Shotgun Justice (9 page)

“Would you put being angry at me on hold? I know I'm the bad guy in your life. I'm willing to accept that responsibility most days. I just think we have a bigger problem at the moment.”

Put her anger on hold? That was a ridiculous suggestion and made her want to laugh out loud. But it was also very logical. It was very...Jesse.

“Agreed.”

Shoot. Shoot. Shoot.
Her heart took a little tumble as she watched his surprised expression and the backward step that he took. His hands drifted from her shoulders to her knees and the outline of her body in between.

Time for her to put distance between them and keep it there. She sat confused on the picnic table. Suddenly cold and warm and severely attracted to him. Even here. She wanted his warmth, his comfort, his concern.

“So how do you know what Snake Eyes wants?” she asked, pulling her knees to her body and weakly wrapping her arms around them. She couldn't dwell on how her body felt. She could stay as strong as Jesse. She could remain strong and logical.

But to think logically, like a law-enforcement officer, she needed the facts, which were all fuzzy. Some danced around in her brain but not as complete sentences. Everything was fragmented like a puzzle.

“Snake Eyes called the sheriff's office when I arrived at the fire—where you were supposed to be. He admitted he had you, asked where Garrison is hiding. Said he'd kill you if I didn't spill the beans.”

“Well, you can't tell what you don't know.”

Just a flash but she knew he had that answer. The quick narrowing of his eyes and a slight arch of his eyebrow... That was his tell. She'd learned it years ago when he tried to cover for her twin brother.

So he knew where Garrison was staying, but he wasn't letting anyone else know that he knew. Probably a wise decision. If Snake Eyes was watching them, it made sense that he had a listening device somewhere close, too.

“He hasn't made contact since we've been here. I'm drawing the conclusion that he wants us to stay, since he shocks you each time you try to leave.”

Jesse leaned on the end of the picnic bench, stretching his arms over his head. Avery wanted to reach across and rub his shoulders. Lord knew, she'd done it often throughout college. But not now.

Touching him that night... It was what had started the greatest embarrassment of her life. She laced her fingers together, holding tighter, pulling her legs closer. She was still a little chilled and very unwilling to let her companion know it. She could manage.

“I'm at a loss here, Avery.” He shook his head. The early sunlight reflected off the natural highlights in his hair. “I honestly don't know what to do except sit tight. I've combed through this parking lot for a sliver of metal to pick the lock on that collar. I've got a pair of bloody kneecaps but nothing else.”

“I could try now that it's daylight.”

“Too risky if he's watching.”

“We just wait? For what?” Fear was pushing its way to the forefront of her emotions. It was hard to control it. “I'm attempting to walk this through from the killer's point of view. We know his purpose is to secure information. How does he plan on doing that? Telepathy?”

Right on cue a phone rang. Faint. Covered by something. They both jumped to follow the sound, searching the brush and tall grass. Not too hard to find when you knew where to look. They found the plastic bag pushed deep in the hollowed part of a tree.

Jesse held it, paused. She had the same thought... What if there were prints inside? What if there was trace evidence? She shrugged, gestured for him to answer. He flipped the phone open and pushed the speaker button.

“Yeah?”

“I'll skip the pleasantries,” a voice disguised by a mechanical device said swiftly. “It's been a long night and I'm ready to move on. Are you ready to give me the location?”

“I swear that I—” The collar beeped. “Wait. I can't provide you an address I don't have.”

“You have half an hour before the next phase of our game begins.”

The screen went blank.

“Is it locked? Make sure you can't dial out. Don't shush me. I know he's probably listening. Just try it.” She pointed, wanting to take it into her hands, realizing at that moment just how tingly her hands felt. As if they'd been asleep for a while.

Jesse punched in numbers on the old basic phone. Nothing happened. He flipped it over and tried to remove the back to gain access to the battery. They could see the glue around the edges. Glue around the on and off button.

