by Linda Conrad
“Of course.”
“Then don’t give it a lot of thought. I’ll handle things. This was your idea, but I’ll help you get through the details. Okay?”
It was okay for now. But somehow on their way to L.A. she would have to get a hold on her nerves and start playing her part. She had no intention of Sam being caught between her and Jose when it came right down to it. So she would have to stay a step ahead.
As Sam pulled up in front of June’s house and everything looked quiet and peaceful, Grace calmed down. This was the easy part. Nothing could go wrong here.
* * *
Sam held the doll, covered over with a baby blanket, between his forearm and chest. While Grace pranced up the stoop ahead of him, carrying a large diaper bag. The bag was large enough for the fake Mikey to slide inside when going through airport screening.
They were running later than he’d planned. Dusk had become deep shadows and soon complete darkness would descend. And June’s interior lights were already giving off a warm glow. He didn’t care for traveling across the Texas plains at nighttime. Too easy to be ambushed somewhere along the way.
If Serrano got wind Grace was running with Mikey again, he wouldn’t hesitate to send more henchmen to intercept them. Sam decided on a quick change of plans. He would take Sheriff McCord up on his offer of an escort from Chance to the San Angelo airport. Calling the sheriff from his aunt’s house would be no trick and it shouldn’t take long to round up a cruiser and a couple of deputies to accompany them at least as far as the interstate.
Grace knocked on the always-unlocked front door. And upon hearing a distant “Come in,” she turned the knob and walked inside. The moment she was out of sight, Sam knew something was wrong.
Never in his memory could he remember his aunt June inviting people inside without meeting them at the door. Picking up his pace, he ran to the front stoop and reached for the doorknob.
Before he could push open the door, out of the shadows and bushes came two men who jumped him. One pulled the doll from his hold while the other put a gun to his temple.
“Inside, gringo. Senor Serrano wishes to talk.” The man with the gun ripped his arm around and held him fast as they marched in step into the house.
Serrano was here and not in Mexico? If it wasn’t for Grace and June, Sam would be grateful to the drug lord for making his job easier. Serrano didn’t know it yet, but he would not be leaving Chance a free man. He had just made his first big mistake.
But before he could take down Serrano, Sam needed to make sure Grace and June lived through the coming showdown.
The goon at his side shoved Sam into the kitchen. What he saw could’ve unnerved him. Instead he set his jaw and cleared his mind.
Serrano had June seated and tied up in a high-backed chair. But she looked unharmed. On the other hand, Grace was being manhandled by another goon while Serrano held her at gunpoint. A big S.O.B., the man standing over Grace was feeling her up.
Sam’s fury hit hard and fast, but he bit back his anger. “I should’ve known you were bound to be unsophisticated and uncool, Serrano. Of course you’d need a goon and a gun in order to manipulate a woman into doing what you want.”
“Silencio!” The man beside Sam hit him in the side of the head with the butt of his gun.
Briefly Sam lost consciousness as he staggered to one knee. But he came around fast enough to focus on the man in charge. Serrano laughed at the sight of Sam on his knees, but he walked toward Grace.
Slapping her hard across the face, the drug lord spit out the words. “You have kept my child from me, whore. For too long. It is now over. I will have my son. And you will have nothing. Not even another sunrise.”
Everyone stopped in their places and stared at the man in charge who was waving a thirty-eight handgun around the room. “Alfredo, take the boy to the 4x4 out back. Strap him in the child’s carrier in the backseat and stay with him until I join you. Nothing is to happen to that baby. You understand? Nothing.”
The goon holding fake Mikey mumbled his acceptance of his boss’s order and turned around to leave by the front of the house. Sam wondered how long it would take for the idiot henchman to figure out they’d been had and report back to his boss.
Sam needed just enough time to overpower the other two and lay his hands on Serrano.
But Serrano seemed to sense Sam’s plans. “Rodriguez, take the lawman in the other room and hog-tie him on the floor. Make sure you pat him down for weapons and then tie him good, like you would a rabid animal.”
