by Kat Martin
“Bridger.”
“Sam, it’s Glen Carver. I’ve got some news you need to hear.”
“What is it?”
“Max Stoddard and Vince Nolan had another roommate. His name is Deacon Mitchell. Three weeks ago, Mitchell robbed a bank in Denver. Shot two security guards and got away with more than two hundred thousand dollars. One of the guards died, the other is in critical condition, but it looks like he’ll make it. There were three men involved in the robbery, but only Mitchell was identified. All three fled the scene.”
Dread formed a knot in his stomach. “You’re thinking Vince and Max are the other two men?”
“There’s no evidence at this point, but as I said, Mitchell was living in the apartment with them, and now they’re in the wind. We’ve got an arrest warrant out for Mitchell and a BOLO out on Stoddard and Nolan as persons of interest.”
“Anything else?”
“That’s it for now. I’ll keep you posted.”
“Thanks, Glen.” Sam made a mental note to tell Big John, Julio, and the rest of the hands to be on the lookout for the men. They were likely miles from the area, but he didn’t like taking chances.
Shoving the phone back in his hip pocket, he headed for Cougar Cabin, where the Dunbars would be getting ready to leave. Sam stopped at the bottom of the porch steps when the door swung open, and everything inside him went cold.
Vince Nolan stood in the opening, his arm around Libby’s waist, holding her in front of him like a shield. A big semiautomatic pistol was pressed against the side of her head.
Vince’s lips curled into a smirk that was far from a smile. “I’ve got something that belongs to you, Bridger. You want her back—and the happy little family inside—you’ll do exactly what I tell you.”
The knot in Sam’s stomach tightened. “What do you want, Nolan? Name it and you’ve got it. Just let them go.”
The smirk faded. “You think I’m an idiot? We’ll let them go when we get what we came for.”
“And that is?”
“This rich bitch brings in the family jet to fly us the fuck out of here.”
How the hell did they know about Libby? But Libby and Jenny were friends. A memory stirred of the two of them sitting around the campfire talking about their families. He remembered Libby saying Martin Hale was her uncle. Either Vince or Max must have overheard.
Libby’s gaze met Sam’s across the distance between them. There was fear in her eyes but also determination. “I told Vince I could help them get away. I said I could arrange it if they would let the Dunbar family go.”
He should have known. It was exactly like Libby to risk herself to save the people she cared about.
“All right,” Sam said. “That sounds like it could work. You let the Dunbars go, and we’ll work out the details.”
Vince laughed, a harsh, grating sound. “I don’t think so. I think we all stick together till the jet’s on its way. We’ll leave the Dunbars here when we leave. We’re taking Libby with us to the airport.”
Sam wondered where they’d parked their old blue Ford. Too bad no one had spotted it.
“Once we’re on the plane and the pilot’s been told what to do,” Vince continued, “you can have her back.”
Sam clenched his jaw and fought to keep his hands from fisting. He could read the lie in Vince’s face. No way was he letting Libby go. He’d wanted her from the start.
“Why did you come back here, Vince?”
Vince smoothed a finger down Libby’s cheek. “The bitch and I have unfinished business.” He ran a hand over Libby’s breast, and Sam felt a fresh shot of rage.
Libby’s eyes slid closed, and Sam wanted to kill Vince Nolan.
Max Stoddard stepped up beside him in the doorway. “We figured Libby might be useful. Turns out we were right.”
Libby’s gaze met Sam’s. “I need my phone, Sam. All my contacts are in there.”
He didn’t want to leave her. He was afraid of what Vince might do while he was gone. He didn’t have any choice. “I’ll be right back.”
“One more thing.” Vince’s gun pressed more firmly against Libby’s head. “You call the cops, and we start shooting.”
Fear tightened Sam’s chest. He didn’t doubt Vince meant every word. “No cops,” Sam said, forcing himself to turn and walk back to the house.
