“I didn’t say that.” Kade sighed. “But I want it on record, she’s not a delicate flower that will shrivel with the first cold wind.”
On that, Clint could easily agree, but he also knew he didn’t want Alice anywhere near that shack, especially if Ray and his buddies were up to no good.
“For what it’s worth, I’m with Carson. I like your mom too much to put her at risk.” Josh shrugged. “Just lead the way.”
Clint veered right, heading toward the bunkhouse instead of the barn. “We should grab some firepower. Better to have it and not need it…”
“Than need it and not have it,” Kade finished, following Clint up the bunkhouse steps. At the door, Clint threw the bolt, stepped into the dim cool, and went straight to the locker where the long guns lived. Habit made the rest easy: check clear, magazines, chamber, sling. He passed one across to Kade, another to Josh, kept the third.
“I worked with Ray a short while before he took off. I wouldn’t have thought him dangerous back then, but now, knowing all I do…” He didn’t have to say anything else. Both men understood and nodded their agreement. The men handled the weaponry like old friends. No talk. No drama. Just done. They definitely understood.
Rifles in hand, they exited the bunk house and climbed into the waiting truck. The engine roared to life and they drove faster than they probably should have toward where Carson had said all the activity was.
“So,” Kade broke the silence as they bumped along a rutted trail, “do we have a plan?”
“Hard to plan when you don’t know what you’re up against.” Clint focused on the land ahead. “We’ll park behind that rise. Approach on foot from there.”
Ten minutes later, they crested the small hill overlooking the east pasture. Sure enough, a beat-up old truck was parked, engines running, a few feet from the shack.
“I count two,” Josh murmured, his military training evident in his posture. “One inside, one out back.”
Clint nodded. “We’ll circle around. Kade, you take the south approach. Josh, east. I’ll come in from the north.” The three men separated, moving with practiced stealth toward the small structure. Closer now, Clint could hear voices—agitated, impatient.
“Ray sure as hell better show up soon,” this came from a face he didn’t recognize.
“He knows what he’s doing,” came the reply from inside, the voice familiar, but Clint couldn’t place it. “Besides, we’ll have plenty of time.”
Clint caught Kade’s eye across the clearing, giving him a slight nod. They moved in closer, weapons ready.
A loud crash came from inside the shack, followed by colorful cursing. “Damn it, would you be careful? You’re making enough noise to wake the dead!”
“I thought that was the idea.”
“No, you idiot. We’re just supposed to keep the cameras busy, then as soon as Ray gets here, we’re gone.”
“And we’ll be richer than a small country.”
So they were right. Ray was on his way back, but why did he need these yahoos to keep the cameras busy? That part made no sense.
Clint signaled to the others, holding up three fingers. Two. One.
No longer trying to hide their approach, while Kade carefully opened a rear window to the single-room shack, rifle raised and ready, Josh covering him, Clint stomped up the two steps.
“About time you got here. If we didn’t like you, we’d be halfway to Mexico by now.” A bag in each hand, the man straightened and turned, his eyes popping wide, staring at the long end of a rifle. “Whoa, we’ll share.”
Share? Clint placed the voice now. He’d only met the guy a few times, a friend of Ray’s. “Hands where I can see them!”
The other guy spun, only to find Kade pointing a rifle at him from the other side of the window. “Go ahead. Make my day.”
“Ooh,” Josh chuckled, “I’ve always wanted to say that.”
The guy Clint didn’t recognize took a brazen step forward.
Clint slid his finger onto the trigger shaking his head, but Josh was the one, still smiling, who said, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
The two men glanced at each other and the hairs on the back of his neck stood upright. “Who are you waiting for? Who did you think we were?”
Again, the two men exchanged glances, but neither spoke.
