Deadly Dealings (Hardy Brothers Security Book 13) (18 page)

“It was a message to us, baby,” James said. “We … they want to make a deal with Peter or they’re going to kill her.”

Mandy instantly burst into tears and James had no idea how to comfort her so he pulled her close and held her as rage coursed through him. He proceeded to rock her as he formed a plan. This couldn’t go without retaliation.

“I’m going to kill these monsters,” James seethed as he met Grady at the front door an hour later.

Sophie trailed behind Grady, a duffel bag clutched in her hand. Her face was unreadable, but James saw rage hidden beneath the usually unflappable depths of her eyes. “How is Mandy?”

“Not good,” James said.

“Where is she?” Grady asked.

“Upstairs. She wants to be alone right now. She’s … blaming herself.”

“Why would she be blaming herself?” Sophie asked.

“Because Clint was hurt protecting her,” Grady supplied. “Heidi blames Mandy for Clint being hurt because he wouldn’t have been if Mandy hadn’t insisted on going back to work so soon.”

“But that’s … ridiculous,” Sophie snapped. “Mandy had no way of knowing what would happen.”

“She’s still blaming herself,” James said. “You guys are prepared to stay here for the duration, right? I don’t want this family separated right now.”

“We’re here,” Grady said. “It’s going to put a crimp in my sex plans, but we’re here.”

James made a face.

“It was a lame joke,” Grady said, holding up his hands. “I want Sophie here with everyone else. I’m just … I don’t even know what to say about this.”

“You don’t think they would really … hurt … Heidi, do you?” Sophie’s lower lip quivered slightly before she regained control of herself.

“I think these people are animals,” James replied. “I think they’ve killed … God only knows how many women. I think the few who survived are in real trouble. I think Heidi is in danger.”

“This is such crap,” Sophie muttered. “Peter is on his way, right?”

James nodded.

“Peter will kill them,” Sophie said, not batting an eyelash at how bloodthirsty she sounded. “Peter will skin them alive and make them eat their own flesh.”

“Okay, sugar,” Grady said, running a hand up and down Sophie’s back and exchanging a worried glance with James. “I think you need a drink.”

“Where is everyone else?” Sophie asked.

“On their way,” James said. “Everyone is living here until we get Heidi back and this is … over.”

“It will be like the slumber party none of us ever wanted,” Sophie said, her tone blasé. “I think you’re right. I want a drink.”

“We’re all getting a drink.”

IT TOOK
almost two hours for everyone to arrive at the house and when they trudged inside, some members of the Hardy family were less than thrilled to be put under house arrest – to say the least.

“No way!”

“You’re staying here whether you like it or not, angel,” Jake snapped. “I’ve listened to you complain for two hours. There’s nothing I can do to change this right now. You’re staying here so I know you’re safe. Period.”

“You are not the boss of me,” Ally argued.

“Lay down the law, Whipped Jake,” Grady ordered. “Don’t put up with her crap.”

Ally’s brown eyes were dangerous slits when she turned them on Grady. “What did you just say?”

“I said you’re my favorite sister,” Grady replied, pasting his best “you love me and you can’t kill me” look on his face. “I love you dearly, Ally, but we’re in crisis mode here. You’re staying – and you’re going to like it.”

Ally crossed her arms over her chest, her mind busy as she tried to come up with an argument to support her side in the matter. When she couldn’t, she let loose with a resigned sigh. “Fine. The second this is over with, though, I want Olive Garden and a back rub.”

“I’m sure I can promise both of those things,” Jake said, leaning over so he could brush a soft kiss against Ally’s temple. “I know you’re upset, angel. We have to pull together on this, though.”

“I don’t understand how this happened,” Emma said, wringing her hands as she settled on the couch. “How could someone take Heidi? She’s the nicest person in the world.”

“They took her because we weren’t thinking clearly,” James answered. “They took her because they couldn’t get close enough to Mandy … or Sophie, for that matter …to take them. They would’ve preferred the two of them. They would’ve settled for you and Ally. You two were locked up, too. They went the only route they could, and I can’t help but think we should’ve seen it coming.”

