Page 54 of Tracking Down the Lawman's Son

Both Manny and Tara had said pretty much the same thing about their innocence. And maybe they were innocent. Heck,maybe Nathan was as well, but someone was responsible for the nightmare that had been set in motion.

“I hope you’re taking Manny’s jewelry in for processing,” Nathan went on. “Or arresting him. The man’s a liar, and he’s dangerous.”

“How so?” Bree asked.

Nathan smirked. “How many lies has he told you? I’m betting a lot,” he quickly tacked on to that. “Yet, he, or maybe Tara, convinced you that I had something to hide and that you’d find it on that ring. Don’t you see what he’s trying to do?” But he waved that off. “No, of course you don’t. You have trouble seeing what’s right in front of you.”

Bree frowned. “What does that mean?”

He tipped his head to the front of his house. “Luca,” he said and leaned toward her again. “Has it occurred to you that if you’re dead, he gets custody of your son? Sole custody,” he emphasized.

Bree had to bite back a whole lot of profanity, and she didn’t take the bait he’d just tossed at her. Nathan could want her angry. Or scared. He could want her to say or do something that would compromise the investigation. Then again, maybe he was delusional enough to believe he could put a wedge between Luca and her.

He couldn’t.

And as long as she knew that, there was no need for her to unleash some venom on him.

“Thank you for your cooperation,” Bree said, using her lawyer’s tone.

She glanced at Joelle and Slater to see if they had all they’d come for, and both gave her confirming nods. That was all Bree needed to turn and get the heck out of there. She didn’t glance back to see Nathan’s reaction. She just left out the front door with her siblings.

Luca had his gaze pinned to the house, but he was also on the phone with someone. One look at his face, and Bree knew that he was aware of what had happened in the house. Well, maybe not aware of that last part that Nathan had hurled toward her.

“Woodrow was listening to Duncan’s phone,” Luca explained as she slid into the back seat with him. “And he called me to tell me that Nathan fessed up to owning the ring.”

She nodded, but that was all she managed to do because Luca’s shoulders suddenly snapped back in reaction to something Woodrow had said. “Where?” Luca demanded.

That one-word question and his expression were more than enough to send a jolt of fear through her. The fear only intensified when Luca snapped, “Drive,” to Slater. “One of the hands just spotted Aubrey near the ranch.”

Chapter Fourteen

Luca tried to tamp down the panic. Tried not to think the worst could be happening. But it might be.

“Gotta go,” Woodrow said, ending the call.

Luca wanted him to go, wanted him to do something to stop Aubrey from attacking them, but it meant Luca now had no way of knowing what was going on.

“Where was Aubrey spotted?” Bree asked, her voice already a tangle of nerves and adrenaline.

“By the back fence. A ranch hand using binoculars saw her, but then she ducked out of sight. He’s sure it was Aubrey because Duncan had given all the hands photos of her so they’d recognize her if they saw her.”

The back fence was about a quarter of a mile from the house, but a good marksman could hit a target from that distance. Luca didn’t know if the target was the house—and those inside it—or if Aubrey had been getting herself into a position so she could shoot them.

“If Aubrey had the ranch under surveillance,” Bree said, “she might have seen us leave and could be waiting for us to get back.”

Yeah, that was a strong possibility. Well, it was if Bree and he were her intended victims. If Gabriel was, then Aubrey could be working her way to the house right now, and heaven knew how many people she’d shoot or kill to get to him.

Slater was already driving fast, probably too fast, considering the narrow country road, but Luca wished they could break speed records to get there. His son could be in danger. Everyonein the house and on the grounds could be, and he needed to be there to stop this woman.

Since it occurred to him that Aubrey could be some kind of decoy, Luca kept watch. He also gave Bree’s hand a gentle squeeze. It wouldn’t help. Nothing would at this point other than arriving at the ranch and finding everyone safe. But he needed the contact with her. Needed her touch to steady him some. Apparently though, she needed something from him as well because she looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

“We’ll stop Aubrey,” he swore to her. Luca didn’t know how, but he would stop her. And her boss, too, once this threat had been neutralized.

But who exactly was her boss?

They still didn’t know, and with Nathan volunteering to give them the ring, it might not be him. That left Tara and Manny. Hell, it might not be one of them either. It could be someone who wasn’t even on their radar, but if so, they’d have to find that person. No way could Luca let Gabriel and Bree continue to be in danger like this.

Luca already had his gun drawn, but he readjusted his position when the ranch came into view. And his heart dropped. The two ranch hands who were guarding the driveway were still there, but they were on the ground behind their truck where they’d obviously taken cover.

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