I knew his men would not surrender easily.

The Valentis must have had help from the inside.

A traitor had let them in.

Derek was lying near the rear wheel of his car, groaning.

His arm was swollen where the steel tool had shocked him.

He looked at Vincent, then at the boats.

“Let me go,” Derek called out to the gunmen.

“I have nothing to do with this.”

“I only came for the woman.”

The man on the boat laughed.

“You brought us right to his back door, Derek.”

“Why would we let you go now?”

Derek’s face turned pale.

He realized he had been used.

He had thought he was the hunter.

But he was just the bait.

The lead gunman stepped off the boat, holding a heavy pistol.

He walked slowly down the dock.

His boots made a hollow thudding sound on the wet wood.

He stopped a few feet from Derek’s car.

“Where is the girl?” the gunman asked.

“She is behind the crates,” Derek said immediately.

He pointed a shaking finger toward my hiding spot.

“Take her.”

“Just let me leave.”