Lawman From Her Past

And she was right on target. The bullet slammed into the guy’s chest. He stayed there, frozen and crouched, his rifle ready, but neither he nor his gun moved. So, Lauren shot him again.

He finally dropped like a stone.

Despite the fact that she’d probably just killed a man, she only felt relief and not the emotion of having just taken a life. That was because if he’d been given the chance, he would have killed them all.

She heard the footsteps, hurrying toward her. Cameron. From his angle in the kitchen, he probably hadn’t been able to see the fall, but he certainly saw it now. There was no relief on his face, though, because they heard something else.

Another shot.

This one hadn’t come from the barn. It had come from the front of the house, and it wasn’t a single shot, either. Three more quickly followed.

There was no trace of relief now for Lauren. Because she knew her brothers were in the general direction of that fresh round of bullets. Maybe the gunman’s partner had figured out what had gone on by the barn and was now trying to take out anyone that he could.

Lauren turned to run to the front window, but Cameron moved in front of her. “Watch the guy you shot and make sure he doesn’t get up.”

She was about to tell him that she doubted that could happen, but there was more gunfire. Then Cameron cursed when he looked out the front window.

“Change of plans,” he said. “Get down now.”

There was more than enough urgency in his voice for Lauren to drop to the floor, but she’d barely had time to do that when Cameron threw open the front door. The security system started to beep, indicating the alarm was about to go off. He ignored that, though, aimed his gun and fired. He got off four rounds before he stopped pulling the trigger.

Lauren waited, praying and afraid to ask what had happened. Several moments later she heard something she actually wanted to hear.

Gabriel’s voice.

“Is everyone okay?” her brother called out.

Since the babies were still fussing, Lauren knew they were alive, but she got up to hurry to the nursery to make sure. But she stopped when she saw the chaos in front of Cameron’s house.

Two men dressed in camo were sprawled out by the ditch. The one nearest the house was clearly dead, but the other one was still moving around. Both Jameson and Gabriel had their weapons drawn and were closing in on him.

Her stomach sank. Lauren hadn’t even known about the third gunman. He could have attacked them from the front while the thug by the barn was keeping them occupied. Thank God Cameron and her brothers had spotted him and stopped him from doing any more harm.

“I had to shoot him,” Cameron said. He pressed in the numbers on the security key pad to stop the beeping. “I didn’t have a choice.”

It took her a moment to realize why that sounded like an apology. It was because two of their attackers were dead, and the third one was injured. Maybe even dying. Dead men wouldn’t be able to tell them the person or the reason behind what had just happened.

“Stay inside,” Cameron added. “But keep watch to make sure there aren’t others.”

Lauren hadn’t exactly relaxed, but that put her back on high alert again. So did the fact that Cameron hurried outside. Where he could be gunned down like her brothers if there were other thugs hiding.

Even though Cameron had told her to stay inside, Lauren got her gun ready and stepped into the doorway so she’d have a better view of the yard and road. Her brothers were already by the injured man by the time Cameron reached them. She could see them talking, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying.

But she had no trouble seeing the alarm on Cameron’s face.

Whatever the man had said to him had caused Cameron’s shoulders to snap back. Her brothers had similar reactions, and Gabriel took out his phone as he made his way to the house. Cameron and Jameson were right behind him. That was when Lauren realized the injured man was no longer moving.

Gabriel made eye contact with her, and while he continued his phone conversation, he caught on to her arm and maneuvered her back inside the house.

“What about the man?” she asked.

“He’s dead,” Cameron told her the moment he reached the porch.

The sickening feeling of dread went through her. “Did he say anything?” But Lauren fully expected that answer to be no.

It wasn’t.

Cameron nodded. “He gave us the name of the person who hired him.” His mouth tightened when he made eye contact with Lauren. “The gunman said it was you.”

Chapter Five (#u0d5d373d-fe9f-598e-8e39-52e1c91d3203)

“I didn’t hire those men,” Lauren repeated.

It wasn’t necessary for her to keep saying that. Cameron hadn’t believed it from the moment the thug had tossed out that stupid accusation. Those men had been firing real bullets into the house as well as at Lauren and him, and there was no way she would have put her son in danger that way.

Either son.

Because Cameron was also certain she was already thinking of both boys as hers. They weren’t. But that was something they would have to sort out later.

For now, they needed to get to the bottom of why the attack had happened. Gabriel and Jameson were already on that. Lauren’s brothers were outside with the medical examiner and the CSIs. The ambulance, too. There’d been no need for medical assistance for the gunmen—they were all dead. But the medics were apparently there for Lauren and him.

Whether they wanted them there or not.

Cameron certainly didn’t. He wanted to be outside with the other lawmen, trying to get answers, but instead he was on the sofa in his living room while a medic stitched up his arm. Another medic was checking out Lauren’s gunshot wound, as well.

“This isn’t necessary,” Lauren insisted. It was yet something else she’d been repeating.

Cameron didn’t bother to voice his complaint since Gabriel had told him he wouldn’t be returning to work until the medic gave him the okay. So far, the guy wasn’t okaying anything. He was causing Cameron plenty of pain with each stitch. Of course, that was a small price to pay considering they were all alive and, for the most part, well.

“Is it okay if we come out now?” Merilee called out.

It had been well over a half hour since the attack had ended. If the thugs had brought any other hired guns with them, those guys would probably be long gone. But it still seemed too big of a risk to take.

“Let’s call this finished,” Cameron told the medic, and even though the guy gave him a hard look, he put in the last stitch and slapped on a bandage.

“Stay put. I’ll come to the nursery,” Cameron added to Merilee.

That got Lauren moving, too, and despite the fact that the medic was still dabbing something on her arm, she jerked away from him, following Cameron when he started out of the living room and up the hall. Both medics grumbled something that Cameron didn’t bother to hear. He needed to see Isaac to make sure for himself that both boys were all right.

Lauren was right on his heels when Cameron knocked on the door. Merilee must have been right there waiting because she opened up right away. She didn’t have Isaac in her arms, but Cameron spotted him. He was on the floor, playing with Patrick. Dara was next to both of them.

Cameron felt the punch of relief. Yes, he’d known the boys hadn’t been harmed. He’d gotten that reassurance minutes after the attack when he’d been able to talk to Merilee. So had Lauren. But she also must have needed more because she hurried to the boys, kissing them both.

Kisses that got Merilee’s attention.

The nanny looked at him, her eyebrow raised. “I’ll explain later,” Cameron whispered to her. “Thanks for keeping them safe.”

“Is it actually safe?” Merilee questioned before Cameron could step away.