The screen was locked, just as she'd feared. He stuffed the cheap phone back into the bag, not trying further. He spread his arms wide, ready for her to be comforted, then wrapped her in his hug.

“What the he—”

His hand clamped over her mouth even as his eyes scanned the horizon like a machine. He held her tight, chest to chest, his lips brushing her ear as his hot breath lifted the tendrils of hair falling free from her ponytail, tickling the sensitive skin.

“Just listen for a second,” he barely whispered. “Keep your eyes peeled for movement. I haven't seen a glint of a scope, haven't heard anything to even stop the bugs from chirping. We're casually going to find the way he's hearing us. Don't do anything that will get you shocked. You start beeping, you move back to the table.”

“Why can't you leave without me and bring help?” she asked just as softly against his ear.

“Been there. Done that. The second shock knocked you off your feet before I made it to the road.”

She pulled back to look into his eyes. Searching for that small squint that happened when he lied. “How many times?”

“Three.” His voice cracked. He was telling the truth. “You really don't remember? You don't feel weird or anything? You're good. Not faking it?”

Reading him was so easy for her. Weird because she seemed to have a handle on so few others. “I'm a little sore and my chest hurts, but not half as much as my neck from the weight of this thing.”

“I'm surprised you're walking around.”

Genuine concern poured from the look he gave her. So much that she opened her mouth to ask him why he'd left her that night. Ironically, even with all the questions floating around in her supercharged brain, that night was clearer than most.

The long kisses, the yearning looks, the feel of his hand hesitantly touching her breast for the first time... It was as if she could feel all of it at that exact moment. Her mind was playing tricks on her. Jesse was only skimming the skin above the monster necklace. She cleared her throat and his hand dropped to his lap. They scooted a little farther apart. Of course, they had more relevant problems—as in how to survive the next few hours.

“Are you sure there's nothing around here to pry this off? This collar weighs a ton.”

Searching the back edge of the picnic area with her eyes, there was something lighter in the brush. The sun highlighted a patch that looked a lot like skin.

“Is that a...a body?”

Chapter Twelve

“Can you estimate how long they've been dead?” Avery asked behind him.

When Jesse had searched the picnic area before, he'd missed the two bodies on the edge of the back fence. He carried them closer to the parking lot. Avery was still shaky, but not admitting it to him. Her normally tanned features were pale. He'd heard people talking about turning as white as a sheet. He'd never seen it until today.

“I assume they arrived with us. No animals have been at them. Stripped to their underwear. No ID. No shoes.”

His feet were missing shoes, too. Probably a deterrent to running away. He was going to miss those boots.

Scooting off the bench, she stood to take a look at their faces. “I recognize one of them. He's come through Dalhart driving New Mexico plates. But I don't recall his name. The other one, I haven't ever seen.”

“They must have set the fires. Snake Eyes doesn't leave witnesses.”

“Shoot, Jesse. Snake Eyes doesn't even work with anyone for very long. I can't imagine how many people have been a casualty of his crimes.” She sighed. The shock collar was having more effect on her than she'd admit. “He's left us alive but we're in a public area? It's daylight. People will be driving by. We can ask for help.”

“He wants Garrison and Kenderly Tyler, his witness. Without them the state has no case. The remaining evidence would be thrown out.”

“We can still ask for help.”

“How can we possibly get out of this?”

“Together. I don't suppose there's extra ranger training for this sort of thing?” She tugged at the collar.

“The subject of how to remove a shock collar hasn't come up.” Just in case Snake Eyes could listen via the phone, Jesse left it with the dead men, then sat next to her.

The sun was full in the sky, almost topping the trees on the east side of the grove. They could see more clearly and had about ten minutes left before Snake Eyes was supposed to call them.

“What would he do if you gave him a false address?” she whispered.

“Kill anyone there or some other innocent man he asks to check it out. I don't know where they are.” He wished he didn't know. Then there'd be no chance in hell he'd share the information.

As it was, he didn't know if Avery would survive a fourth shock. He had no idea how much electricity was flowing through her body. The third time had lasted quite a while and her heart had stopped. She'd come back, but would she the next time?

