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John awkwardly set her away, not trusting himself to hold her close. The next few days were going to be hard enough. “We’ll put your car in the shed, and if they look, I’ll tell them you sold it to me.”
“What’s next?” She removed the key ring from her pocket, clutching it like a lifeline.
“Do you have a smartphone?”
“Yes.”
“Book yourself on the next flight to San Antonio. Don’t browse anything out of state. If the FBI’s not involved yet, we want to keep the search for you in Texas. When you’re done, take the battery out and leave it in Dad’s things. Someplace you’d normally have access when you check on him.”
“You want them to think I’m running. They won’t believe it. They know I wouldn’t go anywhere without Lauren.”
“Did you think you’d be set up for her kidnapping?” He could see she was terrified. Her daughter had been abducted. Even if she was certain of who took her, there was still a deep fear of making a mistake. Doubt that she could be wrong.
It happened to him on every mission. Especially the ones that cost a man’s life. Questioning your decisions would drive you insane. So you couldn’t question. Someone like Alicia needed someone to help make those decisions. As long as he was around to take the blame, she wouldn’t have to question if she did the right thing.
“And what if they release Brian or if asking me questions would help them find where Lauren is?”
“I don’t know if they have enough evidence to hold Brian. They might release him, watch who he contacts, hoping they’re right and that he’ll lead them to the person holding your daughter. But more important, I need you with me to find Lauren.”
“You really think this is the best way? Running?”
“Hiding. Staying under wraps until we gather all the facts and know who’s involved. There are a lot of places to disappear on the ranch tonight. I’ll get you somewhere safer tomorrow.”
“Where?” The word was muffled in defeat as she covered her mouth with slim fingers.
“Adams’s property tonight. Brian and I played there all the time. They won’t think you’re arrogant enough to hide right under their noses.”
“Johnny.” She gently took his arm before he could walk past her. “What happens if they find me?”
He sank into the bluest eyes he could remember. A face that he’d tried his best to let go. She’d never lied to him, always had faith in him. He was the one who’d turned his back on her, not trusting.
“Believe me, they won’t. I know what I’m doing. I’ve hidden in a lot places worse than Aubrey, Texas. No one finds me when I dig in.”
He reached for his cell, dialing the number Mabel had written on the notepad stuck to the fridge. “It’s John. Change of plans—can you pack a bag and come stay with Dad overnight? Thanks.”
“Brian called to warn me. Did he keep you out of the loop on purpose? No one knows you’re here, do they?” Alicia asked once he’d hung up.
“That’s our ace in the hole. They’ll all be watching Brian and they think you’re alone. I won’t lie to you, Alicia. It’s going to get rough, and plenty of people are going to say worse things than the accusations on television.”
He glanced over his shoulder into the living room. His dad looked straight at him, smiling, and gave him a thumbs-up. If there had been doubts about leaving his dad to help Alicia before, there weren’t any longer.
“I want my daughter back and I’m willing to do anything to make that happen. I trust you, Johnny.”
“Good.”
The real question was if he could trust himself.
Chapter Six
“Where’s my mommy?” the kid asked for the hundredth time since she’d been hauled here kicking and screaming.
Tory had been sure they’d be caught before leaving Aubrey. But the dark windows and loud speakers of her ex’s car had covered their escape and the kid’s screaming. Then country back roads had hidden them again.
Lauren had cried until they’d convinced her of the lie. Part of the cover-up. Part of Patrick’s brilliant plan. Part of their attempt to never be caught. Tell the kid her mother was testing her and would “rescue” her after they finished the game. It was no big deal. She could pretend she was on an adventure.
“Can’t you make that kid shut up?” Her ex-boyfriend charged toward the little girl, but Tory stepped between them to calm him down. He turned and threw himself on the tattered cushions of the broken-down couch.
“What do you want me to do? You know if we hurt her we don’t get paid.” She should never have told Patrick that she’d help. And should have never have gone back to her ex to assist her pulling off this stupid plan. The bum always thought he was the boss, and he had the muscles to convince you. “Go back in the bedroom, honey, and play with your new toys.”
“But can’t I have a drink?” the kid asked. “When’s this game going to be over?”
“Later, sweetheart.” Tory scooted her inside the room and flipped the newly installed bolt to keep her there.
