“You look surprised, boy.” Deal chuckled. “My girl will spread her legs for any old steer comes along she thinks she can control, but I’ve got her outmaneuvered. You, too. Now, I had my boys go through your place the other day and they came up empty-handed, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have it. Just means you’re smart enough to hide it somewhere else. Where is it, Jake?”
“Mr. Deal. I never meant for any of this to happen, you gotta believe me.” It killed Jake to see Rachael’s eyes widen. He eased his foot to the side until it touched hers, hoping to reassure her. If that didn’t, then his words might. “Your daughter’s full of perfect imperfections. She’s my downfall. And my muse,” he said, hoping she’d catch the John Legend reference.
“You’re out of your mind,” she murmured, but her eyes were shining.
Got it on one, Angel.
“Brother, target’s secured. Girl’s out cold, probably drugged. We’re in Rachael’s car. Hank had the keys.”
Jake scooted his chair forward and reached for his waistband.
“What are you doing?” Deal asked. Stevenson sat up straighter.
“Easy, guys! Just scratching my fucking balls. They itch whenever I get interrogated.” Jake eased the small pistol from his pants.
“Fucking smart-aleck,” the sheriff said. “Hands where I can see ’em.” Stevenson cocked his gun and aimed at Rachael. “Right now.”
Everything happened at once.
Jake took three blind shots at the sheriff from under the table and Stevenson pulled the trigger.
Pop-pop-pop.Bang.
Elena screamed. Jake’s heart stopped until he saw the sheriff’s bullet had gone wide and hit the wall beside Rachael.
Stevenson groaned and dropped his gun on the table. He clutched his side where Jake shot him. The first bullet had grazed his side while the next two sank deeper. The .22 caliber bullets were not enough to kill the big man, but they took him out of the game.
Deal lunged for Stevenson’s gun at the same time Jake did. Rachael leaped up and took a swing at her father as he nabbed the weapon. When she pulled her fist back from his face, Jake saw she’d left behind three broken-off bamboo skewers embedded deeply in his cheek. Even so, Deal raised the sheriff’s gun and took aim at his daughter.
Jake grabbed Rachael and pulled her out of the kitchen, blocking her with his body. Elena was already running toward her daughter’s bedroom.Shit.
A bullet whizzed past Jake and splintered the front doorframe at head height .
“Front door!” He yelled at Rachael, who’d deftly grabbed her tote and was already turning the knob. Jake spun around to cover Rachael and took a shot at Deal, who’d ducked back into the kitchen.
“Elena!” Rachael protested.
“Go! My partner’s in your car. I’ll get Elena. And brother, drive the second she gets in,” he added to Camden.
With Rachael safely out the front, Jake sprinted after Elena and found her in Tina’s room staring at the empty bed.
Jake picked up Elena and went straight out the open bedroom window. He sprinted around the house, carrying Elena to his Indian parked on the street in front. Rachael’s car was already tearing around the corner two blocks away as Camden drove to the safehouse.
Bang. Bang. Bullets flew past Jake. Deal stood framed in Elena’s door. He’d pulled out the skewers and blood ran down the bastard’s face where Rachael stabbed him.
Jake fired his last shot but missed as Deal ducked back into the house. He tried to get Elena settled on the bike as she stared blankly and shook. “Tina’s safe, Elena.”
He stowed the pistol in a saddle bag, wishing Stevenson hadn’t taken his Colt. He wouldn’t feel whole until he had the additional one Camden stashed at the safehouse back in his holster.
“Now hang on,” he told Elena. She wrapped her arms around his waist. He started the Indian as Deal got off another shot. It went wide.
Jake followed the road Camden took to the safehouse. He’d injured the sheriff, taking the man out of commission for a while at least, and his cover hadn’t been blown. Yet.
He prayed the whole way that Rachael still loved him. The rest could wait.
At least my Angel is safe and away from her father. If that’s the best I can hope for, I’ll still take it.
* * *
