by Snow, Nicole
I chew my tongue. I’d never seen Gramps plastered, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have his fun, especially with friends.
“A few years back, him and his 'helper' took a trip to Montana. They talked up a storm one night in a bar there where I had ears. Heard all about his will. His scheme to give Earhart to the town of Dallas. That was before you came along, Annabelle, but I’ve discovered that with the three of you gone, that’s still where it goes.”
I shake my head.
He grins and nods. “I’m right, I know I am. And I know I could convince enough people in this town that money, not oil jobs, are what they want. That is, if I wanted to...” He flicks the lighter, then blows out the flame. “But I don’t. Frankly, I barely give a shit about North Earhart and its old drill sites. They’re half depleted. Secondary to everything else.”
My insides quiver at how evil he looks as his smile grows. I’m not going to like this.
“I don’t understand. What is it you want?” I ask, forcing myself to stay calm. To think strategically.
“Why, your adorable Reed Ranch.” His lips curl in a nasty crescent, even wider when he hears me gasp. “Which the town will gladly sell. They won’t need that dump, it’s just another liability in a place that can’t afford them. The cost of the taxes and upkeep alone make it a detriment to anybody who isn’t already loaded.”
“The ranch? Why?” Mother asks.
“Now, now, Mrs. Molly, that part’s a tightly guarded secret.” Avery walks over, eyeing us one at a time, then stops in front of me and shrugs. “I suppose, considering your predicament, I could let my guard down just this once.”
Ugh. Just get on with it already, I think.
“Turns out, the richest shale in the entire damn Bakken Formation is right beneath the Reed homestead. Acres and acres of it. Jonah never drilled a single well on his own property. He didn’t need to. Had enough money coming in from all the other places North Earhart operated. That’s virgin land he left untouched.” He points to his chest. “His loss. My gain. Oil, minerals, maybe some goddamn dinosaur bones. I’ll bring the boom back to North Dakota so big, Dallas won’t even need any stinking handouts from the Reed Foundation. With Jupiter at the helm, we’ll drag this place kicking and screaming into becoming a real town.”
It’s amazing how easy it is for him to savage me on every level. But I just shake my head again. “The town won’t sell you the ranch, Briar. It won’t be theirs to sell.”
He nods, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “Bullshit, it will.”
“Wrong. You left one thing out.” I return a slow, angry smile as ugly as his. “Because when I die, my husband inherits everything.”
He laughs. “Your husband. That’s funny, Annabelle.”
Mom’s eyes light up. “She’s telling you the truth. You know Drake, don’t you, Avery?”
“You aren’t married to Drake Larkin,” he snarls. “Not anymore.”
Pride, along with a wave of warmth despite the evil surrounding us, fills me. “Yes, I am. Guess your spies didn’t get the memo.”
He paces across the floor, slaps the side of the truck, and laughs.
“This just gets better and better.” Stepping away from the truck, he kneels down in front of me. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, darling, but my son already killed your husband.”
My heart clenches at the thought, but it can’t be true. I saw Drake’s truck. Unless there was another man, there’s no way his son pulled off a hit.
“Guess again, liar. Drake was still at the ranch when I left. Healthy as ever.”
For a second, Avery glares at me, then darts across the room and grabs Adam by the front of his shirt. “What the hell’s she talking about? You mean to tell me–”
“I didn’t need to kill him, Dad,” his son says, flashing an empty smile. “I told you, she met me at the end of the driveway. Easy.”
For a second, everything goes still.
Then Avery shakes his son in a fit so violent his hat falls off. “You stupid little bastard! You fuckass punk. I knew I shouldn’t have sent you out there alone to do a man’s job.”
He’s breathing like he might collapse. I hope he does.
