Page 231 of Ride a Cowboy

Rodney shrugged easily. “How do you know you can trust Todd and Steven not to tell the hit man where we’re hiding?”

Matt scowled. “Those guys are good friends. They would never betray us.”

Rodney put his hands up in surrender. “I’m not saying they would, but I feel the same way about my partner.”

“If that’s true, then why didn’t you just call him for help instead of taking off on your own?” Mark asked.

“My partner’s as low down on the food chain at work as I am. There are channels we have to go through. He couldn’t have helped us on his own without risking his job. Even though he would have done it, I wouldn’t have asked. In a couple weeks, it won’t matter because we’re going home anyway. We’re going to need protection when we get back to New York. I trust my partner to supply it.”

Matt leaned back in his chair and tossed a chip in his mouth. “So we just need to hole up here for about ten days. That shouldn’t be a problem.”

A new concern sprang to Bridget’s mind. “What about the ranch?”

Mark reached over and ran his finger along her cheek. “Jacob is calling that guy we told you about. The one who fills in sometimes. He and Jake can keep things going at the ranch while we’re gone. Caleb and Jessie will be back in a couple of days and they can pitch in too. Don’t worry.”

Matt reached back, placing his hands behind his head and looked toward the ceiling. “There’s still one thing I don’t get. When you decided to strike off on your own, why come to Saratoga, and why in the hell did Ellen Updyke have that key waiting for you?”

Rodney and Bridget took turns explaining about Lyle’s coded message and the flash drive. Mark and Matt asked questions and both looked at Lyle’s note, impressed by the fact she and Rodney had managed to figure out so much of it.

“So you think the flash drive is in that safe-deposit box?” Matt asked.

Bridget shrugged. “I hope it is. We don’t have time to try to solve any more puzzles.”

Matt and Mark excused themselves after dinner, going out to check the perimeter of the property. They’d carried in several hunting rifles and a handgun earlier. Bridget had shuddered when she’d seen it, even though having all that firepower around made her feel better.

Rodney helped Bridget clear the table. She could tell something was on his mind. “What’s up, Rodney?”

“I think this is a good place,” he said.

“I think it is too. I feel safe here.”

“Matt and Mark would never let anyone hurt you, kitten.”

She smiled, his words warming her. “I know that.”

“I think we should split up.”

His words hit her like a glass of ice-cold water to the face. “What?”

“We’re running out of time. You said yourself you hoped the flash drive is in the safe-deposit box, but what if it isn’t? What if it’s another fucking coded letter?”

“I don’t think it is. The flash drive will be there, Rodney. I feel it.”

“I’m worried about Jake.”

Ah, she thought. Now they’d gotten to the heart of the matter. “Why?”

“We’ve covered our tracks well, but…” Rodney sighed. “Dammit, I went to the bowling alley with him. People saw us together. What if one of them mentions that to the hit man and he goes after Jake to get to me?”

Rodney had a very good point. The thought of Jacob in danger terrified her. “You want to go back to the ranch to protect Jacob.”

He nodded. “I swear to you, I’d never leave if I didn’t know you were safe here.”

“I know that.” She did. Rodney had been an amazing protector. “And you’re right. You should go. You can protect Jacob, try to retrieve the flash drive from the bank, help out at the ranch, and keep a lookout for the hit man. You can be our eyes on the ground while we’re hiding here on top of the mountain. The altitude is killing me, by the way. My ears still haven’t popped.” She wiggled a finger in her ear and grinned.

She knew Rodney was torn, and she didn’t want him to worry.

“I’ll be fine, Rodney. Go do what you need to do.”

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