Chapter 25

Lee motioned to his team to move in, swearing silently at the daylight they were working in. There was plenty of landscaping to screen them, but the cover of darkness would have been a hundred times better. Renata came out of the house first, starting quickly around the back of the SUV, and then Elaine emerged, opening the back passenger side door and getting ready to slide in. She looked up at exactly the wrong moment and saw one of Lee's men sliding behind the cover of a large bush. She started to scream, and then all hell broke loose.

Renata froze at the back of the vehicle and Elaine ran for her, grabbing her arm and jerking her backward. George was bellowing for them to get into the car, shoving Logan ahead of him and using him as a human screen. Gabe was racing toward Renata, staying low, gun in hand. Lee's team was closing in as George pulled Logan against him and jammed the gun against his head. Elaine saw them and began screaming hysterically and shoving Renata toward them. It seemed to Renata that everything was moving in slow motion and sounded like they were all under water. George's eyes met hers, glittering with hate, and he swung the gun away from Logan and directly at Renata's chest. Everyone was moving at once, but George's intention was clear, and Gabe skidded to a stop and raised his gun.

Logan's eyes followed the path the gun was aimed on and filled with horror. He shouted, "No!" and jerked his arm up and into George's, forcing the gun up in the air and slamming his head backward into George's face just as Gabe fired. His bullet hit Logan at the same instant Lee's hit George directly in the head. Both men were down, and Lee kicked George's gun away as Gabe grabbed Renata. Elaine was on her knees next to both of them, still screaming, and Lee dropped down to check the pulses of both men. George was clearly dead, but Logan's heart was still beating, and Lee called for medical help, then he called for police.

Elaine was rocking back and forth on her knees, sobbing, not realizing that Logan was still alive in her hysteria. In a move as quick as a snake striking, she snatched up George's gun and leaped to her feet, aiming it directly at Renata, her hands shaking.

"You did this!" she snarled at the other woman. "It's all your fault! You killed them both!"

Everyone was frozen, and Renata cried, "Don't shoot! Elaine, look! Logan is alive; he's not dead. Don't do this. He's going to need you."

"You're lying," Elaine responded, but she hesitated.

"No, I'm not, just look. He's moving, but he needs help."

She was telling the truth; Logan was moving. With a huge effort, he opened his eyes and gasped, "Elaine…Elaine, don't. No more, please."

As soon as Elaine turned her eyes toward him, Lee grabbed her, wrestling the gun from her. She dropped to the ground beside Logan and took his hand, tears streaming down her face. Lee called Nick and told him to open the main gate as he heard the faint sound of sirens getting louder. Renata threw her arms around Gabe and wept on his shoulder while he stroked her hair and murmured to her, comforting her. It was a long time before all the pandemonium calmed. The police arrested Elaine, the EMTs worked on Logan and loaded him into the ambulance, another ambulance loaded up George's body, and Lee, Gabe, and the team answered questions until the FBI arrived to add to the confusion.

Gabe led Renata into the house and poured both of them a stiff drink, and a few minutes later, Lee joined them. Renata got up to hug him, thanking him tearfully.

"Renata, if you hadn't been so smart, we never would have been able to be here to help. You kept your cool, used your head, and found a way to let us know you needed help. And don't think I didn't get it when you let me know the timeframe of when you'd be leaving the house." Lee lifted his glass to her, seriously impressed by her actions.

She smiled a little. "Ah, you got that, huh? I'm just grateful for Nick right now. He's going to be getting one helluva raise. If it weren't for him, I might be on a private jet right now to some island."

Gabe shuddered. "I don't even want to think about that. George Russell wanted you dead once he got what he needed from you."

"I'm sure you're right. It's finally over, isn't it?" Renata's trembling was finally calming.

Lee said, "It's over. Logan is going to recover. Elaine is going to prison; everyone who was involved in this ugly mess is going to prison."

Renata sipped her whiskey and reflected for a minute. "Logan saved my life, didn't he?"

Gabe said, "Yeah, I'm glad to say he did. It was the last thing I expected, but there's no doubt that he did."

Just then, Nick burst into the house. "Renata! You're okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks to you."

He swept her into his arms, and they hugged each other as if their lives depended on it. Renata was tearful when they finally let go of each other. Then it was Gabe's turn to give him a hard man-hug. Lee pumped his hand and slapped him on the back while Renata poured him a drink. Renata asked Lee to bring in his team so she could thank them, and there were drinks all around. It was a long time before everyone was finally gone and Gabe and Renata were alone.

He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her with all the tenderness in his heart.

"You scared me so bad; that's twice now. We can't have anything like this ever happen again, you got me?" Gabe asked.

"Absolutely. I'm with you. I'm ready to live a long, boring, uneventful life full of ordinary, dull days. I promise I will never, ever complain about it."

"That sounds perfect to me. Fishing, gardening, working with your kids. The most exciting thing we'll need to do is pick out a dog." Gabe snuggled her into his lap.

"So, I was thinking," Renata said, "since you spend so much time here already, it's kind of silly for you to be carrying stuff back and forth. It's a big house, plus, there's the pond where you like to fish. And it's still close to your dad. What do you think about moving in?"

Gabe was quiet for so long that Renata began to get nervous. Finally, he said, "I was thinking of something even better. How about we just get married?"

Renata's mouth fell open, and she sputtered for a moment then said, "Well. That's certainly an unusual way to ask."

Gabe laughed then tipped her face toward him. Growing serious, he said, "Renata Wakefield, I love you more than I ever knew it was possible to love someone. I'm fascinated by you, I love your heart, I love your mind. I love your…spaghetti and meatballs."

Renata laughed hard, but he wasn't finished. "I can't think of anything better than to spend the rest of my life being ordinary with you. You're everything I want. Renata, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Now there were tears rolling slowly down her face. "Yes, Gabe, yes. I can't think of anything better than to be plain old Mrs. Fletcher. But I need to ask you something. Can we get married in Portugal? There's no better gift I could give my mother than for her to see me marry you. She'll love you so much."

He kissed her, long and thoroughly. "There's nothing I'd like more. I can't wait to meet the lady who gave you to the world. I love you, Renata, and I swear to love you forever."

The joy that filled her heart told her that she was just beginning her life.

The End