Hart To Hart (24 page)

More than likely, he sucked as an employee even before his father was arrested. Vic put on his most sincere face. “That’s got to be tough on you. When I got the boot from the FBI, it was hell. I drifted for a while, feeling lost and betrayed.” Not the case at all, but Vic was good at sympathizing with criminals.

“I know what you’re doing. Stalling for time. I bet you called the cops after I talked with you. Didn’t you?”

“Yes.” No use lying.

Darryl smiled, but the cheer didn’t reach his eyes. “That means they’ll be running around Harmes River Park for quite a while.” Darryl ran his fingers up and down his revolver, probably intending to scare Vic. “Pretty wife you’ve got. Or rather, hot ex-wife. I’m looking forward to hooking up with her after you’re dead. She took to me at the bar.”

The pieces fell into place. He was the younger man in the gray suit who was sitting next to El. Adrenaline and hate slammed through Vic’s veins. He popped up to his knees, ignoring the slashing agony rippling over his body, and stood. With a short, quick burst, he snapped the plastic to free his hands.

Darryl’s gun cocked. “Don’t move.”

If Vic thought he could win the battle, he would attack. The ass deserved to die.

“You won’t get away with this,” Vic warned.

“We’ll see about that.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

A
s much as
Ellie wanted to reach Vic and help him, she didn’t think it was a good idea for the two of them to go to this farm without the cops. Sharon might own a gun, but they’d be no match against a man like Darryl Grainger. “What exactly are you going to do once we get there?”

“Take down the jerk. He lied to me. I won’t stand for that.” Sharon slapped her palm against the wheel.

This wasn’t good. Sharon wasn’t thinking rationally. Ellie’s stomach burned and her throat had turned dry about six miles ago. “This isn’t about a woman scorned. Darryl Grainger is a dangerous man. He tried to kill my daughter and ran Vic off the road.”

“All the more reason to shoot his ass.”

Holy Mary, mother of God. Did Vic know his secretary was a loose cannon?

Sharon took the next turn too fast, slamming Ellie against the door, banging her head against the window. “Ouch.”

“Sorry.” Sharon sounded sincere, but this woman was crazier than Darryl.

“Sharon. Ah, we need to think about this. You can’t just go in half-cocked and storm in there with your gun. He could shoot you.”

“I’ve thought about it plenty.” Sharon jerked the car off the road onto a dirt drive. “He’ll be too shocked to see me to get off a clean shot.”

“He might be shocked, but it’s against the law to run in and kill him.”

“Not planning on killing anyone. Just want to hurt him. A lot.”

Sharon hadn’t thought this through. “You’ll go to jail. You want that?”

“I’ll do what I have to in order to protect the boss. Besides, it might be worth it to see Darryl squirm and cry.” She drew up behind a large tree halfway down the drive. What was once a nice house was now in sad disrepair. An equally forlorn looking barn and corral sat in back. A few of the barn slats were missing, as was part of the roof.

“As soon as I park, you hide in the back seat. I won’t do anything stupid, I promise—assuming he’s even there. Darryl won’t hurt me. He’s a coward.”

He wasn’t a coward when he’d shot at Charlotte or tried to burn down a house. Then Ellie keyed in on the part about Vic possibly being alone and a trickle of hope seeped in. “You think he might have left Vic in the barn?” His cell phone implied he was there, but a chance existed that Darryl had taken Vic’s phone. She refused to think the reason why.

Sharon slowed. “Won’t know until I get in there.” She cut the engine. “Now get into the back and keep down.” Sharon tossed the car keys to Ellie. “Just in case I don’t make it out.”

This wasn’t good. Ellie opened her door and leaned out. “Hey. I see a car on the side. It’s a black sedan.”

“Shit. That’s the kind Darryl drives.”

Ellie couldn’t tell if Sharon was worried or pissed. “Tell me your plan.”

“My plan is to look through one of those missing slats and see where he is. Then I’ll rush him.”

Sharon might be a good aim, but Ellie bet it was only when Sharon was trying to hit a paper target or a tin can—not a human. “I’ll come with you. Not inside, but I’ll look, too.”

“No, you stay here and let the cops know I’m inside.”

This was stupid. “When they see another car, they’ll proceed with caution. You want me to call Detective Lawson again? He’ll figure we got here first.”

“Don’t bother. He’ll tell you to stay put.”

That was because Trent was a smart man.

Sharon whipped out her gun from her purse and started toward the barn. Ellie didn’t want to be stuck in the back in case things went south. She slid over to the driver’s side, shoved the key in the ignition, and rolled down the window an inch in order to listen for the police.

Sharon had gone no more than a few feet when a shot sounded. Ellie ducked.
Holy shit
. Her heart pounded so fast she thought it would jump out of her chest. A few seconds later, Sharon tapped on the passenger side window and Ellie unlocked the door. Sharon slid in.

“Was he shooting at us?” Ellie asked.

“Don’t think so. Door didn’t move and unless he was watching us drive in, he wouldn’t know we’re here. My engine’s quiet.”

Her stomach heaved up bile. “Do you think he shot Vic?”

“I’m about to find out. Wish me luck.”

She was going out again? Was she insane? Before Ellie could come up with a good reason why Sharon should stay put, her friend pushed open the car door and zigzagged her way to the old house. For a larger woman, Sharon sure could move. When her friend was halfway between the house and the barn, Ellie called Trent Lawson. She wanted nothing to do with a possible murder.

*     *     *

“No need to
get excited, Darryl. I ain’t movin’,” Vic said, working to keep his voice calm. The shot had hit the dirt about three inches from his foot. Vic held up his hands and widened his stance, ready to charge. It was hard not to wince given his ribs and head ached. “Tell me what you want.”

