to say anything. They all need to be questioned quickly so I can glean what information I can.”

Zack stared at her in awe. Here she was, having already been beaten to hell and back by these bastards. Because of Zack and his history with this fanatical group. And yet she’d gone to the wall for Eliza at great risk to herself. Jesus, if Zack’s aim had been the slightest bit off, and God knows he’d been shaking like a leaf, Gracie would be dead.

He touched her cheek again, the sting of tears burning his lids. Then he lifted his head and quietly called for Dane.

Dane looked annoyed at being pulled off interrogation duty but he came, his expression inquisitive.

“Gracie says to question them all and not spend too much time on each one. She said that when you questioned the first one, he immediately thought of where the others were and how many. If we can get that kind of information from all of them, we can take them out for good.”

Dane’s sharp gaze flew to Gracie. It seemed to soften and admiration was reflected in his eyes.

“Are you sure this isn’t too much for you?” Dane asked quietly. “You should be getting to the hospital right now. You’ll need stitches. A lot of them,” he added wryly.

Gracie shook her head. “This is important. They’ll never talk. But they don’t know what I can do.”

Dane merely gave a nod and then stalked back over, pulling Isaac, Capshaw and Caleb away. After only a few seconds of conversing, they left the first guy entirely and moved on to the second, asking him the same questions. Each time Dane would glance at Gracie and she’d give a nod to let him know she’d picked up information.

The longer it went on, the more worried Zack became. Gracie was growing visibly weaker and she was completely pale. She didn’t even have the strength to hold herself up and so Zack slid his arms around her, anchoring her against his frame, careful not to cause her further injury by aggravating her wound.

His jaw was tight and pained from clenching his teeth so tightly. It was all he could do not to haul Gracie out of there that instant and get her to the hospital. But she soldiered on, focusing her efforts on each of the men being questioned.

As she’d said, no one talked. They sneered arrogantly at each question and told Dane to fuck off. Dane was barely keeping it together. The tension was explosive and it looked as though the team leader was precariously close to taking out each and every one of them.

When the last man was questioned, Dane strode back to Gracie and then hunkered down so he could look her in the eye. He took one of her hands and gently held it, his expression gentle.

“Tell me, Gracie. Can you identify these men? Are they the same men who took you and beat you?”

She swallowed hard but slowly nodded. “I remember them,” she whispered.

Dane looked almost . . . disappointed. He sighed, resignation lining his face.

“I’d prefer to just kill them,” he said bluntly. “God knows it’s what they deserve. But if you and Lizzie can both identify them, then we have an airtight case against them. And we have the others to go after now. Were you able to get enough information? Can you tell us enough to find them?” he asked Gracie.

Again she nodded.

And then Dane was all business again. He stood and barked orders to call it in to Ramirez and Briggs. Two ambulances were called, though Gracie insisted that Eliza be the first to go.

Gracie kept gazing anxiously in Eliza’s direction, worry etched in every facet of her face. In response to her silent question, Zack gathered her more closely in his arms and gently lifted her and carried her over to where Eliza was being tended to.

When Gracie saw that Eliza was conscious, she lost it. Tears streamed down her face and she struggled from Zack’s hold and wrapped her arms around the other woman.

“Thank God,” Gracie said brokenly. “Thank God. I was so afraid we were too late.”

Eliza held on to Gracie for a long moment, tears glimmering in her own eyes. Then she carefully pulled away, also mindful of Gracie’s injury, and she looked solemnly into Gracie’s eyes.

“I understand I have you to thank.”

Gracie shook her head vehemently. “No. It was Ramie who was able to find you. And Ari . . .” Gracie swiveled and waved her hand at the captive men in various places on the floor. “Ari did the rest.”

Dane snorted. And then he sent pained looks in Caleb’s, Beau’s and Zack’s directions.

“It would appear we have three Valkyries hell-bent on saving our asses at every turn.”