She loved the smile that touched his lips. “Well, Larry and I were pretty good. But you, Skylar Ferguson, gave us what we needed when you fought for yourself!” he whispered. “I don’t know if you were entirely foolish or amazingly brave.”
Looking into his eyes, she shook her head.
“I couldn’t get into that plane. I just knew I couldn’t!”
“Well, we can talk more later!” he murmured.
He didn’t let her go, but he turned to the first man who came rushing from one of the cars that had burst onto the field, briefing him quickly on what had happened.
The man nodded, wanting to know if there was anyone else anywhere, and Chase told him that they hadn’t seen a pilot and didn’t know if anyone else was in the plane, but if so, they hadn’t appeared.
Other agents were out of their cars, communicating in a way that Sky didn’t understand. But two headed up the steps to the plane, one right behind the other, weapons drawn, ready for what they would encounter within.
Another car drove in.
It was Wellington himself who jumped out, rushing over to them. He looked anxiously from Sky to Chase, frowning.
“You got Malcolm—and Miguel Esposito?” he exclaimed.
“I had some help,” Chase said, managing a grin. “A really great dog—and then a true heroine not about to go anywhere quietly.”
Wellington frowned, once again looking from Chase to Sky.
“And Larry. Hmm. They may want that dog back,” Wellington said.
“They’re not getting him!” Sky said, smiling. Her eyes fell on Malcolm and then Esposito, and she shivered and looked away.
She was so grateful to be alive.
And still...she wanted to be away from the blood and the horror and the fear.
“It will all be in my report,” Chase said, “but there’s something I never knew about Sky. She’s got one hell of a kick and a tremendous sense of balance. It helped that Esposito ducked back into the plane at the right moment and Sky had made a dive to safety. But—”
“Sir!”
One of the agents who had gone into the plane reappeared.
“Yes, Cooper. Empty?”
“No, sir. Just a terrified woman who doesn’t speak English. My Spanish isn’t great, but I think that she was kidnapped and forced to act as a server on the plane and—and I’m not sure what else. She was hiding on the floor in the galley.”
Wellington nodded. “We’ll get her some help and figure out her situation. Can you talk her down so we can bring her in?”
The agent nodded. The woman emerged, looking at them terrified. Then she saw Esposito’s body, fallen to the tarmac.
She let out a cry, but it wasn’t a cry of loss or pain.
It was one of relief. Shaking, she turned into the arms of the agent who had to catch her before she, too, became a casualty of the short flight of steps.
“It’s okay, you’re okay, you’re going to be okay!” the agent reassured her.
He helped her down, and as he escorted her to one of the vehicles, she looked over at Chase and Sky and suddenly broke away, running to hug Sky, speaking so quickly.
Sky, knocked a foot away from Chase, thought that the poor woman had been a victim—like so many others. Kidnapped? Maybe members of her family had been threatened, too.
Larry was amazing; he didn’t growl. He knew the woman was no threat. The shepherd/Lab mix sensed her fear and trauma and leaned his furry body next to both her and Sky.
Sky wasn’t sure what to do, but she hugged the woman back, smoothing her hair and telling her that it was going to be okay.
The woman broke away at last, hugged Chase and then hurried to join the agent.
“We’ll find out more about her,” Wellington said, looking at Sky and smiling. “Maybe you should be on our payroll.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Um... I think I’ll stick to teaching kids.”
“Far more dangerous!” Wellington said lightly. He hesitated. “We’re going to need a debriefing on all this, of course. And Sky, I’m sorry, I hope you’re feeling up to—”
“I’m here. I’m alive. And I’m up to anything needed,” she said. “But, please, do you know anything more about Chris and the other man?”
“In surgery as we speak, but the prognosis on both is good,” Wellington told her. “So I’m afraid that there are a few things that still need attention...”
Chase was smiling at her. “She is the bravest individual I know,” he said. “And we’ll be fine. Paperwork. It comes with everything.”
Medical techs had arrived; gurneys were coming out. Forensic crews were heading onto the plane.
“You are something!” Chase told her very softly. He hesitated. “You are your father’s daughter.”
“And that,” she told him, “is the greatest compliment I could receive. Thank you. And thank you—and Larry. You saved my life.”
