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  “Cop thing or lust thing?”

  “I don’t know. What I do know is I don’t want you getting hurt. Maybe I need to call the local authorities and let them handle it.”

  “No! You promised me! They aren’t going to do anything! I told you that! You can’t call them in over a kidnapping they’ll say didn’t happen.”

  “Stop shouting. I’m trying to talk this through and figure it out. I can’t have you or your daughter getting hurt. What happens if the bullets start flying? I can handle Gerard and two goons, but what if there’s more? I can’t go against semi-automatics.”

  “They will be expecting me to show up—that’s all. They won’t be waiting on an attack.”

  “Wrong. They know I’m with you and that something else is coming. They are going to be more prepared than you think.”

  “All the more reason you need me with you. You can’t go alone, Hunt. I won’t have it.”

  Hunt slammed his palms onto the steering wheel then gripped it tight. “Dammit. You are the most stubborn broad I know.”

  “Hate me?”

  “Probably.”

  “Good. Channel that energy where it’ll do the most good. You need me as backup, Hunt. We’ll get through this. They’re morons.”

  He spun to her again. “That’s another thing.”

  “What?”

  “How did you get so good with guns?”

  “There wasn’t a lot I could do when I was basically Gerard’s prisoner. I learned to entertain myself. He thought I was interested so he took me to the firing range with him.”

  “He thinks you just acquired a sudden interest in guns?”

  “I became good at pretending what he did didn’t bother me.”

  “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em?”

  “Something like that. He didn’t like it at first, but he never would tell me no.”

  “I suppose not,” Hunt said, as he backed out of the parking spot.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I’m finding it hard to tell you no myself.”

  “This is different. You know two is better than one.”

  “You know the layout and the men and their habits. I guess I do need you after all.”

  “So, what’s your plan?”

  “I want to go back and get Roy’s truck.”

  “Good thinking. We should have two escape routes just in case. I was thinking—”

  Hunt cut her off by placing his hand over her mouth. “This is my gig. I told you if I helped it was my way.”

  She licked his hand and he pulled it away. “I thought we’d pretend to be a team and brainstorm together.”

  “You have experience planning a stakeout, freeing a hostage, and avoiding getting shot?”

  “And you do?”

  “At least I’m trained for it.”

  Mandy threw her head back against the headrest. “Fine. Tell me your plan.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Hunt and Mandy drove to retrieve Roy’s truck from the bar. Hunt was pleased to find it untouched and with no tow warnings. The owners probably figured someone had too much to drink, found a driver to take them home and just hadn’t retrieved it. Mandy drove it and followed Hunt back into town. Wanting to get to the cabin after dark, they spent some time in the local coffee shop trying to get the lowdown on the surrounding homes by Gerard’s lodge. The lady that ran the coffee shop gave them the information they needed, and more.

  “Oh, you folks won’t have any problems from the neighbors if you plan on your party getting a little loud. Everyone has winterized and locked up their cabins for the season. The Leonards bugged out of here yesterday, don’tcha know. That little Liam of theirs is such a hoot! Going to be a regular comedian someday. He’s growing like a weed, too. Have you met Cheryl and Joe? Sweetest people ever. Cheryl is expecting again. Twins! Isn’t that the cat’s pajamas?” She clapped her hands together when she said twins.

  Hunt was used to the small town lingo and the friendly enthusiasm, but Mandy was having a hard time fighting her laughs. Hunt figured she didn’t have much by way of friendly neighbors, being so isolated by her husband and his line of work.

  “I haven’t had the pleasure. Maybe we’ll catch them and the baby next year. What about our neighbors to the west?” Hunt asked her.

  “Long gone. Earl had to start his radiation. They wanted it over before the holidays so they cut the season short. They’ve been gone for about a month now. Yessiree, Bob. You’ll be alone out there on your side. Only the Erpstads are left, but they are as far as you can go east on the lake down the skinny point. Can’t get there with a regular boat but you always see them tooling around on that paddle boat of theirs. Harvey has put on a few. Bertha keeps trying to make him lose it. If you ask me, she could stand to lose a few herself. Great baker that one, but you just shouldn’t do it if you can’t keep your hands out of it. You know what I mean?”

