for Penny, now fully aware that his superior did think he had purposely let his half brother slip through his fingers. And maybe he had. He could have let Cheetah corner Jake or continue to go after him. But his K-9 partner needed to stay with Penny while Jake tried to ascertain which direction Jake might have gone. When he’d found only footprints and bloodstains on those rocks, he knew Jake had been nearby.
Had he made the right call, giving up the chase to run back to Penny? He’d heard enough about Jake lately to understand his brother would kill anyone or anything to get what he wanted. He remembered that dark side of Jake, had seen it come out at the oddest times. Jake would have shot Penny without any remorse. A while back, he’d tied up Harper in a cave in Colorado, and after telling her he was corrupt and he liked having money and power, he’d left her there where she could have died if she hadn’t ordered K-9 Star to chew apart the ropes holding her. Jake had no qualms about killing a canine or a human.
Zeke had to protect the woman Jake had threatened to kill. He’d made the only choice he could, but now he had a second chance to capture his traitorous brother and see justice done.
Penny got in the SUV, a look of relief mixed with the anxiety marring her expression. “Thank you.”
“For what?” he asked gruffly.
“For standing up to your boss.”
“I wasn’t just standing up to him,” Jake replied. “I meant it when I said I plan to protect you. No matter what.”
She shot him a surprised but grateful look. “I appreciate that but right now you need to find my little boy.”
“I’m going to.”
Zeke checked with Max again, hoping for any reports that could help. “I’ve got Cheetah by an open window and we’re heading west, sir. Old Fork Road. We’re on the road now but nothing yet.”
“Stay on it and be careful,” Max replied. “I’ll send backup if you and Harper need it.” Then he added, “Zeke, I know he’s your brother and you want to keep him alive but—”
“I understand,” Zeke bit out. “I know my duty, Max.”
He ended the call and slung his phone into a cup holder.
“I’m surprised they haven’t yanked you off this case,” Penny said. “It must be hard, tracking him down like this.”
“My job,” Zeke retorted, wondering if she wanted to pick a fight.
She didn’t say anything else and he regretted being sharp with her. “It’s not easy but...if I can get to him first I might be able to take him in instead of—”
“Killing him,” she finished. Then she went silent again.
Zeke had to wonder how she felt about that. Did she still love Jake in spite of everything?
Anxious to get this over with, Zeke turned the truck toward the west and started searching for the road they needed. He prayed they’d also find the thug who’d taken Kevin before the man could meet up with Jake Morrow. Because if that happened, he feared they might not ever see Penny’s son again.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.