They looked at each other. “The dust back there,” Jake said. “Not just from Rachael’s car—”
“From Deal’s too,” Camden finished. They looked toward the west away from the barn.
And saw a cloud of dust rising in a trail moving north.
Without the benefit of a police force—since the closest ‘law’ was in Ross—they couldn’t set up roadblocks, nor did they have the time.
Jake looked at Camden, who shrugged. “Fucking glad I opted for the extra insurance. Let’s do it.”
They jumped back in the Dodge and Camden made a sharp left straight into the field. The Charger bounced and leaped across the rows as cornstalks smashed across the windshield, obstructing their view. Camden drove blindly in the direction of the road and almost overshot it. The car fishtailed on gravel and dirt as he steered toward the dust kicked up by Deal’s car. The Caddie sped away down the trail as Jake tried to see through the dust into the rear view. He wanted nothing more than to shoot the hell out of Deal, but he couldn’t risk hitting Rachael.
“Aim for a tire, brother,” Camden said, as if reading his mind.
Jake leaned out the window and took his shot. Missed. The Cadillac swerved into the field on the right, Camden hot on its tail. Jake fired again as the car blazed a trail for them. Another miss. Deal spun his car right and drove along the rows parallel to the road and back the way they had come. Going along the rows smoothed out the drive and Jake took another shot. This time, he hit the rear right tire. It tore with a bang and Deal hit the brakes. Camden pulled up and both men jumped out and ran to the Caddie, Jake on the right, Camden on the left, guns drawn.
“FBI! Hands where I can see them!” Jake yelled. His heart lurched as he could only see one person in the car—Deal in the driver’s seat.She’s in the trunk or lying on the floor in the back. As Camden reached the driver’s side and covered Deal, Jake threw the trunk open.
Empty. But lined in plastic sheeting, perfect for wrapping up a body.
“Where is she?” Jake roared at Deal, who cowered in his seat with his hands up.
“I don’t know, officer,” the bastard stammered through the open window.
“Cut the fucking bullshit,” Jake tore the door open, dragged Deal out of the car, and threw him face down in the dirt. “Where the fuck is Rachael, you piece of shit?”
“I didn’t know it was you, sir, and that you were law,” Deal babbled. “I thought I was a dead man just now.”
“That option is not off the table.” Jake pressed the gun barrel against the back of Deal’s neck, making the man squeal like a hog.
“I can’t believe this asshole,” Camden said.
“Give me a fucking break and talk.” Jake jabbed the barrel into Deal’s neck.
“Hank’s got her,” he sputtered. “Told me to come out to my old farm if I wanted to see her alive again. I’m just trying to get my little girl back, officers.”
“You really want to die today, don’t you?” Jake snarled. “She lured you out here, you brought Hank, and he’s got her close by. Where? In the barn? What’s your game this time? Or did he betray you finally?”
“I want my lawyer.” Deal struggled to get up and Camden kicked him in the belly.
“Resisting arrest is never a good move.”
Jake ran back to the Charger, got in the driver’s seat, and tossed Camden a pair of cuffs. “Watch this piece of shit until the team gets here, see if you can get something out of him first. I’m headed for the barn.”
Thirty-Two
Rachael stumbled through the corn, hands zip-tied behind her back, Hank’s fingers creating new bruises as they gripped her forearm. He pushed and dragged her and she did her best to break as many stalks as she could, since they headed away from the barn, where Jake expected them.Please see me, see where we went, she thought. Up ahead she knew her father waited in his Caddie, that she would be the next body he buried if Hank got her there. They planned to use her as bait again, and that was her fault. Now it was up to her to get out of this shitshow, or stall Hank at least long enough for Jake to arrive.
She heard a car engine in the distance, getting closer. Rachael prayed it was Jake.
“Daddy’ll kill you too,” she told Hank. “You think he wants a witness left alive this time?”
“Shut up, bitch.” Hank pushed her and she stumbled and fell.
Rachael pretended to struggle to get to her feet, anything to slow them down. “Think about it. He’s gonna kill his daughter, think he’ll showyoumercy?”
“He won’t kill you.” Hank grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her up.
Was that the faintest hint of doubt in his voice? Rachael reached for that crack in his resolve. “He killed his wife, Hank. Made me help bury her, bury my own mother. Did he tell you that?”
