A Billionaire's Redemption

chapter 20

Willa felt James tense as Gabe aimed the  pitol. Ward was going to throw her in front of the shot. But she was okay with that. Once she was dead, Gabe would kill this monster. Gabe would be safe, and her students would be safe. Funny how, when she loved a person, she was willing to sacrifice herself for them, no questions asked. No one had ever told her that  was part of love. Live and learn.

Or in her case, learn and die.

A pair of gunshots exploded deafeningly, one so close after the other that she barely could tell them apart. Warmth and wetness exploded across her face as the impact jolted her. But she didn’t feel anything else. That was nice. She’d hoped death would be like this. Peaceful. Painless.

But then sounds intruded on the moment. Commotion. Someone—no.Many someones—rushed toward her. Man-shaped shadows shouting. Hands grabbing at her. Tearing ropes and broken wood away from her. Really. She didn’t care if they buried her still tied to the chair she’d died in.

Willa? Can you hear me?”

The voice was familiar. Beloved. Gabe. Oh, no. He hadn’t died,too, had he? “Are you coming with me?” she asked tentatively. We can go to Heaven together. I was hoping you’d survive. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”

Honey, what are you talking about? Open your eyes.”

She thought they already were open. She concentrated on her eyelids and was surprised that they moved. Gabe’s beautiful, worried face swam  in front of her.

It’s all right,” she murmured. “I’m not in any pain. This isn’t so bad, really.”

Baby, you’re alive. I didn’t shoot you. I shot James in the face. I knew he would move at the last second, so I shot wide the first time, and then, after he’d jerked in reaction, I adjusted and took the second shot.”

What?” She blinked up at him, not understanding.

James is dead. You’re alive. We’re both alive. You’re safe now.”

Hands, many hands, lifted her to her feet. But then Gabe’s arms went around her, crushing her against him and suddenly, her world righted  itself. This was home. She knew where she was now.

Oh, God, I thought you were going to die,” she sobbed against his chest. “And James was going to kill my students—”

Shhh. It’s all over now. He’s not going to hurt anyone else. I’ve got you.”

Don’t ever let me go, Gabe,” she whispered.

I’m not planning on it, baby.”

From the safety of his embrace, she looked around at the dozen men around them. They wore all-black, military-style clothes and were toting all kinds of fancy gear and guns. She didn’t recognize any of them. These weren’t her security guards.

Who are you?” she asked the nearest one of the strange men.

That’s a damned good question,” Cade McGrath, the leader of her security team, growled from across the space.

She glanced over at Cade, surprised to see him restrained in plastic handcuffs and guarded by two of the black-clad men.

A man who looked to be in his mid-thirties stepped forward. “Senator Merris?”

Yes. That’s me,” she answered cautiously.

Your father leased this facility to us some months ago. We’ve been using the Vacarro Operations base to launch various, umm, missions, south      of the border. I’m afraid this is a highly classified military operation.”

You’re from the Committee for Miscellaneous Affairs, aren’t you?” she exclaimed.

The man’s eyes narrowed. “You were never supposed to find out about that.”

Gabe piped up. “John Merris was reporting the payments from you guys as income from his oil wells, wasn’t he?”

I don’t know,” the spokesman answered. “I suppose he could have done that.”

I knew it!” Gabe exclaimed. “There was no way this field was still producing any oil. I couldn’t figure out where the income was coming from.”

So we’re not fracking for natural gas and poisoning the locals?” Willa asked.

There’s no drilling of any kind happening on this property, ma’am,” the man answered.

Well, that was a relief. She would hate to think Merris Oil had made anyone sick.

We’re going to need you and Mr. Dawson and Mr. McGrath to sign security statements agreeing not to reveal anything you saw here today.”

What about him?” Willa asked, forcing herself to look toward the covered lump that was James Ward’s remains.

We’ll turn his body over to the coroner. The ballistics analysis will show Mr. Ward was shot with his own weapon. Mr. Dawson, in fact,    rescued you singlehandedly, and your statements to the police never have to reflect that we were here. After you and Mr. Dawson talk to the police, I’m sure they’ll rule that the shooting was a clear case of self-defense.”

