Cull could practically hear the ticking of the bomb’s timer loud in his ears.
Deke continued, “A man would almost do anything for a hundred grand, except I can’t kill a man who saved my life. You saved me from a bullet, my friend? That day on that dark street when we pulled over those teens. I didn’t see that the passenger had a gun and you saved me by pushing me to the ground, almost getting the bullet yourself. Because of you I went home to my wife. Maybe it would have been best if had I died that night. I’ve become a monster.” His were blood shot. “By the way, I really did mean to put a bullet in the girl’s head when you carried her out of the fire. I just can’t control the shakes unless I’m on the medicine the doc gave me. Remember how good of a shot I once was?” He chuckled.
“This doesn’t have to go this way, Deke. Disable the bomb and let’s talk about this.” There was a minute left on the timer.
“And go to prison? I’d rather die. I had my getaway planned, but it’s just not meant to be. It’s up to you if you think it’s your time too because if you don’t get the hell out of here, we’re both going to be meeting our maker tonight.”
There was no time to waste. “Help me save her. It’s not too late for her. She’s innocent.”
“I have a present for you in my car. My last good deed.” Deke laid his head back and closed his eyes.
Cull had the longing to wrap his hands around Deke’s neck and choke the answer out of him, but he had to get away before it was too late. He backed toward the door. “May God have mercy on your soul.” Cull raced down the porch and to Deke’s car. He grabbed the phone, the envelope, and ran to his truck. His breath was heavy as he kicked the truck into gear, sending rocks up from the spinning tires. He stared through the rearview mirror, anticipating the bomb detonating. As if on cue, he reached the end of the lane as the cabin exploded with a deafening boom. Flames and debris shot outward from the place. A piece of flaming material floated through the air, landing beside the truck.
Cull gave a disappointed shake of his head.
Slamming his foot on the gas pedal, he got some distance between him and the fire before he pulled over to open the disposable phone. Cull could only hope he’d find something, even a number, but it was empty.
Clasping the phone in his fist, he wanted to break it into pieces but when the phone rang he felt a bit of encouragement. Could this be his lucky day?
Gathering his thoughts, he clicked ‘talk’. “Yeah?” He kept his voice low, hoping the caller didn’t suspect that he wasn’t Deke.
“Tinman. Is it done?” the gruff male voice asked.
“It’s done. I want my money.”
There was a long hesitation before a chuckle rasped the line. “Of course. Meet me at the old washing machine warehouse in Templeton in two hours.” Then the phone went dead.
“I’ll be there you bastard. You can count on it,” Cull growled and shifted the truck back into drive.
****
Standing up was like unbending metal. Sally winced at the pain in her body as she forced herself to hold her weight, realizing he’d done a number on her when she’d put up a struggle back at the apartment. He’d knocked her out and she awoke in a room with only a bed and a dingy blanket. There were no windows and she had no clue where she was, or how she got here. She didn’t even have a clue who did this to her. He was tall, very tall, and broad. His face was pockmarked and his nose flat from multiple breakings.
It was frigidly cold in the space and she could hear the wind whipping around the building and seeping through the cracks in the concrete blocks. Her mind strained on what she should do. Should she scream and hope someone would hear her? Or would the man come back and finish the job then? She held out hope that Cull knew she was missing by now because he was her only hope. Her mind shifted to Burke and where he was and if he was okay. She didn’t want anything bad to happen to him, although she knew now that their relationship had been over. Memories had flooded back, one after another, and she wasn’t even sure where she put them all.
She wobbled over to the door and pressed her ear against the steel, knowing her chances of hearing anything was null. She leaned against the solid support and closed her eyes. “Please find me, Cull.”
****
Jonesy unlocked the door and stepped inside of the musty smelling room. The woman was curled up on the bed and asleep. Now that the lawman was dead, they no longer needed her for leverage. He would be more than happy to take care of her right now so he could get the hell back home, but the boss lady asked that he not make a mess. He guessed that meant no blood, which meant no using his gun. With his large hands he could strangle her dead and there wouldn’t be any mess.
But no, boss lady wanted her to disappear without a trace, not like the other botched up jobs.
He crossed the concrete floor and shook her by the shoulder. It took him several attempts until she finally jumped up, her worried eyes got big and round. She hurried to the top of the bed and brought her knees up to her chest as if protecting herself.
“Get up,” he ordered, but she just stared. He reached over, fisted her hair and dragged her like a rag doll off the bed and onto the floor. She scrambled to her feet like a scared deer and he laughed. “Oh, little girl. You look so frightened.”
“Fuck you!” she spat.
He pulled her wrist hard. “Now be a good girl and let’s do this the easy way.”
Before he knew what was happening, she chomped down on his hand, drawing blood. He used his free hand and hit her sharply across the face. She fumbled backward and fell to the floor. “That’s not how this works, bitch. Don’t push me or I’ll show you what I like to do with misbehaving women.”
She was silent.
“So, let’s do this again. Behave yourself. You hear?” He shook his head in agitation. “I have a visitor coming and I’ve got plans for you. I hope you don’t mind small, dark places.”
