“I did. We didn’t connect. He should have been here by now, no?”
“Yes, he should have.” The area around Duster’s Creek bridge did have dead spots for cell phone coverage. But Clint should have been in Table Rock by now, dead spots notwithstanding.
“I’m going to head out that way, try to follow his path,” Leah said.
“All right, me and my partner will head out from this end and hopefully we’ll meet you and him in the middle.”
Leah lowered the phone.
Ivy’s expression was annoyingly knowing. “That was about Clint Tanner, wasn’t it?”
The phone seemed frozen in Leah’s hand. “Yes, it was. Someone was following him after he left here.”
“I bet I know who. Leah, you have to trust me,” she pleaded. “We have to do something. Maybe we’re not friends, but I care about Grady. I don’t want him dead.”
Clint struggled to control the truck and felt he was losing. The topography of the field made him turn north, taking him farther away from Table Rock. He was above Duster’s Creek bridge now, in the farming area outside the city limits. The truck following him was minutes behind him.
He came to an irrigation ditch and slowed. Even with four-wheel drive, this would be tricky. He angled the truck into the ditch and then punched it, roaring up and out, right into a fence post. The truck bounced and groaned, freed from the water, then tangled and stuck on the post and a mass of barbed wire.
He tried to work the truck out of the mess and couldn’t.
“Think, Tanner, think,” Clint talked to himself. He had to get out of the truck.
He opened the door and stopped, not wanting to be caught with the drive on his person. Quickly he opened the glove box and yanked his Bible out. He shoved the drive into the pocket that bulged with all the church bulletins he never threw out. After putting the Bible back in the glove box, he prayed that God would protect it and got out of the car.
The headlights were almost upon him. Clint knew he needed to move fast. Conscious of every ache, he headed for the edge of the field where there was some tree cover. Once behind a tree, he tried to redial Falcon, only to see that he was in a dead zone. It was anyone’s guess where he’d get cell coverage. Clint took stock of his surroundings, looking for landmarks. Off to the right he saw one, an old water tower that used to say Table Rock but now only said a e oc . If he remembered right, the tower could be seen from Marvin Sapp’s backyard. A ray of hope brightened in his heart and he started in the direction he believed would take him there.
Clint trudged downward as quickly as he could. Even in the low light, he started to see backyards. He had a good sense of direction and knew he was close, but he needed to call Marvin to be sure.
“Yes.” He gave a fist pump when he saw that now he had a signal. He found Marvin in his contacts. “Marvin, it’s Clint—you home?”
“Just got here. What’s up, buddy?”
“I’m in a bit of a bind. Can you step into your backyard and shine a light?”
“What?”
“I’ll explain when I get there.”
“You’re coming here? Uh, okay, I guess.”
Clint waited. A few seconds later, he saw the light. “That’s good, Marvin. I’ll be right there.” Sweating even in the frigid temp, Clint made his way down the hill to Marvin’s house. A minute later he was at the back door.
Marvin met him there. “What is going on?”
Breathing hard, Clint wiped sweat from his forehead. “Long story. I need to make a phone call.”
He stepped into the house and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Just as he was about to hit redial for Falcon, he felt a hard poke in his back.
He turned; Marvin held him at gunpoint. Realization dawned.
“Sorry, Clint; you’ll have to give me the phone and your gun.”
Breath slowly returning to normal, Clint complied. “You’re the leak.”
“Nothing personal; I like you. I just like money more. Now have a seat while we wait for my colleagues to arrive. They were happy to hear that you called me.” He motioned with his gun and Clint sat down in a chair in the living room.
“The Hangmen?”
“No, people we work with.”
“You’re a Hangman?”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Why not? It’s a little bit extra for a guy like me. I was flattered when Brad asked me in.”
“Why pretend to be Leah’s friend? You called me in after the shooting.”