Clara’s worried gaze met his as he stormed into the kitchen. “What’s going on?” she asked.
“Vince and Max are holding Libby and the Dunbars hostage. They’re bank robbers, Clara. They want Libby to arrange for a jet to pick them up and fly them somewhere safe.”
“Oh my God, Sam. What are we going to do?”
“We can’t call the police, or they’ll shoot someone.” He glanced toward the window. “See if you can make your way around back. Find Big John and tell him what’s going on.”
He started for the stairs, stopped and turned. “And call Kade Logan.” Kade owned the biggest spread in the region, the Diamond Bar Ranch, just down the road. Kade was Sam’s best friend. “Tell him we’re in trouble and explain the situation. Kade may be able to help.”
Clara nodded, her face as pale as glass.
“And tell him definitely not to call the sheriff.” Sam raced for the stairs.
* * * *
Libby sat next to Jenny on the sofa. Jordy sat close to Libby on one side, while Suzy sat curled up next to her mom. Caleb was lying on the floor in the bedroom, his ankles bound, his hands tied behind his back. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his right eye was swollen almost shut.
By the time Libby had arrived at Cougar Cabin to say goodbye to the family, Vince and Max were already there. Another man was with them, the bearded man she had seen at the gas station. Caleb had put up a valiant fight against the men to protect his family, but he was battling three hardened criminals.
Libby had walked into their trap, and now all she could do was try to protect her friends. Her lips trembled. Vince was there because of her. Her looks had always attracted men, some good, some bad, but nothing like this. She was terrified of what was going to happen, but she couldn’t let the Dunbars down.
She heard Sam’s voice outside, met Jenny’s gaze for an instant, then rose from the sofa and hurried to the door. Vince drew his weapon and shoved it into her back. He cast her a warning glance as he opened the door.
“I’ve got your cell,” Sam called out to her.
“Set it on the porch and back away,” Vince commanded.
Sam complied. Vince kept the gun on Libby while he picked up the phone; then he hauled her back inside the cabin. Libby flashed Sam a last glance, hoping he could read the love in her eyes before Vince closed the door. The bearded man—Deke, Max had called him—lounged in a chair near the sofa as if he belonged there.
Max walked toward her, his lean, wiry body moving with purpose. He was smarter than Vince, but Vince was stronger. “Make the call,” Max demanded. “And don’t say anything more than necessary. Just tell them you need to leave early and arrange for the jet to pick you up as soon as possible.”
Libby swallowed and nodded. She phoned Bert Strieber on his personal cell. “Hi, Bert.” She hoped her voice didn’t tremble.
“Libby. It’s good to hear from you. How are things going at the ranch?”
She took a deep breath. She hated to lie, but there was nothing she could do. “Unfortunately, things aren’t going too well. I need to come home, Bert. I’m not going to be able to stay. I want you to send a jet to pick me up as soon as possible.”
“Are you sure, Libby? You know you’ll be giving up your inheritance.”
“I know. Please, Bert. Just do it. We can talk about it when I get back.”
Bert sighed. “If you’re sure it’s what you want, I’ll arrange for a charter to pick you up at the Eagle County jet terminal. I’ll ca
ll you back as soon as everything’s set.”
“Make it a priority, Bert.” She flicked a glance at Max, who looked harder than she remembered, with tight lines around his mouth and a dark edge in his eyes she hadn’t noticed before. “How long do you think it’ll be?” she asked.
“You’re close to Denver. Shouldn’t be more than a couple of hours. I’ll let you know.” Bert ended the call.
She knew he was disappointed in her. Libby wished she could tell him the truth, that she wasn’t ready to go back to New York. That the ranch was exactly where she wanted to be.
The thought struck her like a blow. Did she really want to stay? Did she want to give up her glamorous life in the city to live in the middle of nowhere with Sam?
And even if she did, would Sam want her to stay?
Whatever the answer, she didn’t have time to think about it now.