He needed to get this over with so he could prepare to take care of the detective. The man actually thought he’d come to the warehouse for the money. He didn’t have a clue that he too would be buried in the ground after Jonesy got the evidence, of course.
Chapter 29
CULL ARRIVED AT the location as the last light of dusk faded into the night. He and Phoenix had stashed the truck down the road and made their way to the location on foot, using the cover of trees to make their way around the perimeter. Thankfully, the place was in a secluded neighborhood, so they didn’t have to worry about innocent people getting hurt. The killer had done Cull a huge favor by divulging his location.
The compound was an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of a small town almost fifty miles away from Cheyenne. The place hadn’t been in operation for several years and from what Cull knew, kids had been using the building for a drinking spot. Behind the complex they found several dumpsters and a dozen old, rusty washing machines.
“She could be anywhere,” Phoenix said.
The compound property had a handful of buildings beside the warehouse. Several metal sheds and an empty trailer sat in the back with the words, Washers and dryers that’ll make laundry fun. The area was dark as they lowered to their bellies and crawled to the corner of the building. “I’m going to check out those outer buildings. You cover me,” Cull told Phoenix.
“Stay safe, bro,” Phoenix whispered.
Cull jogged toward the first building, moving almost silently in the dark.
The door was missing on the shed and he peered inside the empty space, then he hunkered down and made his way to the next one and it too was empty. He motioned for Phoenix.
His next target was the warehouse. The windows were all broken and Cull peered inside each. There was a breakroom and a row of offices. He could barely see into the large factory space. He made it around to the other side, looked in the window and he stopped. He could see the door was open into the basement where the only source of light was on.
“I’m going in,” Cull said.
“This isn’t safe. We both need to go in.”
“Stay here, Phoenix.” He dragged himself up and through the window, careful as he landed on the floor. Shattered glass cracked under his boots. Once he was out in the hall, he barely made any noise as he moved to the next room. The entire upstairs was dark except for the little bit of lighting coming in through the window from the security lamp.
He continued down the hall, keeping his back against the wall, trying not to step onto any of the trash on the floor. Once he reached the end of the corridor, he stopped and listened, not hearing anything except a buzzing sound. His senses warned him that he wasn’t alone. Where was the man?
He heard a footstep behind him then felt a beefy hand grab his shoulder and swing him around. Cull was quick and brought up an elbow, landing it hard against the man’s eye, but it wasn’t enough to slow him down. The man slammed his fist into Cull’s cheek, and he fell back two steps. He had a hard punch, but Cull was quick and agile. He had his balance back and lifted his gun, but it was knocked from his hand, sending the weapon sliding to the floor.
Where the hell was Phoenix?
Cull hunkered down, waiting for the man to lunge at him, looking for something to use out of his peripheral. Seeing a pipe leaning against the wall, Cull raced for it, grabbed it up and hit the man’s broad jaw with a crunching of bone. Lifting the bar again, Cull struck the man on the shoulder, then another to the stomach. Finally, the giant fell to his knees and onto his back, blood squirted from his mouth. The man brought his foot up and kicked Cull hard to the knee, sending him against the wall.
The man pulled a gun and Cull ducked as a bullet hit the wall. Good thing the man couldn’t hit his target any better than Deke.
Running and jumping, Cull landed hard behind the counter. He listened for any sounds but heard nothing. Crawling on his elbows, he peeked from around the corner as another shot rang through the air.
Cull counted three shots and then another that came from a different direction followed by a muffled moan and a thump on the floor.
On his feet in seconds flat, Cull saw Phoenix lowering his weapon. “It’s about time, bro.” Cull kicked the man’s gun across the floor and he dropped to knees beside the bastard who was holding the bleeding gunshot wound in his chest. Cull guessed he didn’t have much time left.
Circling his hand around the man’s sweaty, large neck, Cull squeezed just enough to make his point. “Listen, asshole, tell me where she is.”
The beefy man chuckled, then squinted against the pain. “Fuck. You.”
“Fuck me? You’re not in a position to be so cocky.” Cull pressed his fingers against the gaping bullet wound and the man cried out. “Tell me.”
“You’re. Too. Late,” he said in a croaked voice as he took his last breath.
“Fuck!” Cull wanted to slam his fist into a wall. “Where could she be?”
“We’ll find her. We need to use our heads,” Phoenix said.
Like a dying man, Cull raced through the rest of the warehouse. In the basement he found a room behind a steel door with a bed and wrinkled sheets. He picked up the pillow and brought it to his nose, inhaling the sweet scent. “She was here.”
He retraced the wobbly stairs two at a time and stormed outside, scanning as far as he could see in the dark. “Where could she be, Phoenix?” He turned around twice, frantically searching for something…anything that would help him find her.
“The man inside…he was dirty. His clothes, hands, his shoes were muddy.” Then Cull saw the shovel. He bent to run a finger through the still moist dirt. “Holy shit.”
Phoenix understood. “I’m calling for back up.”
