Delivering Justice

by Barb Han

  “I best get back,” Big Beau said. “Be careful who you trust. Folks around here have a way of knowing each other. Families, connections, they sometimes make no sense but go way back.”

  “We will,” Jessica reassured him, as if she needed to be reminded there was no one she trusted besides Tyler and Big Beau.

  Tyler set the coordinates in his phone as Jessica started toward the side of the SUV. She turned around to thank Big Beau once again but he wasn’t there. He’d already disappeared into the bush. The thought of making that journey again sent a shiver down Jessica’s spine.

  * * *

  TYLER HAD BEEN expecting another place near the swamps and was shocked when he pulled into an upscale family suburb with rows of white colonials. If Jenn was here, she was being held in plain sight.

  “You sure this is the right area?” Red asked, echoing his sentiments.

  “These are the coordinates.” Tyler motioned to his phone, which had been giving the directions aloud.

  Tyler’s ringtone sounded. He pulled to the side of the road, turned off his lights and kept the engine idling. He glanced at the screen. “It’s my brother, Austin.” He answered the call. “Yo, what’s up, Ivy League?” His second oldest brother had gone to college in the northeast, earning the nickname.

  “Russ called me because you didn’t show up this morning,” Austin said. His voice sounded as though he’d only been awake a few minutes. “Everything okay?”

  Damn. Tyler had meant to touch base at the ranch and ask someone to cover his area for the next few days. “Yeah, fine. Had a last-minute trip. Personal business.”

  “Lyndsey?”

  An awkward tension filled the cab of the SUV. “No. That’s long finished.”

  “You sure about that?” Austin pressed.

  Now was not the time to discuss her.

  “Positive. That the only reason you called?” Tyler didn’t mean to sound defensive.

  “Can a man check on his favorite brother?” Austin scoffed, his sense of humor intact. “This is what happens when people wake me up before the sun comes out, by the way.”

  Tyler chuckled. Austin was no early riser. “Yeah. I’m good, though. No need to worry about me.”

  “Then I won’t stress about the stranger who’s been asking around in town for Tyler O’Brien,” Austin said.

  “You catch a name?” Tyler asked as Jessica shot him a concerned look.

  “All I know is Tommy called and said you were helping out a woman who was in trouble. Next thing I know a stranger is looking for you and you’re not showing up to work, which I don’t have to say is unlike you,” Austin said, more than a hint of curiosity in his tone.

  “Janis didn’t tell you that I’m out of town?” Tyler asked, thankful he’d remembered to talk to her. He wanted to tell his brother what was going on but needed to speak to Jessica about it first.

  “It must’ve slipped her mind,” Austin said.

  “In her defense, I called after I left and never said I’d be gone long.”

  “Give Tommy a call when you can. He didn’t sound himself,” Austin said.

  “I plan to touch base with him after breakfast.” It wasn’t a lie, even though Jessica shot him a cross look. She couldn’t object to him bringing in Tommy after they found Jenn. Jessica’s concern so far had been that whoever had her sister would kill her if the cops were chasing them. No one would get rid of her until they had that jewel.

  “You hear about the Infinity Sapphire going missing?” Austin asked.

  A pleading look came from the passenger seat. Jessica’s hands folded into prayer position.

  “I read something about it the other day.” Playing dumb would only make Austin suspicious. He knew that Tyler read the newspaper every day, just as he did. They’d also had the Brasseuxs at the ranch, so Tyler would notice a story about the prominent family.

  “I wondered about the Brasseuxs after the gala,” Austin said.

  “You did?” Tyler was shocked. He hadn’t heard anything and his brother had been quiet up until now.

  “I overheard him telling his wife that her spending was out of control,” Austin said. “And then her necklace worth millions goes missing a couple months later.”

  “You think he was involved in an insurance scam?” Tyler wasn’t sure if he should tell his brother that the Brasseuxs might be in trouble, but he was certain about that call to Tommy later. Maybe his friend had dug up more information.

  “Who knows? The only thing I’m sure of is crossing them off the list for next year’s gala.” Austin chuckled and then paused when he didn’t hear Tyler do the same.

  Right. His comment was meant to be funny.

  “You sure everything’s okay?” Austin asked.

  “Yeah. Why wouldn’t it be?” Tyler tried to laugh it off. It was too much, too late but Austin didn’t press.

  “Get in touch with Tommy later. You have any idea when you’ll be back at the ranch?” Austin asked.

  “Couple of days should be enough to tie up a few loose ends here,” Tyler said.

  “I’ll let everyone know.” Austin paused. “Take care of yourself, brother. And call when you’re ready to talk about it.”

  “I will.” Tyler didn’t like holding back from his family and the secrets were racking up. He ended the call and looked to Jessica. “Might be better to park here and walk to the end of the block.”

  The neighborhood had decent-sized yards and plenty of trees.

  “Okay,” Jessica said. She made a move for the door handle but stopped. “I’m sorry that you’re lying to your family for me. I can tell how much it bothers you.”

  “It’s—”

  “Don’t say that it’s okay.” Her hand came up in protest. “Because it’s not fine for you to be dishonest with the people you love.”