“The jet should be here in a couple of hours,” she said. “My attorney is going to call me back as soon as he has everything arranged.”
Vince walked over to where she stood near the window, slid an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “We’ve got a little time. Why don’t you and me go have a little fun?”
She tried to unwind his arm, but he was built like a bull and she couldn’t break his hold. “Get away from me, Vince.”
Jenny shot up from the sofa. “Leave her alone, Vince!”
“Mommy!” Suzy’s eyes welled with tears.
“Leave Libby alone,” Jordy said, standing up next to his mother, clearly Caleb Dunbar’s son. The tension in the room was thick.
The bearded man, Deke, spoke up. “Use your head, Nolan. You don’t have time for that now. You can have her when we get where we’re going.”
Libby’s insides crawled. Vince released his hold, and she took a step back. At the same time, her cell phone rang.
“It’s Sam,” she said as his contact info popped up on the screen.
Vince jerked the phone out of her hand. “What do you want, Bridger?”
She could only hear half the conversation, but it was enough.
“They’re fine,” Vince said. “For now.” Sam must have demanded to talk to her, because Vince handed her the phone.
“Are you okay?” Sam’s worried voice eased some of the fear inside her.
“I’m okay.”
“What about the Dunbars?”
She needed to give him as much information as possible. “Caleb tried to fight, and the three of them beat him pretty badly. He’s tied up in the bedroom. Jenny and the kids are in here with me, and they’re okay.”
Vince jerked the phone out of her hand and pressed the button ending the call. “You better hope Bridger keeps his cool and doesn’t call the cops.”
“He won’t.” At least Libby didn’t think he would. But Sam wouldn’t sit around waiting for something to happen. He would be taking action to try to resolve the situation. She trusted Sam. Libby just wished she knew what he was planning to do.
Chapter Fifteen
Sam paced the living room. Libby had relayed valuable information. Deacon Mitchell was in the cabin with Vince and Max, and Caleb was hurt and unable to give him any help. Across the room, Clara sat on the sofa while Big John stood next to the fireplace.
“We have to do something!” Clara said, breaking into the silence.
“I plan to,” Sam said. “I’m going to try to get Vince to release the Dunbars in exchange for me.”
Clara leaped up from the sofa. “No, Sam, you can’t do that. It’s too dangerous. Surely there’s another way.”
A sharp knock at the door drew everyone’s attention. Sam walked over and checked the peephole, saw Kade Logan standing on the porch. A dark brown Stetson rode low on his forehead. There had been no engine noise to signal his arrival.
Sam pulled open the door. “How the hell did you get here?”
“The old-fashioned way,” Kade said, taking his hat off as he walked into the house. “I rode my horse. Clara called and gave me a rundown. Now tell me what the hell is going on.”
Kade was a few years older than Sam, just as tall with the same hard-muscled build. He had short dark hair, dark eyes, and a square-jawed, ruggedly handsome face women seemed unable to resist.
“We’ve got a hostage situation, a young woman named Libby Hale and the Dunbar family: mother, father, and their two kids. Three armed men in the cabin: Vince Nolan, Max Stoddard, and a guy named Deacon Mitchell. They’re bank robbers, Kade. Killed a guard and put another in the hospital.”
Kade’s jaw tightened. “What do they want?”
“They want Libby to arrange a jet so they can escape.”
“She can do that?”
“It’s a long story, but yes, she can.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“I’m going to try to exchange myself for the family. I’m responsible for the people who stay here, and I want them safe. Aside from that, Vince is obsessed with Libby. I need to be there to protect her as much as I can, but I’ve got to have someone to run a rescue operation from here.”
Kade assessed him shrewdly, probably guessing Sam’s interest in Libby ran deeper than he was saying. His friend was right. Sam loved her. He’d do anything to keep her safe.
“Just tell me what you need,” Kade said.
