“Ragsdale’s been permanently thrown off the Triple C Ranch too,” Chase said. All he cared about was finding Jade, so he did something he’d never felt the need to do before, and that was to exchange phone numbers with Richard and Suzy. “Sometimes cell reception on the ranch is sketchy, so I’ll give you my landline too.” Then he shook Richard’s hand, as did Cash, and then Suzy came around the desk to hug them. “Thank you,” Chase said, and knowing them as he did, did not hesitate to say, “I owe you.”
Richard shook his head no, saying, “We’ll be in touch.”
After leaving the office on the way back down the hall, Cash quietly said, “You just cut out all the red tape you went through with the police by coming here.”
“I know. But filing an official report with the cops was the right thing to do, and at least they’re aware in case we need them down the road.” Chase clenched his jaw and gritted out, “Whatever it takes,” he said with a knot in his stomach, “I want Jade found.”
“This’ll do it. Cops go by the book. Sons of Steel break kneecaps.”
Nearing the bar area, Chase saw Allison and Kendra right where they’d left them. He hoped he didn’t have to deal with round two. Sure enough, here they came. Dammit. But before Allison or Kendra could get to them, Blade and Tommy-Gun stepped in front of the women. As Richard’s men blocked them, Chase nodded his thanks. Turning, he tipped the brim of his hat at Vince, who gave him a salute. Outside, as Chase and Cash headed for the truck, Ragsdale jumped out of the shadows onto the sidewalk.
“I gotta bone to pick with you, Chase Cooper,” Ragsdale said.
“Not in the mood,” Chase replied and kept walking.
“Two bones,” Ragsdale said, trying to keep up with them. “Losin’ my job and losin’ that rich brunette. Nobody should be that unlucky.”
“Both on you,” Chase growled.
Ragsdale fell behind into the darkness. Then suddenly appearing on Chase’s left side, Ragsdale threw a sucker punch into Chase’s temple. Making another fist, Ragsdale reared back his arm. Chase seized the man’s fist with his left hand and slammed his right fist square in the middle of Ragsdale’s face. Chase felt the nose crack under his knuckles. Ragsdale spun off the sidewalk and landed in the gutter. His only luck was in not spraying the blood, spurting out of his nose and mouth, onto one of the Harleys. Cash casually stepped over Ragsdale’s out-cold body as Chase unlocked the truck. Cash shut the passenger’s door as Chase slid behind the wheel. Chase muttered a choice curse and started the engine.
“I’ll show you where Jade works, and then we’ll swing by her house,” Chase said.
“I hope to hell we run into the Spatafores. I’m ready for a good fight.”
CHAPTERTWENTY
“May Chase Cooper burn in hell,” Franco sneered well after midnight. He sat on the sofa, staring at Jade’s framed painting as his brother perched in a chair near the statue ofDavid. With a .22 caliber Beretta pistol under his left hand, Franco swirled the amber liquid in the crystal tumbler with his right hand. “Do you think she was telling the truth, Mateo?”
“Without a doubt,” Mateo replied, and despite lecturing Franco, he was imbibing his fair share of their bourbon supply. “She was definitely under when I asked her the questions on your list. Proof of that is the passcode she gave us to her cell phone worked.”
“So her virginity is gone,” Franco hissed.
“You didn’t even know she was a virgin until an hour ago when she confessed to going to bed with Chase. So what’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is I know now! After just five days, she gave Chase what she should have given me months ago. I’ve known her for a year. And to do it with him in the house she leases from me, no less! According to their texts, she was planning to go on the pill for him.”
“You sound like a petulant child, Franco.”
Franco stared at Jade’s likeness above the fireplace. “I can’t stand the thought of the most beautiful woman on the planet spreading her legs for some run-of-the-mill cowboy.”
“So let her go,” Mateo said. “You sent the photo she took of him in her kitchen and the one with her on his lap to your phone. Look at them, Franco. Right now! Clearly, she wants to be with Chase.”
“No! I want her!” Franco nearly choked with indignation and hurled the expensive tumbler into the fireplace. It shattered, and he wailed, “A god needs his goddess!”
“Calm down! You’re going to wake her up,” Mateo warned.
“My business needs her!”
“Your business built around Jade is fraudulent. Someday you’ll be found out.”
“As will you. Again,” Franco spat, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
“Ditto, Franco,” Mateo replied. “The women I seduce—”
“Hypnotize,” Franco corrected.
Mateo huffed. “Why do you think I choose vulnerable women who are single with no men to cross me?”