She passed too close and her ex’s thick hand wrapped around her wrist. The same one he’d fractured last spring. It still hurt if she twisted it the wrong way and especially hurt when she tried to pull free. The bastard knew that. She’d yelped loud enough the first couple of times he’d grabbed her like this.
“The news thinks that kid’s mother snatched her for the money.”
“It’s working just like I said it would,” she agreed, hoping he’d let go before she cried from his tight grip.
“So I’ve been rethinkin’ our arrangement. We can get more money. That idiot Weber is loaded.”
“I’m not so sure. Seems kinda dicey.” How would she explain this to Patrick?
“What can he do to us if we demand more? It’s not like he can waltz to the police or his wife and tell them everything. This is a sure bet. We’re in charge and he has to do what we say.”
“I don’t know if we should. My way seems like it’s safer. We take the money and the mom takes the blame.” She had to convince him to stay with the original agreement. She wasn’t risking everything for half the pittance he thought they’d agreed to last week. She’d follow the plan, take all the money, leave this blustering jackass hanging and run off with Patrick.
“My way, we get lots more dough. I’ve seen them do this on TV lots of times.”
He wanted to be in charge. How could she make it his plan? Her wrist was aching but she didn’t pull away. She cozied up to the slime bucket, giving him full view of the extra cleavage in the tight shirt Patrick couldn’t resist. “Don’t they always get caught on TV?”
“Only if they leave DNA or somethin’, and we’re in the clear. That stupid Weber left his prints and gave us the bear to plant. We used gloves.”
“But, honey.” She tried to sound sweet in spite of the shooting pain in her arm. “You know I already took the ransom note you worked so hard on.”
“We can make another.”
Patrick had instructed them to let Lauren cut and glue the letters together. It had taken a long time, but only the kid’s prints were on the paper. That one little thing had taken a four-year-old two solid mornings and afternoons to put together. Small pieces of paper needed to be thrown away and it had been her idea to leave them at Alicia’s house. The scissors, magazines and scraps had been left on the kid’s play table in Lauren’s very own bedroom.
“Getting the kid to do it again will take a couple of more days,” she said sweetly.
The lummox heaved her to his sweaty chest. Tory couldn’t deny he had a great body. And wasn’t bad to look at. That was why she’d been with him so long. If he could just control his mean streak and stop stinkin’ like horses, she wouldn’t mind getting together with him while she waited for all this to be over. He grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked backward. His hot breath landed between her breasts as she landed on his lap.
She knew what would come. She’d told Patrick, practically begged him to let her ask someone else. This was their best option, he’d explained. No one would look too closely if her ex moved back in, but they’d ask lots of questions if it was a stranger. Especially a stranger who moved in at the same time the kid disappeared.
So this way was smarter, and Patrick couldn’t get mad if the inevitable happened. She’d let her ex have his way. Keep him happy and hopefully get him to forget about changing the plan. With any luck, he wouldn’t knock her around too much in the process.
Tory bit her lip and held her breath, preparing herself. Three more days and she’d be flying first-class to Paris with Patrick. Her imagination drifted, picturing another lover, more skilled, gentler. She fell backward, dropping to the floor when suddenly released.
“What did I do?”
“You don’t ever do nothin’.” He shoved off the couch, kicking out with his boot.
Tory saw the red-faced rage burst from her partner and covered her face, prepared for the mean left punch she’d received many, many times. It didn’t come. She timidly stood, uncertain what would happen. She’d never seen him like this. A backhand to the side of her cheek spun her across the arm of the couch.
“Get out of here before I really show you what I think,” he bellowed.
Tory ran to the kid’s door, twisted the bolt and darted inside. She’d been frightened of the jerk before, but never like this. That anger she’d seen ripped into his heart—if he still had one.
The bastard who exploded wasn’t her ex-boyfriend. He was worse. She didn’t know what he’d become or what drugs he was doing now, but he’d turned into an angry striking machine.
She shrank to the floor, leaning against the thin wall, her mind whirling with ways to get out of this mess. She couldn’t go back out there and pretend to like that monster.
Three more days. Could she do this for even one?
For Paris? For Patrick? She could do it for him. She would do it for a million dollars. But now she had to come up with a story about her face. She was certain it would be black-and-blue when she went to work the next day. She needed to pretend everything was normal and not give the police any reason to question her.
