Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Dana Mentink (novels to improve english txt) 📗

“How do you know that?” Layke asked.

“It’s called the dark web, Constable. You’d be surprised what you can find out there.”

Layke rubbed his forehead. “Watch your attitude or we’ll arrest you for aiding and abetting.”

Once again the man’s eyes bulged. “You can’t do that.”

“You’d—”

Multiple engines sounded through the darkness.

They fell silent.

Lights appeared along the tree line. Snowmobiles approached at high speed.

Layke pulled out his weapon. “Take cover!”

Shots pummeled the area and pierced the night.

Hannah’s shoulder stung and she fell backward, stumbling over fallen branches. The arctic snow-covered ground swallowed her up, threatening to encompass her entire body. She clasped her hand on the wound as nausea struck and her consciousness blurred.

“Hannah!”

Somewhere in the distance she heard Layke’s muffled voice.

Darkness called out to her, but she fought it.

Until the pain wrenched her into its clutches and entwined her with murky blackness.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Layke raced to Hannah’s side and scrambled to pull her behind the Jeep and out of the assailants’ reach. Where had they come from and who’d ordered the hit? Was it the dark web again? The spindly informant hustled away on his snowmobile before they could question him further, but Layke couldn’t concern himself with the man. Hannah had been shot, and the crimson snow around her proved she was losing blood fast.

The snowmobiles approached again, getting ready for another pass. The masked men aimed their machine guns.

Layke raised his weapon and pulled the trigger, firing multiple shots.

The CBSA officers discharged their Berettas, providing additional protection.

The snowmobiles retreated into the woods.

“Hannah!” Layke stuffed his weapon into its holster and knelt beside her, placing his hands on her wound. He turned to Officer Shields. “Where is the nearest medical facility?” He couldn’t wait for the local authorities to arrive.

“The hospital is an hour away.”

“She’ll bleed out by then!” Layke couldn’t lose her this way. She’d become too important to him even though he wouldn’t admit that out loud. God, save her!

Officer Walker stumbled over. “Wait, there’s a medical clinic just over the border in Alaska. We can use the same route as the smugglers.”

Layke stood and pulled her into his arms. “I’ll take her in the Jeep. You lead the way. Officer Shields, can you contain the situation here when the local authorities arrive? They should be here soon.”

He nodded and walked over to his vehicle.

Fifteen minutes later, Layke followed the flashing CBSA cruiser into the Alaskan clinic’s parking lot.

A nurse rushed out the front doors as Layke jumped out and lifted Hannah into his arms.

“What happened?” the petite nurse asked.

“She’s been shot in the shoulder. I’m Canadian police constable Layke Jackson. We didn’t have time to get her to a Canadian hospital.”

Officer Walker ran to join them. “She’s one of us. A border patrol officer. Can you help?”

“Our clinic is small but capable.” She held the doors.

A plump doctor approached them. “I’m Dr. Hobbs. What happened?”

“She took a shot to the shoulder twenty minutes ago,” Layke said. “She’s lost blood.”

Dr. Hobbs pushed his round-rimmed glasses farther up his nose and opened a door. “Bring her in here.” He turned to the nurse. “Suit up. I need your help in the examination.”

Two hours later, Layke paced the small waiting room. What was taking so long? The border patrol officer called in the situation and left to go back to Canada while Layke waited at the small clinic. He called Murray and told him what had happened. They promised to pray.

Pray? Once again, God had let him down. Why did He even let this happen in the first place? Not only had He allowed those boys to be taken, but now Hannah’s life was in jeopardy. He shifted his gaze upward. Why? Are You even there?

The doors opened, interrupting Layke’s thoughts.

Dr. Hobbs pulled down his mask and approached. “She was fortunate. The bullet grazed her shoulder and didn’t hit any vital arteries. Someone up there was looking out after her.”

Could it be true? God had saved her? Like He had Layke?

Layke let out the breath he felt he’d been holding for the past two hours. “Thank you, Doctor. Can I see her?”

The front door opened and another patient entered. He was holding his stomach and was followed by a young man in a ball cap. The twentysomething-year-old brushed the snow from his jacket and kept his head dipped.

“I gotta get back to work. She’s still sedated but, yes, you can wait in the room.” He left to attend to the other patients.

Layke walked through the doors and into the room.

Hannah’s ashen face appeared out from behind the white sheets as the machine beeped a steady heartbeat.

Thank God.

Had he just thanked the One he’d been battling with earlier?

Layke sighed and pulled up a chair beside Hannah’s bed. He didn’t understand God. Why did He save some and not others? A question Layke would never be able to figure out. It seemed God didn’t follow rules, and rules were what Layke lived by.

But why? Were they worth it?

He ignored the struggle going on inside him and held Hannah’s cold hand. “Come on. Come back to me, sweet Hannah.”

His cell phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen. Elias. “Hey, what’s up?”

“How is she?”

“You heard?”

“Yes, Scarlet called after you let Murray know. Any news?”

“The bullet only grazed her, thankfully. She’s recovering but not awake yet.” He rubbed her hand, trying to warm it up.

“We need to talk.”

The corporal’s serious tone told Layke to give him his undivided attention. He got up and stepped out the door. “Okay. What’s going on?” He walked down the hall to the back of the clinic and peered outside. The storm still hadn’t let up.

“Couple things. We heard back from the constables at the scene of the medical center. Slug was from a 9 mm, so not helpful. But we got a hit on your victim Rob. His brother is bad news.”

“His brother?”

“Yes, a politician in the Northwest Territories that’s linked to the mafia. Have you heard of the Martells?”

Layke’s stomach lurched. “As in Perry Martell? Yes, he’s