Grace’s eyes widened and Sam tried to throw her a reassuring glance as the goon beside him hauled him to his feet. But Serrano was already standing between them with the thirty-eight and a wide-bladed knife in his hands while Sam was unceremoniously dragged into the living room.
Hang in there, darlin’. Do not give up. We’ll beat the bastard in the end.
* * *
Grace wanted to scream. To yell at Jose and tell him to let Sam go. But so far she had maintained her composure. And she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of hearing her plead now.
They weren’t dead yet. Jose didn’t even know about Mikey yet. She and Sam might have a chance. But she needed to keep her head and not do anything stupid. Nearing hysteria already, Grace ignored her stinging cheek. And tried not to think of how her shoulders ached from being held with her arms behind her back.
Jose came closer. “You are still beautiful, my Bella. Becoming a mother has only added to your charms. I wish I had the time to show you what you still do to me.”
He tenderly laid the steel blade of the knife against the side of her nose. “And I should also show you how Jose Serrano treats traitors. Though it would be a shame to cut into that beautiful face.”
She held her breath and kept her mouth shut, waiting for the first nick. She wouldn’t put it past Jose to want to torture her for turning him in and taking her son.
“Sadly,” Jose added,“we do not have time for either one. Another ten minutes and it’ll be dark enough for us to leave. Unfortunately for you, this sunset will be your last.”
He turned to the big goon who was holding her fast and spoke to him in Spanish. “Tie the woman and leave her in the other room with her paramour. When you are finished, take the old lady out to the 4x4. She will make a good abuela for the baby until we reach my mother’s casa.”
Grace wondered if she and Sam would be shot and left here at June’s. Neighbors were close by. Someone would hear the gunshots. Should she mention that fact to Jose? She didn’t wish to take any chances of egging him into a rage.
Turned out, she didn’t need to say a word.
Once Jose was convinced her ropes were secure, he glanced longingly at the front door. “I am going out to the 4x4 to meet my son while we get the old lady settled.”
He pointed the tip of his huge knife at Sam and then turned it back to her. “You two have become a liability. I’d like to end it right here and make things simpler all around. But it would be best if you are seen leaving town. The sheriff no doubt will be looking out for your truck to head to the airport tonight. We shall accommodate him.
“Besides, there’s a lot of empty land between here and Mexico,” he added needlessly. “And it’ll take the law a long while to find and identify the bodies out in that wasteland. Plenty of time for me and my son to arrive safely at home.”
With that he turned his back on them and waited for his huge henchman to drag June, kicking and moaning, out the front door ahead of him. Then Jose calmly followed them outside and shut the door.
Sam lifted his head against his ropes. “Are we alone in the house?”
“Are you all right? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“We don’t have much time, Grace. Any minute Serrano will discover he’s been had and be back here ready to take off our heads. Can you scoot closer?”
Her ropes were looser than Sam’s, and her hands tied in front. But she couldn’t break the ties on either her hands or feet.
Still, she had the leverage to inch her bottom along the carpet in Sam’s direction.
“Good girl. That’s far enough. Now, can you manage to put your fingers on the tip of my boot?”
She did as he asked. Not sure what came next.
“Press down on the top of the scroll work there. You don’t need to press too hard. Just…”
Suddenly a blade shot out of the tip of his boot, nicking her on the index finger. She kept the cry of pain bottled up and breathed deep.
“Quick, position your hands over the blade and let me rock my toe against the ropes. It should only take a moment to—” The ropes broke with a whoosh of air. “That a girl. Good work.”
Sam had been right. Three or four good swipes with his sharp blade and her hands were free.
“What now?” she asked as she untied her feet. She was getting more frantic by the moment.
“No time for mine. Get the Glock out of the box on June’s mantel.”
“Glock?” He’d hidden a gun at June’s?
“Hurry.”
She took the gun in hand and checked to be sure it was loaded. “What now?”
