Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 120186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 601(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 601(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
Like I care about a fence now. “Later. We have bigger issues.”
“Such as?”
He’ll hate this. But I can’t bring myself to care. “I’m gonna need you boys to get together and help me cut off a couple of unwelcome guests,” I tell him, keeping the SUV in my sight.
Chapter 27
Kade
“They tried to run Allie off the road last night,” I explain to Calder on the phone as I follow Allie and her two pursuers out of town. “I followed their tracks and saw them at the bar later. They told Rick they’re in from Utah, same as the family Allie is supposed to be marrying into. Now, they’re following her from the sheriff’s office.”
Calder’s voice is quiet when he asks, “And what does any of this have to do with you?”
Fucking hell. Like I want a lecture when the clock is ticking. “Remember when we talked about trust? Me having your back? I need you to have mine now. And we don’t have a lot of time,” I add. “They’re on their way. Allie is headed straight to you.”
“So I don’t have a choice but to get involved.”
“Are you going to step up and help, or not?”
He sighs heavily. “All right. We’ll be waiting to cut them off before they reach my place. Tell Allie to keep driving through. Saint will be waiting at home for her.”
I would thank him, but he ends the call before I have the chance. He’s irritated. That’s his problem. Not like he wouldn’t do the same damn thing if Saint asked him to save her best friend. It’s only my asking that pisses him off.
I call Allie from the burner phone.
“What am I supposed to do?” she shouts before I have a chance to speak.
“My brother will cut them off. All you have to do is keep driving to Saint’s house, all right? She’ll be waiting there for you. Not too fast,” I add, checking my speedometer. “Don’t let them know you know they’re following. Got it? We don’t want to scare them off.”
“Okay,” she says, but she sounds like she’s on the verge of tears.
“So you gave Tanner hell back there, didn’t you?” I ask, trying to calm her down some.
Her surprised laugh tells me that was the right question. I needed to change the subject. “I’m pretty sure he shit his pants. I threatened to sue the entire department.”
“I wish I could’ve watched it on camera. What I saw on the street was bad enough.”
“I made sure he knows I think he’s a waste of taxpayer dollars.”
“He probably already knew that,” I point out.
“That’s true. Anyway, I gave him the same story as always. I almost believe it by now,” she adds with a breathless laugh that tells me she’s still too amped up.
“That’s good,” I tell her, trying to be soothing while making sure not to tail the SUV too closely. Fuck, I should have checked if they were armed while I was watching them. “If you believe it, it sounds more convincing.”
“I guess so.” Anxiety is leaking into her voice again, making it high-pitched. “What do they want with me? Why are they doing this?”
“They want to scare you into confessing something. They want you to feel like the walls are closing in. The more pressure they put on, the more likely you are to crack. But you won’t do that, right? Because you don’t break down.”
“I don’t break down.” If only she’d sound like she believes it.
“There you go. That’s what I want to hear.” We’re getting closer to the ranch now. “I’m gonna let you go and check in with Calder. Make sure they’re ready.”
“What will you do with them?”
“Don’t worry about it. Just worry about getting yourself over to Saint’s.” My other phone rings with Sawyer. “I gotta go.”
I hate getting off the phone with her when she’s so spooked, but I convince myself she’ll be fine as I pick up Sawyer’s call. “Yeah?”
“What the hell is going on?” He sounds tired and maybe disappointed. “Why are you getting involved in Porter shit? Didn’t we already talk about this?”
“We have a couple of guys from out of state harassing our neighbors.”
“And how, exactly, is that our problem?”
“Do this for me. I will explain everything after we find out for sure what their boss wants. This matters a hell of a lot to me, Sawyer.”
“Yeah, well, we’re ready,” he grunts. Because he has to twist my balls before admitting he’s already prepared to help. “Around a quarter mile from the house.”
“We should be there in another couple of minutes. Listen for my horn. I’ll lean on it when we’re coming up.”
Allie turns off the main road. The SUV follows. This road narrows, so there won’t be any room for them to get around Allie or to make a U-turn, with trees growing thick on either side.