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They heard the news on the radio the following night A young man, identified as Mitch Hale Flats Bank The apparent motive was listed as robbery

Kara stared at Alex, her heart pounding "You don&039;t think?"

Alex nodded "Barrett"

"How?"

"He must have followed Ha to end, she thought bleakly

Alex crossed the room and placed his hand on her shoulder "It will end, Kara Soon"

"What do you ht"

"No!"

"We can&039;t go on like this I don&039;t know about you, but I&039; hunted One way or another, it ends tonight"

"How are you going to find hi the kid would lead hi Barrett&039;s still in town And if he is, I&039;ll find him"

"And then what?"

His silence was all the answer she needed

"Alex, you don&039;t have to do this We can leave the state, change our names, relocate soh he didn&039;t say anything, she kneas in his mind There was a child to think of now, and he wanted the trouble with Barrett over before their child was born She knehy, kneas afraid that Barrett would find theet hold of their child

She refused to think of what that reed that drove hilory

"I&039;ll be back as soon as I can"

"I&039; with you"

"No"

"Yes"

"Danant!"

"So?"

He stared at her in exasperation "I don&039;t want to put your life, oror er"

"I&039;ll feel safer with you than staying here alone"

Alex shook his head "There&039;s no way Barrett can get in here once the door is sealed"

"You can take me with you, or I&039;ll walk down the da here alone"

"Stubborn," Alex "

"I heard that," Kara said, "and I don&039;t think it was a cohed "And prettier than a Glantan wildflower, even when she&039;s angry" Taking her by the hand, he drew her to hi to lie to her, yet knowing it was for her own good, "you can go"

Kara ss my way"

"I don&039;t think I&039;ve had , Mr Claybourne?"

"No,a fact"

"You can have your way next week"

"Proe ative, you know"

He hugged her close, his lipsin her hair as he drew in her scent Sweet, so sweet, this beautiful, stubborn woman as now his wife

So sweet, he would not, could not, put her life in jeopardy

Swinging her into his ar?" Kara exclaiht ere going after Barrett"

"All in good time"

She started to question hiry, driving all thought of Barrett from her mind

Heher as his, every kiss filled with hope, every caress an unspoken proently, tenderly, as if she were a precious instrument, and he was the only one who could hear the music in her soul

He called her nahtly in his arms, he whispered that he loved her, would always love her

The sound of his voice was the last thing she heard before sleep clai soundly before he left the cavern He kissed her gently, knowing there was a chance heshe would never be safe while Barrett lived

It was after nine o&039;clock when he reached Eagle Flats He drove around the bank to the alley and parked the car He left the engine running, switched off the headlights, then stepped out of the car

Standing in the shadows, he glanced up and down the alley The scent of blood, too faint to be detected by ret and re ht, and then shook his head Barrett was to blale Flats, and that was his next stop He drove slowly through the parking lot, his nostrils flaring as he searched for Barrett&039;s scent, his lips curling back in a feral grin as he foundwhat he was looking for

He pulled up in front of the motel room and honked the horn Once Twice After the third blast of the horn, the door opened and Jarvis poked his head out

Alex heard the man swear under his breath, then Jarvis sla for Barrett

Less than a minute later, Jarvis and Barrett burst out of the roo lot

Kara ith a start "Alex?" Sitting up, she placed her hand on his side of theout of bed, she ran toward the door It was then she saw the note tacked to the door

"Kara, I&039;ve gone after Barrett If I&039;m not back by tomorrow afternoon, the main door will open You&039;ll findrock outside the door I love you Alex"

She read the note a second time, and then crumpled it in her hand She should have known he&039;d do so rooive you for this, Alexander Claybourne," she muttered "Never"

But even as she said the words, she knew them for a lie

"Please, just come back to me," she whispered "That&039;s all I ask"

He drove fast enough to stay ahead of Barrett, but not fast enough to lose hiht of Kara, and all she&039;d been through

Thought of the baby she carried Thought of Mitch Haht about the torture he had personally endured at Barrett&039;s hands The man deserved to die

The ht of theto make sure Barrett was still behind hiht, then took cover in the shadows

Moments later, Barrett&039;s car reached the top

Froe point, Alex watched the two o?" Jarvis asked

The doctor shrugged "I don&039;t know, but this is the end of the road He&039;s got to be here soo that way, and I&039;ll check over here"

Jarvis grunted, then started walking slowly along the ledge toward Alex&039;s hiding place

Alex waited until the man walked past, then he stepped out of the shadows and struck the runted softly as he toppled forward

Alex caught hied hie, then went back to the road and picked up thecautiously, Alex e And Barrett

As he drew nearer the cavern, he could hear Barrett&039;s footsteps, and then he saw the doctor standing at the end of the ledge near the entrance to the cavern

"Looking forun seeking a target, but there was nothing to see except the darkness

"Drop your weapon," Alex said

"No way Where&039;s Jarvis?"

"Taking a nap Drop your gun, Barrett It&039;s over"

"I don&039;t think so" Barrett glanced around "So, this is where you live"

"And this is where you die, unless you drop your gun"

"YouI ever thought of you Why&039;d you kill Hamblin?"

"I didn&039;t kill anybody"

"Maybe you didn&039;t pull the trigger, but you killed hi," Barrett said, his voice thick with contempt "Even if you went to the police, who&039;d believe you?"

"I&039; to settle this here and now"

A gunshot ripped through the night Alex ducked as he felt the heat of the bullet near his head, swore under his breath as Barrett fired off another round, and then another

Alex!He heard Kara&039;s voice inside hisher fists against the door

I&039;ht, natayah