Shifting Targets

by Austina Love

  “Wow,” she muttered as the intense heat made her a bit queasy. Once in her human form she felt the true impact of her actions. Using extra caution, she made her way to Trip. “That was awesome!” she said in a breathless whisper. “Did you see it?”

  He let out a light, openly amused laugh. “I think all of South Dakota saw it. Get on, babe.”

  She slung the launcher over her shoulder, tucked her shotgun into the holder he’d mounted to his bike and slid on behind him. “Ready…let’s get the hell out of here.”

  He drove slowly at first, carefully keeping the powerful engine quieter than the noisy chaos not far away. Then as they pulled away he went full throttle and kicked it into gear. They raced with the wind and headed north. She swore they almost left the ground as he flew down the long highway. Riding behind him was invigorating, bringing to mind her flight as an eagle. She couldn’t compare the two experiences. Taking flight as a majestic bird had been indescribable. But sailing on the road while wrapped around a gorgeous hunk of man offered a similar yet invigorating thrill all its own.

  If I had to choose…I’d choose the man, even if he is more dangerous.

  “You were absolutely amazing!” Trip swept her off his parked bike and into his arms swinging her around in circles while hugging her. “And without a doubt the craziest woman I’ve ever met!”

  She laughed victoriously and kissed his neck.

  “How’d you get Carter to leave?” He gazed at her with shimmering eyes.

  “Oh…he’s probably on his way back by now.” She laughed again. “He received an invitation from the Sherriff to witness the interrogation of a popular fugitive. I sent him on a fool’s run.”

  “You’re so bad…I love it. Won’t that give Carter an alibi?”

  “Not today,” she replied with a wink. “It’s Monday. Sherriff Roone goes fishing every Monday afternoon with his deputy. He’s way out in the middle of nowhere. They close the office and don’t return till the next day. But Carter wouldn’t know that because he’s a transplant.”

  “Transplant?”

  “Not from these parts. He only came here to escape his long list of dirty deeds, which Gage conveniently took care of. I still don’t know how those two got hooked up.”

  “So what now, my brilliant little vixen?”

  “He has no bank and I have a feeling when he drives his fancy vehicle back to town he’ll be greeted by the FBI.”

  Trip’s eye shone with open pride. “And he’ll probably be forced into bankruptcy just to pay his fines let alone cover his bail.”

  “Yep. I doubt he’d fare very well in prison. He’ll sell everything he owns to try and keep his ass out.”

  “It’s gonna take one sharp lawyer to pull that off. The man has just added a list of federal charges to his name. With no evidence against us, his accusations will be dropped.”

  “What about Pike’s testimony?” she asked.

  Trip let out a sardonic laugh. “Draven won’t even acknowledge he knows Carter now. Hell, nobody will. That’s one witness that will never come forward.” He took her hand and led her up the path to Remle’s cabin. “C’mon, let’s tell him how it went.”

  Remle looked up with a broad grin when they walked in the door. “You guys have to see this.” He aimed his remote at the TV.

  She sat on the edge of the couch beside Trip. He wrapped an arm around her waist as they watched the newsflash on the huge plasma screen. Dozens of reporters had gathered around the bank, swarming throughout town square like locusts.

  “This is Kit Katrane with IBC News live at a very disturbing scene in Mossburg, South Dakota. Shocked witnesses came forth in droves to talk about the explosion that occurred approximately two hours ago here in this normally peaceful town.” She pointed toward a smoking pile of rubble. “State Police have roped off the scene of what used to be Bluff Ridge Bank. Apparently Mike Carter, owner and chief officer of the bank first robbed the vault then several minutes later returned to the scene and used a rocket launcher to blow up the building. A bomb squad and trained dogs are still checking the area for explosives. One woman saw it all.” The reporter turned toward a blonde woman. “Can you tell viewers what happened here today?”

  “Oh my god, that’s La!” Shye gasped, realizing the steep risks she’d taken with La’s ever-watchful eyes in town. She said a silent prayer that the town gossip had not spotted her anywhere near the scene today.

