Free The Belial Ring (The Belial Series 3) by R.D. Brady

Jake asked as Laney placed most of her weight on her right foot, gingerly testing pressure on her left. She winced. Not as bad as it was, but not quite ready for her full weight.
    She pulled the Beretta from the waist of her jeans and checked the magazine. “I guess I’m getting ready to make a stand. I don’t suppose you guys would consider leaving me here? I’m the one they want. You two could still get away.”
    Both men just looked at her.
    She sighed. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
    With a lump in her throat, she raised her weapon. Henry and Jake did the same. If they were right, the men chasing them wanted her. Which meant she might survive this. But Jake and Henry . . .
    She tightened her grip. No. They would make it through, too.
    From the corner of her eye, Laney saw a car turn the corner of the fence to her right. Then another car appeared from the left. Great. They brought reinforcements.
    The cattle behind them began to get anxious. They started mooing loudly, then running away from the oncoming cars.
    Laney tensed, trying to figure out who m to aim for. From both sides, the cars barreled down the road toward them. She could hear the gunmen getting closer in the trees.
    The cars were almost on top of them. Laney switched her aim from the trees to the car coming from her right. But then both cars steered off the road, aiming for the men just emerging from the trees.
    Windows rolled down and the occupants of the cars simultaneously opened fire on the men pursuing on foot. The men tried to turn and run back to the relative safety of the trees, but were cut down in a barrage of bullets. A few were trampled under the wheels of the cars.
    A minute later, all was silent, except for the moans of some of the dying men. Laney could only gape at the carnage in front of her.
    Two men exited the cars and disappeared into the woods. What the hell was going on?
    “ Jake?” Laney asked.
    “They’re not ours,” Jake said.
    Laney tightened her grip.
    The driver ’s-side door opened on one of the SUVs. A small woman with long wavy black hair stepped out. She walked over to Laney, Jake, and Henry.
    H er deep brown eyes met Laney’s. “You okay?”
    Laney stared back at her in stunned disbelief. “Rocky?”

    CHAPTER 18
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    D etective Rochelle Martinez of the Syracuse Police Department wrapped Laney in a fierce hug. “Thank God you’re okay.”
    Laney hugged her back, but she was still reeling. She pulled back. “Rocky, what the hell are you doing here?”
    Rocky glanced at Jake and Henry. “It’s a long story. How about I tell it while we’re on the move?”
    Laney looked at Jake , who gave her a nod. “Uh, okay.”
    Jake slipped his arm around Laney ’s waist and helped her over to Rocky’s car. Henry followed.
    Rocky grabbed her radio from the driver ’s seat. “Mills, find any stragglers. I’m getting the VIPs out of here.”
    “ Roger that. Safe trip.”
    “ You, too.” Rocky hopped into the driver’s seat and buckled up. “Everybody good?”
    Laney nodded from the back seat with Jake, but “good” was not what she was. She felt like she’d just stepped into an episode of The Twilight Zone . Where the hell had Rocky come from? And who were those guys with her? Granted, Rocky was a cop, but that was in upstate New York. Her jurisdiction didn’t extend into Pennsylvania.
    Without another word, Rocky started the car and headed out of the field. No one said a word until they reached the highway.
    “ Detective Martinez, correct?” Henry asked.
    Rocky nodded. “Call me Rocky.”
    “ Okay, Rocky,” Henry said, “you want to tell us exactly how you found us?”
    Laney ’s head jerked up. There was anger in Henry’s tone. Not something she was used to hearing.
    “ We had eyes on you in Hershey, but lost you on that ride,” Rocky said. “And then everything went to shit. I’ve got people with Patrick, Kati, and the boys, by the way. They’re safe. And