“Dial 1 on that phone on the desk. It’s the sheriff.”
While making the call, she inched back toward Sam. She would much rather he took charge of the gun. Five more minutes and she would have him free of the ropes.
Just as the sheriff’s dispatcher answered, the door burst open.
“Puta! What have you done with my son?” Jose stood in the doorway, the anger shooting off of him like fireworks.
He drew the big, ugly knife out of his belt and started toward her.
“Stay back,” she warned as she dropped the phone. “This gun is loaded, Jose. I swear I’ll use it.”
Snarling at her, he ignored her words and took another menacing step. “Where is the boy? You know what I can do with a knife, Bella. It won’t be pretty.”
Her hands were shaking, but she planted her feet and held the gun in both hands the way Sam had trained her. “Stop! I mean it.”
Jose did stop for a second, but then he turned his attentions on Sam. “Tell me what I want to know, whore. Or we will see how many stab wounds this Anglo bastard can stand before he dies.”
“Leave him alone!” She lost focus for one second as her hands shook harder and her eyes hazed over.
“Don’t listen to him, Grace. Hold your position.” Sam couldn’t look up to see either Jose or her because of the way he was tied. But his words were solid and encouraging.
“Shut up, gringo.” Jose stood before Sam and raised the knife above his head. “She doesn’t have the courage to shoot a man. But she will tell me what I want to know or she will see how you suffer.”
“Stop,” she said one more time. “Don’t.”
“You make me sick,” Jose said. “No answers? Fine. Watch your lover die.”
The blade began a downward arch, heading for Sam’s broad back.
Grace heard the repeated sounds of gunfire. Blast after blast. Close by. And she smelled the sulfur stench of gunsmoke. But it took a few seconds for her to realize that the sounds and smells had come from the gun in her hand.
Jose stopped with his arm in midair. He turned and took a step in her direction, then he sank to his knees and finally collapsed in a heap on the floor.
“Grace! Grace!” Sam’s voice was frantic but she could barely hear what he was saying. “Watch out for Serrano’s men. Take your position again.”
She let the gun drop from her fingers. It was done. Jose Serrano would never again be a threat to Mikey.
Chapter 21
Struggling against his bonds, Sam continued calling Grace’s name. But no answer came.
Visions of her haunted his mind, devastated and trembling, waiting for Serrano’s men to end it all. She was so close to freedom. So close to finding a permanent escape from the man who’d hounded her days and dreams. Sam couldn’t stand the thought of her dying just at the climax of her troubles.
He’d nearly managed to free his right hand when he heard footsteps coming up the front stoop and men’s voices shouting in Spanish. No. Not now.
“Grace!” His heart pounded out a staccato beat.
Then he heard someone say in perfect Texas lingo, “Is he dead? Confiscate the gun. There on the floor.” The voice was familiar.
“Grace, say something! Where are you?” He needed to hear her voice.
But the next thing he felt was a pair of rough hands as they worked to free him from his ropes. “She’s okay, Chance. A little shell-shocked. But uninjured.”
Raising his head, Sam looked up into the weathered face of Sheriff McCord. He had never been so glad to see the man in his entire life.
The sheriff did away with the ropes and then headed back out the front door to finish rounding up Serrano’s men. It took Sam a few seconds to get the feeling back in his hands and feet once he was free. But the instant he could stand, he was up and searching for Grace. He found her sitting in the kitchen with one of the town’s volunteer firemen taking her pulse and blood pressure.
Her chin was lowered as she stared at her hands. He couldn’t ever remember seeing her look quite this dejected.
Uh-oh. Had Jose’s death tipped her previous unstable mental state over the edge?
“Grace.” No response. “Gracie,” he murmured in a softer tone.
That seemed to break through the fog. She finally looked up at him.
“Sam? You’re okay. Thank God.”
“I’m okay. How are you?”
The fireman answered the question for him. “Her pulse is a little high but the blood pressure readings are steady. Doesn’t have a scratch on her. And except for that purple bruise just coming out on her cheek she seems fine.”