  Now Mandy couldn’t keep from laughing. She hid it as best as she could through a cough. “I’m so sorry. I got a tickle in my throat.”

  “That’s all right, dear. Maybe some tea with lemon will help that.”

  “That sounds great. You want anything, honey?” she said to Hunt, obviously trying to keep the couple status going.

  “Just a regular coffee sounds great. I’m going to make a call; I’ll be right back, sweetheart.” He kissed her for added show.

  “He’s not here, Hunt,” Luke said when Hunt asked for Roy.

  “Where is he?”

  “Out on patrol I suppose. He told me to hold down the fort. Probably craving some doughnuts.”

  “More likely Selma over at Dunkin’ Doughnuts.”

  “He banging her?”

  “You kidding? You’ll never make detective if you don’t hone in those senses of yours, Luke.”

  “He said you’re banging your prisoner. Are you?”

  “She’s not my prisoner.”

  “So you are banging her.”

  “Since when is my personal life so much of a concern for you two?”

  “Since I got my nose broke, you took off, and I have to deal with Ole’s farts again. I thought this codger was gone for good. Why can’t we hire another deputy?”

  “No budget. Look, Junior. Shut up and listen. This is going down tonight. Get a hold of Roy and have him head to West Bolton. I have my walkee. It’ll work when he hits town. Tell him to not use it under any circumstances. You got that? Do not have him call me. I’ll call him when I need him.”

  “What should he do till he hears from you?”

  “Scratch his balls. I don’t care. Just have him pick a spot and sit until I call him.”

  “Bitch has his truck.”

  “Who does?”

  “I’m sorry. The lovely young woman whom you are fucking that broke my goddamn nose.”

  “Work on that attitude, Junior, unless you want to get put on traffic detail.”

  “Don’t call me—”

  Hunt hung up. He joined Mandy and the jolly woman with the nametag that simply read, “Mom.” He accepted his cup of coffee with a smile and immediately sent it flying when Mom said, “So, when are y’all expectin’?”

  “Excuse me?” Mandy said as she placed her hand on her stomach. Hunt looked down as well. It was as flat as ever. Maybe his sweatshirt made it appear as if she had a bump there, but he didn’t see it.

  “I have fourteen grandbabies. I know a glow when I see it.”

  “I’m not pregnant, Mrs…”

  “Call me Mom. I have to tend to my customers. You come see me next season. And lay off the booze this weekend, honey.”

  “But I’m not pregnant.” Mandy’s words were wasted. The jolly woman scurried off to her seated customers.

  Mandy turned to Hunt. “Is everyone in Vermont this friendly and/or nosey?”

  He was grinning. “Some more than others.”

  “Where I’m from, if you ask someone if they’re pregnant, you’d better be damn sure t
hey are or you’ll get slapped.” She placed her hands on her stomach again. “How can she think I’m fat enough to be pregnant?”

  “Don’t dwell on it, doll. I’m sure my ratty sweatshirt made it look like you were hiding something.”

  She walked over to a rack of sweatshirts with the coffee shop logo. She picked out a small pink one and tossed it to Hunt. “Then add this to the friggen bill…honey.”

  He laughed as he walked to the register.

  They waited until dark before heading to the cabin. They’d left Roy’s truck at the house of the couple whose husband was getting radiation, then drove Hunt’s to the couple with the comedian child and expecting their second. After all Mom told him, it was like he already knew them and didn’t think they’d mind if he left his vehicle there.

  He pulled out his night vision goggles, but nothing could be seen from the neighbor’s cabin. The trees were too thick. If Gerard was expecting company, he didn’t think enough to have men on watch, or at least none Hunt could see from here. He opened his door.

  “We ready?” Mandy asked.

