by Lise Fuller
Jake glared at the man.
Evan sniggered. “Still, you’re right. We should move out. Sheriff,” he waved his arm in the direction he wanted Jake to move, “after you.”
Chapter Seventeen
“You all right?” Jake murmured into Marie’s ear as he glared at the back of Martin’s head. He’d been placed into the back of the SUV with her. She nestled alongside him as they traveled the bumpy dirt road. Marie’s lips trembled.
“That sonofa—” Jake forced his professionalism to the forefront. “Martin didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“No.” He could barely see her head shaking in the dark. “The other men showed up and stopped him. Jake, he’s insane. I’m scared,” she mouthed in barely a whisper. She leaned into him and her soft breath brushed his chin. Her hand came up to rest on his chest.
“Shhh.” He kissed her temple. “It’ll be all right. Gramps is on his way.”
“I brought them here to look for him. He said he was stronger here.” Her voice choked.
“I know. He was near the old officers’ quarters waiting for me. I rushed ahead and didn’t listen to him. Now look how I screwed this up.”
She lifted her chin. “It wasn’t your fault.” She kissed him.
He pressed his face to hers. “Everything will work out. Trust me, darlin’.”
She pressed her lips together. Jake kissed her again then leaned against the frigid window. “Try to relax. You use more energy when you tense up.”
With a ragged sigh, Marie laid her head on his chest. He rubbed his chin in her hair, and glanced over the seat. The others had lulled into their own issues and for the moment ignored the prisoners they held in the back. Jake closed his eyes and listened. He hoped to get a clue as to how they operated and what they thought.
At least the drive gave them some time.
—
“We found her car.”
Deputy Thornsen crossed his arms as he reported the information. The situation didn’t look good. Jim glanced around at the small searchlights that flashed in the dark. MacDugal snorted. The deputy glared at him as Mac mumbled his conjectures under his breath.
“You hear from the sheriff yet?” Jim asked.
Kyle Thornsen adjusted his hat. “No, sir. But I’m sure he’ll be back.”
“Yeah, right.” Mac’s gruff voice cut through the darkness then died as Mac turned his back to them.
The deputy’s lips narrowed. “I’ll call dispatch and see if they’ve heard anything.” The tall, broad-shouldered man tramped toward his cruiser. Jim followed and slid into the passenger seat as the other man sat behind the wheel.
“Rosie, this is Thornsen. You copy?”
“Copy, Kyle. What do you need?”
“The sheriff. You hear from him yet?”
Static played over the radio.
“Rosie?” The deputy clicked the button to listen for her reply. The scratchy noise floated through the speakers.
“Hell.” Thornsen mumbled under his breath then pressed a button to scan for a clear channel. He glanced at Slim. “Sorry. I wish we could get more modern equipment.” He cleared his throat then turned his attention to the radio. The scanner light turned green and stopped. Kyle clicked the button on the mic again to speak.
“Rosie, come in.”
A low hum reverberated over the airwaves then the timbre of a man’s voice came through. “This is dispatch.”
Kyle’s brows knitted. “Who’s this?”
“Ah, Rosie switched over tuh us after she lost yuh. She said the sheriff’s at the fort. He needs yuh tuh hurry. Those scum suckers are there, hidden in the back under the trees.”
“Who is this?” Kyle demanded as he started the car.
“Dag blame it, boy.” Gramps’ face popped through the radio. “It don’t matter. Jake said tuh git your behind tuh the fort. He needs yuh. The bunch of them kidnapped Marie and that durn fool got hisself caught.”
Jim about jumped through his skin. The deputy plastered himself against the seat and babbled as his eyes popped wide open. Jim reached his hand toward the strange light and felt a coolness as he touched it. The ghost turned toward him.
“Well?” The voice of the translucent image raised an octave. “Whaddayuh sitting there fer? Git your men and let’s go. I’d like some grandchildren afore the end o’ the age and I cain’t git ’em if those two pass over.” His brows crimped. “Yuh know what I mean?”
Jim bobbed his head.
