Beth and Shelley stood in the doorway, their faces sheet white.
“Beth?”
“You told me I had to tell you the next time someone tried to kill me.” Her voice was strained, a tight whisper. “Well, someone’s ready to kill me again.”
“I told you he’d kill us all.” Bryce shrank back.
Bo turned and saw an immaculately dressed man. He was roughly six foot three and wore an air of disdain, as though the world always disappointed him. He also carried a .45 in his gloved hand, pointed straight at the back of Beth’s head. His other hand was on her arm, keeping her close to his body. Beth was his shield.
“I just need a little more time. It’s here,” Bryce insisted.
The man with the gun shook his head. “You made a deal with my employer. You took my employer’s cash in exchange for your products. You set yourself up as a distributor. No one forced you to do that, Mr. Hughes. But we do expect to get what we paid for. I want the drugs now. We’ve been more than patient. It’s been months. You, put down the gun or I’ll shoot both of the women. I assume at least one of them is yours.”
Bo let the rifle drop. Roxanne wasn’t going to help him out now. Terror threatened to claw at his insides. One slip of that man’s finger and Beth’s life would be over. His life would be over.
“Look, mister, I can see you have some business with Bryce here. I can’t stand the man, myself. Why don’t you let me take the women, and you can conclude this transaction in private?” He was pretty sure it wouldn’t work, but he had to try.
“Call me Carlo. I think we’re going to be friends, Mr. O’Malley. Yes, I know all the players in this sad little town. My employer pays me very well to keep up with everything. Including his product. You see, Mr. Hughes here started out as a small-time meth dealer. I believe your employees work out of a trailer park in another town.”
“Bryce, what is he talking about?” Shelley’s hands shook.
“Shut up, Shelley. This isn’t any of your business.”
Carlo chuckled, though the sound was slightly sinister to Bo’s ears. “It is your business, darling. He used your business to do an enormous amount of our work. He’s laundered money through it. He’s gotten us some incredibly interesting information with which to blackmail certain politicians. It isn’t easy to get drugs over the border these days. It certainly helps to have a few, shall we say, influential people in our pockets. You weren’t aware of the hidden cameras you placed in your clients’ offices when you redecorated? I can see not. It was probably smart of you to keep your little wife out of it, Hughes. Now, Mr. O’Malley, get to your knees, please, and allow Mrs. Hughes to use the zip ties I carry around for just such an occasion. It’s really shocking how often I find the need to tie people up in my line of business.”
Bo felt his whole body harden, every muscle screaming for him to not allow this to happen.
“I wouldn’t play the hero, Mr. O’Malley. You might be able to take me down, but not before I kill her. The instant I see you move, I will put a bullet through her brain. Is that an acceptable outcome? Do you not believe that I will kill someone? I think you need a demonstration of my willpower. Mr. Hughes, as you obviously can’t even manage to properly search a home, I have no further use for you.”
Bo watched in utter horror as the gun in Carlo’s hand moved slightly and he fired, the discharge pounding through the small room with the force of a grenade. Beth screamed, trying to put her hands to her ears, but Carlo held fast. Shelley stood in shocked terror.
And Bryce Hughes stood in the middle of the room, perfectly still for a moment, as though frozen in time. Then blood bloomed from the neat hole in his forehead. He tottered, as though his body wasn’t sure which way to fall. It seemed to take forever for him to find the floor. All the while, Bryce stared out, his eyes as blank as a doll’s. He hit the floor, and time seemed to speed up again.
Shelley cried out. Carlo tightened his hold. Bo wanted to run, to tackle the fucker, but he couldn’t risk it. Beth’s left ear was bleeding. Her face was so pale. He couldn’t stand the thought of her hitting the floor, her body still forever, her strong heart silenced.
Bo got to his knees, his hands behind his back. “Shelley, you’ve got to do as the man says.”
