Page 64 of Homicide in Water Creek

King grabbed the brace. The cold metal upright reminded him that without it, Jacks was more than vulnerable. She was immobile, which meant she couldn’t save herself. “We’re about to find out,” King said, sprinting for the back door. “Check the bunkhouse for Chinos while I get Jackson and Keene! Meet me at the SUV!”

“Then what?” Maverick asked before breaking left for the bunkhouse.

“Then we take the fight to their town and show them what Water Creek is made of.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Frustrated, Jacks groaned and rolled onto her back. It turned out those videos teaching women how to punch out taillights and wave at traffic didn’t apply to expensive cars. This car was a steel trap, and she wasn’t getting out until they reached their destination, wherever that was. The way she saw it, she only had one card to play with Parenti. He wanted her ranch, so she’d make it her ace in the hole.

The car slowed, rocking her back and forth in the trunk as he turned corners, clearly in a city now. She could hear traffic as they drove much more slowly. Her watch said they’d been on the road a little over an hour, which meant King was too far away to save her. Once again, she’d have to be her own hero. It wouldn’t be easy with only one working leg, so this fight would require all her wits.

It started with how she presented the ranches to Parenti. She couldn’t make it too easy. She had to put up a bit of a fight, but in the end, if that was all he wanted, she’d sign on the dotted line to save her life. The car rocked to a stop. Jacks held her breath as car doors slammed and low voices reached her ears. Then the trunk opened, and a bright light blinded her.

“Get out,” Chinos said.

Barely able to make him out, she brought her hands up to block the light. “I can’t do anything with that light in my face. I also can’t get out with these cuffs on my wrists and only one working leg.”

“Uncuff her,” Chinos said to someone who, thankfully, shut off the light and reached into the trunk, unlocking the cuffs and making sure to smack her in the face with them as he stood.

Jacks refused to react, even as the heavy metal slapping against her cheekbone brought tears to her eyes. That would leave a mark, but she was used to being beaten down in life. Another badge to prove that what didn’t kill you made you stronger. God knew she had enough of those badges.

Shaking her arms to get the feeling back, she sat up and rolled out of the trunk. It wasn’t graceful, but she was out, standing on one leg like a flamingo.

One glance to her right told her where they were. The Crimson Clam Casino and Convention Center.

Palatino Parenti. They’d been right all along.

“Sit down,” Chinos ordered, motioning toward a wheelchair that had materialized from somewhere. “Don’t try anything funny.”

Once seated, she raised her hands in the air. “You don’t have to worry about me. You’ve left me no choice but to talk to the boss, so let’s do it.”

With a nod from Chinos, the knuckle dragger behind her pushed the chair through the loading door and down several long corridors clearly used to supply the casino. It was late, so the hallways were empty. Then again, that could be by design. Chinos knew she was a wild card and wouldn’t risk her causing a scene in his boss’s house.

They reached a pair of wooden doors. On the mahogany wood was a pearl clamshell with a P in the center. They had reached Parenti’s lair. She took a deep breath through her nose, held it, and called up every ounce of bravado and sass she had as she prepared for battle.

It was Chinos who threw the doors open, grabbed the chair’s handles, pushed her through, then slammed the doors in the other guy’s face. She bit her cheek to keep from smiling. The formidable man waiting for her would see no emotion from her until she was ready to offer it. Until then, she’d remain the wild card he couldn’t predict.

“Miss Miles,” Parenti said, walking toward her. He wore a finely tailored pinstriped suit, a purple tie, and what looked like expensive Italian leather shoes. She noted that his tie tack and cuff links bore his logo and probably cost a small fortune. But then what did he care? He had the money to buy whatever he wanted, even if it meant hurting people. “So nice to make your acquaintance. I’m Palatino Parenti.”

“I’d say the same, but tonight hasn’t been nice. I’ve been accosted, bruised, manhandled, and my disability disrespected. If you wanted to meet me so badly, there were ways to do it that didn’t piss me off.” She had never been prouder of how steady, steely, and stable her voice was. Take that, terror!

“An unfortunate consequence, I’m afraid,” Parenti said. “I expected my assistant to offer you a ride. Was that not what happened?”

“Sure, I got a ride. In the trunk of a car, handcuffed. You two are pathetic. There are better ways to get people to cooperate. Now you’ve just made me angry. I have no interest in speaking to you about anything.”

Parenti glared at Chinos. “Out,” he said. One word, yet it sent a chill down her spine.

Jacks couldn’t help but wonder if Chinos would have a job at the end of the night. Hell, if he’d even have his life. Something told her Parenti was acting. Giving her what she wanted so she’d give him what he wanted. Good cop, bad cop, so to say. There was only one cop she wanted, and he wasn’t coming to save her. Even if he found her brace and phone, he’d have no idea where they’d taken her. Something told her she didn’t have that kind of time, so she’d have to agree to whatever this asshole offered. She didn’t have to like it, though.

“To be honest, I expected to be here at some point. Your flunky went to the farm supply store and flashed a wad of cash, drawing attention. That fancy money clip was memorable, too. It didn’t take us long to link it to your casinos. I guess it’s been too long since he was a cop to remember how to survive undercover.”

The creepy smile that spread across his face made her shudder. “There’s a reason he’s an ex-cop,” Parenti said.

“And a dirty one, from what I hear.” Jacks knew she was aggravating the guy, but she wanted to buy time. If King found her brace and phone but she and Chinos were gone, maybe he could get the local cops here to save her.

“I didn’t bring you here to talk about Jordan, Miss Miles. I brought you here to make a land deal.”

“My land isn’t for sale,” she spat. “Why is it so hard for you people to understand?”