“Since Teresa is here to help her sister with the barbecue, Coop is the closest person in proximity to Jade,” Bob said.
“I’ll call Coop and have him check on her,” Cash suggested and pulled out his cell.
“Thanks, Cash. But with Franco on the loose, my gut says to go see for myself if Jade is okay,” Chase replied.
“I’ll go with you, boss,” Mean Pete said, riding his horse closer. “If that batshit crazy Franco is behind this, he’ll be sorry.”
“We’ll go too.” Red indicated Reno and Faro.
“We’re already saddled up. Let’s go, boss.” Martyman headed Doc Holliday west.
“Well hell, I’m sure not going to miss out on any more showdowns,” Cash said. “My dude ranchers are so worn out from trying to keep up with you Triple C-Central boys they won’t even notice I’m gone.”
“You guys stay and enjoy the barbecue,” Chase said. “Everything’s probably fine.”
“Or it might not be fine.” Cash replied just as Chase’s cell phone indicated he’d received a text. “Jade?”
“Asking when I’ll be home,” Chase replied.
* * *
“The cowboy hasn’t botheredto answer your text,” Franco said. It had taken a gun to her head before Jade had relinquished her cell phone to him. Since being with Chase, she no longer had a passcode, and that seemed to make Franco even angrier. “When will Chase be here?”
“He’s due home any minute,” Jade replied. “You’d better leave while you can.”
Franco’s hair had been dyed an unnatural shade of black, making his pale skin appear even more pale than usual. His jacket hung on his already meager frame as if he’d lost weight. In short, he appeared older and physically unwell, no doubt due to his declining mental state.
Ignoring her advice to leave, Franco asked, “Which door does he use? Front or back?”
Cursing herself for leaving her gun in her purse and despising Franco with every bone in her body, Jade glared at him and remained silent. Franco had used Finn to gain access into the house. He’d probably figured with Jade’s love of children, Finn would make a good bargaining chip or hostage to help him control her. The moment Jade had asked Finn where his mother was, Ragsdale had dragged Katy around the trunk and through the front door. Katy, with duct tape over her mouth and around her wrists, had stumbled and landed on one knee in the great room. Before Jade and Finn could help her, Franco had darted into the house behind her and blocked them. Holding a gun in one hand, Franco had instantly shoved Finn against the trunk and grabbed Jade.
“Push the trunk inside and close the door, kid,” Ragsdale snarled, gripping Katy’s upper arm and jerking her to her feet.
“See?” Franco’s voice was syrupy sweet as he looked up and to the left before saying, “I’m personally delivering your trunk and the photograph inside it as that deputy sheriff Chase sicced on me ordered me to do.”
Hauling Katy further into the room, Ragsdale blared at Finn, “Get the trunk!”
Jade caught Finn’s eye and gave him a look that said,run!
“Do it, brat!” Franco shouted at Finn, shoving Jade away from the door.
“If Chase’s on horseback, he could come in through the back or the front,” Ragsdale said, still clutching Katy, his gaze darted right, then left. “If he’s driving, it could be either door.”
“You’re useless, Ragsdale! I already regret bailing you out of jail,” Franco said and then scowled at Katy. “It all started to go bad with you.” Pointing his gun at Katy, he said to Jade, “An hour ago, I assured Katy you would accept my proposal, and I wanted her to be part of our celebration.” Katy shook her head to let Jade know she hadn’t fallen for Franco’s lies. “I explained to Katy this antique trunk was your engagement present.”
“But Katy wouldn’t go for it,” Ragsdale said and snorted as if he could barely breathe out of his crooked nose. “So she got herself all tied up.” Laughing showed several missing teeth. He jerked the duct tape off Katy’s mouth and asked, “How ‘bout me’n you later?”
“In your dreams,” Katy shot back and yanked her arm from him.
“Shut up, you idiot!” Franco blared at Ragsdale, who smirked.
“Franco, let Katy go.” Jade purposely didn’t mention Finn, who had vanished. She hadn’t gone looking for trouble, but here it was. She would play the game she’d told Chase was a last resort. “I don’t want to marry Chase Cooper. Mateo helped me realize what he did to me.”
“Did Chase make you wear that short denim dress and cowboy boots?” Franco’s eyes grew dull, and his voice took on the monotone of the insane as he pointed to her left hand with the barrel of his pistol. “You’re wearing his ring instead of mine.”
“What did you expect? He forced me to wear it,” Jade told him. “He locked my car up in his garage, and he monitors every call I make or receive on my phone. Why do you think my phone has no passcode? He doesn’t allow it.”
“That’s true about her car,” Ragsdale said and shrugged.
