Sweet Fortune

okay?” Alex demanded as Hatch and David reached them. He had a protective arm wrapped around Susan's shoulders. Susan was whimpering softly.
    “We're fine.” Hatch shoved Hoffman's gun into his belt and handed Landis' to Alex, who did the same. “Now we all get back to the boat. Fast.”
    “You didn't tell me you had anyone else with you, Alex,” Susan murmured to Robin.
    “There wasn't time to explain. That bastard with the gun appeared out of nowhere,” Alex said.
    “I should have known you'd have it all planned out,” Susan said admiringly. “You're so brilliant, Alex.”
    “Kind of a rough plan, but it was the best I could do on the spur of the moment,” Alex said modestly.
    David slid Hatch a knowing look. “I told you the man's in love,” he muttered.
    “You pegged it. Let's get moving here.” Hatch realized that the sense of urgency he was experiencing had not diminished. If anything, it had grown stronger in the past few minutes.
    This was absolutely the last time he was going to let Jessie talk him into one of her crazy schemes, he vowed silently. The woman was a menace to herself and others. She needed to be kept on a tight leash, and from here on out, Hatch intended to do exactly that.
    He kept that glowing promise before him like a talisman as he followed the others through the trees back to the little cove where Jessie and the boat were waiting.
    Less than five minutes later, just as they were moving out of the trees and onto the rocky beach, a familiar voice split the night air.
    “Don't come any closer,” Jessie yelled. “He's got a gun.”
    But it was too late. Alex, Susan, and David had already moved out into the open. Hatch alone was still shielded by the thick foliage as he took in the scene on the shore.
    Jessie was standing helplessly in the gently bobbing boat. Edwin Bright had one arm around her throat. In his other hand he held a gun to her head.
    “By all means, let's have your friends come a little closer, my dear,” Edwin Bright said loudly.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

    W hat happened to Landis and Hoffman?” Bright called from the boat.
    “We left them back there in the woods,” David answered with astonishing calm.
    “Who are you?” Bright demanded impatiently.
    “A friend of Jessie's.”
    “The one they call Hatchard?”
    David was silent.
    “Answer me,” Bright roared, “or I'll put a bullet through her head.”
    “No,” David finally said, offering no further explanation.
    “Dammit, where's Hatchard?” Bright yelled. “I know he's the one behind all this, the one who screwed this thing up. Where the hell is he?”
    “Dead,” David said, improvising with laudable speed. “Landis got him. Didn't you hear the gunshot?”
    “ Dead ?” Jessie's shriek pierced the air. “ No , he can't be dead. I'd know if he were dead.” She jerked backward and forward in a frantic, violent motion that, added to the swaying action of the boat, was more than enough to take both her and Bright off-balance.
    “Watch it, you bitch, we're going over,” Bright shouted, scrambling to retain his balance. It was too late. He released Jessie in an effort to save himself from toppling over the edge of the bobbing boat.
    But Jessie's momentum was too strong. She lost her footing and fell backward, flailing wildly. Bright tried to dodge her arm and could not. It caught him across the throat and she carried him with her as she went into the water.
    Jessie screamed again just as she hit the cold water. Bright plunged in beside her, swearing furiously.
    Hatch raced out of the trees and ran past the others, who were staring at the scene in stunned amazement. He dashed along the rocky jetty, leapt into the boat, and peered over the side.
    “ Jessie .”
    Jessie was bobbing in the water, her dark hair plastered to her scalp. She pushed wet tendrils out of her eyes and looked up at him with a glowing smile. “I knew you were alive.”
    Hatch ignored Bright, who was sputtering and gasping next to her. He leaned down, caught Jessie's raised hands, and hauled her straight up out of the black water and into the boat.
    “That water's damn cold,” Alex said as he stepped into the boat. “It'll kill a person in less than thirty minutes. Better get her into one of the blankets.”
    “He's right.” David jumped into the boat and opened a locker. He dragged out a blanket. “Jessie, get your clothes off and get into this. You'll be okay. You were in the water only a couple of