The next few minutes were a whirl of activity as she and Gabe and McGrath were hustled out of the hangar and driven to McGrath’s SUV. James Ward’s body was laid in the back of their vehicle. It was creepy riding back to town with a dead man in the back, but true to his word, Gabe kept an arm around her and kept her plastered to his side all the way back to Vengeance. A pair of similarly black and powerful SUVs accompanied them back to Vengeance and the police station. But as McGrath parked in the back of the building, the two SUVs      disappeared.

For once, the press wasn’t hovering vulturelike, sniffing for a story. She and Gabe had to be separated to give their statements as to what had happened, and the whole time she felt bereft, like part of her was missing. After she finished that, she had to sign an inch-high stack of papers dealing with not revealing classified information on pretty much pain of death.

The sheriff surprised her by stepping into the little interrogation room in person as she was finishing up. He said quietly, “I  thought you might be interested to know what the preliminary examination of Mr. Ward’s body has shown.”

The coroner’s already done an autopsy?”

Not yet. He has started it, though. First thing he did was x-ray Mr. Ward’s head. Had to locate the bullet to know where to dig, I mean, do surgery, to remove it.”

She made a face as he continued hastily, “At any rate, it turns out Mr. Ward had a sizable brain tumor. Right in the middle of his head near something called the amygdala or something like that. Doc says it’s the smell center of the brain. Did Ward say anything to you about smelling strange things?”

No, but now that you mention it, every time he caught a whiff of my gardenia perfume he went crazy.”

Doc said the right scents might have triggered violent, psychotic episodes in Ward.”

Thunderstruck, she thought back to all the times James had become violent around her, starting with the sexual assault. Every time, she’d  been wearing her gardenia perfume, and every time, he’d been plenty close enough to smell it.

The sheriff held her chair as she stood up, stunned. “You were mighty lucky, ma’am. Next time, call the police. Civilians shouldn’t tangle with criminals on their own.”

Believe me, I never plan to do something so crazy again,” she replied fervently. “And I will most certainly leave it to the police if there is a next time!”

She stepped out of the interrogation room and was immediately swept into Gabe’s arms. “You okay?” he murmured.
Yes. You?”

Right as rain. Let’s get out of here.”

Someone had brought Gabe’s SUV over to the police station while they were making their statements, and the sheriff handed Gabe the keys as they stepped out into the main room.

Ready to face the press?” she asked as they approached the front doors.

Stick with me, kid. I’ll show you how to scare them off.”

True to his word, he put on a ferocious scowl that dared anyone to get in his way and they swept past the crowd of shouting reporters without incident. He closed her in the Escalade and guided the vehicle away from the curb. She was surprised when he didn’t point the SUV toward anywhere that either of them called home. In fact, he headed out toward the west side of town once more.

Where are we going?” she asked in alarm. She had no wish to revisit the scene of James’s death.

Gabe merely smiled enigmatically at her. “Relax. You’re gonna like it.”

She trusted him. As they wound into the canyons, she let the rugged beauty of the Texas landscape wash over her. It was rough country. But  tough. Like her and Gabe. They’d survived an ordeal that would have broken someone with less courage. With less to live for.

She smiled as Gabe turned the Escalade into the scenic overlook the local kids called Lover’s Point.

I thought for once you might like to come up here for more than the view. Wanna make out?” he asked gruffly.

With you? Always.”

About Melinda. I was talking about you with the doctors when I said I loved you. She misunderstood and barged out to spout all that crap about marrying me. I’m totally over her,” he finished adamantly. “You’ve got to believe me.”

What about that other part you told the doctors. That you were planning to propose?”

Well. About that.” He got out of the car and came around to open her door for her. He escorted her to the front of the car where a towering thunderhead blocked the sun. It was backlit in shades of lavender and gray, with a corona of sunbeams bursting outward in all directions like the promise of a new day.

Are you sure I’m not too old for you, Willa?”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s not like you’re a hundred years old, Gabe.”

He laughed and knelt on one knee in front of her. “Then, if you will have this old wreck, would you make me the happiest man on earth and do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Her heart expanded as big as the Texas sky and filled with as many colors of joy. “Oh, yes, Gabe. I will. I definitely will.”

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