Page 62 of Murder at Rescue Ridge

Conrad’s brain snapped into gear as Beau stuck cold metal between his ribs. Beau didn’t move.

“I got this one,” Beau said. “He’s been a pain in my ass ever since I arrived at the Sturgess ranch.”

No way did Conrad intend to go down easy. He spun around, grabbed Beau’s arm, and then dropped to the ground, holding tight.

“I’m trying to help you, dammit,” Beau grunted in Conrad’s ear.

What are you doing here?Beau’s words came roaring back. His word choice had been niggling at the back of Conrad’s mind. He hadn’t expected to find Conrad here. Then who?

Heath?

Was he coming to check on Lukas? Or had the pair scheduled a meetup?

Conrad relaxed his grip enough for Beau to gain the upper hand. He rolled on top of Conrad and squeezed his arms to his sides using powerful thighs.

With his back to Heath, Beau was also making himself an easy target while shielding Conrad.Hell.

The next thing he knew, Beau pressed the gun into Conrad’s hand and winked.

Conrad bucked, rolled, and then aimed.

The bullet nicked Heath’s hand, knocking his weapon flying.

Nikki dove toward it at the same time as Heath. She landed on top as the shotgun went flying. Heath’s gaze followed it.

He maneuvered over to it before she realized what he was doing or could stop him. The bastard came up with it and then immediately aimed at Conrad and Beau.

They were already on their feet, bum-rushing the man.

Conrad wasn’t sure who struck Heath first, but they knocked him backward a few steps. He splashed in the water. Once again, the shotgun went flying. It landed in the water with asplunk.

Heath didn’t surface.

“He can swim,” Nikki said.

The man would have to come up for air at some point. Or drown.

Rather than wait, Conrad dove into the water. There was no way he was giving Heath a chance to regroup or gain access to a weapon. Or, hell, swim away.

He’d barely broken the surface when arms clasped around his midsection, pulling him toward the bottom of the lake.

21

“Hold this,” Nikki said to Beau, handing over the weapon she’d collected as she readied to jump in after Conrad. There’d been blood on his shirt. He must have been hit.

“Not a chance,” Beau said, pulling her back a few steps away from the embankment.

“What the hell, Beau?”

“You go in there now, and Conrad would do whatever it took to save you, including get himself killed,” Beau said, holding on tight as she fought to free her arms.

One big yank, and she managed to break his grasp. It was just long enough for his words to sink in.

“Do you care about him?” she asked, shocked by the realization.

“Of course, I do,” Beau said like it should be common knowledge. “Why wouldn’t I? He’s my brother. Plus, he’s the only one who accepted me without hesitation and stood by me when everyone else wanted to kick me out.”

“I thought you came here to kill us,” she said, still processing the shift.

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