* * * *
“Well, little miss, what do you think? Have we put your property to good use?”
Shye glared but said nothing.
“Don’t look so sad.” He cupped her chin. “Carter did pay your parents to lease the farm and we
are
going to use it for farming. But there ain’t no money in soybeans and corn. Our crops will bring in more cash than a pretty little thing like you has ever seen. Man cannot live on cornbread alone.” He let out a mocking laugh.
“
Wamanusa
!” She glowered then spit in his face.
“I’m not the thief, woman! You’re the one robbing the bank.” He wiped his eye but didn’t flinch. “How’d you do that anyway? Are you one of those Indian dream catcher women? I know that horse wasn’t from around here. There’s something about you that makes me want to take a closer look.”
Shocked that he understood Lakota, she didn’t know how to figure out this new enemy. Someone like him would be loyal to only himself.
Why did he bring me here and not straight to Carter? What does he want?
She shuddered at the possibilities. Surely Gage wouldn’t allow this half-breed bully to harm her. Even though he’d become involved with these seedy men, she couldn’t believe that her longtime friend would stoop this low. She wondered how Gage had managed to get tangled up in this mess.
“You hold your tongue well,” he persisted as the other men worked hurriedly. “I have ways of extracting information from people.” Pike squatted in front of her. “I could…beat it out of you…but that wouldn’t be any fun for either of us. How does a man seduce a fiery vixen like you? Seems my old friend Trip found a way. You sure cozied up to him on that bike of his.” He reached out with one long finger and let it slide down her bare arm. “You’re much too valuable to hand over to Carter. Once my men finish and leave, you and I will get to know one another better. How does that sound?”
By now blood felt like fire coursing through her. His sickening confidence made her inwardly cringe. “Go to hell,” she snarled, then brought one high-heeled boot up hard against his groin.
“Shit!” He doubled over, clutching his crotch. “Just wait, little hellcat, we have unfinished business.” With that he pushed off his feet in open discomfort and wandered over to his cohorts. “Wrap it up, boys,” Pike barked. “It’s almost daybreak and I have other matters to tend.”
They gave him consenting nods and worked faster to pack bags containing white powder into wooden crates, then covered them with sacks of corn. She assumed the drug was heroine from what Trip had told her.
Drug runners.
She huffed in disdain.
My precious family farm in the hands of grubby parasites.
Rage flooded her, spiking her adrenaline. Her parents would be shattered if they knew. Now more than ever, determination to stop them and take back her farm consumed her.
These swine have defiled my ancestor’s land!
If only she could manage to break free even for a few minutes once the sun rose, she’d be able to shift into any shadow and escape. Many wild animals visited her farm and majestic eagles often soared overhead. Any shadow would do. Once free, she’d have to adopt a new plan of action to drain Carter’s resources while Trip went after Pike. Robbing the bank had become too risky with Pike’s increased interest in her ability. She wasn’t sure how to manage the situation. But first course of action was to get the hell out of this mess.
“So, Shye,” he approached again as the others filtered out the back door. “Let’s you and I have a chat.”
“My wrists hurt.”
He sighed with a cockeyed look. “I don’t imagine you can get very far in those heels.” Slowly he untied the twine. “Tell me how you got involved with Trip Viper. You probably think I’m a bad man because of what you’ve seen but you don’t know about your boyfriend.”
She remained silent while rubbing the rope burns on her wrists.
“You still haven’t told me how you slipped in and out of the bank undetected. From where I was standing it looked like you walked through a brick wall…and that damned horse…where the hell did that come from? Are you going to tell me about this mystical aura surrounding you?” He reached out to brush her cheek with one hand.
In lightning fast reflex motion, she snapped with her teeth and bit down on his hand.
“Ow, damnit!” He stared at her with a baffled expression while soothing the wound with his other hand. “I take that as a
no
.” A few minutes later, after studying her intently he spoke again. “Trip didn’t tell you that I was his brother’s partner, did he?”
Her head jerked up.
“Ah, I didn’t think so. He probably made up some story about me being guilty of Ty’s death, am I right?”
“You’re lying!” Her breath caught in her chest.