Sam scrubbed a hand over his jaw. He sighed. “Even if Libby gets them a jet, there’s no way they’re letting her go—and I’m not letting them take her. I’m thinking we arrange a little party to stop them somewhere along the road to the airport.”
Kade mulled the idea over, seemed to approve. He flashed a glance at Big John. “You in?”
John grunted. “You couldn’t keep me out.”
Kade nodded. He knew Big John was former military, some kind of undercover reconnaissance, though John had never actually said. Kade knew the man had skills.
“Anyone else we can bring in on this?” Kade asked.
“Dare Landon was a marine,” Big John said. “He will help if we ask.”
Sam had already considered it. He shook his head. “We can’t risk too many people knowing. If Vince gets wind of it, they might kill someone just to make a point. We need to handle this ourselves.”
Big John started nodding. “You are right. With scum like these, the three of us should be enough.”
Sam almost smiled. “I need to get back out there. If the jet’s flying in from Denver, it could be here in an hour or two, maybe less. That gives us a little time, not much.”
“Leave it to Big John and me,” Kade said.
Sam gave him a nod and headed for the kitchen. He walked out the back door, making himself obvious to whoever was watching from Cougar Cabin. None of the hands were around. John would have made sure they stayed away.
Sam stopped in front of the cabin. “I need to talk to you, Nolan!” he called out. “I want to make a deal!”
Vince pulled open the door but didn’t step out on the porch. “What kind of deal?”
“Sooner or later, the kids and their parents are going to be a liability. They need to be fed and looked after. You let them go, and in their place, I’ll be your hostage.”
Vince laughed. “No way. They leave here, they’ll call the cops.”
“No, they won’t. They can stay in the house with Clara until you’re safely on the jet and on your way.”
“What’s the matter, Bridger? You worried about your woman?” His lips curled in the smirk Sam hated. “If you haven’t figured it out yet, she’s going with us. She stays till we reach our destination—then you can have her back.” The smirk broadened. “She might be a little shopworn, but she’ll be alive.”
Sam fought down a surge of fury as Vince stepped back inside and closed the door.
Sam bitterly cursed.
For the next half hour, he, Kade, and Big John
made plans. They decided to intercept the vehicle at a spot John suggested, a curve in the road where the vehicle would have to slow down. The trees were dense on one side of the road, and big granite boulders covered an area on the hill on the opposite side.
Sam would stay behind to orchestrate the men’s departure. At that point, the Dunbar family would be a burden rather than an asset. Sam believed the men would leave the family behind as they had promised. Libby was all they needed to insure their escape.
The knot returned to Sam’s stomach. Libby would be in the car when the trap was sprung.
The plan was for Kade, the best shot in Eagle County, to take a position in the rocks about fifty yards from the road, armed with his .243 hunting rifle, a smaller caliber weapon that was less likely to be heard with the windows up and the air conditioner running. Kade would shoot out the rear tire of the sedan, causing a blowout and forcing the vehicle to stop.
Sam would be following the Ford, staying as close as possible without being spotted. As soon as he reached the ambush spot, he would park out of sight and come up on the men from the rear. Big John would be somewhere among the trees while Kade moved down off the hill into a closer position.
If everything went as planned and luck was on their side, all three men would get out of the car to change the tire, and Sam, Kade, and Big John would take them down.
If everything went as planned, Libby would stay safely inside the car.
The problem was, everything never went as planned.
Sam silently cursed.
* * * *
On the coffee table in front of the sofa, Libby’s cell phone rang. She glanced at the screen. “It’s my attorney calling about the jet.”
“Answer it,” Max demanded. He’d been getting more and more edgy. It seemed that dealing with Vince was bad enough, and now Max was asserting himself. “Put it on speaker.”
Libby pressed the button. “Hi, Bert. Did you get it done?”
“The jet’s on its way. It’s coming from Denver, so it won’t take long. The airport is an hour from the ranch—the plane will be there by the time you arrive.”
“Thanks, Bert. I’ll see you in New York.”