“Excellent, Mr. O’Malley. Mrs. Hughes, bind the young man’s hands, and then this one here will bind yours. We’re going to see how well Miss Hobbes knows this house. Bryce was convinced his partner hid a half a million dollars worth of cocaine somewhere in this house. You can find it, or I’ll start killing your friends.”
“I can find it,” Beth promised, her eyes finding Bo’s as Shelley slipped the zip tie on and tightened it. Bo could feel Shelley’s hands shaking.
Bo had to pray Beth could do what she’d promised.
* * * *
Trev pulled into the rickety trailer park and sighed. The whole place had an air of neglect he recognized. This was one of those desperate places. Every city and suburb had them. Every small town, too. This was a place without hope and that very few escaped from. It was definitely the place to get drugs.
It had been remarkably easy to get the information he wanted. Everyone was willing to buy that he wanted to score. Apparently Marty had come through, drinking and asking the same questions. He’d been looking for drugs for his client. No wonder no one believed him when he said he was straight. His former agent had blown his reputation before he’d even had a chance to settle in.
No one even questioned it. He’d hauled himself into The Rusty Spur and in fifteen minutes knew where to go for meth.
Nelson Hall. Bryce’s good friend. Nelson Hall, who had sent his son to do his dirty work, who obviously let his son test the product.
He stopped the truck. There were three teens standing around smoking.
“Hey, can you tell me where to find Nelson Hall?” Trev asked.
The only female of the group pointed down a thin, gravel road. “He’s the last one on the road, but I don’t think he’s there. His son is.”
Apparently juvie wasn’t what it used to be if Austin Hall was already out. Trev nodded and prepared himself. It was a stupid plan, and he couldn’t help himself. He had to know. He started down the road.
Fuck, what was he doing? He was putting himself in harm’s way. He was going on a drug buy. He wasn’t supposed to be getting close to this life again, but he had to. He was supposed to be working O’Malley’s herd, marking time until he came into his money and got the chance to work his own herd. He wasn’t even going to stay in this town. He was leaving. He’d just needed a little distraction.
A vision of Beth between himself and Bo assaulted him, her body twisting as she tried to kiss them both, her heart big enough to handle both men.
He’d started the relationship because she’d seemed to need him, and he’d needed a distraction.
Some fucking distraction.
She’d wormed her way into his heart, and he wasn’t sure if he could live without her. It was his lot in life to never be able to do anything halfway. The only time he didn’t feel was when he was drunk. Love for Beth was rolling in his veins and with it the acknowledgement that he loved Bo, too. Bo was the brother he’d never had, the person who might have been able to save him if Trev had given him half a chance.
Could he make it work? Did he even have the right to try?
Trev stopped the truck in front of a ramshackle single-wide that had seen way better days. Austin Hall sat on the steps outside the trailer.
The kid looked far older than his sixteen years. His face was covered in sores, and when he smiled, Trev could see that his teeth were already showing the effects of meth. Thank god he’d never gotten into meth.
“Should have known you would show up. When dad heard you got back into town, he said we should up production.”
Trev just managed to not clock the little shit. The need to kill the kid was right there. He’d taken a shot at Beth. But hurting some sixteen-year-old meth head who probably didn
’t have much of a chance of seeing his seventeenth birthday wouldn’t fix things. He let his face go slack and tried to keep his hat slung low so no one noticed how clear his eyes were. “I need a fix, man. Bryce Hughes told me this was the place to come.”
He flashed a wad of cash to let the kid know he was serious.
“Bryce would know.” The kid was dressed in jeans and a hoodie, his sneakers worn. Earbuds dangled around his neck.
“Hey, shouldn’t you be in jail or something? I heard you took a shot at someone.”
Trev held his breath. Either the kid would buy that Trev’s brother-in-law would send him here, or he would walk away.
The kid shrugged. “That was a mistake. No one was supposed to be in that house. I wasn’t trying to kill the bitch, and then her dumb-ass boyfriend caught me. Luckily, we got a judge or something on tape fucking a prostitute. So I’m out. No one can keep me in jail. Bryce slapped the fuck out of me, though. Your brother-in-law is an asshole. Did he find the shit?”
