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Chapters (77)
  1. Cover
  2. Endorsements
  3. Books by Elizabeth Goddard
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. ONE
  8. TWO
  9. THREE
  10. FOUR
  11. FIVE
  12. SIX
  13. SEVEN
  14. EIGHT
  15. NINE
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. TWENTY
  27. TWENTY-ONE
  28. TWENTY-TWO
  29. TWENTY-THREE
  30. TWENTY-FOUR
  31. TWENTY-FIVE
  32. TWENTY-SIX
  33. TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. TWENTY-NINE
  36. THIRTY
  37. THIRTY-ONE
  38. THIRTY-TWO
  39. THIRTY-THREE
  40. THIRTY-FOUR
  41. THIRTY-FIVE
  42. THIRTY-SIX
  43. THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. THIRTY-NINE
  46. FORTY
  47. FORTY-ONE
  48. FORTY-TWO
  49. FORTY-THREE
  50. FORTY-FOUR
  51. FORTY-FIVE
  52. FORTY-SIX
  53. FORTY-SEVEN
  54. FORTY-EIGHT
  55. FORTY-NINE
  56. FIFTY
  57. FIFTY-ONE
  58. FIFTY-TWO
  59. FIFTY-THREE
  60. FIFTY-FOUR
  61. FIFTY-FIVE
  62. FIFTY-SIX
  63. FIFTY-SEVEN
  64. FIFTY-EIGHT
  65. FIFTY-NINE
  66. SIXTY
  67. SIXTY-ONE
  68. SIXTY-TWO
  69. SIXTY-THREE
  70. SIXTY-FOUR
  71. SIXTY-FIVE
  72. A Preview of Book 2 in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COURAGE Series
  73. Author’s Note
  74. Acknowledgments
  75. About the Author
  76. Back Ads
  77. Back Cover

“Come on. The first time we didn’t even know he was a flight risk. No lame pun intended.” Jack looked at Terra. “You’re not wearing a vest, are you?”

“Neither are you.”

“I have one in the back that I’ll grab. Sheriff only requires detectives to have them with us and use them in enforcement situations. This has turned into something different than I thought.” But it wouldn’t fit her well enough to be efficient.

Though he hated to bring more deputies into it, the last thing Jack wanted was to go into that cornfield after Leif. “I don’t want to lose him, but we’ll wait here until backup arrives.”

Bullets pinged his vehicle.

“Get down!”

FIFTY-TWO

Terra shoved down the screams and covered her head as she ducked.

“Go, go, go, go! Get out on your side.” Jack shielded her.

She opened the door and slid out.

Jack crawled over the seat and joined her on the far side of his vehicle.

“An assault rifle,” she said. “He’s using an assault rifle.”

“Battlefield firepower.” He grunted. “The guy has lost it. PTSD or something.”

Terra’s heart pounded. The night sky. The tall plants. The gunfire. All of it seemed surreal. The fear could paralyze her.

“Terra.” Jack gripped her shoulders. “Breathe, Terra. We have to get out of here. But I need to warn the other deputies on their way, if it’s not already too late. I need to tell them before my radio is toast.”

Crouching, he reached across the seat to grab the mic and radioed again for backup. “Officers in danger. We’re being fired upon with an assault rifle!”

Jack relayed numerous codes to warn the deputies and also ask for additional backup. Then his radio squawked its last.

The gunfire continued to demolish Jack’s vehicle. No chance they were getting in a shot. Not here.

“Go . . . go into the cornfield.” He shoved her away from the vehicle and covered her as she plowed into the six-foot-tall cornstalks.

He urged her forward as if the tall plants could somehow protect them against bullets. “Let’s go. I can’t let anything happen to you. I won’t.”

“Then we’ll protect each other.” She gasped for breath. She’d seen something similar happen before, and that ended in tragedy.

God, please don’t let it end that way this time!

She and Jack pushed deeper into the cornfield, running down rows. The tall plants and thick green leaves slapped her face as she ran.

“I’m not sure the corn will protect us from the onslaught,” she said. “If we have to face off with him, I’m not carrying an assault rifle. You?”

He swiped the sweat from his face. “It doesn’t matter. All we need is to be strategic.”

“Strategic. You mean like make our way around behind him? Ambush him?”