Cull took off, not sure where he was going, but he had to find her. He spun around, feeling like a wild animal searching for shelter. He saw a mound of dirt and once he reached it he sucked in a ragged breath. The hole was empty.
Sitting next to the recently dug grave was a small pine box. It had a lock on it.
“Phoenix! Over here! Bring the shovel,” he yelled while kicking at the padlock with the heel of his boot. Cull grabbed the shovel from Phoenix and smashed the point of the shovel down onto the lock. The metal snapped. He practically ripped off his fingernails as he tore open the top to the wooden lid.
His heart slammed into his ribs.
Sally was scrunched in the box, her legs tucked up against her chest with no room to move. Her eyes were closed and she looked at peace.
Cull dropped to his knees and closed his eyes, overcome with emotion. He was too late. How could he have let this happen?
“Cull? Is that really you?” she said in a whispered voice.
He brought his head up, looking at the sweet angel who now had her eyes open. She wasn’t dead! “I’m here, baby. I’m here.” He grabbed her up from the box, holding her on his lap, gripping her against his chest like she was his lifeline. “You’re okay now. I’m so sorry. I should have never let you out of my sight. I should have sheltered you from this.” He kissed her forehead, her cheek, her eyelids and quickly on the lips.
“It was my fault,” she said in a hoarse voice, bringing her arms weakly up around his neck. “Thank you for saving me again.”
He cupped her dirty, bruised face with his hands. “Did he hurt you?” The bruises on her face made him want to bring the dead bastard on the floor in the warehouse back to life just so he could send him back to hell limb by limb.
“Where is he?” she whispered. “He was right here a minute ago. I heard him cursing that he needed a bigger shovel.”
“He’s gone, my love. He’s gone for good.”
Chapter 30
THE WAREHOUSE WAS swarming with law enforcement and swirling blue lights as Sally sat in the back of the ambulance being checked over. She was watching Cull who was on the phone. His jaw was tight and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days. She felt like she had been run over by a truck, but she was glad she was alive and he was here with her.
Cull clicked off and said, “That was Zander. The widow has been arrested and will be questioned in the murder of her husband and Monica Warren,” he said. “She might not have done it herself, but she gave the orders so she’ll pay for what she’s done.”
“Who was the man inside?”
“Widow Yates’ bodyguard.”
Sally felt some relief. She didn’t want to have to worry about any of these people again. “I can’t believe so much has happened. And Burke.” Tears came to her eyes, but she blinked them back. Once they started she wouldn’t be able to stop. “Can I get up?” she asked the EMT.
“It’s probably best you get checked out at the hospital,” the young man said.
“I’m fine. I just want to go home…but…”
Cull helped her from the back of the ambulance. “But what, sweetheart?” He held her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss.
“I find once again I don’t have a home to go to.” She couldn’t control the tremor in her voice.
“That’s not true. My home is your home. The Cade ranch is where you belong.”
“Cull?” Her heart beat so fast.
“You belong with me. Always.” He brought her hand to his chest, right over his heart. “My heart belongs to you, Sally. Please tell me that you feel the same.”
“I do, Cull. I want to be with you.” She cupped his cheek as officers passed by, but they were in their own world.
“Will you still want to be with me if I accept a position with the Ghost Hawk Ops?”
She blinked. “I don’t know what that is, but if that’s what you want to do, I’m behind you one-hundred percent. A woman stands behind her man when she loves him.” She laid her hand against his shoulder.
“You love me? Even now that you have most of your memories back?”
The question and fear in his eyes made her heart grow. “Even more now that I know who I am.”
“That’s good, baby, because I’m in love with you. The woman I knew as Monica and you, Sally Holloway.”
> “Hey, bro. Did you see what was inside the envelope?”
Looking at Phoenix, Cull shrugged. “I didn’t even think about it. Deke told me it was a gift.”
“You’re going to want to listen to the tape and look at the pictures. Widow Yates had some very dark secrets, like murder for hire.”
Before the night was over Cull and Sally would learn all about Monica, Widow Yates and Mr. Yates.
Not the end, but only the beginning…
From the author:
Thank you for reading. Please leave a review and let others know your thoughts.
Hugs,
Rhonda Lee Carver
At an early age, Rhonda fell in love with romance novels, knowing one day she’d write her own love story. Life took a short detour, but when the story ideas were no longer contained, she decided to dive in and write. Her first plot was on a dirty napkin she found buried in her car. Eventually, she ran out of napkins. With baby on one hip and laptop on the other, she made a dream into reality—one word at a time.
Her specialty is men who love to get their hands dirty and women who are smart, strong and flawed. She loves writing about the everyday hero.
When Rhonda isn’t crafting sizzling manuscripts, you will find her busy editing novels, blogging, juggling kids and animals (too many to name), dreaming of a beach house and keeping romance alive. Oh, and drinking lots of coffee to keep up with her hero and heroine.
For other titles by Rhonda Lee Carver, please visit: www.rhondaleecarver.com.
Find me on Facebook, too! www.facebook.com/rhondalee.carver
Other books by Rhonda Lee Carver
Sheltered by the Lawman (Lawmen of Wyoming Book 5) Page 22