Austin hopped off the steps. He had a cigarette in his hand.
Trev tried to play it cool. So Bryce was looking for something, was he? And he was willing to involve a kid, to hurt a kid over it.
He would be willing to hurt Beth and Shelley, too.
“He’s not my blood, man. I don’t claim him. And no. He hasn’t found a thing. He’s panicked about it, too.” Trev shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to look a little desperate.
The kid took a drag off his cigarette. “Dad told him he shouldn’t have gotten involved with those mob guys. That’s some bad shit, but you know Bryce. He talked about moving upmarket. I don’t know why we had to start dealing coke. No one does coke out here. He’s turned us all into some freaking middle men, you know. Like we’re some kind of business with plans and shit. Dad’s been cutting the pure stuff Bryce brings back from South America and selling it to gangs and the freaking mafia. Stupid asshole. Now they’re going to come down on all our heads, and all because he pissed off his partner.”
A wealth of things began to fall into place. Bryce was in deep, and he was going to drag everyone down with him. “He thinks Barry stashed something in the old Bellows place?”
Austin laughed. “Ain’t that funny? Old Maudine Bellows died not even knowing she had a half a million dollars worth of coke in her house. Barry hid it good, too. I couldn’t find it. I don’t know how anyone could find fucking anything in that house. Talk about a hoarder. I could barely move when I searched the garage. Hey, is that why you’re fucking that girl? Does Bryce have you looking for it, too? Dude, he promised me ten grand if I found it.”
Nausea rolled. His brother-in-law was the money behind the county’s drugs. And apparently he’d been blackmailing politicians. How far was he in? There was no question about it. Shelley and Beth would be in Dallas by nightfall under the protective glare of Julian Lodge. He would set Ben and Chase, the super twins, on this and protect his family.
His family.
Beth and Bo were his family. He couldn’t pretend. He couldn’t say he would take it one day at a time and let life sort itself out. They were his. They would be his tomorrow. They would be in his heart no matter what he did, and if he walked away, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
He knew enough. He needed to get them out of town. He had no deep desire to play the hero.
“So, how much do you want?”
Trev stared at the kid before realizing what he was asking. “Uh, I changed my mind. I’ll just go get a beer.”
Big mistake. The kid stared at him as though trying to decide something.
“She’s your girlfriend, isn’t she?”
Trev was silent, trying to decide if the kid would call Bryce.
Austin’s face fell. “I didn’t mean to hurt her. I didn’t want to. I panicked. Mouse is a nice lady. She probably doesn’t remember it, but when I was a kid, she helped me out. My bike got a flat, and she stopped and made sure it was working again. She’s real nice. I wouldn’t have hurt her.”
There was a long moment of quiet. “The mob sent a guy to deal with Bryce. Someone from New York. I overheard Bryce and my dad talking. God, don’t tell them I told you. They would fucking kill me. They were going back to that house they sent me to. The mob dude said he would kill Bryce if they didn’t find the drugs. You need to tell her to stay away.”
Sheer panic threatened to overwhelm Trev. He’d sent them home. “Call the cops.”
Austin’s eyes were old and tired. “Who do you think’s been watching the place? The deputy’s been on the payroll for years. Only the sheriff is clean, but he’s retiring soon.”
Trev pulled a card out his pocket along with all the cash he had. He jotted down Leo’s cell on the card and handed Austin both. “That’s three hundred dollars. It’s yours if you’ll just call that number and tell the man who answers what’s going on. Tell him Shelley’s in trouble, and we need him. He’ll know what to do. You don’t have to say anything else to him. Austin, please. You don’t have to live this life. Help us.”
He was putting all his faith in a meth head, but he’d dumped his phone once he’d hit town and Marty wouldn’t stop calling. He had to get to Beth.
“There’s no way out.” But Austin’s fingers were already pulling the phone from his pocket.
“That’s what I said six hundred and ninety-three days ago.” It was how long he’d been sober. It was how long he’d had to give to the universe before he’d found his life, his Beth. “And the man who answers that phone is the reason I’m alive today. Thank you.”
