by BA Tortuga
“To bring the keychain she has with all her thumb drives to that crappy rental house that Mickey Walker has. To not bring ‘our fathers’.” Maddie rolled her eyes. “It came from Addie’s phone, but it wasn’t my sister.”
“Well, now we know where to go. We just need a plan.”
Brandt had a thirty-aught-six in his hand. “A plan? I go blow that motherfucker’s balls off and bring my daughter home.”
“Baby, you can’t just go rushing in there.”
“No. Not if he specifically said not to bring y’all,” Bodie said.
“So I’ll go blow the motherfucker’s balls off. He invited me.” Maddie looked mad as a wet hen.
“You are not going!” Chris yelled.
“The fuck I’m not!”
Brandt growled. “You will stay here, damn it.”
“I think we should all go.” Bodie held up his hands when the dads glared at him. “We’ll need coverage, and there’s a hill up the way you can use a scope from. Maddie can drive.”
“What about the sheriff?”
“What about me?” John walked through the door, coming over to him to peer into his eyes. “Good, lord, man. What the fuck happened to you?”
“Got hit. He took my girl, man.”
“He who? I thought y’all were getting married?”
“We are.” He tried to shake his head and damned near fell over. “Her ex-boyfriend is back. He kidnapped her. Took her to the Walker cabin.”
John frowned. “No shit? I had a few calls about someone messing around out there, but my deputy thought it was just kids. What does he want? Has he called with any conditions?”
Maddie shook her head. “Texted. I’m supposed to take her something.”
“What?” John settled on a barstool, looking way calmer than everyone else, which took the mood from frantic to just urgent. The man was good at his job, Bodie guessed. Thank God someone was making sense.
“Those little computer drive deals, the ones that stick in your laptop.”
“Huh. What’s on them?”
“Pictures, as far as I know. She takes lots of pictures.”
John tilted his head. “So, what did she take a picture of that she wasn’t supposed to? Have you looked at the files on those things?”
“Shit, no. There’s twenty of them.” Maddie looked at him. “Did she mention anything to you, Bodie?”
“No.” He glared at Maddie. “I’m sure she didn’t want to worry me. Again.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Right. Sorry. It’s late.”
“Do you have them, Madison? Those computer things?” John sighed, scratching at his scruff of dark blond stubble.
“I do, yeah. All the key chains hang by the door.”
“Well, let’s get them just in case we need them, and we’ll want them as evidence after the fact, no doubt.”
“Time’s tickin’, Sheriff. That’s our girl out there.” Brandt looked like he was going to explode.
“What’s the plan?” Bodie asked, taking the aspirin Chris handed him.
“Well, law states I should call the state troopers, but—” John stopped as Bodie stared him down. “—I reckon we know where this crazy fucker is, and we know what to do. Let’s do get shit done.”
“That’s it, man.” Chris slapped the counter. “Let’s go.”
Maddie nodded, running to get the drives Jim was demanding. That way they had the leverage they needed.
“You okay to do this, man?” John asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You look like hammered shit.”
“I’m not gonna sit here and let y’all go get my girl.”
“I had to ask.” John winked at him. “Of course, if you hadn’t let him take her in the first place, we could all be in bed.”
“Fuck you.”
Bodie decided to let it go at that, following the others out. He was glad John had brought his own truck, not the marked car. Good man.
“Get in my truck, man. I’ll drive. Where the hell is Maddie?”
“She had to go down to her place. It’s the old Parker house.”
“Oh, right.”
Chris’ phone rang. “Hey, baby.” The man frowned. “She did? Again? Text her back. Tell her you’re on the way.”
“What’s going on?” Bodie couldn’t bear it if Addie got hurt because they were dithering.
“She texted Maddie again, telling her where the thumb drives were. In the back of the house.” Chris actually smiled. “Maddie says she knew just where they were. She thinks Addie was telling her that’s where he has her. Around back.”
“Good deal.” John clapped Bodie on the back. “Smart girl. You ready to go get her?”
