Claimed by the Lawman (Lawmen of Wyoming Book 4)

by Rhonda Lee Carver

  Rogue lay in the hospital bed, hooked to many tubes and wires. His head was bandaged and bloody, and bruises were all over his face. Both his eyes and mouth were swollen. Someone had done a job on him, leaving him for dead. Kace hated to push the man, but this was the only hope they had in finding Tyler.

  “I knew him. From my wilder days.” Rogue’s voice was raspy and dry. “Frankie Lutz.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” Rogue nodded. “H-he used a taser. “The woman. Red hair. Dropped the lighter. Thought I was dead.”

  Kace put the lighter back into his pocket. “Did they take you somewhere?” It was in their favor that Frankie and Ruby thought Rogue was dead. He was the only one who could tell Kace where they’d taken Tyler and he had to get to her before they harmed her.

  “I-I don’t know.” He coughed.

  Reaching for the water, Kace helped him sip from the straw. “Anything will help, Rogue. Your sister is in danger.”

  “Tower. Red. Middle of nowhere.” Then Rogue closed his eyes.

  “You rest.” Kace stood up so fast from the chair that it squeaked. He motioned for Deputy Payne to follow him into the corridor. “I know where he’s talking about. The tower. It’s thirty minutes away out on Lunbeck Road. I’m calling in my brothers. We need all hands on deck. Ruby needs found and questioned. I want you to handle that when they bring her in.”

  “Where are you going, Sheriff?”

  “Cullen and I are heading to the tower.”

  “What about Frankie?” Payne hooked his thumbs into his front pockets.

  “I think the probability that I’ll find him when I find Tyler is high. Stay in touch, Deputy.” Kace resituated his hat on his head and motioned for Cullen to head out.

  “Sheriff?”

  Kace stopped. “Yeah?”

  “I hope you find Tyler soon,” Payne said.

  Understanding the man’s concern, Kace nodded and hurried into the parking lot. He dialed a number on his phone and his brother Phoenix answered on the first ring. After he explained everything, Kace hung up. Knowing his brothers had his back gave Kace the peace of mind that he could concentrate on the one that meant the world to him. Tyler.

  Chapter 23

  KACE STOMPED INTO his office and there she was. Ruby was in the cell, her mascara smeared and her thick hair in disarray. Phoenix had found her a hundred miles away from Bohannan. Kace didn’t say a word as he went to the door and unlocked it, motioning for her to go into his office.

  He and Cullen had gone to the Tower but didn’t find a damn thing but an old bloody rag. Kace had called in Payne to sweep the area, but Tyler wasn’t there, and the longer this continued the antsier he became. He was ready to take someone’s head off.

  Once alone with Ruby, outside of Cullen who was quietly sitting on the couch, Kace pointed at the chair. He was still reeling. His patience was gone.

  Ruby took a seat and he took a place on the edge of his desk. The last few hours had been the longest in his life. After what someone had done to Rogue, his gut twisted. If one hair on Tyler’s body was harmed he’d hunt them down and take care of them himself, badge or no badge.

  Ruby whimpered and it didn’t even phase Kace.

  “You’re in big trouble here, Ruby.” He wondered if his brother could hear the tightness in his voice.

  “I-I haven’t done anything.”

  “Then why were you running away like a rat from a storm?”

  “I have the right to leave, Sheriff. I don’t know why that beastly man brought me here and locked me away like I’m some criminal. I demand that I get my phone call.”

  “You’ll get your call, Ruby, but you’re going to answer my questions.”

  “That’s against the law. I’m allowed to have my call. My attorney will have your badge for this, Sheriff,” she stammered.

  “Right now, I don’t really give a shit, Ruby. You and your sidekick, Frankie, failed.” He saw her eyes widen. “Yeah, we know everything. Rogue Posey is alive and he brought a gift. I do believe this belongs to you.” He took the lighter from his pocket and held it up. Her mouth trembled and he dropped it back into his pocket for safekeeping. “Thought so. We have the entire story, except where you took Tyler. You’re going to tell me.” His voice was low and unwavering.