  “Yes,” replied La. “I work for attorney Gage Korben. I was just about to walk across the street to the bank and deposit some money when Mike Carter came running out of the bank carrying two big bags. I didn’t know he had money inside but it did look suspicious. A bunch of us had gathered to see what he was doing.” She smiled at the camera while fluffing her hair. “A few minutes later he walked back into town carrying a huge gun of some sort. Two men tried to stop him but he fired at them with another gun. I think everyone was calling for help at that point. People started running and screaming but he just stood there staring at the bank. Then all of a sudden he just opened fire and blew it up.”

  “Did you see where he went?” Kit held the microphone back to La’s mouth. “Was anyone helping him?”

  “No…he was alone. Then there was so much smoke and fire I didn’t see which way he took off. We all ran for cover. It was terrifying. People were shouting that he’d gone mad. I’m just really thankful that no one was hurt.”

  “Thank you.” Kit faced the camera again. “As you heard, a banker went crazy. Over what? Nobody knows. Police have not released a motive and there is a warrant out for his arrest. Thank God the people of Bluff Ridge were not harmed in this banker-gone-mad explosion.” She paused as if listening to something in her earpiece then continued. “I’ve just received word that Mike Carter has in fact been apprehended by federal law officials. And we have breaking news on another hot topic.” Her eyes glimmered with zeal. “All charges filed against Shye Halayi and her supposed accomplice Trip Viper, have been dropped. Mike Carter had filed a complaint with local law officials naming Shye as the prime suspect in a string of robberies that took place in his bank over the past week.” The woman arched her brows skeptically. “I think it’s safe to say that the residents of Bluff Ridge can breathe easier now that the real robber has been caught. Remember you heard it here first with Kit Katrane. Stay tuned to IBC News for updates on this bizarre story.”

  “We did it!” Shye toppled off the couch with Trip in a fierce hug. “Carter is out of the way and I’ll get my farm back.”

  “You are one cunning and gutsy woman,” Remle said with a wink. “I take it the RPG met your approval?”

  “Ah yeah, that baby handles like nobody’s business,” she gushed while lying on the floor with Trip. “I wish I could use it more often…what a rush!”

  “I think it best if I give it a good polishing and tuck her into safekeeping until she’s needed again.”

  She grasped his subtle innuendo about removing any fingerprints that may have been left before she handled the weapon as Shadow. “Thank you…thank you so much.”

  “Good luck with your farm. I hope he is forced to sell it right away. You’ve done a good job of separating Draven from Carter. He’s not about to stick his neck out or visit the bastard in prison.”

  Trip looked up from his position on the floor. “One down, one to go.”

  Chapter Five

  “What the hell are you doing here? I told you to never come around.”

  Pike closed the door behind him, giving the man a hard stare. “I’m a cop or did you forget? I know how to get around without being followed. I want to know what the hell you’re up to.”

  The man stared back with worried eyes. “Nothing. Everything is fine.”

  “What about the farm? Carter got busted yesterday. How are we gonna deal with that?”

  “It’s been taken care of.”

  He slammed his fist down on the wooden desk. “Don’t pull this evasive bullshit with me! Viper knows I’m here.
He’s been tracking my ass, and now he’s got some mysterious female riding with him. They gave us the slip when we cornered them at their hideout. Led us on a wild chase…I still can’t figure out how she got away.” He paused reflectively, struggling to figure her out. “If our customers suspect a snitch they’ll be coming after you too.”

  “What woman? I’ve never met your friend Viper, only heard his name dropped several times. Wasn’t his brother a cop too? Didn’t he OD or something?”

  “Or something,” Pike replied with a laugh. “His older brother Trip has been tracking me ever since Ty…retired…from the police force. Word is he has some kind of evidence on me. I’ve been hearing a lot of that lately.” He leaned over the desk with a smirk. “You wouldn’t know who Carter entrusted his insurance policy with, now would you? The pathetic weasel told me that everything he knows is on a disc and in safekeeping with an attorney.”

