“You’ve got to be so tired, it’s nearly one in the morning.”
“I am tired. Did anyone tell you what was going on?”
“Chad did. He feels so guilty, and I tried to tell him it wasn’t his fault.”
“I’m sure he’s in a bit of shock as well. Jonathon and he were really good friends.”
“Have you heard anything? Does anyone know where he is?”
“Randy called me about an hour ago. No sign of Jonathon, but they found out he bought three-hundred acres of land about seven years ago. He never told anyone, and it was under a corporate name.”
My hand came to my mouth. “Are they going to search it?”
“Yeah. I told him I wanted to be there, but he said it wouldn’t be a good idea. Plus, they didn’t want to risk the case with me there. Someone could say I planted something.”
“That makes sense. When are you coming home?”
“I’ll be home in a little bit. There is a cop stationed at the gate, so that at least makes me feel somewhat better. But this ranch is huge. If anyone wanted to get on it, they could.”
An uneasiness crept into my body, and I shivered from an unexpected rush of cold air.
“Well, be careful coming back and…”
A loud boom came from outside, and I jumped, letting out a scream. Howdy and Jimmy both jumped up, and Jimmy pulled out a gun. My mouth fell open. Where had he kept that?
“What was that?” Liam asked.
“Fire!” Jimmy yelled.
“Fire? Did someone just yell fire?” Liam shouted.
Chad and Billy both came running down the steps, both of them were still dressed.
“It’s a trap,” Billy said.
“Bubba is in the barn!” Howdy cried out in horror.
“Mallory!” Liam screamed. “What is going on?”
I looked around the room and out the living room window at the glow of red. “There was a loud bang, and now there is fire coming from the barn. Bubba was in the barn.”
“Is he okay? Stay in the house, don’t you leave.”
“I…I won’t.”
“Bubba is calling me, sweetheart.”
The line went dead, and I rushed into the living room. “Bubba just called Liam.”
Billy turned to me. “Do you know how to shoot a gun?”
My eyes went wide. “No!”
“I do!” Krista stated as she came down the steps. She had her pants on and my T-shirt. “I grew up shooting all kinds of different guns; my father was a police officer.”
Billy ran into the kitchen and down the hall. I wasn’t sure where he was going, to the office or bedroom. He suddenly appeared with a few rifles and gave a handgun to Jimmy.
“It’s loaded and ready to go. Just take off the safety,” Chad said as he took a gun from Billy and gave it to his wife.
