Jason nodded. “The way the police force operates around here, they could be in another country tomorrow. If they have the right connections.”
“I’ll make the call. You probably have at least thirty or forty-five minutes to chat before we see flashing lights.”
Knox slipped his phone from his pants and stepped a few feet away to make his call.
Jason turned to the men. Their facial expressions alone told him that the man Tayla recognized was the leader. And he was smiling.
“You look confident,” Jason said.
“You are overreacting. The lady wanted to go for a ride with us. If she changed her mind, that’s her problem. No need for the guns. And there wasn’t need to run us off the road. Let’s all stay calm, shall we?”
A few things were obvious. Tonight wasn’t this guy’s first brush with trouble. He wasn’t nervous. And Jasonneeded to get these three separated before the leader dictated the fabrication he wanted them to recite to the police.
Knox walked back over. “Morghana Police are on their way.”
“Good,” Jason said. “Let’s get these guys away from each other before they can collaborate on their version of the story.”
“No problem,” Knox said. He hoisted up the driver and started walking to the SUV. “I’ll tie this one to our bumper.”
“That’ll work.”
Leland exited the SUV, made his way through the uneven sand, and joined Jason.
“How’s Tayla?”
“Physically, okay.” He glared at the two men sitting in the sand. “What did you say to her?”
“Hang on,” Jason said. “We need to separate these two. Knox is handling the third guy. I don’t want them planning a story for the cops.”
Leland didn’t hesitate. He walked straight to the sedan driver’s door, opened it, and pulled a lever. The trunk popped open. “I’ll stick one of them in the trunk.” Hewasn’t asking. The anger simmering in his words would have terrified the men if they knew Leland better.
Jason decided to let Leland deposit the second guy in the trunk of the sedan. He wouldn’t suffocate. There’d be plenty of air. And it would protect the guy from Leland.
Leland slammed the now-occupied trunk closed and walked back to stand next to Jason. “Now,” he addressed the leader, “you can answer my question. What did you say to her?”
The leader plastered an unconvincing innocent expression on his face. “The lady thought she recognized me. She was mistaken, but we got to talking and I invited her to my home. I have a cottage on Henrietta Island, just a ten-minute boat ride from here. On our way to the marina, she changed her mind, so we were about to turn around and bring her back to the party when you ran us off the road.” He smiled. “You see? All a terrible misunderstanding. But if you’ll remove these zip ties, I won’t press charges.” He smiled again. One of those disgusting kind of smiles criminals have when they think they’re getting away with everything.
Jason stepped within an inch of the leader’s out-stretched legs and squatted in front of him. “I knowyou’re lying. And you know I know. So, are you just rehearsing your story for the police? You seem convinced they’ll buy it. Why are they going to believe you over Tayla and us?”
The man shrugged. “We will see who gets lucky this evening.” He smirked.
Leland fisted his hands.
Jason needed to reign in the senior agent before he exploded all over the snarky leader. “Leland, go sit with Tayla. I’ll wait with him.”
“Why don’t you sit with Tayla andIstay here with him?”
Jason stood. “Because he’s less likely to get shot if I’m watching him.”
Leland grunted, glared at the man for a few beats, and returned to the SUV.
Jason faced his prisoner again. “Don’t get me wrong. I’ll shoot you if I have to. But Leland might shoot you even if he doesn’t have to.”
The man let out a humorless laugh. “Is that supposed to scare me?”
“If I wanted to scare you, I wouldn’t have sent himback to the car.”
Knox walked over from behind the SUV. “Bad guy number three is all tied up.” He looked around. “Where’s the other guy?”