  Several expressions flickered across her face until finally he saw a thread of fear. “I-I didn’t do anything.”

  “While you’re at it, you can tell me about this.” He reached over and tugged her shirt several inches, exposing the puffy, white scar, the same exact one that Susy had on her body. “How does it feel to be branded like a cow?”

  “Fuck off, Cade.”

  He laughed but it was raw and his patience thinned even more. “I know it’s Bane, Ruby. It’s only a matter of time before we nail the sum’bitch. Are you willing to go down also for the murder of Tyler Posey? That’s what’s going to happen if we don’t get to her soon. I have a witness that can identify you as being close to the Posey ranch this afternoon.”

  Tears streamed from her eyes.

  “It’s over.”

  She shook the handcuffs that bound her wrists. “Unlock these,” she seethed.

  “Not until you start cooperating.”

  “I’ll never cooperate.” She nailed him with her invisible daggers.

  “Well, then, this is useless. Take her back to the cell,” Kace told Cullen.

  Cullen stood and started for Ruby, but she jerked. “I’m not going back in there. I haven’t done anything.” She sobbed.

  “We’ll work something out if you confess. Now’s your only chance, Ruby. What happened? Where is Tyler?”

  ~~**~~

  Tyler tugged against the rope that bound her wrists behind the chair. They were tight and cutting into her skin. Her feet were also bound to the wooden chair. She had no clue where she was, but she’d put the pieces together. The brand that they’d thought was an M was actually a B and belonged to Bane. The redhead who brought her here was Ruby, the nameless woman Susy had mentioned in her diary.

  Tears filled Tyler’s eyes, but she blinked them back, not willing to show any emotion. If she planned to get out of this alive, she’d have to keep her wits about her.

  Frantically, she looked around the bare space. It was a basement with concrete walls and floor, and across the room was a staircase. The only light came from an overhead bulb with a pull string.

  The door opened with an eerie squeak and she heard the stairs creak as someone descended. A balding man with a pockmarked face wearing a nice suit stepped into the light. “Who are you? Let me go!” she demanded.

  The man grinned and crossed his arms over his chest, but he didn’t say a word.

  A few minutes later Tyler heard another set of footsteps on the staircase and this time it was Bane. “I knew you were involved. You slimy piece of shit! You killed my sister! All because you wanted my father’s land.” She tugged against the rope and winced at the pain.

  Bane made a gesture to the larger man and he grabbed a chair and sat it down in front of her. Bane took the seat, smiling from ear to ear. “That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. I don’t need to kill to have your land. Soon that’ll be in my hands. It’s just a matter of time now.”

  “What have you done? Why did you kill my sister?”

  “She was a lot like you, Tyler. Both have a pair of balls and a very long nose that got you into trouble. Two beauties, but a pain in my ass.” He shook his head. “What a waste really, don’t you agree, Fletcher?”

  The burly man in the suit laughed.

  Bane leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “I gave that bitch a chance. Set her up in Ruby’s fine establishment, allowed her to earn cash for her problem. And what did she do? She went and stole from me.” He sat back in the chair, swiping a hand down his clean-shaven face. “I’m a good, fair man though, so I gave her a second chance, but there are just some people who are never grateful. She really thought she could get by with bl
ackmailing me.” He laughed and it grated against Tyler’s nerves. “And just like you, sweet thing, she wasn’t easily scared. I truly believed she would knock herself off, but she proved me wrong. If it wasn’t for you sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, no one would have cared whether a fucked up, prostitute junkie was found hanging from a rope. No, you sashayed that sweet ass under Cade’s nose and like any goddamned dick, he salivated. I admire how you Poseys stand up for one another and have deep rooted morals. Too bad I couldn’t convince that twerp brother of yours to make things easier for me. All he had to do was walk away from the land.”

  “What did you do to Rogue?” She jerked in the chair wishing she could get her hands around Bane’s neck.

