Cowboy Bodyguard

by Dana Mentink

  He prayed Shannon would not come flying out of the truck in a fit of justified anger at such talk.

  In a whirl of motion, Viper pulled his gun and aimed at the truck window, but Jack’s dad laid down a volley of shots before he could pull the trigger. Viper and Cruiser bolted for their bikes. Keegan roared up on his motorcycle, intercepting the two before they could climb aboard.

  “Can’t leave now,” Keegan said. “Party’s just getting started.”

  “All right,” Jack said. “Now it’s time for you to tell us where Dina Brown is.”

  Cruiser’s face blazed hatred in a steady wave. He uttered an expletive and went again for his gun. Again, Tom unloaded a shot, and Keegan kept between the men and their bikes.

  “Drop your guns and answer him,” Keegan shouted. “I’m wasting gas.”

  Cruiser spit on the ground. “There’s your answer.”

  Two more shots, one so close it nearly hit his boot, convinced Cruiser to toss his gun to the ground, and Viper followed suit.

  The radio clipped to Jack’s belt squawked.

  “Aces just passed me on their way in,” Barrett said. “A half dozen, ready for battle.”

  Jack’s blood turned to ice. “Everybody leaves,” he called into the radio, shouting to Keegan. “Get Dad. Get out of here.” Keegan immediately gunned it to the control tower. Jack raced to the driver’s seat as the Aces rolled onto the tarmac.

  They started shooting immediately, aiming for Cruiser and Viper, unconcerned about who would be caught in the cross fire. Bullets slammed into Jack’s truck as he sought the ignition.

  “Shannon, stay down,” he thundered.

  The back door of the double cab opened, and Viper was there, yanking at the baby seat. “Stop,” Shannon shrieked, slapping at his hands just as a bullet fractured the back window, sending glass rocketing in all directions. Viper recoiled, but only for a moment. Then he lunged again as Jack punched the truck into motion.

  “He’s in the truck,” she screamed. In the rearview, Jack saw Viper attempt to cut through the seat belt with his knife. Shannon screamed again, and Viper tumbled free without his burden. Aces poured onto the runway, blocking his exit.

  “Gonna have to get to the trail,” he yelled.

  Shannon gripped the armrest. He pushed her head down to keep her from the path of the incoming bullets that zinged around them like hornets. Pedal to the floor, he prayed the Aces would be too occupied with Viper and Cruiser to pursue them. Keegan, with his father behind, was already roaring away over the dirt trail.

  He pushed the truck as fast as it would go. A biker peeled off in pursuit, coming alongside the driver’s door. He held a revolver, struggling to keep it steady and the bike under control. The Aces would try to eliminate witnesses to their shooting rampage, mowing down anyone who could incriminate them. One shot, one wild bullet, could catch Shannon. Stomach doing flips, he jammed the accelerator to the floor, but the biker did not slow.

  The biker squeezed off a shot, which exploded his side-view mirror and caused Shannon to scream again. They could not outpace their pursuer, and they would have to slow to make it to the dirt trail without overturning. Shannon gripped the seat belt, knuckles white.

  “Keep it steady,” he said, gesturing her to grab the wheel.

  She must have thought him crazy, and she was probably right, but she took hold of the wheel, keeping the truck on a straight path. Foot still on the accelerator, he used both hands to slam the driver door open with every bit of his strength. As the biker swerved to avoid the door, he jerked the handlebars too hard and overturned the motorcycle.

  “Yes,” he said, grabbing the wheel again. Shannon let go, panting.

  Then they were through the entrance to the trail, bumping over the dirt, the ruts on the path rattling his teeth. Barrett hopped off Titan and closed the gate, padlocking it shut. The Aces might get through it, but it would take a while.

  He waited until his brother was back in the saddle and safely away through the woods before he took the trail back home, knowing Barrett or his father had already alerted Larraby.

  Shannon still clutched the armrest as if the Aces or Tide would somehow catch them at any moment. He handed her his phone. “Call my mom,” he said, to give her something to do. His mom had probably already heard from one of her sons or husband.