Sam winced when he noticed the bruise. Damn that Serrano. Good thing the bastard was already dead.
“How’s my aunt June?” he asked the fireman.
“Already checked her over. She looked great. Mad as a fire ant but physically in good shape. I live in the neighborhood and I know she’s a tough old bird. No Mexican drug gang could stop June Chance for long.”
Nodding and relieved, Sam turned to gaze at Grace but spoke to the fireman. “Can you give us a few minutes?”
“Sure.” The man stood and patted Grace’s shoulder. “The sheriff is going to need a statement from each of you. He wasn’t happy to learn of the doll and your trick to lure Serrano. Thought the least you could’ve done was tell him the truth. Earlier tonight he’d been quietly circling the neighborhood, checking on y’all. Royally pissed him off when he heard gunshots.”
Ignoring the guy’s remarks, Sam pulled a chair beside Grace and sat. “Tell McCord we’ll stay in here until he needs us. I don’t want Grace to go back in the living room until the body is removed.”
After the fireman was gone, Sam took her by the hand. “Talk to me, Gracie. What’s going on with you?”
She didn’t look at him, but spoke in a low voice. “Jose Serrano. He’s really dead, Sam.”
“Yeah, he’s dead. But he’s not my biggest worry at the moment. You are. Taking the life of another living being is not a simple thing. You can’t just brush it off. It’ll do a number on your conscience if you let it. And I don’t want you to feel guilty about this. Serrano was a bad man. The worst of the worst. You saved the U.S. government a lot of trouble by ending it here.”
At last she turned to look at him. “I’m not upset and I don’t feel guilty. Not in the least. Can’t say I feel like having a party, but I’m not sorry he’s dead.”
Pausing, she looked down at their joined hands and sighed. “I’m not sorry I was the one who killed Jose, either. He deserved to die, Sam. For what he did to my parents—to so many other parents and children over the years.”
Sam put his arm around her shoulders, felt her trembling. She was putting up a good front. But she couldn’t be as tough as she let on.
“I know the concept of justice, darlin’. Know it intimately. But,
believe me, you’re not meant to be the judge, jury and executioner. It isn’t in you.”
This time when she looked up, it was with a smile in her eyes. “I’m okay. Really. Jose will never be in our lives again. It’s over. I want to see Mikey now.”
Sam didn’t like it. She shouldn’t take something this big so nonchalantly. It was fine if she felt enormous relief in being freed from the fear. But not this too-too-casual attitude. Over the years he’d been forced to take several men’s lives and had always felt remorse.
It made him wonder if her response was somehow connected to the Stockholm syndrome he felt sure she’d experienced when being held by Serrano. Just because her nemesis was dead did not mean all her problems were solved.
She needed help. More help than he could give her anymore.
“We’ll see Mikey as soon as we talk to the sheriff,” he told her. “And I won’t let him keep us too long. What you did was in self-defense. That’s all there is to it. You’re the victim here. Not that bastard.”
“I know.” She was smiling now.
Sam’s whole life and all his future dreams stopped dead in that one smile. He’d been building castles in the air with her and Mikey. Crazy of him. She would probably need years of therapy. Who was he to think he could help?
She’d made a tremendous difference in his life. He no longer saw only his failures when he looked into the past. Her wisdom had given him a more rounded view. He now saw that he’d accomplished a few good things in his time. Helped to save more than a few good people.
He’d thought he could pay that forward by saving her life. By being the one who took out Serrano so she could live free.
But she’d handled that on her own. Now what could he do?
His first thought was to capture her in his arms and hide her away from her problems on the old homestead. In his bed. In his heart. The three of them, he wouldn’t forget about Mikey, could be happy living on the Bar-C. He was sure of it.
But his second and third thoughts were more practical. He. Could. Not. Help. Her. Anymore. He needed to get that through his thick skull. Her problems went well beyond his areas of expertise.