“I like Leah too,” he laughed. “Oddly, she did us a favor that day, killing Brad. He was a control freak. Everything is spread around a little more evenly now that he’s gone. If it were up to me, I’d have left her alone, might even have given her a medal, but it isn’t up to me.”
Clint quit trying to process Marvin being a traitor and tried to think of a way out of this mess. Best to keep Marvin talking.
“Is that what the Hangmen are about, making money?”
Marvin nodded. “You were never going to beat the smuggling, Clint. We have it all wired, with a lot of important people everywhere. You’re a good cop and you tried, but everything is aligned against you.”
“Was it the Hangmen who tried to kill me?”
“No, the people we work with. I told you—nothing personal; it’s business.”
“So that’s what this is now? Business to kill me?”
Just then Marvin’s front door opened, and two men came in. A tall, blond, bearded man Clint felt he should know but couldn’t place, and another man he recognized, one of the Russians he had arrested. Gregor was his name, Clint remembered.
“I want the flash drive,” the bearded man demanded, looking straight at Clint.
“What flash drive?”
He turned to Marvin. “You search him?”
Marvin shook his head. “I just took his gun and phone.”
“Stand up.” The bearded man motioned to Clint. When Clint didn’t move to stand right away, he pulled a gun. “Look, it will be just as easy to shoot you and search your dead body.”
Clint held his gaze and slowly stood. Something about the man seemed familiar. He looked like Grant Holloway, but his expression was too hard and angry.
Gregor stepped up and searched Clint none too gently. He removed Clint’s wallet and tossed it next to his phone. When he finished, he turned to the bearded guy. “Nothing on him.”
“Sit back down,” Marvin ordered.
Clint sat back in the chair, tense, watching and listening.
The bearded man turned to Marvin. “Ivan is searching the truck. Maybe he left it there.”
“It would be easier all around if you just gave it to us,” Marvin said.
Clint said nothing.
A few minutes later the door opened again, and Clint recognized the second Russian as Ivan. He was breathing hard; obviously he’d been running.
“Nothing in the truck; I even cut open the seats. He didn’t hide it there.” He spoke in Russian and Clint winced. He’d loved that truck.
“The girl must have it,” Ivan said, and Clint nearly came up out of the chair.
Bearded Man chuckled. He also spoke in Russian. “You understood, and that bothered you, didn’t it? If the girl has it, Duke will get it. He’s probably got the girl as we speak.”
Clint gripped the armrest tight with his good hand, praying Leah was not in Duke’s hands.
“If he holds nothing, can I kill him?” Ivan asked.
“Stop with the Russian,” Marvin protested. “Speak English.”
“Ivan’s ready to put this man out of his misery,” Bearded Man said.
“Not in my house, he’s not.”
“It’s not going to happen here anyway. We need the drive. No one dies until we have the drive. Period. Once we have the woman, the rest of the plan will proceed.” He regarded Clint with eyes so dark they resembled pools of oil. They were devoid of emotion or compassion, and Clint knew that if this man had his way, he
and Leah would soon be dead.
CHAPTER 56
Ivy was certain Duke was on his way to pick Leah up.
“He’s going to try and convince you to go with him to the farmhouse of your own volition.”
“And if I refuse?” Leah asked, still wondering whose side Ivy was really on.
“My father told him not to take no for an answer. He plans to end everything at the farmhouse—I swear, Leah.”
Leah exchanged glances with her dad, who looked as unsure as she felt.
“I’ll hide your car,” Randy said. “If what you’re saying is true, and Duke does show up, at least he won’t know that we’re on to him.”
Randy went out to pull Ivy’s BMW around behind the barn.
Leah invited Ivy to take a seat. “Why are you on my side all of a sudden?” she asked.
“Because I realize we have a common enemy. I did hate you once, after you killed Brad. In reality, you made my life easier, finally; you set me free. Brad and my father are bullies, and they have taken from me my entire life.” Her voice broke and she chewed on a fingernail that looked raw to Leah. “First Melody and then Grady. I doubt I’ll ever see Melody again. I don’t want to say the same about Grady.”
