Page 87 of Wild Mustang Security Firm

“We need to clear it with Mac and run it through our system, but if you give me about an hour, I think I can arrange that.”

Willa contented herself with sipping coffee and rocking on the front porch. The marshal came out laughing and handed her the phone.

“We got the go-ahead. The Mighty Mac said if that would make you happy, we were good to go. Although I’m not sure, he’s all that happy with his new nickname.”

“Why not? Better than if I referred to him as the Mini Mac. Of course, that wouldn’t be accurate…”

The marshal laughed and walked away, shaking his head. The phone on the other end picked up.

“Gus?”

“No, but if you don’t react badly, you might still be able to save the old geezer.”

It took every ounce of her strength not to pale and let the men surrounding her know she had their quarry on the phone.

“You do know who this is, don’t you, Willa?”

“Of course, I do, Gussy. I haven’t been gone that long. How’s my boy Roscoe doing?”

“Good girl. Do you think you can evade your watchdogs and come here to your ranch?”

“Yes. I miss you, too. I should be home in a couple of days. I’ll see you soon.”

“It had better be within the hour. I don’t have long. Your friend has less time unless you get here.”

“Not a problem. I’ll see you soon.”

She hung up and handed the phone to the marshal.

“Hey, if John and Mandy are coming, I think I’ll go soak in the tub, then lie down for a bit.”

“You feeling okay?”

“Sure, I’m just stressed and disappointed Mac won’t be here tonight.”

“I’m sure he misses you, too, Willa.”

She laid her hand on his arm. “Thanks for everything. You guys have made a really shitty situation even better than tolerable.”

“We try.”

She headed into the bedroom, silently engaged the deadbolt, and ran a tub full of water. As it was filling, she slipped into a pair of boots and walked over to Mac’s side of the bed and determined he’d left his backup gun. She ensured the safety was on and slipped it into the waistband of her leggings.

Quietly, she opened the trap door, went down the ladder, and into the tunnel. She was quite sure this was the last thing Mac had in mind when he’d shown her the escape route. Willa pulled the trap door down, making sure the rug wasn’t caught in the opening. It wouldn’t take them long to figure out how she’d eluded them, but hopefully, she’d be within striking distance of home when they did.

If they called Mac and related her conversation, he’d know there was something very wrong at home.

Mac hung up with John, who’d regaled him with his conversation with Willa. It sounded like she was behaving and putting up with having her freedom curtailed. He looked at the small, velvet box on the desk that contained the ring he’d had made before they split up. The large yellow diamond at its center was flanked on either side with channel set pink tourmaline and hessonite garnets, the colors of the Arizona sky at sunrise, Willa’s favorite time of day.

His cell phone rang, and before he could even say hello, he was given the message he had never wanted to hear.

“She’s gone, Boss. She must have bolted down the escape tunnel. We went to the end, and the keys are missing, and the gate across it is open. She must have gone right after she said she wanted to soak in the tub. The hidden Jeep is gone as well. I don’t?—”

“Calm down. I understand Willa’s gone. What happened? John said she sounded fine. Did Gus say something to her to upset her?”

“I couldn’t hear his side of it, but when she asked about her boy Roscoe, it didn’t seem like there was anything wrong.”

“She asked about Roscoe? Not Gator?”

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