Pike reached into a pocket and presented a worn newspaper clipping. “Read it. Look at the picture…that’s me and Ty standing with the Police Chief of San Diego.”
Through eyes blurred with tears she read the short article about Lieutenants Pike Draven and Ty Viper receiving a commendation for their work as undercover narcotics agents. Confusion washed over her.
Why did Trip lie?
She studied the photo and could see that one man was definitely Pike and had the other not been named as Trip’s brother she’d not have believed it.
“Carter tells me you’re retired military?”
She merely nodded, completely at a loss for words.
“Then you of all people should understand secret assignments. I’m working a sting operation here, trying to catch the main source. If I was truly working with Carter, why didn’t I hand you over to him instead of bringing you here?”
“That’s a good question,” she replied in a shaky voice.
“I need to convince him that I’m one of the bad guys so I had to capture you. It’s the only way to stay on the inside. He’s hell bent on proving you stole his money and if I didn’t accept the job he’d have found someone else…someone worse.”
“You’re really a cop?”
“Yeah, you wouldn’t know it by my appearance though. I couldn’t look soft on you in front of the men. They’re a suspicious lot. Ty and I were just about ready to close in on these guys the night he got killed. All the evidence we’d gathered disappeared with him.”
Her mind was reeling. “This doesn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t you and Trip be working together?”
“He’s a bounty hunter. I’m a cop. He’s after Ty’s killer for the cash and I want justice. If he had evidence on me, don’t you think I’d be in custody by now? Did he show you anything to prove me wrong?”
“No.” Keeping her wits, she didn’t reveal that Trip claimed to have that very proof. Pike could be fishing. She remembered what Trip had said about not trusting anyone with the evidence. Still, this didn’t add up.
Why hadn’t he just told me the truth? Doesn’t he trust me?
She didn’t understand why he hadn’t told her that Pike had been Ty’s partner.
“You know I could take you in for robbery, don’t you?” he persisted with a slow smirk. “What’s your deal anyway?”
“This land belonged to me and my family. Carter tricked my parents into selling before I returned home.”
“So your attacks on the bank are strictly revenge?”
“Sort of.” She studied his expressions, baffled by the sudden switch in demeanor. He had become almost charming and he certainly wasn’t ugly. “I have a plan and you’re in the way.”
Pike laughed. “Is that so? What would you say if I told you I can get your farm back into your hands after I bust these guys?”
After thinking for a moment, she replied, “I’d ask what the catch is?”
“Stay away from Trip and stop robbing the bank. You’re getting in the way. Drug lords get cagy when newcomers burst onto the scene as you and Viper have done. Ty and I worked long and hard, took a lot or risks to gain their trust. We had a meet set up with the boss before my partner got killed—that was the night we’d had planned the bust. He backed away after that and I’m finally getting close again. The faster I take them down the sooner you’ll own this land again.”
She wanted to believe him but if she did then that meant Trip had been lying. He told her Ty’s partner hadn’t been seen since his death.
Why won’t he trust the law to bring this man in if he has enough evidence to prove his guilt? Is he so bent on revenge that he won’t rest until Pike is dead?
Her heart and mind went to war.
Have I fallen in love with Trip so soon? And is he more important than the land of my ancestors? Should I take a chance on this undercover cop and walk away from Trip to save my family?
Sweat trickled down her back as anxiety crept into her soul.
“I understand your dilemma but if Viper continues pushing his way in I’ll never catch Ty’s killer. We all want the same thing…justice. But all this activity might blow my cover. Trust me, Shye. I’ve shown you I’m a cop. Let me do my job then I will help you.”
“He’s lying!” Trip leapt from the rafters and landed on his feet not far away brandishing his pistol in one hand.
A rush of excitement filled her over his sudden arrival but was quickly tainted by mistrust. She was thrilled and confused all at once.
Instantly Pike grabbed her waist and moved behind her. “Back off, Viper, you don’t want her in the middle of a fight. I’m sick of you getting in the way so I’ll just keep the woman until this job is done. You’re only after your damn bounty reward.”
“Step away, Pike or I’ll take you in dead. Doesn’t matter to me how I drag your sorry ass back to California.”