“You know what I want. To see you suffer. Sit down.”

“Sure thing. Give me a sec. Ribs might be busted.” Vic huffed out some long breaths to make it look as if any movement hurt. He was only half acting. Holding his side, he eased down to one knee. Darryl’s rage seemed to have been festering for a long time, and Vic wanted to give him time to calm down. Vic looked up at him. “I’m suffering a lot right now.”

“You’re about to suffer more.”

Just as Darryl leveled the gun at Vic’s chest, the barn door burst open, and Darryl pivoted toward the sound.

Go. Now!

Vic leapt up to his feet, using the last of his energy. When Darryl returned his focus to Vic, Vic dove to the ground, and three shots sounded in rapid succession. The order was a bit blurred, but he sure as hell felt the pain in his calf as Darryl’s shot found its mark. Fuck, that stung.

Vic landed with a thud as Darryl screamed in pain, grabbed his gut, and dropped to his knees. Just as he let go of the weapon, Vic’s vision blurred from the jarring aches stabbing his body from every direction.

Gotta get the gun. Gotta get the gun
. Nothing else mattered.

He crawled three feet, each inch wreaking havoc with his ability to function. Finally, his fingertips touched the handle.
Just a little farther
. The pain was excruciating, but he stretched a bit more and nabbed the weapon.
Yes!

Vic tried to secure the gun, but a wave of nausea assaulted him, forcing him to stop.

“You asshole.” Sharon loomed over Darryl with her gun aimed at his crotch.

“I can explain,” the whimpering fool said, blood pooling over the man’s fingers.

Not only was Vic shocked that his secretary was here, she’d taken down the man who tried to kill him. Vic was having a difficult time putting those two thoughts together. Using his left hand, he placed his palm over the bleeding hole, forcing himself to remain conscious.

“You used me.” Venom dripped from her voice. “And you shot at me.”

“You didn’t have to shoot me in the gut.” Darryl’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he passed out.

Sharon’s demeanor instantly changed from hatred to concern just as sirens sounded in the background. Vic wanted to smile and thank her, but his lips wouldn’t lose their grimace.

“What are you doing here?” he asked as she rushed toward him.

“Is that anyway to say hello?”

She was right. “I promise to give you a raise.” She’d like that better than a thank you.

“Now you’re talking.” She slipped off her jacket. “Move your hand.”

It took him a moment to realize what she planned to do. “Don’t ruin your good jacket. Help is on the way.”

“Nonsense. Can’t have you dying on me; I need the job.” She smiled.

He wouldn’t die from a shot to the lower leg. He almost laughed, but then nodded toward the nearly closed barn door. “How about waving in the cavalry first?”

Her mouth slackened for a second before firming. She held up a finger. “Right. Move your hand.” Sharon balled up her jacket and pressed in on his wound. “Keep pressure on this.”

She then jumped up and dashed to the exit. Easing the door open a bit, she stuck her hand out and waved, possibly fearing they’d open fire. Smart thinking.

Darryl groaned, but he still appeared to be passed out. Good.

The next thing Vic knew, El was by his side, and the pain seemed to disappear until the worry descended. “Hey. You shouldn’t be here,” he grunted.

“I know, but I am, so lay back and rest.” She placed a hand on his shoulder and gently pressed. Once his head hit the straw, she removed her jacket and placed it under his head.

He wanted to wave her off, but it took too much energy. “How did you find me?”

“Your GPS.”

“I mean, how did you know something was wrong?”

Two paramedics, Stone Benson and Drake Longworth, tapped El on the shoulder. “Ma’am,” Stone said. “We need to look at Vic.”

Her brows pinched. Vic hoped someday she’d learn that Rock Hard was a small town, and that people looked out for each other. El stood and moved back. “We’ll talk later.”

Trent and Dan Hartwick were with Sharon. From the way Dan was scowling, Sharon was in for a tongue-lashing. Vic wasn’t worried. If anyone could handle the head of the RHPD’s detective unit, she could.

“Ouch.” Vic looked down at the IV in his arm.

Stone shook his head. “Don’t be a baby.”

“Baby? I was hit over the head with a metal object, kicked in the ribs, and shot.”

When he’d mentioned the head smashing, Stone’s demeanor hardened. “You black out?”

“Yes.”

“Not good, buddy.” Together, he and Drake slid him onto a backboard, and then lifted him onto the gurney.

As they wheeled him out, El ran up to them. “Where are you taking him?”

“To LACE hospital.”

She looked confused at the acronym, so Vic helped her out. “It’s where I was taken after the hit and run.”

“Oh.” Lips twisting, El glanced over at Sharon. “I wonder when they’ll be finished with her.”

“Not for a while, I suspect.” He handed her Sharon’s jacket. “Tell her I’ll buy her a new one. You stay with her. You know where I’ll be.”

The paramedics wheeled him out. He was shaking, probably from the loss of blood. When they left the barn, the cold air didn’t help his chills or his mood.

The saddest part of this whole event was that after this attack, Vic would never be able to convince El that he led a fairly safe life. It didn’t matter that Darryl was possibly the last of the vengeance seekers from his past life. He couldn’t be sure it was completely safe for El to be with him, which meant he had to let her go—again.

The only good news about Darryl’s capture was that Charlotte could now get on with her life.

*     *     *

When the paramedics
rolled Vic outside on that stretcher, Ellie’s heart broke. She wouldn’t wish what he had been through on her worst enemy, yet her ex-husband only seemed concerned with her welfare. Vic Hart was a one-of-a-kind good man.