  “I’m ready. You sure I can’t get you to stay?”

  “We’re not having this conversation again.” Mandy pulled a gun out from under her sweatshirt and cocked the hammer back.

  “Whoa! I didn’t tell you that it was okay for you to take a gun.”

  “I’m not going in there unarmed.” She opened up the door and climbed out before he could protest any further.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Hunt and Mandy slowly made their way through the trees toward the cabin. It wasn’t easy to keep quiet. The little snow that fell the other night had already melted. Fall was in full swing and the leaves were plentiful. Add the thousands of twigs already there and you’d have a more successful sneak attack charging with a herd of elephants. They could only do their best and be cautious. Music was playing loudly ahead. That had to count in their favor.

  Mandy tapped Hunt on the arm and pointed toward the back porch. He could make out that it was Bennett. No one else could be that huge or have a profile that ugly. He was keeping an eye on the lake and not trying too hard at that. He was attempting something close to a moonwalk to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” as he stood watch. Definitely a few sandwiches short of a picnic.

  They made it to the side of the cabin without being seen or heard. Hunt crouched down and went to the screen door off the back porch. As he stood and got ready to open the door and surprise Bennett, his walkie-talkie squealed. “Hunt? This is Roy. What’s your twenty?”

  A few bullets flew past Hunt as he crouched down, cursing. The screen door opened and Bennett dove onto Hunt. Bennett had size on his side, but Hunt was the better fighter by far. He maneuvered himself to having Bennett in a headlock. The victory was short lived though. Hunt was hit on the back of his head by something. All he could hear were Mandy’s screams as his world faded to black.

  Hunt didn’t know how much time had passed before he came to. His head hurt like a sonofabitch. He remained still as he fought the urge to throw up. Trying to move his arms to hold his throbbing skull, he discovered he was tied to a chair. He finally managed to open his eyes. The room came into focus and he was greeted with a hard punch to his chin.

  “Good morning, sunshine.” The voice was not familiar, but Bennett soon came into focus.

  “Hello, sweetheart. Have you missed me?” That earned him another punch. This one in the gut. “Nice that you got out of jail so fast. Connections?”

  “You might say that. Mandy’s old man is still as swift as ever.”

  “Old man? Where is she?”

  “Getting what she has coming.”

  “I swear to God. If you lay one hand on her!”

  “You’ll what?” Bennett said as he punched Hunt so hard in the chin again his chair went flying backward. “It’s not Gerard’s hands I’d worry about. I’m sure he’s good and horny after being up here with nothing but us men for the past few days.”

  He leaned down to stand Hunt’s chair up, and Hunt spit a mouthful of blood on him. That earned him a hard kick to the gut.

  “Stop it!” Mandy’s scream brought Hunt’s attention to the doorway where she now stood. Her new sweatshirt was torn down the front and her eye had a welt under it.

  “You sonofabitch!” he shouted to the man holding her. Hunt assumed this was the ex-prick.

  The man shoved Mandy toward Hunt. She ran to his side and threw her arms around his neck. She glared at Bennett. “Help me stand him up, you oaf!” When he ignored her she turned to the man who had shoved her. “Come on, Gerard. There’s no need for this! I’m here. Now let him go!”

  Gerard nodded to Bennett, who took it as an order to put Hunt upright.

  “Are you okay?” Hunt asked Mandy.

  She tried pulling her shirt together as best as she could. “I’m fine.” She turned to Gerard again. “Let him go!”

  “I know you’re not serious. You’ve created quite a mess for me, Amanda. You just had to try to follow me.”

  “Did you think you could take her daughter and have her not come after you?” Hunt said. “I hardly know her and I know her stubborn streak. I’m here unofficially. I don’t care what you do. Just give her the kid and you guys will have to let the courts decide custody like normal people.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Gerard asked. “What kid?”

  He glared at Mandy. “There’s no fucking kid? You lied to me?”

  Gerard let out a hearty laugh. “You get used to that.”