  “I’d argue, but you’re right. Austin understands and I didn’t fool him for a second.” He looked her in the eye. “And I need to make that call to Tommy later this morning. Right after we find your sister. I’ve thought this through and there’s no reason not to tell him what’s going on.”

  He really looked at her, expecting an argument.

  “You’re right. I want you to contact him as soon as we get my sister to safety,” she said.

  “He has no jurisdiction here, so whatever we’re about to get ourselves into we’re on our own anyway.”

  She nodded and brushed her hand against his arm. “Thank you for taking this risk for my family. If you want out, though, I’d totally understand.”

  “We’ve come too far for me to walk away now.” He was rewarded with a small smile—it was sweet and sexy at the same time.

  There was very little security at the house. Tyler didn’t want to tell Jessica his real fear, that none was necessary because Jenn wasn’t perceived as a threat. She would be immobilized and he had no idea what physical condition she’d be in when they found her. He was prepared to carry her over his shoulder for the mile and a half walk to his SUV if that’s what it took.

  The sun would be up soon, so they had to move fast.

  Tyler wished there was a way to prepare Jessica, to soften the blow of seeing her sister in such a vulnerable state as they closed the distance between the tree line and the house.

  They could go in through the raised basement. Tyler pulled his gun and motioned for Jessica to do the same. He walked policeman-style, gun and flashlight drawn, down a half dozen stairs.

  The door was locked but he’d had enough experience with barn doors to figure out how to pick it.

  Inside, the place was dark and dingy, and the floor slanted downward, resulting in water pooling in one corner of the space. Tyler immediately looked for alternate exits in case the cellar door was no longer an option. An old wall that divided the space was
half-torn down. The stairs leading to the main floor were old and wooden. There would be people up there. They couldn’t go out that way.

  Tyler scanned the room for any signs of life. A woman sat crumpled over in a corner of the room. Her head was slumped to one side, her neck at an odd angle and for a split second Tyler feared the worst.

  Jessica let out a little gasp before seeming to catch herself and going silent as she hurried over. She dropped down next to the woman and cradled her face. “Jenn.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Tyler took a knee on the other side of Jenn and checked for a pulse. Relief washed over him when he got one. “She’s alive.”

  Jenn’s eyes fluttered open and she immediately drew back. A cut ran down the side of her left cheek and her right eye was swollen and bruised.

  “Don’t be scared. It’s me. I’m taking you home,” Jessica said soothingly.

  It took a minute for Jenn’s eyes to focus, but when they did she scrambled toward Jessica, hugging her sister around the neck. She was aware and that was a good thing.

  Tyler glanced around the room. He was a little surprised they’d left her alone in the basement. The lock on the cellar door had been easy enough to pick. This was an upper class suburban neighborhood and they must not figure that anyone would tie this place to criminal activity. It was the kind of place where he half expected to find a grandma upstairs, having risen early and gathered vegetables to begin preparing the roux that would cook all day until used in a dish such as crawfish étouffée for supper.

  “I’m going to pick you up and take you out of here,” Tyler said.

  Jenn pulled back, fearful, and shook her head. Her lips were dry, cracked and he wondered how long it had been since she’d had water. Getting her hydrated would be his first priority as soon as he got her out of there.

  “It’s okay, sweetie. This is my friend and he’s here to help,” Jessica said, her voice rising in panic. “What’s wrong?”

  Jenn shifted her position to reveal her ankles. Her feet had been tucked underneath her bottom so they’d missed the thick ropes around her ankles. Tyler followed the bindings to a three-inch PVC pipe climbing up the wall that disappeared into a hole in the ceiling. He pulled out his cell.

  “What are you doing?” Jessica asked, placing her hand on his arm.

  “Calling the police.”

  Jenn shook her head again and Tyler stopped, his finger hovering over the nine.

  “I have no choice. I can’t take a chance and I sure as hell can’t leave you like this. We make any noise down here and I guarantee the room will fill with more men with guns than you can shake a stick at. What else do you think we should do?” he asked.

  “I loved him,” Jenn managed to say, her voice raspy and she sounded so tired. “Get the necklace. Keep it safe.”

  “Or we get you out of here, find the necklace together, and then go to police,” Tyler said, using a tone that said he was done talking.

  “No police. Not yet,” Jenn insisted. “Not while it looks like I did this. Who would believe that I’m innocent?”

  She had a good point. Currently, evidence pointed directly at her involvement.

  “The truth will come out,” Jessica soothed her sister. She was putting up a brave front but it was clear to Tyler that she was fighting to keep her emotions in check. “All anyone would have to do is look at you to know you’re innocent.”

  “I go to the police and I’m dead,” Jenn said, and it looked like it took an incredible amount of effort to speak.

  Her statement was true and he couldn’t deny it. She was afraid for good reason. Tyler tucked his phone into his pocket.

  “Then we find a way to get you out of here and figure this out,” Jessica said emphatically, obviously not wanting to upset her sister with the information about Elijah and Milton. “But I am not leaving you here. Do you understand me? I won’t do it.”