There was no time to talk about Melody, though Leah had questions. She focused on Grady and Ivy.
“Even if he’s married to someone else?”
“Grady and I were just starting to date when Becky set her sights on him and Brad told me to stay away. Becky manipulated him. Recently they’ve been fighting. When she and my father were talking, I heard her say she’s had it with Grady because he’s not tough enough.”
“Why would Becky be okay with her husband being murdered?”
“Becky thought she could make Grady like Brad. But Grady is good inside. He’ll never be a bully.”
“You’re wrong. I know Becky—she loves Grady.” Leah could not see where this was going.
“You weren’t dating Brad yet when Becky and Duke came to town. They helped resurrect my dad’s business when Costco nearly bankrupted him. They brought that stupid Colin with them—”
“Wait, what? Colin? What’s his last name?”
“I don’t know. All I know is that the three of them—Colin, Becky, and Duke—came to my father with a business proposition years ago. Everything went wrong after that. You think you know Becky, but she puts on an act. She’s ruthless and cold like her brother. Grady came to your house in the middle of the night after Brad’s house burned, didn’t he?”
“He did.”
“My dad ordered him out here. He’s got something on Grady. I don’t know what. He didn’t kick your door in like my dad wanted. They think he’s weak. They’re trying to control everything.”
“Who is they?”
“My dad, Becky, Duke, Larry Ripley. My dad calls the valley his domain. He has Ripley where he wants him and other people in various parts of the government, but Grady is the weak link.”
Her father interrupted. “Leah, we have more company.”
Leah walked to the front window and saw Duke Gill climbing out of a car.
Ivy paled. “I told you,” she said. “He’s going to try to take you to some farm where they can kill you and blame it on Grady.”
Leah looked at her father, who shrugged. “I already didn’t trust Duke. He’s too close to Harden.”
She nodded. “Go back in the kitchen, Ivy. We’ll deal with this.”
Ivy complied.
Leah retrieved her dad’s handgun and put it in the waistband of her jeans at the small of her back and opened the front door. Duke had stopped short of the porch. He was texting.
“What are you doing here?”
He looked up. “You never could be civil to me, could you?” The toothpick hanging out of his mouth bounced as he talked.
“Spare me the victim act. I’m on my way out. You’ll have to move your car.”
“You’re not going anywhere unless it’s with me,” Duke said, rolling his toothpick from the left side of his mouth to the right. He also shifted so that Leah could see the gun on his hip. “I hear you have something that belongs to Larry.”
“What would that be?”
“The gun case,” Duke said. “According to Larry, it was in Brad’s house. He thought he lost it when the house burned down, but now we know that isn’t what happened. Becky saw the case.”
“If he had a gun case in Brad’s house, why would I know anything about it?”
“Spare me the stupid act.” He smirked and glanced at his phone when a text message pinged.
Leah casually put her hand behind her back.
Duke shoved the phone in his pocket and held his hands up. “The case is all I want.”
Leah fidgeted, thinking about Clint and what Ivy had said. If they didn’t have the thumb drive, they didn’t have Clint. Where was he? She needed to be out looking for him, not sparring with Duke. Time to be blunt.
“I don’t have it.”
“Where is it?”
Leah shrugged.
He motioned toward his car. “Why don’t you come with me and explain to Harden where it is?”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Duke stepped toward her, right hand reaching for his gun.
“That’s far enough.”
Leah heard her father, but she didn’t turn. She also heard the distinctive sound of a shotgun shell being racked into the chamber.
“I know how to use this. You pull that gun on my daughter and you’re dead.”
Duke dropped his hand, angry surprise crossing his features. “Randy, relax; no one here is threatening violence.”
“I don’t care what you came for or what you want. You leave my daughter alone.”
Duke twitched and the shotgun boomed as Randy fired a warning shot. Everyone ducked.
“I ain’t playing.” He racked another round. “I called the sheriff. He’ll be here shortly, and we’ll settle this mess once and for all.”
