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running toward the two sheriffs. Another lawman in the yard, a deputy, tried to stop her from getting closer, but she batted his hands away.
    “My son is in there!”
    “It’s okay,” Cooper assured the deputy. “Let her through.”
    Laurel didn’t take the time to thank him or to respond to the glare Jericho was giving her for disobeying his order. She rushed past the men and hurried into the house. The room was dark, only a corner lamp for illumination, so she needed a moment for her eyes to adjust and take everything in.
    Some of the furniture and a Christmas tree had been toppled over. Things were strewn around. Evidence of the struggle that’d taken place here.
    Then her heart bashed against her ribs.
    Because she saw the blood. On the floor. And on the front of Sandy’s white T-shirt.
    “Oh, God.” Laurel’s gaze flew past her friend and to the medic.
    Who was holding Maddox.
    “He’s all right,” Sandy quickly told her. The medic repeated a variation of the same thing.
    Laurel didn’t believe either of them. She hurried to her son, praying there’d be no blood on him. There wasn’t. She took him from the medic’s arms, trying to check every inch of him. Maddox didn’t cry, didn’t seem upset, but he did look a little confused about what was going on.
    “He wasn’t hurt,” Sandy insisted.
    Laurel shook her head. “But the blood.”
    “It’s mine.” Sandy lifted the sleeve of her T-shirt, and Laurel saw the angry gash on her friend’s arm.
    That gave Laurel a new burst of emotions. Concern and the sickening dread that she’d put her friend in danger. “I’m so sorry.”
    Sandy shrugged. “I just got grazed by a bullet, that’s all. Nothing serious. The medic will stitch me up, but I wanted him to check out Maddox first.”
    “The kid’s fine,” the medic assured her. He goosed Maddox in the belly and went toward Sandy to start examining her.
    “I can’t ever thank you enough,” Laurel told the woman.
    “No thanks needed.” Sandy’s attention went to Jericho. “But I’d appreciate it if you caught the scum who did this.”
    Jericho nodded. “I will.” And it sounded like a promise. One that Laurel hoped he could keep.
    “Boo-boo,” Maddox said, pointing to Sandy’s arm.
    Since Laurel didn’t want him to see that, she sheltered his face against her shoulder and moved to the other part of the room.
    And practically ran right into Jericho.
    The moment seemed to freeze. Or maybe she felt that way because Laurel’s feet suddenly seemed anchored in place. But then, Jericho didn’t move, either. He just stood there, his attention fixed on Maddox.
    Maddox gave him a wary look, his gaze sliding from Jericho’s cowboy hat, face and finally to the shiny badge on his shirt. Maddox smiled.
    Jericho sure didn’t.
    Laurel saw all the emotions go through his eyes. The love, instant and strong. The fear that he’d come so close to losing him. And finally the hatred. Not aimed at Maddox but at her.
    For keeping Maddox from him.
    “We need to leave,” Jericho said to her. Not easily. His jaw muscles were as hard as granite.
    Well, they were until Maddox smiled again.
    Jericho’s expression softened a bit. Then it softened a lot when he reached out and touched his son’s cheek. That seemed to be the only invitation Maddox needed, because he reached for Jericho and that badge.
    But Jericho didn’t get a chance to take him.
    Because Cooper stuck his head through the partially opened door. The lawman’s attention went straight to Jericho. Then her. “My deputy caught one of them,” Cooper said. “It’s not good.”
    No. Laurel wasn’t sure she could handle any more bad news tonight.
    “What’s wrong?” Jericho asked, walking closer to his fellow sheriff.
    “I have to get all of you out of here now,” Cooper insisted, glancing at both Jericho and Laurel. “The kidnapper we caught told my deputy that more men were on the way here, and they have orders to shoot to