The whiskered vision frowned and his army cap seemed to glower with him. “Look, Jake can explain me later. Meanwhile, he needs the two of yuh. So move it, soldiers.”
The image popped out as quickly as it had appeared.
“Holy sh—” Jim murmured then pushed his cowboy hat up his brow and rubbed his forehead. “I’d heard rumors…”
“Yeah.” Stunned, the other man reached for the empty air and wiggled his fingers through it. He shook himself out of his daze. “C’mon. The sheriff said we needed to move.”
An odd contentment poured through Jim. “Yeah.” He grabbed the door handle and wondered if he’d lost his mind. He glanced sharply at the deputy. “You did see that…didn’t you?”
The other man stared at the radio. “Yes, sir,” he responded, a snap in his voice.
Jim’s steely comportment kicked in. “Radio the other officers and have them meet us there. With Martin, they’ll be five of them, and by now I’m sure they’re armed. Tell them to run silent. We don’t want to scare the vigilantes off. Who knows where the hell they’d go in this wilderness?”
A woman’s voice crackled over the speakers. “Kyle? You copy?”
Rosie’s voice cut through the confusion and Kyle grasped the dropped mic. “I’m here.”
“I don’t know where the sheriff is.”
“Forget it. Get every car available and have them sent to the fort pronto. Tell them to run silent. We have a 10-33 in progress.”
Jim stepped out of the car. The frigid blast iced his cheek. He pasted a lopsided grin on his face, enjoying the coolness. “Now I’m sure I’ve seen it all.” He gazed placidly toward the stars then hurried toward his men.
—
They holed up in an abandoned utility building not far from the fort. It was a nondescript metal structure set off from the main thoroughfare yet Jake noted it had enough dirt roads around it to make a reasonable getaway if needed. The BAM men shoved them into a corner and gave them a blanket to cover themselves. One of the men draped it over Marie. She leaned into Jake and shivered.
Jake took a breath as he racked his brain and hoped Gramps would be there soon. Inside, a camp heater burned and gave the place some warmth. From what he’d overheard, Martin hadn’t planned this well. The other man, Evan, was behind it. The rest had simply followed Martin to the source.
As soon as the thought came to him, the big man walked up and knelt in front of Jake. “Okay, Sheriff,” Evan started. “We don’t have much time. You can make this easy, or you can make it hard. It’s up to you.”
“And what am I supposed to get out of it?” Jake raised an eyebrow.
The corner of the man’s mouth rose in a half-smirk. “I promise the lady’s safety and yours, if you’re willing to join. I can’t offer more than that except my apologies.” His mouth thinned and his eyes grew dark. “Like I said, it isn’t the organization’s policy to involve civilians like this. Unfortunately,” he took a glance across the room at Martin then lowered his voice, “some of the members haven’t followed the rules.” He dropped into a whisper and his face turned to stone. “They’ll be dealt with soon enough.”
Coldness seeped into Jake and he knew it wasn’t from the weather. This particular man had his own sense of fair play. Whoever didn’t abide by it would suffer the consequences.
Jake cut his eyes to Martin then back at Evan. “Why are you telling me this?”
The half-smirk appeared again. “It’s kinda obvious to most of us what you think about this lady. Thought you’
d like to know that she’ll be avenged, whatever you decide.” He stood and scrutinized Jake slowly through the small slit he’d made of his eyes. “I’ll give you a few minutes to think about it.” He smiled at Marie. “Maybe Miss Taylor can convince you.” He walked off.
“Jake, what are you thinking?”
Marie’s gentle voice filled his ear when Evan was far enough away but Jake’s gaze was on Martin. Her ex-partner glared at him.
Jake lowered his chin and looked at her. The brim of his hat covered most of his face. “Stall as much as I can. Whatever I say or do, you go along with it, hear me? My main goal is to get you to safety.”
“Jake…” Her voice wavered but strength shone in her face. “I won’t stand by and let you get killed on my account. This was my fault. I’m the one who didn’t keep my eyes open. I’m the one who fell for Bill’s lies, not you.” She blinked. Her lids brimmed with tears. Her voice choked as a teardrop escaped and rolled down her cheek and over her lips. “I love you, Jake. You can’t leave Jesse alone.”