But Avery lifts his head, red as a cherry. “How many times do we have to go through this again? Drake Larkin is the reason I had to send you to the offshore rigs, you little idiot. He knows you’re the one who killed that woman from the reservation. He knows you were the one pimping her little brother to sell your stupid fucking drugs, putting us at risk for pennies. He knows about the other sites, too. The other women. He knows everything!” Teeth clenched, he shoves his son backward, into the big metal toolbox.
Adam doesn’t fight. He slides to the floor, covering himself before he says, “No, Dad. Nobody knows. You took care of that. You said you did!”
My insides sink. Jesus.
So he had killed Drake’s ex, his friend, whoever she was.
Avery punches the truck fender. “Fuck! I wish I had you arrested and knocked off in jail instead of that decoy. Your idea. Do you know how hard I had to look to find someone as stupid as you? I had him eighty-sixed just so Larkin and that lazy sheriff would think that was the end of it. The end of you!”
I’m actually amazed.
They don’t know the same Drake I do if they believe he’d be fooled so easy.
Regret rises up inside me for getting so angry at him. Jealousy, that’s all it had been.
I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on him and Angie. I was just getting candy canes for Edison and the kids when I heard them yelling, and then I couldn’t stop listening.
“But...what if he saw the real me?” Adam asks, running a nervous hand through his thick hair. “Shit. Do you think–”
Avery grabs him off the floor and hoists him up. “You don’t think a goddamn thing. That’s the problem. And that’s why I told you to kill him! Take him out. End fucking Larkin and then bring all the Reeds here for disposal!”
With one more wild-eyed look, he lets go, turning with a vicious sigh.
The son shoves his hat back on his head. “I’ll go now, Dad. Let me take care of this. I won’t fuck up again. I promise.”
Avery shakes his head slowly. “It’s far too late for that, you dolt. The first thing you’re going to do is go hide my truck and that white car. I need a minute to think.” Shoving him aside, he says, “Then hurry up and get your ass back here. I’ll know what to do by then, and you’ll remember how to listen.”
I look at my parents, wishing so bad I could offer some hope.
But I can’t.
Just like a warped mirror image of Adam and Avery, I screwed up with Drake too.
I ruined our only chance at salvation.
18
One Last Rodeo (Drake)
“Ridiculous. A fucking snow-white BMW doesn’t just disappear into thin air!” My nerves are shot.
Gone. I want to grab Wallace by his bright-white shirt and fucking shake him, but I know it’ll put me in handcuffs for assaulting an officer.
I lost the car on the way to town, when it shot around that tanker truck.
By the time I got around it, cleared the congestion that crazy asshole created on the road, the BMW was gone.
But it has to be in town. The roads don’t go anywhere else. If Wallace can’t help me, then I have to get going right the fuck now.
“Every deputy I’ve got is out looking, Drake. Have been since you called. The car hasn’t been sighted since it drove past the implement dealer.”
I’d driven past there too, all the way to the park limits, where the road ends. Fucking ends.
They hadn’t turned on the East-West highway, either, I followed it in both directions, straight past the deputies parked there, watching the roads from both sides of the state line.
“What about Briar? Has anybody seen him?”
“Negative.” Wallace shakes his head. “Drake, you said Bella was upset with you and jumped into the car. She had to have known
the driver. They’re probably just talking to her. I know we’re all a little stressed over what happened at the jail. The odds of a hit on my turf and a kidnapping in one day? That’s crazy.”
“It’s more than that!” My gut tells me something’s wrong. Very wrong. I’ve checked the camera data on my phone, but I can’t tell who was driving the BMW. “Gary’s not answering his phone.”
“Well, maybe he’s upset too. Didn’t sound too good when we talked earlier. Said he was real worried about Bella.”
“Yeah. Worried. For good fuckin’ reason.” I slap the hood of his car, which gets me a dirty look. I don’t care. “She didn’t have time to call her parents. The car was already at the end of the driveway when she stepped out, trying to reason with that goddamn horse.”
His radio crackles.
“Dispatch to Sheriff.”