“Is it true?” she asked, unable to stop herself though it was probably the worst possible time. “Is he really a cop and your brother’s partner?”
A look of regret shadowed Trip’s face. “Yeah, babe, but the less you knew the safer I thought you’d be. I see Pike filled your head with doubt.”
So far Pike hadn’t drawn a weapon which made her wonder if Trip was in fact only after the bounty. Her gaze shifted between them as they stared each other down.
“I’m not turning her over to you,” growled Pike. “She’s safer with me, so put your gun away, turn around and leave and we’ll pretend you didn’t just threaten a police officer.”
Trip took another step forward. “No way in hell will I leave her with the likes of you.”
“Too bad.” Pike poked her side with something hard and blunt.
She glanced down and saw an AK-47 assault rifle in his hand aimed at her. At that point everything became a blur as two men rushed into the building. Pike kept her to his front while dragging her backward with one arm secured tightly around her waist. Trip cautiously advanced while firing back at the other two men who’d opened fire. She had to do something instead of acting like a frightened female.
I’m a soldier, damnit!
Though she had a lot of questions for Trip, he wasn’t the one posing a threat to her immediate safety so she went with her instinct and trusted him. Pike didn’t expect her head butt to his face followed by a sharp elbow to his gut and a backhanded fist to his nose. Whipping around for a second she swung her leg up and landed another blow to his face, knocking him back, then turned to face Trip.
He pulled her pistol grip shotgun from inside his coat and tossed it to her. She reached out and caught it with one hand then hit the floor and rolled while pumping several rounds toward Pike and his two thugs. Suddenly more men ran into the barn. She crouched at Trip’s feet and reloaded while he covered her. He slid one hand into her hair protectively while shooting with his other.
“Stay down.” His voice was low and firm.
With one hand wrapped around his leg to maintain her balance she took aim and fired back.
“Shye, we’re out numbered, head for the door! I’ll hold them off and catch up.”
“No way,” she muttered. “We’re leaving here together.”
They stood side-by-side shooting at their attackers while backing out the door. She chose her targets carefully under the assumption that she didn’t have backup ammunition. But Trip seemed to have plenty and he never quit firing. As a sharp shooter, Shye used precision to make each shell count. They held their ground and made it outside.
“The bike is in the thicket beside your mailbox…run for it. You’re almost out of ammo.”
With a consenting nod, she took his advice and sprinted through the fields praying that Trip would be close behind. She tumbled down the last stretch after tripping on a branch but quickly recovered. As he’d said, his bike was waiting—a gleaming black masterpiece of chrome and steel hidden in the bushes. Crouching in the weeds, panting from adrenaline, she waited with shotgun at her side. She had two shells left.
Trip came barreling down the drive several minutes later. “Get on!”
He literally leapt into the thicket and onto the seat of his bike, fired the engine and kicked it into gear. Shots from behind drew closer.
“Give me your gun,” she told him.
While he guided them onto the main road, she turned and fired with both weapons—one in each hand. Two men chasing them fell to the ground before she and Trip sped out of range. Shye turned and wrapped her arms around his waist, keeping a firm grip on each gun.
“I have a lot of questions,” she said close to his ear.
He turned his head sideways. An indistinct look traversed his face. “I’ll tell you everything.”
She nodded and laid her head against his back while snuggling in tight. Her body was trembling from the rush of it all—fear, excitement, action—and this hot rebel biker who handled his gun with the same skill and passion as he did his awesome Harley.
They raced down the highway at breakneck speed with the growl of the engine doing the talking. Wind whipped her hair out behind and his in her face. His scent filled her senses. His abs rippled beneath her hands. Gorgeous, wild and dangerous—the effect he had on her was intoxicating. She said a silent prayer that his answers would resolve the doubt stirred by Pike.
Chapter Four
They reached his campsite in less than half the time it usually took. He’d driven at lightning speed and never once slowed up until pulling into the secluded drive to his cabin. After cruising around back, he parked the bike. Her body still felt shaky from the entire ordeal as she eased off the passenger seat. Their lives seemed to be one fast run after another lately. Heavy dew had fallen overnight and lingered on the grass, glistening in the early morning light.