by Kim Turner
She thought of Mason, reassuring herself that he was safe, and that he would continue to be so, no matter what was coming. And she had no doubts that Aaron would find her, somehow and some way.
“We’ll be there shortly, in case you are wondering.” Vince glared with an evil smile from the review mirror.
She said nothing but held his gaze. Sheer terror engulfed her even with her confusion, and she fought not to give him the satisfaction of her tears. He’d no doubt kill her, but at least she’d done what she set out to do. Aaron would have his land and Mason was safe.
“How did you like the flowers?” He adjusted the mirror for a better view of her.
“Where are you taking me?” Her voice was weak, surprising her.
“Well for starters, sweetheart, where’s my money and my son?” he spat turning to look hard at her and then turning back to the road.
“I inherited that money from my father, it was never yours. As for the other, I knew nothing of it,” she whispered and looked out the window, trying to figure out where they were.
“And my son?” He snarled running his hand through his short brown hair.
“He isn’t your son and he never will be.” Jenna leaned her head back, wanting so bad to have her hands free to hold her aching head.
“Oh, he’s mine or at least he will be.” He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.
“I walked away so you didn’t go to jail for beating me, so you could have your precious seat in the house. What happened? Not enough campaign funds? How’s that working with your new family? Do you beat them too? You will never have my son.” Jenna stopped, angry at herself for even speaking.
“Save your pity party. The old man paid you off and you took it. Don’t talk to me about crooked deals.” He hissed. “You know, I never could understand his fascination with you, the ‘daughter he never had’.”
“That was money you took from my accounts.” Tears streamed her cheek, not from her fear but from the pain inside her head.
He stopped abruptly and screamed. “Where’s my son?”
It was so loud her ears rang and she cringed, closing her eyes. All she could see was Mason’s face and pain scored through her chest at the idea she might never see him again. She opened her eyes again and looked ahead at the road. They were on the way to the set, from what she could tell. Why would he go there?
“I—want—my—money so you need to be thinking about how that is going to happen. And then you know what?” he yelled again. “I will have my son, take him right out of your arms, sweetheart.”
Jenna shook her head. “You can kill me but you will never have him. Ever!”
“What did you think, I’d let you have the money? I’ve been watching you all along sweetheart, waiting for the old man to kick the bucket.” He hissed. “Oh, but what a surprise it was to find out I had a son who had inherited my rightful birthright! So I’ll have him and the money, sweetheart. It’s just a matter of time.”
How had she ever let herself believe she was free of him? She glanced back out the window, trying as she could to press the lapel pin against her shoulder, acting as if her movements were about her headache.
“He can’t save you, ya know, that biker riding cowboy.” He laughed loudly. “Really, such a step down for you, hope he enjoyed his recent fall from the scaffolding.”
“You almost killed him and he has nothing to do with this,” Jenna spat.
He gave an evil roar of laughter, “Well, that makes things a little interesting.”
Her cell phone rang. Jenna jerked a glance toward the console, where she recognized the ring as Aaron. Oh God! Please Aaron.
Vince looked at her in the review. “Well, if it isn’t biker boy now. You’d be wise to remain silent.” He grabbed it and slammed his thumb across the screen.
Aaron’s voice came across loud and clear. “I know you have her and I’m meeting you on the set alone. What do you want?”
Jenna’s eyes filled with tears.
“I see you got my message.” Vince’s sarcastic tone was evident. “I want my son.”
“Put her on the phone,” Aaron demanded.
“You aren’t at liberty to call the shots here, cowboy, but I’ll give you a little chat.” Vince leaned to put the phone against Jenna’s ear, straining to drive and reach her at the same time.
She leaned to keep her ear to the phone. “Aaron?”
“Jenna, do what he says and I’ll be there.” Aaron’s voice was certain.
“Aaron!” Jenna called to him again as Vince pulled the phone away from her ear.