Bodie nodded, mouth set a grim line. He’d never been so ready to do anything in his whole life.
Chapter Thirteen
“Where is it, bitch?”
Addie watched Jim pace around the mostly empty cabin, as she worked at the belt wrapped around her wrists. He was a crazy fuck. What the fuck had she seen in the nasty little bastard? He was all splotchy with rage, his mouth working as he spat insults at her.
“You know, I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” She did know that every time he looked out the window she wanted to get his attention back.
The dads would come soon, and her sister. And Bodie, if he could. She had to keep Jim distracted enough not to notice, because there was no way any man in Texas would let Maddie even pretend to come alone.
“The files you took from my computer.”
“What files, you asshole? You threw me out. You packed my shit.” She wasn’t sure what the fuck he was going on about. If he was right and one of the thumb drives was his she would have given it to him. None of his weird financial shit made sense to her, anyway. It was all numbers. Hell, if that was why he’d been calling and texting and threatening, she would have let him have it back without looking.
Not that she wasn’t going to figure it out, now, and call Jen Agincourt at the Morning News to see if there was a story, of course.
Once a journalist always a journalist.
“The ones on the yellow drive. I have very important men needing those files.” He shook her, hard enough her teeth chattered. “Scary men.”
Oh, fuck a doodle doo. She’d known that one was his. She’d run it over with her car in a Motel 6 parking lot in Kansas City in a fit of pure rage. So much for making news. Bummer.
“Not my issue. You should have paid attention, or not deal with crooks. I don’t give a shit, man.”
“I tried to just ask you, but no, you always had to be fucking difficult. That ape you’re dating had to fucking humiliate me. Well, now he’s dead, and you’re going to pay, Addison.”
“He’s not dead.” She knew that like she knew Maddie had understood her clue about where she was in the cabin. Her Bodie wouldn’t die on her. No fucking way. “You know, you’re a psycho, right? Did it happen after I left or was I just stupid?”
He slammed his feet down on the way over to her, standing over her with his hands on his hips. An ugly snarl twisted his face. “God, I’m glad I didn’t end up saddled with you for life.”
“Oh, me too. I mean, don’t get me wrong, asshole, eventually Maddie would have figured out you were a lying, cheating, criminal piece of shit and just killed your ass. There was a reason I never let my dads meet you. Daddy Chris has a bullshit meter that won’t quit.” She got the belt out of the buckle, and one hand was almost free.
Of course, then he smacked her so hard her ears rang. “Shut up. Where is that fucking sister of yours!”
“Hopefully giving your information to the fucking state police, you prick!” She pulled her hand free, balled her fist up and hit him, right in the balls. He was never going to hit her again if she could help it.
Jim doubled over, and Addie scrambled to her feet, rushing him just like Bodie had taught her in all those games of touch football they’d played with Ty and Maddie. She sent him tumbling and ran for the back door.
She t
ore the door open and looked around, hunting something to fight with, somewhere to hide. The sun was turning the sky a pale rose, and she headed for the ramshackle barn at a run. She’d have the advantage there, even if it was barely holding together. Jim didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground out here in the country.
The doors were all but caved in, the wood sunken and sagging, but there was a gap on the left side big enough for her to duck into, and she decided not to look at the spiders and rats and shit that might be in there with her.
Please, God. Let there be a pitchfork, a shovel, something.
Anything.
Hell, at this point she’d take a board with a big, rusty nail.
She found all sorts of petrified poop. Maybe she could toss that at Jim’s head.
Stuff it up his nose.
She heard him screaming for her, running around the back, looking under the house, in his car like an idiot. Really, she must have had PTSD or something, to hook up with that moron. Extreme loneliness that resulted in brain calcification. She wouldn’t change any of it, though, because it had brought her Bodie.
Who had better not fucking be dead, damn it.