He presses the button connected to the radio on his shoulder. “Wallace. Go ahead.”
“Erin Cassidy from the diner saw something suspicious. I gave her your cell number. She’ll be calling any minute.”
His cell phone rings. “Ten-four.”
He releases his radio and pulls his phone out of his side case. “This is Sheriff Wallace.”
I can’t hear what she says, but the change in his expression makes the hair on my arms stand up. “What?”
“Rodney...” I growl impatiently.
He holds up a finger. “When?”
I shift from foot to foot, standing on the side of the highway where he’d pulled me over. It feels like forever before he hangs up.
“What did she see?”
“On her way to work a couple of hours ago, Erin was stopped at the light in front of the hotel. Says she saw Molly and Gary Reed crossing the parking lot with Avery and another man. A guy with sunglasses and a baseball cap. She said she’d looked away because Molly waved at her, real friendly like. But after thinking about it, she decided to call. She didn’t think Molly would ever have a nice bone in her body for her, not since she was mixed up with Gary years ago. And because Avery and the other guy were walking right behind Molly and Gary. Close behind. Almost like they were making them walk.”
“Guns in their backs,” I say, nodding. “And then one of them took the BMW. That’s who’s got Bella.”
A horn blares from the road. A second later, there’s a squeal of brakes. We both spin around.
“What the fuck!” I’m not sure who says it first.
A black horse covered with sweat is plodding across the East-West highway.
“Isn’t that Edison?” Wallace asks.
“Yes.” The poor bastard looks like he’s almost dead.
He must’ve run all the way to town. I’d seen him by the Jeep, but had steered around him and her car.
“What the hell’s he doing?” Wallace does a slow blink.
Excitement hits me between the eyes. “He’s meeting Bella. Following her to the barn.”
“What?”
I slap his shoulder before turning to run to my truck. “Follow that horse! Get everyone you’ve got on his tail!” My heart thuds real fierce as I jump in the truck and whip a U-turn.
I catch up to Edison long before the park, but stay back, not wanting to distract him.
He doesn’t stop for a drink of water out of the pond, just keeps walking at a good clip, right across the parking lot toward the pavilion.
I steer around the metal posts and follow him.
When the gravel ends, I curse at the tire tracks in the grass. Why the fuck had I turned around in the parking lot? Damn!
Why hadn’t I just told Bella the truth? Winnie isn’t the reason I’m still here.
Hasn’t been for a long time.
Ever since I saw her pictures in Jonah’s house, and heard him hinting at the plan, I knew I couldn’t let her be alone. She needed someone to help, someone to fight, someone to save her.
And now that day has arrived.
I stop the truck and leap out, racing back to Wallace’s car.
“The storage yard.” We both say at the same time.
“We’ll go from here on foot,” I tell him. “Gotta move fast.”
“Hey, hold up. You’re a civilian,” Wallace says. “If those men are armed, you’d be better off letting –”
Fuck and no.
Ignoring him, I jog back to my truck, grab my Glock from under the seat and the extra clip from the door panel.
He catches up with me as I’m standing behind a tree, surveying the fenced in area full of trucks. It’s a big old building with storage tanks and an array of outdated, rusting drilling equipment. I’d forgotten North Earhart even had this decaying storage facility out here.
Edison is still walking down the hill at a low imitation gallop.
“Poor boy,” I mutter.
Honestly, I’m pretty damn impressed, too.
That old horse has more stamina than I’d ever have given him credit for. He’s either a genius or half hound dog, too. I’m not certain which.
“I told the deputies to come in on foot,” Wallace tells me, resigning himself to my presence.
“The only gate’s at the front, and it’s open,” I say.
“Dammit. They could be in any of those buildings.”
“Give it a minute. Edison will tell us which one.” I slap his back. “Let’s go. Stay in the trees.”
“I know what I’m doing. Who’s the trained law enforcement officer here?”