  “Don’t worry. Here soon you won’t care about anything but getting juice in your veins.” Bane stood. “You really want to know what that cunt sister of yours felt? I’m going to give you front row seats to Susannah’s world.” He dipped his hat and said to the man Fletcher, “Shoot her up and let’s get her ready. I think she’ll make the best whore in town, don’t you? Too bad not in this town, but we’ll get a pretty penny for that sweet ass.” Bane chuckled and headed for the stairs. He stopped on the last rung. “Do the brand first. We want her to get the full effect of what her sister felt. After all, Tyler did buy herself a one-way ticket here.” Then he continued up the stairs.

  “I’ll be right with you, sweetheart,” Fletcher said with a dirty smile.

  Tyler watched the man walk over to the corner and open the door to a rusty, old furnace. She prayed it didn’t work, but when he stuffed it with kindling and paper, it was soon ablaze, and fear took shape in her body so powerful that she was numb.

  All she could do was hope Kace found her soon. She believed in him. Trusted him. He would search everywhere, wherever she was, and find her. He wouldn’t leave a stone unturned.

  She’d wanted closure for Susy’s death, but not like this. What did they do to her brother? She couldn’t bear the thought of losing him too. And what about her father? Could he survive losing another child? If Bane got away with this, she’d be lost too.

  Bringing her chin up, she watched Fletcher roll the iron around the drum of the furnace and when it was hot enough, he pulled it out, the red iron looking stark in the shadows of the room.

  “You’ll never get away with this,” she said through tight lips.

  “Because I like your spunk particularly well, I’m going to give you the option where you’d like your mark. You can choose anywhere but that pretty face. We need to keep that flawless. I bet you’re the chest type.” He smiled.

  “I have a spot for it. You can bury it so deep up your ass that the only thing you’ll be good for is to be stuck in a garden to scare off the crows.”

  He laughed. “Damn, I’d like to keep you for myself. You’d be my entertainment, that is until the only thing you’re good for is a needle in your arm. Boss is right, what a shame.” He gave his head a shake.

  Chapter 24

  KACE KICKED IN the door at Ruby’s establishment and held up his shot gun as he moved in, followed by all four of his brothers who were packing heat too. The place was crawling with men watching the stage where a half-dressed woman slid seductively down the pole. Once the patrons gathered what was happening, they jumped up from their chairs and scattered, while the naked women screamed and disappeared into the back room.

  There was one person Kace wanted to speak to.

  He rounded the bar, grabbed the shaking bartender by the collar and dragged him around to sit on the end stool. Sweat dripped from the man’s brow.

  “Jimmy, right?” Kace only lowered his gun slightly. “I’m guessing you’re more than a bartender. You’re the eyes and ears of this establishment. If you don’t want to go down as an accomplice to murder and a handful of different counts of criminal activity, this is your moment. Where is the woman? Where is Tyler Posey?”

  With a shaky hand, the bartender slowly lifted his hand and pointed to the back.

  “You’ll have to do better than that,” Kace said.

  “In the basement.”

  Kace pointed at the young man. “Listen, if I find out that you’re lying to me, I’ll come back and I’ll shoot you. Got it?”

  The man gave a jerky nod.

  Not bothering to alert his brothers, Kace headed for the hallway, wanting to rush, but knowing he needed to take his time. He’d bank that he’d encounter some of Bane’s men standing guard. After Ruby confessed and told Kace that he could find Tyler here, he and his brothers wasted no time in coming to the strip club on the outskirts of town.

  As Kace made his way down the darkened corridor with his back pressed against the wall, he came to a doorway to his left. Expecting an ambush, Kace didn’t even blink when the man popped out from the room, gun aimed. Quick as lightening, Kace aimed his weapon and fired, hitting the man in the shoulder and knocking him to the floor.

  Feeling a touch on his arm, Kace swirled around and came face to face with Zander Cade who said, “Whoa there, bro. I’ll take care of the man from here”

  Kace nodded and continued down the corridor to a closed door. He turned the knob and it was unlocked, and sure enough, there he found a set of steps. Slowly, he descended, gun held against his chest, aware of his surroundings until finally he stepped onto the concrete floor. Looking around the room lit by a nearby furnace, he finally saw what he was looking for and instantly his heart fell into his feet.

