Page 43 of Lone Star Target

She kept her gaze pinned to Jace while he volleyed glances between the road and her. “I’m not sure,” she lied. “It’s probably best for you to go home and be with your mom.”

Brandon wasn’t quick to respond. Maybe because he was recalculating how to get to Kit? Then again, if Brandon was innocent, he could just merely be upset that his dad was going to be arrested because of a plea deal Marvin would make.

“All right,” Brandon finally said. “I’ll go home and wait to hear from you. Stay safe, Aunt Kit.”

“You do the same,” she replied and ended the call.

She immediately groaned. “I hate feeling like this about him. Hate trying to read between the lines to know if he wants me dead.”

“Yeah,” Jace muttered. He got that. So many things in Kit’s world had been tossed upside down, and this was yet another upset.

“My advice,” Angel said, “we both turn on the street before the courthouse and drive around until I get word from Slade that Brandon has actually left the area.”

That was advice Jace would take. Bandera Bluff wasn’t a huge town, just a couple of traffic lights on Main Street, and it was best if they didn’t end up driving right past Brandon.

Of course, adding the extra distance added time to the trip, and Jace figured each extra second was adding more and more stress to the already pile of stress she had to be feeling. Jace was worried about her, but that didn’t stop him from paying attention to their surroundings.

He didn’t spot any of their suspects. Marvin, Trevor or Brandon. No Deanna either. But there was the possibility that one or more of the people he drove past were accomplices that one or more of them had hired.

“Brandon just drove away, heading east on Main Street,” Slade reported through the earbuds they were all wearing. “As planned, Ruby arranged for Kit to go in through the back entrance, and there’s a reserved parking spot for you near the door. Deputy Kade Jenkins will let you in, search you and secure your weapons. He’s been vetted. Then, he’ll escort Kit to the second floor and to the witness waiting room.”

Where Jace wouldn’t be allowed to go.

Ruby had already made that clear. That was an area for witnesses and their attorneys. But he could stay with her all the way up to the point until she was actually inside the room. A room that he’d make damn sure was safe before he left her there. Then, he could stand guard in the hall to make sure no one tried to barge in while Angel helped Slade keep watch of the outside perimeter of the building.

Jace hoped it was all enough.

He parked in the spot right by the door, and both Angel and he got out with Kit. Angel stayed back, but Kit and he moved straight into the courthouse.

So far, so good.

But Jace did get a jolt of memories since this back exit had once been the entrance to the Justice of the Peace’s office. Kit and he had walked through this very door on their way to say their I dos.

No Justice of the Peace around today. But Deputy Jenkins was right there to search Kit’s bag and to take Jace’s Sig-Sauer, his backup weapon, and Kit’s gun as well. The deputy put them in a lockbox that he then tucked under his arm.

“I’ll secure these at the front check-in,” Jenkins explained. “You can pick them up on your way out.”

“Standard procedure,” Jace muttered, knowing this was the way it had to be done. But not liking it one bit.

“Follow me,” the deputy said, leading them to a set of back stairs that looked old but sturdy. Actually, that applied to the entire building that had apparently been built well over a hundred years ago.

Jace had seen very little of the courthouse on his wedding day, so every step they took now was new ground for him. And along with the steps, his concerns grew since they were getting further and further away from the exit. He wanted Kit out of here as fast as possible.

Once they were on the second floor, the deputy threaded them down a narrow hall until they reached a wide open mezzanine landing. Below, Jace could see the main entrance and the logjam of people who were being searched for entry. Apparently, the trial was a big draw since he saw press badges on some of the visitors.

There were no stairs directly off the mezzanine, but in addition to the ones they’d just used, there was another set straight ahead at the end of a seriously long hall. At least forty feet on each side. They didn’t have to go that far though before the deputy stopped at the door labeled Witness Waiting Area.

It was empty.

However, Jace checked all the corners and the windows to make sure no one was dangling outside. It was clear.

“I’ll be back up to escort Miss Barclay to the courtroom when it’s time. You can’t stay,” the deputy added to Jace.

Jace nodded and looked at Kit. What he wanted to do was hold her and kiss her. But it wasn’t the time or the place.

“I won’t leave this floor,” he assured her, giving her one last look before the deputy closed the door.

As the deputy walked away, Jace stood there a moment, trying to tamp down the bad feeling in his gut, and then he started looking for the best spot to keep an eye on the door and everything else.

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