  In halting, clipped syllables, Shannon relayed some of the details. “And he, Viper, I mean, he tried to cut out the car seat...” She stopped and gulped for air. He took the phone from her cold fingers.

  “We’ll be there in a couple, Mama,” he said and disconnected.

  They were home in a short while, his mother listening, wide-eyed, to the rest of the details, with Annabell tucked safely in her embrace.

  “Do you think Viper will ever figure out he tried to steal a car seat with a five-pound sack of flour aboard?” Keegan said, laughing.

  When the baby fussed, Jack was surprised to see Shannon hold out her arms. Evie reluctantly gave her the baby, and she walked to the guest room. He left his family to wait for the police and followed. He heard sniffles.

  “Shan?” he said from the doorway.

  She turned to hide the tears, but not fast enough.

  “Hey.” He went to her, touching her arm. “You okay?”

  “I don’t know why I’m crying,” she said with a touch of anger, as if daring him to come up with a reason.

  “Well, now, the shooting and all. That was upsetting.”

  “It’s not that.”

  “What, then?”

  She bit her lip, and he gave her time.

  “When Viper tried to take the car seat, she could have been in there.” Her lip trembled. “Her tiny head. A baby’s skull is in pieces, really,” she said, as if presenting in a classroom, only there was a manic quality to it. “The little pieces are held together by cranial sutures. The fontanels. Completely unable to withstand any trauma. Think what could have happened. Just think.”

  He stared at her, openmouthed. “But she wasn’t anywhere near, Shan. We never would have put her life at risk.”

  “I know. I know,” she wailed suddenly, “but imagining his filthy hands on her, I just... I can’t stop thinking about what if it had been her in that car seat.” A choking sob cut off her words. “There’s something wrong with me,” she cried. “I’m a doctor. I’m used to drama. And I don’t like babies. Not really.” Tears ran unchecked, dripping from her chin and onto Annabell’s head.

  He turned her very gently in the circle of his arms and held them both to his chest, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Honeybunch, there’s nothing wrong with you. Nothing at all.”

  He let her cry, catching her tears on his shirtfront, left in wonderment at the complexity of a woman’s heart.

  * * *

  Shannon tapped her foot as Larraby listened to their report with Keegan, Barrett and Tom adding details into the conversation.

  “The situation has changed,” Larraby said. “I’m bringing in cops from the county because the Aces are all over Gold Bar, searching for Tides. And when they aren’t searching, they’re tearing things up. I’ve had four drunk and disorderlies already this morning.” He looked at Jack and Shannon. “How’d they get Dina’s cell phone?”

  “I don’t know,” Shannon said. “I’ve been trying to figure that out myself.”

  “This is getting complicated.” Jack related the conversation with Tiffany. “It’s possible Pinball wants to make a covert deal to get Dina and the baby and hand them over to the Tide to prevent a conflict or hide them until the Tides give up.”

  “That strategy isn’t exactly working so far,” Larraby said.

  “Or are some of his people going behind Pinball’s back?” Shannon asked.

  Jack shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  “I...” Her phone rang with an unknown
number. “Should I?”

  Larraby nodded.

  She answered.

  “It’s me.”

  Shannon was so elated to hear Dina’s voice, she almost dropped the phone. She hit the speaker button. “Dina, where have you been?”

  “Looking for my brother, like I said.” Dina sounded stressed, tired. “I arranged a meeting with him. Tomorrow.”

  “Who is your brother that you have to arrange meetings?” Jack snapped. “What is he, a senator or something?”

  “He’s a powerful guy.”

  “The law-abiding kind?” Jack said.

  There was a long pause. “He’s gonna help me, once I talk to him face-to-face. That’s all that matters. How is Annabell?”

  Shannon explained the ambush at the airstrip.

  Dina’s voice dropped nearly to a whisper. “Someone stole my backpack from the gas-station bathroom. I think they’ve been following me. They must have used my phone to set up the airstrip ambush.”