  “Tyler.” He hurried over to her. She was bound to a chair and had a bloody cheek. “I’m here now, sweetheart.”

  She blinked twice as if she didn’t believe he was real, and then her puffy eyes widened. “Kace, watch out.”

  Quickly, he turned and aimed his gun. The man across the room had his pistol targeted directly at Kace.

  “It’s time we finally met, Sheriff Cade. I’ve heard so much about you that I feel like I already know who you are,” the man in the suit said smugly.

  “How about you lower that weapon and we’ll get properly introduced.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Sheriff.”

  “I didn’t think so. You should know this isn’t going to end well for you,” Kace said lowly.

  “The way I look at it, at this close range we’re both going to have a bad day.”

  “Take the shot.”

  The gun blasted, hitting the suited man in the head. He was dead before he hit the concrete. Kace looked up at the stairs where Cullen lowered his smoking gun. “You owe me one, bro.”

  Kace smiled. “Let’s call that even.” He dropped his gun and pushed it into his waist, then hurried to Tyler, quickly untying her and dragging her into his arms. He’d never felt more relieved in all his life. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He pushed her back slightly so he could visually examine her. She looked like heaven.

  “I’m okay. He was going to brand me until he heard the commotion upstairs,” she said in a breathless tone. “Bane is involved, Kace. He did all this.”

  “I know. We’ll get him.”

  “He’s already captured. We found him cleaning out the safe in Ruby’s office,” Cullen said.

  “I always guessed that man’s greediness would be his downfall,” Kace said, lifting Tyler into his arms and heading up the stairs.

  “Thank you, Kace. Thank you for saving me.” She dropped her head to his shoulder.

  “I’ll always be here. Always.”

  Epilogue

  CLIMBING OUT OF his truck, he looked at the fancy vehicle parked in front of the Posey house. He started for the porch, finding Johnny sitting in the rocker, nursing a lemonade. “Hello, Johnny.” Kace dipped his hat. “Am I interrupting?” He jutted a chin toward the silver BMW.

  “Not for me.” Johnny smiled. “Tyler’s inside with a couple of big time producers from New York. They’re talking about a role they have for her on some stage.”

  Kace’s insides tightened. “They’re offering her a role?” His breath caught in his lungs.r />
  “That’s always been what she said she wanted to do.” Johnny looked out over the setting sun. “She’s always been like her momma and liked to roam.”

  Turning, Kace looked into the orangish-blue sky, but didn’t see anything beyond his emotions. His heart beat so fast and he felt sick. After they’d put the stamp of closure on her sister’s death, he was finally ready to ask Tyler to be his wife. Why did this feel like a repeat of the past? He’d confessed his feelings, and if that wasn’t good enough, he didn’t know what would be. Patting the box in his jacket pocket, he retraced his steps back to his truck.

  “Where are you going, Cade?” Johnny asked.

  “I’m going home, sir.” He opened the door.

  “Don’t you want to wait and speak to Tyler?” The man stood and made his way down the walkway to Kace. Since he’d been out of the hospital he’d lost some weight, but he looked good.

  “I don’t think there’s any use.” Kace controlled his voice.

  Johnny leaned against the truck. “You’re not going to just walk away again, are you?”

  Kace met the other man’s gaze. “She’s a free woman, sir. She has the right to make her choices. If a man squashes a woman’s dreams, he crushes a bit of her soul with it. I won’t ask that of Tyler.”

  “You love her that much? You’ll take the heartbreak so that she can follow a dream?”

  “Yes, I do love her that much. Have you watched her while she’s on stage? I have. I visited New York once, but she doesn’t know it. It was a long time ago. She shone like a bright star and all eyes were on her. I was breathless, and I told myself that the cracks in my heart were every bit worth seeing her own that stage…doing what she loved to do. If she has a chance to stand on that stage just one more time, then it’s all worth it.” He resituated his hat and climbed into the truck. He bid the man a farewell and pulled out of the driveway, heading back to the narrow lane—back into his lonely existence.