  Mandy looked into Hunt’s eyes. She begged for forgiveness in a single look. He wanted nothing more to do with her. He stared hard at her and said, “Get out of my face, you conniving bitch,” before Bennett hit him again.

  “You don’t talk to a lady like that.”

  Mandy jumped on Bennett’s back and wrapped her arm around his neck, trying to cut off his air supply. “I told you to stop hitting him!” A gun shot caused Mandy to loosen her grip as she looked over to Hunt. When she stopped fighting, Bennett slammed her backward into a wall. She cried out. Hunt struggled to get to his feet, but hands pressed on his shoulders from behind, pinning him.

  Mandy stood and faced the man holding down Hunt. “Willy?”

  Hunt tried to turn around to see the man at his back. His right eye was swelling and he couldn’t get a good view of him. “Another lover?” Hunt said angrily.

  “Lover?” Willy laughed. “Tell me he has no clue, Mandy.”

  “I had no clue you would be a part of this, asshole. I stuck up for you. Why would you do this?”

  “You had to have a clue. Come on. You weren’t that stupid in love with the prick that you didn’t see what was right in front of your face.”

  “I’m right here, Willy. I’d watch it,” Gerard said.

  “Or what? You’ll up my payoff? You wanted her. Now you have her, so shut the hell up.” He waved his gun toward Hunt and addressed Mandy. “Just who the hell is this guy, anyway?”

  “He’s nobody,” Amanda blurted out. “He’s a loser cop from a small town. I escaped his jail and he followed me. Just let him go. He doesn’t know anything.”

  “Damn straight. Call me Barney and cut me lose. Us small town hicks don’t know Jack shit about big city mobsters and their whores.”

  That earned him another punch to the gut. “I told you not to talk to a lady that way. Right, whore?”

  That earned Bennett a punch from Gerard. “That’s my wife you’re talking about.”

  “Ex-wife!” Mandy screamed.

  “All of you shut the hell up!” Willy shouted over everyone. He waved his gun around to show he meant business. “It’s like I’m running a preschool here!”

  “I don’t get it, Willy. How?”

  “I’m glad you defended me and all, but you had me pegged. I was a better actor than I thought. I thought you were going to kick my ass back at the restaurant.”

  “So you were our agent.”

  “To
start, but the Menuscos pay better.”

  “Why didn’t Abbey tell me?”

  “I wasn’t his. One office had no idea what the other was doing. It was convenient for you to show up and take the heat off of me.”

  “But Vince knew you were a double agent?”

  “Helpful for him to have someone a step ahead. You think you just happened across that cashier job in the building where Menusco was starting up his headquarters? I gave them the tip. We knew what you were, Mandy. You were good, but nobody is that good. Cashier to bodyguard? Come on. Get real. They needed you distracted.”

  “You even set up Angelo’s fight? He knew?”

  “You have me there. But the little punk ass mama’s boy wasn’t in on it. It was funny how that worked out. We were figuring how to set up to keep you giving info and make you think you were doing something bigger. But well…even you screwed up getting killed. Pity to have lost Lonny and screwed up that last drop. You did drop a bomb on us there, Smith. I wonder if you would have pieced things together quicker if you hadn’t started banging your own mark.”

  “Your what?” Hunt asked, looking at Mandy again.

  “That’s right, pretty boy. So you’re the big bad Sheriff of your teeny little town. How’s it feel to bang a full-fledged FBI agent? Better lay than one of your everyday bar flies?”

  “FBI agent?”

  “Could have been something great if we hadn’t known all along. Made things even better when she fucked it up though. Had to go fall in love with her mark.”

  “That’s not true and you know it, Willy. I didn’t know he was involved when we got married. You know that.”

  “You still playing that card?”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “I didn’t mind either way. You are one hell of a lay.” Gerard said.

  “Stop it! I did fall in love with you, asshole. You know I loved you. It happened so fast…I’m not going to apologize to any of you for my actions then or now.”

  Hunt finally piped in again. “And after you found out he was involved?”