“Shhh.” He bent toward her. As he touched his lips to hers, he tasted the salty wetness. “We’re both going to get out of here alive. Gramps will be here soon. I’m sure of it.” Her eyes glistened. He put his forehead to hers. “Have faith, Marie…and do what I tell you. Promise?”
She nodded then wrung her hands.
“Lean on my shoulder and rest,” he murmured, and caught a glimpse of Martin from the corner of his eye.
Martin’s look grew pitch-black.
—
“They were here.” Jim kicked over the wooden headboard half hidden in the snow-covered ground. “And we’re still too late.”
MacDugal crouched and ran some of the dirt through his fingers. “Hard to tell but they probably found what they were looking for.”
Kyle Thornsen sighed. “Looks like the tracks lead to the back road of the fort.”
“Hmph.” Mac snarled. “The sheriff met them here, Jim.”
The deputy scowled at him.
MacDugal snorted. “Oh, ‘scuse me. I mean ‘Slim’.” He slurred the name for emphasis.
“That’s enough, Mac,” Jim growled as he brushed past him. His partner had been trying to rile the officer ever since he knew he could get under his skin. “Let’s find where these tracks go.” He turned his back but overheard Mac again.
“You know he’s gone, don’t you, Deputy? Ran off with our suspect,” MacDugal jeered, his voice low and slow.
The sound of bone striking bone rang through the quiet night. Jim swerved to find Mac sprawled over a pile of snow. A low moan came from him and he held his jaw in his hand.
The deputy rubbed his knuckles and gnashed his teeth. “When you’ve known Jake Colder a mite longer,” he gritted out, “you’ll realize he’s not the type to run from anybody.” The deputy glared at Jim. “You’ve ridden with him. You should know better.”
Jim suppressed a grin and shook his head. “I know better.”
The police officer shuffled his feet then scowled at Mac. “You can file charges in the morning.”
“Oh hell, kid.” Mac stretched his neck to loosen it. “You think I’d admit you got the drop on me? I just wanted to see what you’re made of. Forget it.”
Jim snorted at the stunned look on the deputy’s face. “If you two are finished dancing, it’s time to go. I’d like to get to your boss before something happens to him and that lady of his.”
The deputy snatched his hat from the ground where it’d fallen during the scuffle and stomped off.
Jim turned to Mac and snorted. “I warned you.”
He offered his partner a hand but Mac slapped it out of the way. “He caught me off guard.” His old, hardheaded friend stood and brushed himself off.
Jim patted him on the back. “Let’s hurry, Mac. Before it is too late.”
—
“So what’s it going to be, Sheriff?”
The man with no last name spoke softly and crouched in front of Jake as Marie slept against his shoulder. Jake studied the BAM leader. Evan’s temples were gray and he had streaks of silver in his light brown hair. His erect shoulders were relaxed, as if comfortable with the burden of command. Yet his calloused hands were eager, used to hard work and ready for action. He was sure they’d seen plenty of it.
Jake looked him in the face and nodded twice. He didn’t want to overplay his hand. “Tell me more,” he responded in kind.
Evan’s stare took the measure of Jake. “Like I said. We’ll set you up at one of our safe houses. It’s more of a place than a house. You’ll do the same kind of work but you’ll be well paid for it. No one will know who you were or where you came from. It’d be you and the little lady. Cozy like.” He inspected his hands then brushed his nails over his coat as if to buff them. “But keep in mind,” he said evenly and held the hand up to examine the tips, “it’d be better if you tell me the truth upfront.” The gaze of Evan’s ice-blue eyes pierced him before Jake could get his guard up. “As I can tell you from firsthand experience, those who thought they could buy some time ended up wishing for the quick death of an execution.”
Jake’s mouth dried and his eyes narrowed. The age lines in the older man’s face deepened and revealed a face that had witnessed too much of the shady side of life, a soul that had accepted the harshness of the path it had chosen.
“I understand.” Jake took in the seriousness of the other man. “You don’t give me much choice.”
Evan huffed then nodded. “You have my sympathies.”