  Tyler slid his arm around Jessica’s waist, trying to soothe her.

  She smiled up at him and then scooted closer to her sister and out of his reach.

  “Where’s Ashton?” Jenn whispered. It was barely loud enough for Tyler to hear.

  “I don’t know,” Jessica said.

  Tyler searched the space for something he could use to cut the rope. Seeing Jenn like this, defenseless and in a basement, he understood why they didn’t think they’d need security and this was just what he’d feared. They were hiding her in plain sight and were confident...too confident?

  Even so, the move was pretty brilliant if anyone asked Tyler, and he’d have to keep that in mind moving forward. These guys were clever career criminals and neither Jenn nor Jessica would be safe until those men were locked behind bars.

  There was nothing around to use to free Jenn. The sun would be up soon. That meant someone would most likely be down to check on her.

  Old houses were notorious for having pipes that ran nowhere. Was it possible that the PVC pipe she was attached to would be the same? He stood and ran his fingers as high as he could reach on the PVC pipe. The ceiling wasn’t more than seven feet high so he could reach fairly far into the ceiling. He curled his index finger around the end of the pipe. Jackpot.

  Tyler twisted the pipe but it wouldn’t budge. There was probably twenty years of grime holding it together. He clamped his back teeth together and gave another twist, netting a little movement this time. Digging deep, he squeezed the pipe and turned. This time, it gave. He pulled apart the pipes by threading one through the ceiling. They could worry about the ropes later. His first priority was getting her out of there. He scooped her off the floor and raced toward the cellar door.

  Jessica went first, pushing through the door and into the beginnings of sunlight.

  Two men in an SUV with dark windows burst from the vehicle. Tyler cursed and he heard Jessica do the same. They must’ve been reporting to work because they hadn’t been there fifteen minutes ago.

  “Run and keep running. No matter what happens,” he said, figuring they still had a chance if Jessica could get away. She would have to call the police then. Of course, with criminals this smart, he and Jenn would be hidden in a new location.

  Tyler had no intention of going down without a fight.

  “Stop,” one of the men shouted.

  Tyler didn’t look back. He ran on burning legs. At this distance, the men would have to be spot-on shots to hit him, although he liked his odds less since he was a good-sized target. Once he got to the trees, if he got to the trees, it would be even more difficult for them to get off an accurate shot. They could circle back to their SUV once they got away from the men. Try running there now and the men would catch them before they could get Jenn inside.

  He could get to the trees, but then what? If he could set Jenn down, turn around and pull out his gun in time then maybe he could hold them off.

  Carrying roughly a hundred and twenty pounds of woman put him at a distinct disadvantage. He chanced a glance behind. The men were closing in fast.

  The trees were too far and he realized that there was no way he was going to make it in time. Either of the men could stop and fire at this point and have a good chance at hitting him. His best guess as to why they hadn’t fired already was that they wanted Jenn alive because they assumed she knew where the necklace was hidden.

  All his and Jessica’s efforts to save Jenn wouldn’t matter the second these guys caught up with them. He couldn’t outrun them and he could hear their footsteps closing in.

  The next second, Jessica spun around with her gun leveled. “Duck.”

  Tyler dropped to the ground, holding on to Jenn, whose arms were wrapped so tightly around his neck she was almost cutting off his ability to breathe.

  A bullet split the air, Jenn screamed and Tyler half feared she’d been shot by mistake. He looked behind hi
m to see the men had scattered in the opposite direction, running for cover. His chest shouldn’t fill with pride for Jessica’s quick thinking but it did. And he was darn grateful she wasn’t a lousy shot or he might’ve ended up with a bullet in his skull.

  He popped to his feet and blazed past her. “Let’s go.”

  Only when they were deep in the woods and there was no sign of pursuit did he feel it was safe to stop and catch his breath. “Way to think on your feet back there.”

  Jessica smiled and it quickly faded as she put her arm around her sister. “I can’t take her home. That’s the first place they’ll look. I have to figure out a way to warn our parents without telling them what’s going on. And we need to stay out of sight until we sort this out.”

  Tyler waited for his breathing to slow before talking. “I can make sure your family is safe. I’ll send someone to pick them up and take them away for an extended vacation. And I have the perfect place to hide while we figure this out. There are blind spots on my ranch and I know just where they are. We can pitch a tent on my land and stay under the radar.”

  “She’s too weak and she needs medical care,” Jessica said. “And these guys won’t let up.”

  “I have other plans for her and those men with guns are exactly the reason we need to find a place to hunker down for a few days and give her time to recoup. She needs medical care and I know where she can get it and still be safe.” He examined the cut on Jenn’s face. “All the wounds are superficial so they’ll heal quickly as long as there’s no infection. In the meantime, I’d put money on the fact that necklace has to be somewhere in Texas and I’m betting it’s near Bluff.”

  “Of course, that’s why Milton believed me and took me there,” Jessica said. “I guess he figured he’d get me to tell him where it was and then he’d take it back himself. And then he could collect a reward from Mr. Beauchamp or use it to get in his good graces.”