“Any good ideas? If not, I'm going to the restroom over there. Shock or no shock.” She stood and spoke while turning in a circle. “You hear me, Snake Eyes? I'm going to cross the parking lot and have a private moment.”

His mind was a blank. Maybe it was a side effect of the drug he'd been given, but he couldn't think of a single thing to do. Not a damn way to protect her.

“Ah!” she cried out as she opened the door. “It's all right. I'm okay. There are more moths in here than I've ever seen in one spot.”

He'd jumped up, ready to do battle as he was, dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and bare feet.

“Ah! More moths. They're creepy.”

More creepy than two dead strangers about thirty feet away?

“Oh man, Jesse, can you help me? I'm going to be sick.”

He ran across the gravel parking lot, not caring that every step was painful.

“What?” He pushed through the door. Avery had a finger over her lips, instructing him to be quiet.

“I'm all right. I checked every crevice in here. No listening devices or cameras, so I'm testing something,” she whispered. “I think you might be able to get the toilet-paper holder off the wall.”

“I could have kicked this off easy if I had my boots.” He bent to one knee, taking a closer look. “I need something thin enough to work as a screwdriver or a heavy rock. He took everything from my pockets. I've already tried to break my zipper pull. No luck.”

“I'm going to pretend to remain sick. Maybe that will give you time to find how he's watching us. Or find something to knock this loose. There has got to be something around here that you can pick a lock with.”

They might be in a tight spot—some might call it hopeless—but Avery wasn't about to go out without swinging. It hadn't crossed her mind to give up. Her color was coming back, so she might be feeling better but wasn't about to let Snake Eyes realize it.

She reached around him to open the door and he saw the solution. “Our answer has been staring me in the face. Literally.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do you still wear an underwire bra?”

She nodded.

“Take it off. I can use that to jam open the lock on that collar.”

“Are you sure?”

“It's worth a try. Let me help.” He reached under her T-shirt and unhooked the hooks. The collar began beeping.

Without removing her shirt, she slipped the bra off and pushed her arms through the holes.

“I'll get sick again in a few and we'll come back in here to try it.” She stumbled out the door, and the red light stopped blinking. Twirling in the parking lot, she spoke to the trees. “There is a lot I want to say to you, Snake Eyes. A lot of words I'd like to call you. I'll wait until we're face-to-face.”

Standing half in and half out of the restroom, Jesse held the bra behind his back, working until one of the wire ends ripped through the material. He pulled it out and stowed it under his shirt.

Their situation wasn't good, but he'd never been prouder to watch Avery shake her fist at anyone. They'd both get out of this alive because they'd work together to get the job done.

Avery didn't receive a shock, but the phone rang. She carefully picked up the bag and flipped it open.

“Here are the rules,” the altered voice said. “I need an address. You and your ranger stay. I'll let you go once my friend has verified he's there. If someone happens by... It's your choice. I'm glad to kill anyone you invite to the party.”

“We know you're going to kill us. Why should we give you my brother, too?”

“There is so much more fun we can have.”

Avery dropped the phone, shaking back and forth. If Jesse touched her, he'd be useless.

“How much can you take, Ranger Ryder?”

The shaking stopped and Jesse caught her before she hit the ground.

“Son of a B, that hurts.”

“At least this time you're not passing out. Must have been a lighter current.”

“Restroom, please.” She squeaked out the words as she clung to him.

“I hope you're faking this. At least a little,” he whispered and picked her up in his arms. He left the phone on the ground. His only concern was Avery. “You can't take much more of this.”

She sat on the closed toilet seat. “Then get me out of this thing.”

“I'm with you there, sweetheart.” He stuck the underwire into the lock. “This thing looks like a cylinder lock that can sometimes be opened with just a credit card. Worst type of lock there is. So maybe...”

The collar began beeping. A bead of sweat rolled into Jesse's eye.

