“Nora needs to be in on this hug,” Gunner said. “We couldn’t have done this without her. It’s gonna be goodhaving two sisters-in-law. Takes the heat off of me.”
Asher laughed. “Nope. It’s going to be worse. Your two sisters will be constantly trying to hook you up. Happy women are matchmakers. Your journey has just begun.”
“True that,” Dylan said. “But don’t fight it, man. Finding the lady who loves you as is and always has your back will be your treasure.”
“Whatever,” Gunner said. “But right now, I don’t know whether I’m hungrier or sleepier.”
“Figure it out, because I don’t serve breakfast in bed,” Asher said.
After the last twenty-four hours, the ensuing laughter felt good.
“I’ll make some pancakes,” Asher said, “if you’ll call Dad to say hello from all of us, and tell him we’re fine, and keeping Dylan here for a little longer.”
“I can do that,” Gunner said, and took off down the hall to make the call and shower and change before they began the day.
It was during the pancake breakfast when Asher brought up the idea of how to bait the Brandts into making a second try. After explaining it in detail, they both agreed.
“So, if you can pull this off, then after it airs, we will basically have to hole up in the house, giving off the perception that we’re gone, and lie in wait for them to make a move,” Gunner said.
“That’s a lot of ifs and maybes,” Dylan said.
“That’s police work,” Asher said. “All I want is to watch that back door opening, and when they get inside the house, slam the door behind them and turn on the lights. I want them to see our faces. I want them to know who we are. I want them to be sorry for the rest of their lives that they ever laid a hand on Jacob Kingston.”
“Then set it in motion,” Gunner said. “We’ll always haveyour back.”
Asher picked up his laptop and cell phone and went into the bar—the quietest place on the property.
His first call was to Reddick. There was a lot to tell, and a chance the sheriff would not be willing to deceive the public. He had to convince him that omitting certain facts in a press conference was just an update without giving away info in a case as yet unsolved. He had all of the updates pulled up on his laptop. There was nothing left to do but make the call.
“Briscoe County Sheriff’s office. How may I direct your call?”
“This is Asher Kingston. I need to speak to Sheriff Reddick.”
“One moment please.”
Asher was staring out the window at the traffic going by when Reddick picked up.
“Asher. Good to hear from you. How can I help you?”
“I have information, and I have a request. Starting with information. You have seen the photos Dylan took of the Brandt brothers, and agreed that we didn’t want them arrested on a stolen car when you’re trying to get them for attempted murder, right?”
“Yes, and rightly so,” Reddick said.
“Gunner and I found the motive. We know exactly why they tried to kill Dad. They visited their dad in prison before he died. We asked ourselves, what if he told them where the money was buried? And if he had, why did they come straight to the Tumbleweed? Then we discovered that the Feds never had a chance to question or interrogate Brenda for anything. They just knew she was in on it in some way and then she was dead. And Brandt said he hid it. Long story short, it wasn’t Brandt. It was Brenda who buried the money, and Gunner and Dylan and I found it.It’s already been turned over to the FBI under secrecy. We don’t want the Brandts to know that. They won’t come back for a second look, and they’ll also get away with attempted murder.”
Matt Reddick was in shock. “My God… All these years.”
“Yes, and Dad still doesn’t know any of this, and you can’t talk about anything until the Feds have released the news themselves.”
“Of course, of course,” Reddick said.
“What my brothers and I want to do next is set a trap, but we need to bait it, and that’s where you come in. If you were willing to hold a press conference to update the public about your ongoing case, and mention that you are still working leads…and Jacob Kingston, the victim, is still alive, but you have no further information on his condition or when he will be released…and that the Tumbleweed Bar will remain closed until he has recovered, we believe that news will spur the Brandts to come back for another try. A million dollars in bearer bonds is untraceable.”
“I can and will gladly do this,” Reddick said. “I’ll take it from here and contact the TV stations in Amarillo, then hold a press conference on the courthouse steps. Hopefully, our perps will be watching one of the stations when it airs. Now, I have a question. What are your plans to catch them?”
“We already have it in place. There will be no signs that we are there. We’re moving the rental car we’ve been using to a friend’s house. Dad’s old truck will be parked out back as always, and we’re going into stakeout mode inside our own home and wait for the perps to come to us. Shades pulled. Windows down. No indications of life inside. But we’ll see them coming and take them by surprise.”
“And call me when it’s done,” Reddick said.
