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

lady Gabe spoke about was Jennifer, Doyle’s wife? Hannah almost didn’t recognize the woman. Apparently, she’d gotten sick and Doyle hadn’t brought her around to see anyone for quite some time. “Doyle, why didn’t you tell us she was sick? Why hide it?”

“She wouldn’t let me,” he said.

“I refused to let anyone pity me, so I moved out to this location to get out of the public’s eye.” Jennifer raised her cane at Doyle. “Let the boy go. This needs to end now.”

“Babe, I need you to go back to bed.” His softened voice betrayed his feelings for the woman.

If he was capable of having feelings.

“I won’t. Not until you promise me you’ll stop all this nonsense. You can’t save me from this.”

Save her from what?

“What’s wrong with her?” Hannah asked.

Jennifer stepped closer.

It was then Hannah noticed her pale gray face.

“I have Lupus. A long-term autoimmune disease that has no cure.”

Hannah mentally searched the recesses of her mind for more information. The disease affected many people. “I’m sorry you have this. How long ago were you diagnosed?”

“A few years now, but I hid it well until recently. Good to see you again, Hannah.”

Jennifer smiled at Gabe. “Hey, Gabe. So glad to see you’re safe.”

The woman’s gentle demeanor struck Hannah. Why hadn’t she tried to stop Doyle before this?

“I know what you’re thinking, Hannah. Why didn’t I stop Doyle sooner? You see, he promised a cure and a family of kids. That gave me hope, so I turned a blind eye until they brought Noel here. He’d gone too far this time. That was when I turned my back and let Gabe escape.”

“You what? It was you?” Doyle’s gruff voice boomed. His men came running.

“Boss, you okay?”

Doyle held his hand up. “Go secure the perimeter. We can’t let the mafia get inside.”

The men rushed off with their rifles at the ready.

“Babe, why did you do it? You knew we were getting closer to finding a cure.”

Wait? Doyle did all this to fund research for a cure?

“But not at the expense of these poor boys. And we need to get Noel back to his parents.” Jennifer turned. “I’ll go get him so Hannah can take him home.”

Noel! She turned to Doyle. Would it be as easy as Jennifer thought? Hannah knew better and had to talk him down. “You need to let me help him and all the boys. This isn’t you. You are kind and noble.”

He laughed.

A laugh that chilled her to the bones.

This was not the man she knew.

It was then she realized.

She’d never be able to talk him down. Not when his wife still carried this terrible disease. His mission was to find a cure and he obviously wouldn’t stop until he found one.

Lord, help us.

A whirling sound broke their silence.

Doyle stiffened and grabbed his radio. “Manny, what’s that?”

“Helicopter. Search and Rescue, boss.”

Layke! He’d found them.

Doyle pulled out a Glock and aimed it at her. “Don’t think your boyfriend is here to save you. He—”

Gunfire broke up his words.

Hannah stiffened as the walls seemed to close in and her chest tightened.

Was that Layke or the Martells?

* * *

Layke and his team rappelled down the ropes from the red-and-yellow Search and Rescue helicopter into a small clearing close to the ranch. God had slowed the storm for them and allowed the team to make it to the gang’s hideaway in record time. At least, that’s what Layke believed. It was the only answer. His feet touched the ground and he immediately raised his MP5 submachine gun.

Gunfire erupted in the distance. Obviously, the mafia had beat them to the location. The muscles in Layke’s shoulders tightened. This changed everything. They would now be battling two enemies vying for territory. Not a good combination.

“The Martells are here.” Layke motioned the team onward. “Take up your positions, and wait for my signal.”

They fanned out.

Layke and Elias moved forward with the medic behind them.

They ran in a crouch sprint format and hid behind the trees in front of the main ranch house. Muzzle shots lit inside the dimmed establishment. The Martells had breached the premises. Was he too late?

A scream pierced the night.

Hannah! He needed to get inside.

He surveyed the outer area of the log ranch and didn’t see anyone lurking. They had to move in. He reached for his radio. “Take positions around all exits. Wait for my word to breach. Keep your eyes open. We have both Broderick’s men and the Martells fighting over territory. This won’t be pretty.” He turned to Elias. “Let’s go.”

They ran up the front stairs onto the veranda, and stood on either side of the door. Layke prayed a desperate prayer before grabbing his radio again. “Breach! Breach!”

Elias opened the screen and kicked in the wooden door.

They skulked inside.

Loud voices drew them down the hall.

Layke motioned for Elias to go right. Layke turned left and moved down a hall before halting at the sight in the enormous living room.

Hannah, Gabe and another woman were huddled in a corner with an assailant pointing a gun in their direction. Layke stared at the back of the dark-haired man. His stance seemed familiar. Where had he’d seen him before?

Other men surrounded the group, angling their rifles at the suspect.

A slender man dressed in a suit stepped forward with henchmen at his side. That had to be Perry Martell.

This was about to get messy. Too many men. Too many guns.

“Give it up, Broderick,” Perry said. “Your diamond mining is now closed for business. Let the woman and kids go. You don’t need them any longer.”

The politician was going to let them go?

The man turned and Layke caught a glimpse of his face. He drew in a sharp breath.

What? Doyle was Broderick?

Layke had never trusted him. Something had always rubbed him the wrong way. Now he knew why. But how had he kept ahead of their every step? He glanced at Hannah just as she looked his way. Her eyes widened.

He raised his finger to his lips, motioning her to be quiet.

She