Marie shuddered in her sleep. The radical’s look softened. “She needs you to protect her.” His voice seemed to ache with pain. “All women need someone to protect them.” The furrow of his brow shifted and Jake thought he gleaned a modicum of concern. The man turned his attention to Jake. “The organization is dedicated to protecting men and women like you two. It isn’t perfect but it works for the good. I think you’d believe in it if you’d give it a go. If anything,” he tilted his chin toward Marie, “give her a chance. You really don’t want that slime Martin to get to her, do you?”
Jake frowned. “You promised to make sure he got what he had coming to him.”
“I will, my man. I will.” Evan lifted his chin. “Now what’s it going to be?”
Jake eyed him for several moments then he glanced at Marie and put his parted lips softly in her hair. Jake inhaled a deep breath. When he lifted his chin, he looked at his captor. “I want a ranch and some horses. I want our privacy and I’ll do what’s needed when the time comes. And I don’t want Martin to know where we are. I’ll kill him if I see him again.”
The other man’s eyes clouded when he’d first looked at Jake again but with the threat, they now gleamed. “Sheriff, could you kill a man in cold blood?”
Jake swallowed. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded coarse. “I’ll play your game.”
A hint of softness rounded Evan’s eyes but his voice grew flat and matter-of-fact. “Expect to be called on at some point, probably soon.” He rose. “Now where are those documents?”
—
When Marie awoke, she found herself lying on a small pillow. Through the dim lights, she recognized Bill asleep in the other corner. Evan and the driver, Cason, played cards at a small portable table. She scanned the darker interior. No one else was left. And Jake had disappeared.
She sat up. Anxiety seeped into her.
“So, Sleeping Beauty awakes.”
Evan spoke to her. The peaks of his face were highlighted by the scant light. The effect made his face more ominous. She rubbed her temples and tried to tamp down her fears. “Where’s Jake?” Her voice cracked.
Evan’s lips moved and a few white teeth gleamed against his dusky face. “He’s fine. He’s on an errand. As soon as he’s back, we’ll be on our way.”
Marie held her breath a moment. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Evan shook his head as he threw a card on the pile then drew another one from the deck. The corner of his
lip turned upward and the play of shadow and light against his face made the smile look twisted. “You’ll find out soon enough. Now go back to sleep. We have a long trek ahead of us.”
Her head throbbed and her feet were freezing. Marie lay down toward the wall. She didn’t want the man to see her cry.
—
Jake eyed the station house. The place was strangely quiet. As he approached, his mind churned. He touched his holster. Evan had unloaded his gun and given it back to him. A sheriff without his pistol would have been suspicious.
He stopped in front of the building a moment as he considered his options. If he made a move, it would have to be soon. He glanced at the SUV that had brought him there and assessed the critical details. The driver stayed behind the wheel. The hum of the running motor broke the silence of the night. The BAM man had parked at the far end of the small lot. The overhead light had broken and it was dark in that direction. Jake made a mental note to have it fixed if he ever got out of this, budget constraints be damned.
From his corner vision, Jake gauged the man who’d accompanied him. The guy was the taller of the two vigilantes, beefier. If Jake took him, he’d have to make it fast before the guy could react.
The station door swooshed as he opened it and the cold air bristled in. The other man followed closely, his gun hidden deep in his coat pocket.
“Howdy, Pat. Everything quiet?”
“Yep.” The deputy yawned and kicked his feet up on the desk. “All ‘cept whatever you and those Feds are into. They were lookin’ for you a while ago.”
Jake felt the tension rise in the man behind him. The guy unzipped his coat. “They found me.” He nodded sharply. “This is one of them.” Jake marched toward his office. “We’ll be a few minutes.”
“Okay by me.” Pat closed his eyes then leaned further back in the chair. “Wake me when you leave.”
Jake snorted in reply and slid the key into the lock of his office. The militiaman stood close behind him. Jake puffed his cheeks and blew a breath through his parted lips as he budged the door open and flipped on the light. After he stepped aside, Jake waved his hand for the other man to enter. The guy inched closer and discreetly angled the gun toward him.
