He glanced at her with narrowed eyes. “Fuck. I saw flames through the kitchen door and found this guy on the couch bleeding out. If we’d been ten minutes earlier, we might have got eyes on the UNSUB. Maybe even have ended this thing.” Shane rolled Zenko onto his side to check out the exit wound. He swore, then dragged off his shirt. Pressed it to the guy’s injury and rolled him onto his back again.

“I called Sloan. Told her where we are and to send backup.”

He looked at her then and guilt was written in the shadows of his eyes and the lines around his lips. He opened his mouth but she spoke over him.

“I told her this was my idea and that I persuaded you to come with me.”

He pressed his lips together and shook his head. “Appreciate you having my back, but I’ll tell her the truth later.”

“And make me look like an idiot and a liar? I don’t think so.” Yael shelved her fury for now. It wasn’t the time. “Do you think the guy in the van was Evi1Geni-us?”

The wounded man groaned and opened eyes that were as brown as her own. He bared his teeth in obvious pain as he stared at her. “Pretty.”

She shuddered in revulsion at the reminder of Evi1Geni-us’s words to her in Houston.

“Hey, Lloyd. Wanna tell us who this guy is so he can pay for shooting you?” Shane said roughly.

Zenko’s eyes cut back to Shane. He reached up and gripped Shane’s vest, dragging him closer. “He’s…”

A tremendous whoosh ripped through the air and heat flashed through the atmosphere. Shane threw himself at her, wrapping his body over hers, forcing her flat against the injured man as he pressed down, covering her, protecting them both from the burning debris Yael could see in her peripheral vision raining down, crashing onto the nearby road.

After a full ten seconds Shane finally let her sit up.

She was breathing hard and shaking in reaction. They held each other’s gaze for another breathless moment. Then she glanced at Zenko but the guy had closed his eyes and his mouth had gone slack. He wasn’t breathing. Shane checked for a pulse and swore. He sat back on his heels.

“He’s dead?”

Shane nodded.

“Shouldn’t we try CPR?” It was ironic how much she wanted to save this man. This killer.

“Pretty sure the bullet hit something vital.” He caught her eye. “There was a lot of blood inside the cabin. Too much.”

The sound of sirens suddenly seemed to be getting closer. Yael staggered to her feet. “Do you think there are people in these other cabins? Could they be injured?”