  “What about the woman?”

  Pike rubbed his chin while observing his cohort through narrowed eyes. “Carter hired me to track her. Sure enough, I caught the little vixen coming out of the bank holding a shitload of cash.” His thoughts drifted. “I have no idea how she pulled it off. I swear she walked straight through the damn wall…then that damned horse…strange.”

  “Horse? You’re not making any sense, Draven.”

  “Maybe not. Still, she was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. If only Viper hadn’t swung in like Zorro and taken her away, I’d have been able to persuade her to join us. She was starting to doubt him until he blazed into the barn.”

  “Are you deaf? I asked what woman?”

  “Her name is Shye. She’s like some kind of ghost woman or something. A sweet little Indian chick with a killer body who somehow hooked up with Viper.”

  Pike noticed the range of emotions flash through his cohort’s eyes and wondered if he’d be able to keep his cool. It was no secret that Gage had the hots for the raven-haired seductress. He thoroughly enjoyed toying with the man’s emotions.

  “So what about this evidence Carter claims to have hidden?”

  “I don’t know anything about it. He’s out of the picture now anyway. Even if he did start yapping nobody’s going to believe a convicted felon.”

  “True…” Pike grinned. He’d planned on taking the dirty banker out in any case, as he was becoming an annoyance. “But we need him for the land and a place to move the money. We no longer have a bank, and he’s gonna have to sell that farm to cover his bail.”

  “We’ll find another bank. Don’t worry about the land. It’s ours. Carter sold it to me right after Shye returned. He got nervous when she started dogging him. We agreed it would be best to make a quick, quiet sale, and let little Miss Halayi believe he still owned the place.”

  “Probably not how I’d have handled it, but not bad strategy to keep her looking the other way, especially with her new boyfriend helping her out.”

  Again that mixed look of rage and pain whipped across his partner’s face yet he kept mum on his thoughts regarding the shifty woman.

  “If there’s nothing else, I’d appreciate it if you’d get the hell out and never come in here again. I don’t need suspicious eyes on me. You should know that.”

  “Yeah…just had to make sure you weren’t going soft on me, too.”

  “I’ll take care of the farm. You keep the clients happy and nobody will be the wiser. And you best make sure Trip Viper doesn’t get the drop on you.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll get him out of the way. His sweet little lady did me a big favor by putting a solid frame on Carter.”

  “What?” A baffled expression slid across his face.

  “Nothing.” Pike gave a slight nod before slipping out the back door.

  He paused on the stoop to light a cigarette. With Carter out of the way he had one less problem on his hands and knowing the land was still theirs to use pleased him. Only one man posed a threat to his thriving business now. One determined son-of-a-bitch who just couldn’t let go of the past.

  He wondered if Trip would be willing to make a trade. Whatever evidence he had might be worth trading for the girl. I wonder, he laughed to himself. Does he love her enough to drop this vendetta with me over his brother? We’ll soon find out. Now that the charges against them had been dismissed, the bank destroyed and Carter permanently ruined, Shye had gained her revenge. Her guard would be down. If Viper isn’t willing to make a deal, maybe the sweet vixen will. Is reclaiming her family estate more enticing than life on the road with a man who will never settle down? Surely a woman like her possesses a deep sense of obligation to her ancestors.

  Now that her farm was in better hands, Pike felt more confident with his bargaining power. He wondered which angle to pursue. Getting rid of evidence that could send him to prison for life would mean losing any chance of owning the mysterious Indian woman. If he did succeed in striking a deal with Trip, the man would ride off with the woman and business would continue as usual. On the other hand, if Trip intended on turning over evidence before hauling him in, he’d have done it by now. So he knew that his nemesis wanted to see him dead. Then he’d present proof of his guilt and use his license as a bounty hunter to make it legal.