  “Who? Someone with the Tide?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Barrett and Keegan exchanged a worried look.

  “Dina,” Shannon said. “This isn’t safe. They’re after you, and they’re close. You need to meet us, and we have to go to the cops.”

  “Uh-uh.”

  “There’s a cop in town. His name is Larraby, and he’s okay. He can help you.”

  “No,” Dina said loudly. “No cops. Tomorrow. Just keep her until tomorrow. I will call you by midnight. I promise. Please.” Her voice broke. “I can’t stand to be away from her, but I have to do this, or we’ll never have the kind of life she deserves.”

  “Dina,” Shannon started, tone gentler. “Please listen to reason. Your baby is in danger, and so are you.”

  “Tomorrow,” Dina said. “Midnight.” And then she disconnected.

  Larraby huffed out a breath. “I should call social services.”

  “What’s one more day?” Jack said.

  “Something is going on with Dina that she isn’t coming clean about,” Tom said. “Why won’t she tell you who her brother is? Who’s been following her? For what purpose?”

  Shannon rubbed her temples where an ache had begun to pound.

  There was a knock at the door, and Evie led a man into the room. Shannon shot to her feet.

  “Hello,” he said with a pleasant smile. “I’m Detective Mason from the LAPD. It’s taken me a while to track you down, Dr. Livingston.” He waved a hand. “My apologies. I mean Dr. Thorn. We have some things to discuss.”

  “I...I’m sorry, but I’m very tired,” she managed. “Can we talk later?”

  His mouth tightened. “No,” he said. “We need to talk now. Right now.”

  ELEVEN

  “I didn’t know you were in town.” Jack didn’t miss the muscle twitching in Larraby’s jaw. “Why didn’t you call?” Larraby said.

  “Because you’re lousy at returning your messages.” Mason’s lips thinned into a hard line. “I’ve left a half dozen.”

  Larraby flushed. “Busy here.”

  “And I’m busy there. You’re not the only county with gang troubles. We got a few in LA, in case you don’t read the newspaper.” Mason turned his back on Larraby.

  Jack moved closer to Shannon, resting his arm on the sofa and gathering her hand in his. Her skin was cold. “What do you want, Detective?”

  “I want to straighten out a little matter of Dina Brown’s baby. I’ve done some inquiries.” He stared at Shannon. “You didn’t give birth, Dr. Livingston, at least nowhere in the state of California that I can find.”

  Shannon clutched his hand.

  Jack fixed the guy with a hard stare. “You within your rights to be investigating my wife?”

  Mason didn’t spare a glance at Jack, skewering Shannon in his sights. “The baby you’re caring for, it’s Dina Brown’s, isn’t it?”

  Shannon gulped. “She...she asked us to watch her for a few days, and that’s what we’re doing.”

  “She’s a criminal.”

  “She hasn’t been charged with anything,” Larraby said. “No laws broken in asking a friend to watch your baby.”

  “The thing is,” Mason said, “T.J. has taken a turn for the worse, you see. He’s not expected to live, but he woke up just long enough to tell me that Dina pushed him down the stairs.”

  “That was convenient,” Jack said. “Him saying that just when you were visiting.”

  Mason glared. “I’ll ignore that implication. It’s enough for you to know that if he dies, it will become a murder investigation, and Dina Brown will be the prime suspect.”

  “The doctor in charge is giving him a fifty-percent chance,” Shannon said. “I checked this morning. Funny, he didn’t mention that you had been there with T.J.”

  “The point is,” Mason said, “he’s not likely to make it, and the best thing for the baby will be to hand her over to social services. She’ll be well taken care of.”

  Larraby jerked his chin at Mason. “And you came here, all this way, because you want the best for Dina’s baby?”

  “No,” Mason said. “I’m here to make my job easier. The Tide is going to come gunning for Dina with both barrels if T.J. dies. They’ll rip this town apart to get to anyone helping her, and that’s going to mean an all-out war with the Aces. I’m doing my job as a police officer to keep the peace here. You should be doing the same.”

