THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

floor.
    Jeremy ran his sleeve across his face. Blood stained his skin and clothes, and droplets splattered on the floor.
    “Kick it my way,” Scott said.
    Jeremy kicked his foot forward, but the blood from his sleeve impaired his vision and he missed, staggering backwards.
    Scott scooped up the gun, then restrained Jeremy with his handcuffs. He Mirandized him, then jerked him tight against him. Scott’s jaw pulsed. “Is Jake still in Tappahannock?”
    Jeremy nodded and hung his head.
    “He’d better be safe. Don’t make me regret not killing you while I have the chance.” He shoved Jeremy into a kitchen chair.
    Kasey clung to the doorjamb. “He’s going to bleed to death.”
    “If he’s lucky.” Scott went to the sink, pumped anti-bacterial cleanser into his hands and washed the blood from them.
    Two EMT’s rushed into the house. Scott motioned them to Jeremy and they started tending to his injuries.
    Scott walked over to Kasey as he dried his hands. “Are you okay?”
    She lunged into his arms. “I was so scared.”
    He kissed the top of her head. “Scared the hell out of me, too.”
    “Thank goodness you showed up when you did.”
    “You were doing pretty well without me.”
    “Thank God for Turtle Mike.”
    “You must’ve been sandbagging the day we played horseshoes here.”
    “Lucky shot.” She laid her head against his chest.
    The EMTs cleaned the gash on Jeremy’s face. His nose was broken. They moved him to a gurney and fastened a strap across his body. Two officers showed up just as the EMTs rolled the gurney toward the door. Scott updated the officers with all the details. “Get him out of here.” Scott’s directive set the officers in motion.
    He moved to Kasey’s side, tipped her chin and looked her in the eyes. He cleared his throat. “That’s what I was going to tell you earlier. About Jeremy.”
    “Where’s Jake?”
    “I tried to tell you,” said Jeremy through the gauze. “Jake’s safe.”
    “I’ve been in a living hell for months.” She hurled the words like stones.
    Scott put his hand on her arm. “I’ll be able to prove Jeremy killed Nick with the slug he fired in here. I’m sure it’ll match those we found at the scene. We have Libby Braddock at the station. She’s Jeremy’s sister.”
    “His sister?” Her breathing grew louder. “No, Jeremy. How could you?” She lunged past the EMT and pounded Jeremy’s chest with her fists. “How did—”
    “Whoa, whoa! ” Scott grabbed her around the waist. “He’ll get his punishment, don’t you worry.”
    Her feet kicked at nothing. “Why?” she screamed.
    “It was an accident.” Jeremy choked out the words.
    “An accident? He was in his truck, for God’s sake.”
    His gaze locked on hers, intense, desperate. “I meant to scare him. He was going to move you away. I couldn’t lose you.”
    “Lose me? What the hell are you talking about?”
    “I didn’t want you to move here.”
    “You knew?” She pounded the air. “You knew about the house. You lied. And Jake? What about Jake?”
    Jeremy turned his head. “I’m sorry. I saved him, but then I didn’t know what to do.”
    “All this time? Where is he? Tell me, you bastard.”
    Scott turned her toward him. “Shhh. It’s over. We’re going to get Jake.”
    Von opened the door, then held it wide as the medics wheeled Jeremy past.
    Jeremy struggled against the restraints, shouting, “I tried to fix it.”
    Von rushed to Kasey’s side. “Thank goodness you weren’t hurt. I was at the station waiting on Scott when the call came in. You’re okay, right?”
    She nodded, then her cell phone rang.
    “That’s mine,” she said.
    “I’ll answer it.” Von grabbed the ringing phone from the counter. “Hello. Kasey Phillips's cell.”
    He listened and nodded. “So let me get this straight. You’re in the air, headed for the Greensville-Emporia airport...Here?”
    Cody’s deep voice reverberated from the phone and across the room. Kasey could almost make out his words.
    “I’m putting you on speaker.” Von punched the speakerphone button on the cell and laid it on the counter. He leaned over the phone. “This couldn’t be better timing. Where are you exactly? We just got a lead on Jake. I think you can help.”
    “Hang on. Let me check with the pilot,” Cody said, then his voice became muffled.
    “The pilot says we’re like forty miles from the airport. We can change course. Where do you need us to go?”
    “Tappahannock