Addie sighed, blinking hard against tears and dust and God knew what else that was in this barn. Okay. Okay, think. Jim would figure out there was only one place to hide, and then she’d be fucked. She was smart. She could—”
The crack of a rifle shot made her jump, her heart jerking damned near to a stop.
“You bitch!”
She peeked out, watching him take a step toward her and then another shot sounded, the dirt about three feet in front of Jim puffing up dust.
She could hear the sound of a truck coming up the road, too. Oh, the posse was coming. She knew better than to run out there, though. That would put her in the line of fire, and it would give Jim a hostage if he had the good sense to use the pistol he kept waving around. Besides, if the dads could see Jim, they’d seen her when she’d slipped out.
Jim backed up a step and Addie moved deeper into the barn, trying to keep out of danger without stepping on a snake or something.
That worked fine until the damn loose wood in the barn floor started to slide under her flip flops.
Fuck a doodle doo.
* * * *
Bodie was amazed how shit had gone down way faster once the dads had started shooting. Bodie and John had been working around to the back of the house, with Maddie staying out front in case they needed her to pretend to make the drop.
When Chris had seen Addie run to the barn through the long-range scope, he’d called John’s phone. “She’s out of the house,” Chris had shouted. “In the barn.”
Maddie had revved the truck engine, the Dodge heading for the barn and Addie, the whole fucking thing starting to shake. Shit. Bodie had gone, too, as fast as his damned legs would carry him.
A shot had come from behind the house, and he had heard John grunt, then there was a volley of shots behind him. Bodie hadn’t even looked back. He just ran.
His girl was in that barn, and that fucking thing was fixin’ to come crashing down. His feet tried to tangle up on a pile of wire just outside the door, but he kicked free and ducked inside.
“Addie!”
“Bodie, he’s got a gun!” The wood was going down all around them, and she was way too far inside, bruised and pale and filthy.
“So do your dads and John. We got to get out of here, honey.” He hopped over a hole in the floor, reaching for her.
“Be care—” Another shot sounded, and she squeaked, ducking as dust flew. “Seriously?”
“Well, I thought they had it under control.” He glanced around. “This can’t be a one door barn.”
“It’s not even a whole fucking barn.” She slid down a board, flip flops squeaking. “Bodie!”
The roof started caving in, the walls shaking. God damn it. He dove for her, grabbing her when she would have fallen. No. He wasn’t letting her go this time.
She wrapped around him, pressing close. “He told me you were dead, but I knew you couldn’t be. I knew it.”
“Yeah?” He grinned at her, putting an arm around her. “Good. That’s a good thing.”
“Can we go home soon?”
“Addison? Addison Danielle, are you okay? John has him.” Chris appeared in the doorway, green eyes fiery. “Will you two please get the fuck out of there?”
“No more shooting?” Bodie tugged her toward the door, Chris grabbing her as soon as she was in reach.
“I fucking hope not.” The little cowboy hugged Addie tight, shoulders shaking. “Jesus, girl. Don’t do that.”
“Sorry, Daddy. I didn’t mean to.”
He caught himself growling a little. Of course she hadn’t meant to. Then Maddie came up, damn near knocking Addie down.
“Sister!”
That was when the tears started, both girls crying hard.
“Best to just stand back and let them leak some, son.” Chris glanced at him sideways. “You okay?”
Bodie choked out a chuckle. “Nope.”
John was standing there, the Yankee cuffed, and Bodie saw red. What the fuck was so important that this asshat had hurt his woman? He stormed over, got in the little fuck’s face.
“What the fuck? What is your goddamn problem, you fucker?” He knew John wouldn’t let him hit the man, so he didn’t try.
“The bitch is trying to get me killed. I asked her for the fucking files! All I need is the goddamned yellow thumb drive!”
Addie jerked away from Maddie. “You’re fucked, man. The yellow thumb drive is gone! I drove over it and left it in a parking lot. It didn’t have any pictures on it. What kind of moron leaves important shit on a thumb drive?”
“What!” The man was about to foam at the mouth. “You. I’ll kill you, bitch.”