Duke smiled and folded his arms. “That’s fine with me. I have no problem waiting for the sheriff.”
Leah did not miss the smug expression. She fought the urge to turn back to her dad and ask him what he was thinking. Maybe he thought Jack would come, and she prayed that was what would happen. They couldn’t trust Grady. But what would Grady say if Ivy told him what she’d heard?
A few seconds later a sheriff’s car roared up the drive. Leah tensed.
Grady stepped out of the car. He seemed surprised by what he saw. “What’s going on here, Randy, Leah?”
“What’s going on is me, your county commissioner, is being held at gunpoint.” Duke spoke up before Leah could. “I’m ready to place both Randy and Leah under citizen’s arrest for this affront.”
Leah glanced toward her father; he didn’t lower the shotgun. The ball was in Grady’s court.
He made his side clear when he unsnapped his holster. “Randy, put the shotgun down.”
“No, Dad, don’t.”
Grady looked at her, surprise in his eyes. “Haven’t you learned your lesson, Leah? You want to get your father in trouble too?”
“Duke threatened my daughter,” Randy said. “He’s the one who should be arrested.”
Duke laughed outright, holding his hands out, palms up. “He’s got the shotgun. Fired it too. You can see for yourself what’s what, Sheriff.”
“Randy, I insist—”
“Don’t do this, Grady.” Ivy stepped out onto the porch.
Grady’s eyes went wide. “Ivy, what in the world are you doing here?”
“Trying to save you. Becky’s betrayed you.”
Leah tuned Ivy out, concentrating on Duke. She saw his eyes narrow and his features fold into fury.
“What are you talking about?” Grady asked.
“My father sent Duke here to pick Leah up and take her to Larkspur Farms, didn’t he?”
Duke flinched; his hand strayed toward his weapon. Leah drew hers and held it down at her sid
e.
Grady didn’t answer Ivy; he seemed speechless. His attention stayed on her, though. Leah saw a lot of emotions cross his features.
“Ivy, shut up,” Duke ordered.
“I won’t shut up. They plan to kill you, Grady, and make it look like Leah or Tanner did it. You’ll be the hero—dead, bu—”
Duke drew his weapon. Leah brought hers up on target as he raised his. They fired at the same time. He jerked right and she missed. Before she could fire again, her father’s shotgun boomed on her left and Grady’s handgun boomed on her right. Duke was hit before he found cover. He slammed into the car, dropping his weapon and falling to his knees.
Leah dropped to one knee and turned toward Grady. But he was no threat to her. He’d reholstered his gun and jumped up on the porch toward Ivy, who was down. Everyone had been a second too late; Duke’s bullet found its mark.
Returning her attention to Duke, now flat and not moving, Leah ran to him and picked up his gun.
“You’ll regret this,” he said, holding his bleeding midsection. “Becky will see that you regret this. Tanner is already dead.”
Leah looked away and shuddered as fear threatened to choke the life out of her. Clint could not be dead.
She looked back down. Duke’s breathing was labored, and he closed his eyes. The phone in his pocket pinged with a text that wasn’t going to be answered.
“Can you watch him, Dad?”
He nodded, a little pale, but Leah knew he’d be fine.
Leah turned toward the porch, where Grady cradled a bleeding Ivy in his lap.
“What’s taking them so long?” Marvin asked.
Clint watched the man he’d thought was his friend fidget. The bearded guy was as cool as a cucumber. He’d been texting someone; now he waited for a reply. Clint was now certain that the bearded guy was Colin Hess, the FBI’s fugitive. Nothing else made sense.
“Duke might have to convince her. He’s probably doing a lot of talking.” He stood, and Clint didn’t miss the glance between Colin and Ivan. “Let’s get started for the designated spot.”
“We’re supposed to wait,” Marvin protested.
“I just texted to let them know there’s a change in plans.” He looked at Clint. “Stand up.”
Breach of Honor Page 28