“See ya soon, cowboy.” He pushed the button to hang up and tossed the phone into the seat. They were not all the way to the set, but somewhere off the road before arriving. Jenna waited as he got out of the truck and grabbed a large bag from the back. He tossed it over his shoulder and walked to get her out of the back of the SUV.
“Out!” He yelled. “We walk from here.”
She struggled to get out of the truck with her hands tied behind her back. Vince lost patience with her and jerked her out by the sleeve of her jacket. She bobbled to gain her footing, as he nudged her along. She was dizzy and nausea plagued her. She shivered in the cold, thankful she’d had the good sense to wear boots.
“Jennifer Amiker, Jenna Wilder…which one has my money sweetheart?” Vince shoved her ahead.
Jenna struggled again to keep her footing, the ropes burning her wrists.
“It’s awful cold and lonely in a deserted town. Should make for an interesting gunfight at the OK Corral and a really nice day for a hanging.” He grabbed her, dragging her along by the elbow as the rooftops of the set began to appear.
Her head still hurt and she had a hard time focusing on the trail. Concussed probably. She jerked from Vince’s grasp and fell to her knees retching in dry heaves and spitting to the ground. The nausea had become worse and at this point she could panic little over the thought of hanging.
He stopped but talked as she fought to catch her breath. “You could have had a good life not wanting for anything with me, if you’d kept your nose out of my business.”
She looked at him. “Why now? You’ve lost your seat in the senate, the FBI is after you, take the money and run to Mexico. Why this?”
Vince jerked her to her feet again and shoved her ahead to walk along the poured gravel that made the main road to the set. The makeshift town was deserted as she had suspected. She scanned across the town looking for any sign of Aaron. He’d said he was coming. She’d watched Vince stuff his boot with a gun as they had driven along and the bag he carried clanked with metal.
“Let’s hang inside the saloon, shall we?” He shoved her that direction, being cautious to look around them. When they arrived at the saloon, he pushed Jenna through the doors, following her inside.
The saloon was dark without all the set lighting in place. Vince opened the large bag he’d carried over his shoulder. Inside were a number of guns and rope. He removed a short rope and walked toward her, grabbing her and pulling her to one of the posts in the middle of the saloon.
Leaning her against it, he moved in behind her rubbing his body along her as he began to untie her hands. “Still as hot as ever, you haven’t changed a bit sweetheart.”
Jenna tried to resist, pushing back to push him away.
“Jennifer, you of all people should know how turned on I get at a woman’s resistance, but right now, I’ve got a few cowboys to take out and then you’re going to tell me where you hid my son.” He shoved her harder, pulling her hands free of the ropes and jerking them in place to tie them in front of her, arms around the pole.
Her wrists burned as he tightened the ties. “I will die before I tell you where my son is.”
“Oh, but I think you will talk real soon because death is on the way, sweetheart.” He laughed.
The saloon was as cold as outside and her small jacket served little purpose. She was shivering and leaned her head against the po
le watching as Vince went through his bag of tricks. He lifted radios and what looked to be remotes.
“That’s right, darlin’, got a few things up my sleeve here.” He chuckled an evil laugh as he put an earpiece in his ear and a transmitter in his pocket. “I’m not sure that cowboy stuntman knew what hit him with me blowing that ramp, but he’s gonna know what hits him this time.”
She glanced toward the door as a vehicle pulled onto the set in the distance.
“We have company. Best he came alone, and brought the boy.” Vince walked to her and spoke again, “Open your mouth, now.” He slapped her hard across the cheek.
She screamed, stunned, her mouth opening and Vince pulling the gag tight. She gagged, but bit down to stop him from tightening it further.
“If you so much as make a sound I will kill him.” Vince smiled and leaned against her whispering, “but right now we’re setting up things for an old-fashioned hanging right here in Dodge City and Wyatt Earp has just arrived.”
Jenna shook her head to free herself of him. She had to warn Aaron but couldn’t yell. She twisted her hands trying to pull them free of the ropes and stifled a yelp at the attempt.
