“Don’t kill them all,” I said, ignoring my own advice as I nailed one with a clean headshot. “We need someone to question.”
Fintan did some fancy shooting of his own, taking the other man out at the knees as he screamed, flopping on the ground like a beached trout.
“Fee!” I shouted. “How many do you see?”
“At least six,” she called back. “With the three you just shot and the arsehole whose intestines are decorating the goat pen, I reckon we’re down to two or three. They came blazing up the road, guns already out and firing, the bastards. Your men are utter pieces of shit!”
“These are not my men!” I said, “I’ve never seen them before. I know every man and woman who works for me.”
“Ya manky prick, who did ya piss off, then?” Fintan said. “Because this poxy mess is no rescue attempt!”
“Next time…” My eyes narrowed, waiting for movement behind the gunmen’s jeep. “You should do some research on your enemy before kidnapping them.” A man raced out from behind the vehicle when I shot out the radiator and two tires. The idiot tried to make a run for it, heading back down the dirt road. “Would you like to take the shot?” I invited Fintan, who gave me an unsettling grin.
“Aye, I would in fact.”
I arched an eyebrow with respect as he nailed the man in the small of his back, throwing him forward, face first in the dirt. Fintan was about to rise triumphantly when I pulled him down again.
“Hold off, there’s always one who waits for you to get in range when you think it’s over.”
My gaze swept back and forth, looking for movement. Ah. There, behind the goat pen. The black goat was angrilybleating and kicking the boards with her sharp hooves. I learned just how spiteful those little bastards were during my tour today.
Shite. “Where’s Martin?”
“He’s off in the south field,” Fintan answered, eye to his rifle scope. “Testing the soil.”
“Good.” I was surprised to realize that I meant it. The last man was getting hammered by the goats, and he gave up, trying to sprint for the farmhouse and receiving my bullet to his head for his trouble.
“I always thought a strike team would be more… effective,” Fee said, joining us at the front door. “These tools are a bit disappointing.”
“Goddamn amateurs.” I strode over to one of the men holding his shattered knee by the goat pen and kicked him in the ribs. “Who sent you?”
“Rescue at- attempt,” he gritted out. “Here to save you.”
I hadn’t laughed this hard in months. Maybe years. “You’re too fucking stupid to be on a recovery mission.” My fist tightened around his throat as I jerked him up off the ground, his booted feet dangling.
“He’s not in a position to answer your questions when you’re swinging him around like a side of beef.” Fee came up behind me, still clutching an ancient-looking shotgun.
Ignoring her, my fingers tightened against his carotid artery. “Who. Sent. You?”
His face was nearly purple by the time he gasped out, “Mr. Lee Ville! He’s been searching for you since you disappeared!”
My business partner in the computer server compound venture was an asshole of the highest level. He’d boasted to me more than once that he was never worried about, “getting his hands dirty to get the job done.” Since he knew about the other sideof my business, I’d assumed he was puffing himself up. Charles dryly referred to him as Big, Bad Murder Daddy from then on because he knew it would make me laugh.
“Shooting the place up, along with potential innocents was your plan, you stupid fuck?” I shook him hard, like a terrier with a rat.
“Well, we’re notthatinnocent,” Fee mumbled.
“The only person who gets to kill you is me,” I told her.
“A romantic, you are.”
“Back to business.” I shook my captive again, noting that his struggles were growing weaker, likely due to the blood streaming from his thigh. Fintan’s aim was excellent; the bullet must have shattered his femur. Very painful. “What were your orders?”
“R- R- rescue you!” the man choked out. “I swear!”
“We got company, lad.” Fintan grimly watched three more vehicles speed up the road, stirring up the dirt into choking clouds of dust.
Turning, I slammed my hostage’s head against a fencepost and knocked him out, I needed both hands free. “Get back indoors! We’ll have better coverage.”
