Page 38 (1/2)

Author: Robyn Carr

"Easy there, young lady, easy--you’re hurt," the man said

And then a woh blurry vision and saw Devon standing over her And then she passed out

"We better move out of here fast," Rawley said "I don’t knohat threat we got in here, so best slink around the back side of that house up there One thing is for sure--we’re gonna have us one big goddao out the fence and through the woods and to the road, see if we can e handheld bolt cutter off his belt and handed it to Cooper "Stay to the shadows, Coop Get us the hell out of here This here girl is hurt"

"That’s Laine," Devon said, holding her shivering daughter tightly against her "She’s the one who showed et out of here Rawley, what if there are women and children in the house?"

Rawley seemed to consider this for a moment, then he transferred his burden into Spencer’s aruess I’ll check the house" He picked up his rifle again "Don’t wait forwoainst him "Devon," he said, "follow Cooper and try to be sht behind you"

They roup toward the back of the house and before going any closer to the buildings, Cooper stopped andback the loose aluh, and then Spencer ducked and ht in his arht Cooper was the last to get through "What about Rawley?" Spencer asked

Right then there was the unmistakable report from a rifle and everyone froze

"I hope he didn’t shoot anyone," Spenceron "He’ll get out, don’t worry," Cooper said "That crafty old devil knohat he’s doing Follow me," he said And Spencer doubted Cooper was a tracker, but he was the only one without a body in his arrowth and trees By the tih the woods and met the road, they also met Rawley

"We heard a shot," Cooper said

"Yeah, I blew the lock off the gate and opened it up We need us a fire truck and ambulance," he said He stripped off his shirt, draped it over Mercy and partly over Devon and asked, "She doin’ okay there, Mama?"

"I think so Scared and wet, but okay"

Laine stirred and groaned in Spencer’s aret you some help Is there anyone left in the coot away," she whispered "Mercy?"

"I’ve got her, Laine," Devon said "We’re getting out of here"

"I can walk," she said, wiggling a bit in Spencer’s aro"

"Stay behindoff his rifle to Cooper Then he took off at a jog down the road

They half jogged, half poalked down the road for a good half hour--it was at least a mile, maybe closer to two Raas ahead by a hundred yards and he approached the police vehicles with his arh in the air And suddenly the place lit up and was brought to life by a SWAT teauns pointed right at hiuns drawn, securing hied the rest of the party, same drill Except, they didn’t cuff theht thean to happen fast Rawley told them the place seemed to be deserted but for this wounded woman and the child, but one of the warehouses was on fire and it sreen cannabis Laine was taken to an ambulance, Mercy and Devon were taken to another while Cooper, Spencer and Raere held and locked into the back of police vehicles From where they sat they could see SWAT move down the road in their ar on They were followed by the fire departo in and fight the fire More vehicles appeared, a helicopter flew overhead and a spotlight was shone down on the area Dogs were pulled out of police cars by their handlers and they jogged to the scene

While there had been a couple of Trooper vehicles a couple of hours ago, now there was a shts were up, sirens wailed, radios chattered

And Rawley said to Spencer and Cooper, "It’s always better when they don’t shoot back I can’t believe we got ’eed looks and said in unison, "Easy?"

He grinned, showing off his straight, white dentures "You’re just pups Spoiled little pups"

Everyone in the rescue party was detained for questioning and because they were separated, Devon had no idea what had happened to Rawley, Spencer and Cooper She was allowed to stay with Mercy and they were taken to the hospital together where Mercy was checked over by a pediatrician It wasn’t long before she was reunited with her friends fro that had happened and urged therill her like before--this time they asked her some questions, then let her join Mercy in a hospital rooent Haynes informed her that the fire had been stopped before it spread into the forest, but sos were destroyed Jacob had tried to escape down a hidden back road that led out of the compound via the river, but when he reached a closed road and was unfire He was killed

And she cried Sobbed against Emma Haynes’s shoulder

She wasn’t sure if it was relief, that he could never threaten her or hold her captive again, or if there was so inside her that was a sense of loss

Devon asked about the other women and children Charlotte had rescued her son and little Liam, but Priscilla had stayed behind with Jacob Her body was found in the house Not even Laine could explain what had happened, but clearly Jacob shot her Perhaps with Mercy rescued, he didn’t need her anymore Of all the people in The Fellowship, she was the only fatality besides Jacob She was also the only one completely loyal to him

Hours later Devon was told that Laine had co a bullet froe as ive most of her story so the authorities understood that none of theone on a mission to rescue Mercy Aftersuch measures without the police, Devon was told that everyone had been released Devon was asked if she’d be willing to go over her stateain, add inforation