A cool little hand soothed her hot cheek. “Are you okay, Tory? Your face is sunburned.”
“Yeah. Just a little scared. I’m going to sleep in here tonight.”
“Are you scared of the big man, too? He yells loud like Grandma Weber.” Her small four-year-old hand covered her mouth. “Oops. She yells more when I call her Grandma.”
Lauren’s embarrassed giggle was sweet, but not enough to make Tory forget who’d just hit her into the next county.
Nothing in the room would slide in front of the door. Nothing to use for protection. Just a mattress on the floor and plastic blocks in the corner. Tory heard determined footsteps heading their direction. She braced herself against the thin door.
Silence.
Click.
The bastard had locked her in with their prisoner, and her cell was in her purse in the kitchen.
“I’ll take care of the money arrangements, Tory. You manage the runt,” he shouted through the wood. “And you ain’t going to work no more. I ain’t no babysitter.”
She allowed Lauren to crawl in her lap, hugging the little girl close. This wasn’t the plan.
Lauren tugged on Tory’s shirtfront to get her attention. “How long is Mommy going to be gone? I don’t like it here.”
“Me neither, sweetie. Me neither.”
Chapter Seven
The dilapidated barn stall still held the smell of manure after years of nonuse. Alicia was hot, sticky and had no intention of lying under the cover of the sleeping bag, until Johnny reminded her rat snakes loved barns. The horrible creatures could actually climb into the rafters and wait. So, of course, she couldn’t close her eyes and was stuck searching the decaying wooden beams.
“You just had to mention snakes,” she complained, hearing him actually laugh.
“You ever going to sleep?”
She noticed the flick of an LED watch from his direction.
“What time is it?”
“Twenty-three minutes after the last time you asked,” he mumbled.
He sounded muffled, maybe facedown with his mouth pushed into his muscles. Johnny wasn’t worried about the nasty snakes that bit when they were provoked. He’d never been afraid and had constantly irritated the cold-blooded things when they were younger.
“Are you sure we can’t sleep outside? It’s sweltering in here.” She tossed the bag off her, keeping the zippered end only over her bare feet. “There’s absolutely no breeze.”
“I was only teasing about the snakes, you know.” His clear, rich voice came from slightly higher, like he was raised on his elbows.
He was bare chested, just like he’d been when she’d arrived at the Double Bar earlier that afternoon. The memory of his sculpted muscles sent her thoughts in a wild direction. She chased her thoughts back to slithering, long things hanging above her.
Snakes were a safer subject to concentrate on. The cold eating machines weren’t nearly as likeable as a man who had promised to find Lauren.
“The thought of snakes isn’t really what’s bothering me. I’m letting my mind fixate on it so I don’t think about other things.” Lots of other things.
“Like?” he asked, sounding resigned they were talking in the dark instead of sleeping.
“Lauren’s been gone less than a week and I feel so alone. Every part of me aches.”
“I’d be worried if it didn’t. You’ve taken an emotional beating. Hurting’s a lot better than feeling nothing at all,” he said softly.
“Is that what you feel? Nothing?”
“Me? Negative. I’m confused more than anything.”
She heard the slick of the nylon rustling, gave up and looked at him. The crescent moon still spilled enough light to see a few old wounds on his shoulder. He sat, one arm wrapped around a knee that he’d brought close to his chest.
“Confused? I don’t understand. You were very decisive ordering me what to pack and what to do. I witnessed exactly what your dad is always telling me. How you’re such an in-charge leader and all.”
“My dad?” He drew his brows together, a permanent crease between them now that hadn’t been there in his teens.
“Yeah. I mean, he’d tell me before the stroke.”
He stretched his back by raising his arms above his head.
Goodness, he had muscles on top of muscle. There couldn’t be an inch of fat on him anywhere. She couldn’t watch and looked out the door to the star-studded sky.
“Did you spend a lot of time with Dad?” he asked, settling back against the stall post.
She sat, leaning on the wall opposite him. “Sure. J.W. and Brian checked on me after Dwayne’s dad died and I was alone with Lauren.”
“I didn’t know.”
“There are a lot of things you don’t know.”
“I get the picture. I missed quite a bit around here. Hey, we should get some shut-eye. It might be the last sound sleep we get for a while.”