“Yeah, um, the football dude wanted me to call you. Someone named Shelley is in trouble.”
Austin continued to talk as Trev raced to his truck and peeled down the road.
He prayed he would get there in time.
Chapter Twenty
Beth’s hands trembled as she stood in the hallway. She could still feel the cold press of metal against her head, though Carlo had moved on to standing behind Bo now.
“I don’t know where to start.” She felt powerless. It was a big house.
“You seem like an intelligent woman. Where would you hide half a million dollars worth of cocaine?”
“I wouldn’t touch half a million dollars worth of cocaine.”
Carlo smiled, seemingly amused by her. “As I said, an intelligent woman. Now prove how smart you are or your boyfriend is going to join Mr. Hughes.”
Bo sat still, his face betraying nothing as though he didn’t want to show her his fear. But she was afraid. She was so afraid for him.
“She doesn’t know anything.” Shelley wasn’t being as stoic as Bo. She was pissed and didn’t mind telling the dude with the gun. “It would be faster if you would let me help her search.”
Carlo chuckled and put a hand on Shelley’s hair. “Yes, I’m sure you would like that. Do you know what your husband offered me in exchange for not beating him to death? He offered me you. He said you were a hellion in bed. I like a little spice in my women. Perhaps I will take you with me when this is over. A woman as pretty as you is always a valuable commodity. Your skin is so fair.”
“Don’t you fucking touch her.” Bo growled the words.
Carlo pointed the gun at him. Beth felt her heart stop. “I don’t need you, Mr. O’Malley. I suspect the girl will try to save whoever she can.”
“You do need him.” Beth squared her shoulders. “I swear to god, if you kill him, I won’t help you. I’ve been in love with that man since I was five years old. If you put a bullet in his brain, you’ll have to kill me, too. How long do you have before someone shows up out here? How many people can you kill before someone notices? This is a small town. I doubt no one’s noticed you. Did you take a room at the motel? Did you have dinner at Patty’s? Trust me, someone noticed you, and everyone is talking about the smooth Yankee. And everyone will blame you if we end up dead.”
“I could simply disappear.”
“And your face will be everywhere. This isn’t t
he city. This is the middle of nowhere. A murder like this will be all over the news. How helpful will your employer find you then? Think about that before you kill the man I love.”
Carlo’s eyes became cold slits, his handsomeness almost reptilian in the moment. “I take your point, Miss Hobbes. Take mine. I don’t have long. I need to find what I came for, or I have no use for any of you. My employer would rather keep this quiet. If I don’t have to dispose of bodies beyond Mr. Hughes, I would welcome that. I would rather leave you tied up for the authorities to find. That would not make a huge news story. But I will kill you all if I don’t get what I want.”
Beth nodded. She took a long breath. She hated the fact that Bryce’s body lay in front of the door to her bathroom, but Carlo wasn’t moving it.
“Shelley, what do you remember about Barry?” Barry had been the one to hide the drugs.
“I remember he was an asshole.” She sighed. “Honestly, now a lot of things make sense. I remember hearing him and Bryce…” She choked on the name, her eyes going to the body, but she took a breath and visibly calmed. “Barry and Bryce had a huge fight before Barry died. Before Bryce killed him. None of it made sense at the time. Barry kept insisting that Bryce was cutting him out. He said he wouldn’t be cut out. I guess he was talking about the drugs.”
“And it would have been easier to hide them here than his own place. That would have been the first place Bryce would look,” Bo reasoned.
“Maudine was sick the last few months of her life. It wouldn’t have been hard to hide something from her. I didn’t think she and Barry were that close,” Beth explained.
“They weren’t,” Shelley said. “When he started to visit her a couple of times a week, everyone thought it was because he was getting in good before she died. He told Bryce as much. He told Bryce that all the old lady ever did was watch TV and write in that journal of hers. He said she probably wrote pages about him since she didn’t have much else to write about.”