“No. Winston was at the very least making sure your grandfather was dead,” Cash said. “Then Winston circles back like a vulture and now your grandmother has fallen andat the very leasthas sprained her ankle. I’m betting that’s not a coincidence.”
Staying out of sight, Tracy looked up at Cash and said, “When Gerald hired Donna at the magazine, I distinctly remember he was the one who assigned her to Jacob and me.”
“She and Gerald are about the same age,” Cash said. “Could he be from Kit Carson too?”
“There was a Moles family in Kit Carson. I remember because unlike Smith, Moles is not a common last name.”
“Was there a son in the mix who could be Gerald?”
“I vaguely remember something now from years ago.” Tracy nodded slowly and continued, “Grandma said the Moles’ father went to prison for being a drug dealer, the mother walked the streets as a prostitute, and a son took off after high school.” She looked at Cash and concluded, “Gerald and Donna went to high school together, Cash. They’ve been working together from the start.”
“It all figures,” Cash agreed. “Right now, it’s those three against the two of us but the sheriff and a deputy are on their way.”
“What about my grandma?”
“They have her, Tracy.” Cash pulled her into his arms and said, “But she won’t tell them where the money is. They brought you here to make her talk.”
“Dear God,” Tracy gasped. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Me neither,” Cash said, hugging her. “I think it’s a safe bet that Winston killed your grandfather. Donna and Gerald are crazy. Jade would probably diagnose all of them as being psychopaths or sociopaths.”
“As in psychopaths, it’s biological, and in sociopaths, it stems from trauma?” Tracy asked.
“Exactly.”
“Donna probably inherited it from Winston and who knows what happened to Gerald during his dysfunctional upbringing.”
“They’re on drugs and they’re desperate. Dammit,” Cash cursed under his breath. “If I’d known what we’d be up against, I’d have gotten the location from you and left you on my ranch.”
“I wouldn’t have given you the location.” Tracy looked up at him and said, “Or let you come without me.”
“I’m gonna call Sheriff Hunt and tell him what we know so far.” Cash pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and made the call. After speaking to the Cheyenne County sheriff, he hung up and said, “Hunt and his deputy are ten minutes out.”
“Cash, look,” Tracy whispered as the front door to the house opened.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Gerald Moles opened fire in no particular direction and shouted, “Who’s out there?”
Cash swept his arm across Tracy’s midriff, pushing her farther into the trees and out of sight. “There’s Donna,” he said, seeing her dart from the back of the house toward the shed.
Moles spotted Donna, too, and hollered, “Where’re you going, Donna?”
“Help me!” Donna screamed. “He’s trying to kill me!”
Moles raced after Donna. Cash, holding his Kimber Warrior at his right side, stepped out of the evergreens to get a better look. Moles and Donna disappeared behind the shed. All was deathly quiet for several minutes.
“What’s going on?” Tracy whispered on Cash’s left side.
“Hell if I know,” Cash said. “But at least they won’t find the chopper over there.”
A second later, a strangled female scream broke the silence.
“I think that was my grandma’s voice,” Tracy said, and before Cash could grab her, she bolted into the front yard of the house. “Grandma!”
“Tracy, stop!” Cash caught her and pulled her behind him. Flames shot up from the rear of the shed. “Stay hereand hide,” Cash said, and with his gun drawn, sprinted forward, jumping over the holes in the yard.
“Help,” came a choked cry and coughing from inside the shed.