  “I am,” Larraby snapped. “We’re putting every possible resource into keeping the lid on things.”

  “No, you’re not.” Mason waited a beat. “You’re keeping an infant at risk by hiding her here. Well, the lid’s off now, Larraby. Both the Aces and the Tides are in town. Tides aren’t leaving until they get Dina or the baby. Aces aren’t leaving until they drive out the Tide. Only way to keep the peace is to arrest Dina. If we take the baby, she’ll turn herself in.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Well, let’s just say she won’t have much reason to stay in the area, and neither will the bikers.”

  Shannon locked her eyes on Mason, something ferocious in her expression. “I saw you take an envelope from Cruiser at the hospital the day T.J. was brought in. You’re on the Tide’s payroll. That’s why you want the baby. You’re tracking her down to hand her over to them, not the cops or social services.”

  Mason concealed his shock quickly. “You’re mistaken, Doctor. You should be careful about making accusations.”

  “And you should be going now,” Jack said, standing. “I don’t like the way you’re talking to my wife.”

  Barrett, Tom and Keegan stood also, lending silent support.

  Mason swept cold eyes across the whole room. “You’re playing a dangerous game with a baby’s life. I hope you can live with yourselves when it falls apart and someone dies.” He strode to the door, tossing one more comment over his shoulder.

  “You know, Dr. Livingston, reputation is everything, isn’t it? How’s it gonna look when the hospital board finds out their new doctor has been lying about having a baby, covering for a gang member?”

  “Dina’s not a gang member,” Shannon snapped.

  “Dina belongs to the Tide,” Mason said. “And she’ll never escape that.”

  “Get out,” Jack said. “Now.”

  Mason left.

  For a moment, no one said anything. Larraby got to his feet. “He’s right about one thing. The safest choice left to us is to put Annabell into the care of social services or protective custody. Dina may or may not escape a criminal charge, but at least her kid will be safe.”

  “One more day,” Shannon said. “That’s all Dina needs—one more day.” She held herself around the middle. “If she doesn’t call by midnight tomorrow, you can do what you think is best.”

  “All right.” Larraby turned to go. />
  “But not Mason,” Jack said. “If it comes to that, can you arrange for them to take custody without going through Mason?”

  “I think I can make that happen.” Larraby crammed his hat on his head and shoved wearily out the door.

  Shannon sank onto the sofa with a groan. “He’s right about reputation. I may not have an internship left to finish by the time this is over.”

  Jack took a breath and knelt next to her. His family melted away into the kitchen, talking quietly. “Shan...” He waited until her frightened eyes found his. “If you need to go back, do it.”

  She started. “What do you mean?”

  “I know how important your work is to you.” He took another fortifying gulp of oxygen. “If you need to go back to Los Angeles, I’ll support that. I’ll fly you there, even.”

  “But Annabell...”

  “I’ll take care of Annabell and handle whatever comes.”

  She cocked her head, lips parted, soft as velvet. “You would do that?”

  I would do anything, his heart said. “Yes,” he said simply.

  “But all these years, you’ve tried to persuade me to come back, to stay here, and now you’re clearing the way for me to go? Why?”

  “I wanted you to be happy with me, Shan, but I understand that’s not going to happen, so I’ll have to settle for you being happy without me.” He forced a smile. “Dumb old cowboy, offering to fly his wife out of his life, huh?”

  Her expression was caught between wonder and disbelief. Finally, she jerked away and stood. “If you think I’m going to let Mason intimidate me, then you don’t know me very well, Jack Thorn. I will decide when I need to return to LA, and you can be sure it won’t be a moment before I’m good and ready. You got me, Cowboy?”

  He climbed to his feet. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Fine, then.” She whirled on her heel and marched off to the kitchen.

  Keegan lounged in the doorway, smiling broadly. “Saddle up, Jack,” he said. “Looks like things are gonna get bumpier from here on in.”