Bodie figured John could just suck it up. He hauled back and hit the fucker as hard as he could.
“Don’t speak to my girl. Ever.”
“Nice one, man, but that’s the only one you get,” John said. “I don’t want to have to run you in, too, buddy.”
“You’re not taking him anywhere.” Addie got all puffy, still wrapped in her sister’s arms. “He’s coming with me.”
That little fuck stared at John. “He hit me!”
John blinked, mouth curling up in an evil smile.. “Who did? I didn’t see nothin’.”
Bodie grinned and turned on his heel, going to pull Addie away from Maddie. “My turn.”
She pressed close enough for a hug, face against his chest. “Your turn.”
“Is this the guy who hurt my baby?” Brandt came over, rifle in hand, eyes flashing with fury.
“Yeah. Yeah, this is him.”
Brandt looked at Jim, lifted the rifle and pointed it, right between the man’s eyes, and time sort of stopped for a second.
“No, Brandt,” John murmured. “Let the law handle him.”
“You ever, ever, so much as speak my daughter’s name again, I swear by all I hold holy, I will nail your cock to the floorboard in my barn, set the motherfucking thing on fire and stand there and watch you scream as you burn.”
Bodie winced as the man pissed himself, and John sighed. “Fucking fabulous.”
“I’ll ride with Maddie,” Addie said.
Bodie chuckled. “Me, too. Come on, honey.”
Addie looked over at him, eyes going wide. “You need a shower, cowboy. You look like you’ve been butchering pigs.”
“Head wounds bleed.” He couldn’t seem to let go of her.
“Yeah. He did all this over some money laundering drug deal stealing from the government thing, I bet. God himself knows what was on that drive. Daddy, I think you should just shoot the son of a bitch, put him out of all our misery.”
“I think so, too, baby girl.”
“If he ever comes near you again, I’ll shoot him myself.” Bodie would, too. That was his girl.
“He won’t,” John muttered. “Will y’all just get on? D
ave is coming to bring this piece of shit in, then I’ll call the folks up north, see what they know. Addie, I’ll need to take a statement, but you need some rest.”
“Thanks, John.” Bodie nodded at his best friend, knowing they were getting the good end of the deal.
Brandt came up to Addie, looked at her. “You going to come home?”
Bodie held her tight, fighting the urge to snarl. No. No, he was taking his woman home, damn it.
“Bodie and I can come for supper, maybe.”
“Well, baby girl, we’ll see you tomorrow, for a late supper.” Daddy Chris tugged at Brandt’s arm. “Right, Bodie?”
“Yes, sir. I know you’ll want to make sure she’s all right for yourselves.”
“Y’all take my truck.” Maddie handed over the keys. “I’m going home with the dads.”
“Thanks, Mads.” Addie pulled him along this time, hand in his.
“Love you, Sister.”
Addie teared up, nodded. “Go home, Maddie. I need to get Bodie cleaned up and have a hard cry.”
“I can see that.” Maddie waved and headed off with Chris and Brandt. John had the law thing under control.
“I’m taking you home. Get in the truck.” Addie sounded like she was fixin’ to lose her shit.
“I can drive, honey.” Though he really didn’t think he could. His head hurt so damned bad.
“Get in the truck.” Her voice shook, and he could tell the stress was catching up with her. She was spoiling for a fight, a little. He thought about giving it to her, just to break the tension, but she had a bruise on her face, a black eye. Rage at that asshole Jim churned in his gut for a moment, making his jaw clench. He didn’t want to tie it up with anyone but that man.
Bodie got in the truck.
He figured they’d had a big enough day. They’d have their first post-engagement fight after a nap.
Chapter Fourteen
Addie got Bodie home, cleaned his poor face up and put him in bed, despite his protests.
“I can wait for you, honey,” he said, but she waved him off.
Then she went into the bathroom he’d redone for her, ran a tub full of hot water, climbed in and promptly burst into tears. She was tired and sore, bruised and tender, and just…yeah.