  Viper is definitely playing is safe. He knows that my buddies on the force will bury anything he turns over against me if I’m still on the loose. Meeting Shye complicated his dilemma. Life had been easier with only one thought on his mind—staying two steps ahead of Viper.

  This ghost woman intrigued him more than he wanted to admit. She didn’t know it but he’d seen her ride in on the back of Trip’s bike before the bank blew to bits. He knew she had something to do with it. He recalled the look of fierce determination on her face as she crept behind the building then vanished when Carter drove away in his SUV.

  Deep in thought, he drew heavily on his smoke while racking his brain on where she’d gone and how Carter had sauntered back into town with a rocket launcher on his shoulder. His black Cadillac had raced out of town as if he’d been in a big hurry. Then suddenly he was back, running across the street carrying two sacks of money. Whatever happened inside nobody would ever know without a shred of evidence left behind. No surveillance camera could’ve survived the bombs fired into that building.

  Where the hell did Carter get a weapon like that? And where did Shye go when it all went down? The questions plagued his mind and refused to let go. His mounting desire for her didn’t help. She’d become an increasing part of his everyday thoughts. He needed to know more about the rare beauty and explore this supernatural aura surrounding her. In all the chaos he’d lost track of her and hadn’t caught sight of how she’d made it back out of town.

  He flicked his spent smoke to the ground and stomped it out with his boot. There’s only one way to learn more about this captivating Indian woman, he concluded. I have to find her and get her away from Viper long enough to make one of them talk.

  * * * *

  After taking a much needed break lounging around Remle’s cabin for a couple days, Shye decided the time had come to venture back into town and investigate the status of her farm. The three of them had gathered at Trip’s bike to say goodbye.

  “I haven’t seen my parent’s since my first day home,” she told Remle. “It will be wonderful visiting with them again and introducing them to Trip.”

  “I can’t wait to meet them,” Trip said then turned toward Remle. “Thanks for helping us out.”

  Remle nodded and smiled. “Anytime you need reinforcement you know where to come. Keep an eye out for that snake Draven. With Carter out of the game, he is a loose cannon.”

  “Yeah,” Trip agreed. “I want to help Shye get her farm back before going after him again. She deserves this.” He glanced down with a smile and ran one hand over the back of her hair as they stood outside the cabin. “The bike is packed. I think we’ll pick a different campsite to hang out while sorting matters.”

  “What’s your first move after setting up a new camp?”
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  “I have a friend in town who may be able to help,” Shye replied. “I bet he’s relieved to be rid of that albatross. Carter had him locked in tight. Gage is an attorney and has been a friend of the family for many years. We didn’t exactly get off to a great start when I returned home from the service. But he was under a lot of pressure.” Her thoughts drifted.

  “Is something bothering you?” Trip touched her face, bringing her focus back to their conversation.

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Gage claimed he knew nothing of a sale and mentioned something about Carter switching documents on him. Yet he was so damn evasive. The conversation was all over the place and strangely enough swung around to me settling down as his wife.”

  “His wife? This man is in love with you?”

  “I guess…he’s been trying to make me his wife for years. His proposal didn’t exactly give me warm fuzzies. He laced his profession of love with a couple very hurtful remarks. I stormed out on him.”

  “Do you love him?”

  “No…no way. I only saw him as a friend, nothing more. I can’t help that he assumed we’d marry.”

  Trip’s mildly jealous nature surfaced. “I don’t want you meeting with him alone.”

  “He’s not going to help me if I come traipsing in with a gorgeous guy on my arm.”

  “I was under the impression you suspected he and Carter worked together on this.” He raised questioning brows above those penetrating eyes. “Now you’re calling him a friend of the family?”

  “I did think he was involved. But you have to admit Gage has not been seen or heard from during this entire ordeal. Maybe he is innocent. I also considered that Gage may have been forced into going along with Carter’s deception. After all, the pig did own the town.”

  “I can’t let you go into town alone. Draven is just waiting for an open door. He’d not hesitate to take you again and use you to get to me.”