“Oh God, please hurry, Jesse. I can't—”

“Almost...” He jammed and twisted. “Got it.”

The collar fell to the concrete floor, stinging his fingertips as he released it. Avery pressed herself into his body so fast they both fell backward.

“I've never been so thankful something worked before in my life.” She kissed his mouth.

Quick with gratitude. It was better than handcuffs for sure.

“You going to be able to run? He's got to have eyes on us. He's going to know you aren't wearing that thing and he has no control any longer.”

“There's an empty house on the corner. It's been on the market for months. I don't know what's inside, but it's not in the open like this.”

“You said it would be faster to stay on the dirt road and not cut across the field. Yeah, that's where we were heading before the second shock. We've got to blast out of here and not stop. Something happens to me, just keep going. Don't look back.”

“There'll be none of your Texas Ranger heroics. This is my county. Remember? We stay together. Don't worry. I can keep up.” She held out her hand. “Just as soon as you get me off this filthy floor, because I don't think I can move.”

“Elf Face?”

She winked. “Just kidding. I can run a marathon to get out of here. Come on.”

* * *

J
ESSE
LED
THE
way from the restroom as the collar beeped and buzzed behind them. The parking-lot gravel hurt. Avery ignored the pain, pushing through the sharp bruising.

“Okay?” Jesse reached back and took her hand.

“Just winded and braless.”

They hadn't made it to the road yet. How was she supposed to run a half mile? Blessed relief hit her feet as she stepped onto the soft dirt road. She stayed in the tire tracks, where it was packed down and a little easier to run through.

Jesse ran in sand, imitating an ocean sand dune. If he'd let go, he could take the other tire rut. But he held on tight to Avery.

The wind whooshed by, much different than the stillness of the grove. She barely saw the dirt kick up in front of them. There were definite pops and puffs of sand in the air.

“Snake Eyes is shooting,” she panted.

“We can't turn back. Keep going.” They both slowed and turned toward the sound of shots. “Down.”

He pulled her to the dirt, covering her with his body. Bullets peppered the road. He rolled them closer to the ditch, which was more like an extension of the field.

“What now?”

“I can't tell where the bastard's shooting from.” He raised his head even with the wildflowers and some kind of flowy grass. Nothing happened. “Can you run?”

They shifted to where they were looking not only at each other but at the perimeter behind the other.

“I'm slower than normal. But I'm not going back, so it has to be forward.”

The dang house looked farther away than before. She could see the roof and more trees. But around them was nothing. No tree or wood fence post or telephone pole...no anything except grass and flowers.

“Make a dash for the house.”

She saw the desperation in his eyes. He was about to do something stupid.

“What happens when he shoots you? I can't—” Even now it was hard to admit it out loud. “I can't do this alone, Jesse. Please don't make me.”

Weaving her fingers in his, she began to stand. Shots brought them back to their bellies.

“Can you crawl?”

“Watch me.” Their arms would be raw from the plants that had dried like tumbleweed.

“This is going to hurt,” Jesse said, moving a couple of feet.

“Not as much as being dead.”

He sort of snickered as they moved forward. Ten arm pulls along the ground and he tapped her shoulder. “You ready to make another try?”

“Absolutely.”

They stayed low to the ground, began running, kicking up dirt behind them. Jesse had a tight grip on her upper arm. She heard the shot. A rifle behind her and on the side of the grove.

“Keep going!” Jesse shouted, instead of falling to the ground again.

The house was closer. Another hundred feet and they'd be on pavement. It was tempting to stop and crawl through the barbed wire, but it might give him time enough to make a shot.

If Snake Eyes was back around the grove, he wouldn't have a shot as they rounded the corner. They kept running past the fence to the driveway. A broken swing set had been left in the yard. They kept running.

The door was locked. Jesse didn't hesitate. He broke the window with something left on the porch. They were inside, leaning against the walls at the base of a stairway, breathing so hard she didn't think she would ever catch her breath. She really needed water and prayed it had been left turned on.

“Now what?”