“Stay put, sweetheart.” Vince turned back to the window, shoving another pistol in his belt.
Jenna still couldn’t believe how it was happening, her worst fears in view. If Aaron was here, why had he driven right up to park at the set? And she knew he hadn’t brought Mason. And what would Vince do when he figured that out? Why had she ever fallen for Aaron so that this moment seemed to be the hardest of all? Was she waiting for her own death, Aaron’s, or both?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Aaron pulled Gabe’s truck to a halt outside of the set. He sat for a minute looking around, seeing no one. He had a knife in his boot and several guns on him as he reached for the automatic on the dashboard. He’d left Gabe and Brianna a mile back, with Tucker and Jeremiah. While none of them were sure of the plan, he needed to see what was going on and it had to look as if he were alone.
“Aaron?” Gabe came across the tiny wireless earphone in his left ear.
“Yeah?” Aaron answered in a slight whisper, not moving his lips.
“We got you in sight. Let the games begin.”
He didn’t answer.
He, his brothers, and Tuck were all on tiny wireless microphones with each other. Jeremiah was waiting on the rise in the distance with his power rifle. If at some point an outside shot was needed, he had it. Gabe and Tucker would enter town if needed but would remain on the outskirts unless things got rowdy.
“Careful, brother. I got you in sight.” Jeremiah came through.
Aaron opened the truck door and stepped outside, not having to fight his nerves as he thought he might. Nothing mattered but getting Jenna back—alive.
He walked to the beginning of town and stood. Waiting.
“Cowboy up.” Vince’s voice rang out across town on the set speakers.
Aaron couldn’t make out where it originated as it echoed. So Hanson had his own bag of tricks as he’d expected.
Laughter came across the intercom, “Well, well, well, you did come, but then, ‘let the games begin, careful brother’ you didn’t come alone as requested, nor do I see my son. Drop the wire, now!”
“Shit.” Gabe’s voice echoed on Aaron’s microphone.
Aaron shook his head and pulled the earphone from his ear and made a point of tossing it aside. They should have thought Hanson was a professional if it came down to it. That’s how he’d remained so elusive all this time.
“We’ll play this how you want, me and you.” Aaron stepped forward, holding his arms up, shrugging as he had no more connections.
“Better, but since you haven’t followed the rules, I’m changing the game of play.” Vince’s voice rang out. “Jennifer’s waiting. Finder keepers, Stuntman.”
Aaron stepped forward to walk toward town. Without his brothers he was a sitting duck, regardless that he wore a bullet proof vest as did the others. Now he couldn’t even predict what his brothers might do, but he hoped they would sit still for now.
“I think I have the unfair advantage. How do I even know you have her here?” Aaron yelled in challenge.
“That’s for me to know and you to find out. And here I thought cowboys were some kind of tough.” Vince kept going, “but then I thought I had rid myself of you with the ramp ordeal. Maybe you are tougher than I thought, but of course my condolences on the blind horse.” The man’s evil laughter rang out across the town echoing.
Aaron gritted his teeth and every muscle he had tensed. Maxus. Jenna next. Hanson was a dead man.
“Touched a nerve, did I? Come on, Cowboy, you want her, find her, but you won’t get her back until I have my son.”
Aaron walked further ahead, this disadvantage of no communication with the others was a problem, but what choice did he have?
As he stepped near the post office, a shot rang out, the bullet whizzing past his head causing him to duck for cover, behind a nearby empty watering trough. He’d pulled his pistol without even thinking of it, pain scoring through his ribs. Gabe was right; he was in no condition for this shit.
While the shot had been close, it was a warning. Waiting, he caught movement in the shadows of the bank across from the post office. Another shot rang and hit the water trough causing him to duck again.
“Son of a bitch.” He waited, gun poised. No sense wasting rounds until he had a clear shot. There was the chance he could hit Jenna, if he wasn’t careful.