“I’m not holding your lack of training against you,” I say, knowing he’s got nothing on an Army sniper. “Just stay close.”
We weave our way downhill and follow Edison through the open gate, scanning the area for movement.
My gun is cocked and ready to go, but it’s my hands that are itching to get a hold of Avery Briar.
Just as bad as I’d wanted them around his monster son’s neck years ago.
The rotten apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. That’s for fucking sure.
Other deputies file in through the gate behind us and fan out. Must be the whole Dallas police force.
Wallace and I stick to following Edison, letting him lead. When the horse stops and leans a shoulder against the side of a building, my heart sinks.
His breathing is labored, and sweat keeps foaming on his chest. He lets out a loud snort, and for a second, I’m afraid he’ll go down right here.
Shit.
I hold up a hand when Wallace steps closer. “After this is through, we’re gonna need a vet out here ASAP. I mean now, Rodney.”
He nods and pulls out his phone.
While he talks, I step closer to the horse, laying a hand on his back as I walk along his side. “You did good, old man,” I whisper in his ear. “I’ll take it from here. Time to bring Bella home.”
He lets out a snort, quieter than the last. An exhausted one.
My gut sinks.
I don’t want to admit how much this horse has come to mean to me. Or how hard it’ll be for Bella to see him go, assuming I can get her out of there.
A sound inside the building has me stopping cold in front of Edison, peering around the corner.
There’s a shadow. A tall guy wearing a baseball cap steps out and lets the door slam shut behind him.
Good. He has no idea we’re here.
I want to know where he’s going next. Also don’t have a clue where the deputies are. The longer we can minimize the chances of bullets flying without backup, the better.
Crouching down, I grab a rock and wait.
Then the door finally opens again.
Now. I make my move, racing forward a perfect pitch.
The rock sails through the air and strikes the back of his head, and as he spins around, surprise!
My fist smacks his face and he goes down silently, other than the thud of his head on concrete.
He’s not out, though.
His eyes are wide open, and he’s gasping, trying to catch the air that’s been knocked out of him. I grab the front of his shirt
, hoist him off the ground, demanding to know where Bella is when he’s knocked right out of my hand.
Edison.
Holy fuck.
The guy hits the ground again and the horse rears up, stomping his hooves on the back of his head.
He’s out cold this time. Either fainted or knocked out.
The blood flowing out of his nose bubbles, so he’s still breathing.
Nonchalant, as if he hadn’t done anything, Edison walks slowly away from the body.
“Drake,” Wallace hisses. “Look!”
I stop, having already started to follow Edison, leaving the sheriff to cuff that prick.
Then I see what he’s pointing to.
A dragon tattoo behind his left ear. Suddenly, I wish Edison had murdered this piece of shit.
“The real Adam Briar,” I snarl, having half a mind to do it myself, right in front of the law.
“That’d be my guess,” Wallace answers. “Damn. He’s a dead ringer for our dead pal, Holden.”
I’m not listening. I’m too sick with rage, too ready to slit his throat, make sure he never stands up again.
But then I see the horse moving, this single-minded focus on her.
I look down at the crumpled heap of a monster on the ground and turn up my nose.
Bullshit.
I’ve hated this bastard for years, but ironically, I don’t give a shit about him.
Bella’s my concern. My worry. If this fuck hurt her, he’ll pay ten times over at my hands.
But right now, nothing matters more than making sure she’s safe, bringing her back to these arms.
“I’ll cuff him, then we’ll case the building.”
I shake my head at Wallace and nod toward Edison. “He wouldn’t be walking away if Bella was inside there,” I say, following the horse again.
My training wants me to be in control, the one homing in on Bella’s location. Instead, I’m putting all my faith in an old horse. The irony isn’t lost on me.
Right now, this crazy beast has more zen-like calm than I do.
Doesn’t matter. He’ll help me find her. He’s convinced of that, dedicated, and won’t stop till he collapses.