Lifting his gaze, he watched the bank about the time a small explosion happened there. He ducked again as white smoke filled the air. He might have expected this too.
He needed a location on Jenna, but of course Hanson wouldn’t make that easy. The shot hadn’t come from him and neither had the explosion. There was movement in the bank. He could storm inside and take out the man in there but that was probably what Hanson wanted. Whoever was firing was doing so for distraction, and he’d guess the entire place was wired with explosives.
Ahead of him were several more buildings attached to the post office. He could make a run for the end of the buildings and with the angle of the sun to his advantage.
Taking a deep breath, still feeling the burn in his ribs, he pulled the gun to the edge of the trough. Firing a shot to the roof of the bank, he made a run for the vantage point he wanted. Shots rang out behind him, hitting the post office and shattering glass in the window. Aaron rolled into position, grabbing his side as he righted himself. He struggled for breath as he leaned against the outside of the building, grateful the bullet proof vest offered his paining side support. Closing his eyes, he could see Jenna in his mind. She had to be scared senseless and all he wanted was her safe in his arms.
“Well, full of surprises aren’t we. Come on biker boy, you got better moves than—” Vince’s voice stopped abruptly, with a loud hiss of static that deafened the set.
Aaron held his ears and shook his head with a grin. Tucker. The man was a genius when it came to wiring and electronics. If Tuck had made it to the other end of town, he’d probably shut down the power or whatever power that Hanson had put into place for the sound system.
Shots rang out again from various areas, the ricochet hissing past him and another small explosion happened so close his ears rang. He ducked his head and waited on the smoke to clear. A severe warning for loss of the ability to speak he supposed. Well, at least the odds on that were evened. Waiting, he eyed the bank again, where smoke hung in the air. The same guy was still shooting. It was then, that Tucker, on the far side of the bank made his way along to enter from the rear. If Tuck could get to that guy, they’d know where the next one was. Process of elimination would begin to narrow things down.
He leaned out past the building and made a move to the next set of buildings, a general store, barber shop and sheriff’s office. Two of the three buildings were fake fronts for the set, with pretend porches. He made a run for the sheriff’s of
fice. Shots rang out from several areas as he ducked inside. He leaned against the wall and bent over to rest his elbows against his knees. He sucked in several breaths and jerked around, weapon poised when he heard commotion behind him.
“Aaron?” It was Gabe.
“Yeah.” He couldn’t see Gabe but heard him.
“Over here.”
Aaron looked outside once more and walked to the far-left wall of the sheriff’s office.
Gabe tapped at the wood from outside. “Right here, can you hear me, go to the back?”
“Okay.” He checked the front again and moved to the back, where there was a small door. He heard Gabe scramble to hit the ground by the door, breathing heavy. He pushed to crack the door enough to make eye contact with his brother.
“Tuck scrambled the intercom system. I think he’s on the guy in the bank.”
Lucky for him, his brother thrived on episodes of war games like this. “So now what? I’m getting tired of this shit. What did you do with Bri?” Aaron asked, leaning hard against the inside wall catching his breath.
“I locked her in the camper and threatened brute force.” His brother chuckled but continued, “I figure he’s got Jenna in the saloon. It’s the only place big enough. He’s probably there too. Our best shot is to take them one by one. These guys are good, and the sun’s setting soon.”
Two shots popped in the distance.
Gabe listened for a minute. “Tuck probably got one.”
“What if they got Tuck?” Aaron wasn’t so sure.
“Two rapids, he’s got one.” Gabe sounded sure. “Evens the odds. Let’s move on down, ready?”
Aaron took a deep breath, or as deep of one as he could, preparing. It was time to get Jenna. He went to the door of the sheriff’s office and listened, as Gabe scampered away. If Jenna was in the saloon, then he’d see what he could do to get there first. He made a run for the next set of buildings and dove to the ground as more rounds tore up the ground around him.