For his part, Peter was mostly quiet as he sat in one of the armchairs at the edge of the room. He was sipping a brandy and taking in everyone’s words, but he wasn’t commenting.

“What are we going to do?” Sophie asked, stepping in front of him so he had nowhere to look but her direction.

“We’re going to burn their house to the ground,” Peter replied, his voice flat. “I have men out now ascertaining their location. It won’t be long.”

“How are you going to find them if they’ve taken Heidi and found some hole to crawl inside?” Sophie pressed.

“I had men watching Jasper and Winona already,” Peter admitted. “They’re moving now. When I get a location, I will move on them.”

“Are you sure that’s the way to go?” James asked, hating that he had to question Peter’s leadership ability but seeing no way around it.

“What do you suggest?”

“What about calling Sheriff Morgan?”

Peter balked at the suggestion. “I don’t usually work with law enforcement when I’m planning on killing someone.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t kill them,” James said. “I … I’m not telling you how to conduct your business. We need to find more than Heidi, though. There are possibly a couple of women out there in danger. Even if we get Heidi back, if you kill Jasper and Winona, what happens to those women?”

Peter licked his lips, unsure. “I … you’re right, of course. We have no choice but to call the sheriff.”

“You could leave now,” Sophie offered. “You don’t have to be here when he gets here.”

“No, my dear, that’s where you’re wrong,” Peter replied. “I do have to be here when the sheriff gets here. We’re all going to have to work together to pull this one off.”

“I’ll call him,” Grady said, getting to his feet. “I … I’m not sure how he’s going to feel about this.”

“Neither am I,” James said. “We can’t move on Jasper and Winona without him, though. We could end up in jail if we try. Now, I’m willing to go to jail to save Heidi, but I’d rather not leave my wife a virtual widow while I do hard time if it’s not necessary.”

“Agreed,” Grady said, sighing. “I’ll call him and explain the situation. I’m sure he’ll at least come over here to talk to us.”

Ally lifted her head and glanced around the living room, her internal scan coming up one blonde short. “Speaking of your wife, where is she?”

James sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “She’s upstairs.”

“Why?”

“Why do you think? She’s upset and she blames herself.”

Ally rolled her eyes and placed her half-finished glass of wine on the table. “Now is not the time for her to fall apart,” she said, getting to her feet. “I’ll handle this.”

“Don’t go up there and make things worse, Ally,” James warned.

“Can they get any worse?”

James didn’t know how to answer so he stood rooted to his spot, helpless, and watched Ally ascend the stairs. He had no idea if letting Ally tackle Mandy was the right decision, but he didn’t think it could do any harm. Mandy was already falling apart and she needed tough love. James wasn’t capable of looking in those tear-filled blue eyes and ordering his wife to snap out of it.

Ally was, though, and she appeared up for the task.

ALLY
didn’t bother knocking as she entered James and Mandy’s bedroom. She found Mandy curled up on the bed, her face buried beneath a pillow, and launched herself onto the mattress next to her best friend.

“What are you doing?”

Mandy didn’t answer so Ally reached over and jerked the pillow away. She wasn’t surprised to see fresh tears running down Mandy’s cheeks.

“Get up,” Ally ordered.

“No.”

“Get up.”

“I don’t want to.” Mandy’s sadness was quickly turning to anger. “No one invited you in here. Get out.”

“I will when you get up.”

“Get out!”

“You’re being a baby, Mandy,” Ally said. “I know you’re upset and I don’t blame you for being upset. You think this is your fault because you went back to work when you shouldn’t have done it. I get that. I think I would probably be feeling the exact same thing if I was you.”

“Get out,” Mandy repeated. “I want to be alone.”

“Well, you can’t be alone,” Ally said, wrinkling her nose. “We’re all in a spot here and we need you to get over yourself to help us.”

“I can’t help,” Mandy replied bitterly. “I’m here … safe in my bed … and there are horrible people doing God knows what to Heidi. What can I do?”

“Oh, you’re right,” Ally said. “Sitting up here and feeling sorry for yourself is a great way to help Heidi. I must have missed that somehow.”

“Go away, Ally.”

“Get up and get it together, Mandy,” Ally countered. “This isn’t helping anyone … and, quite frankly, it’s hurting Heidi. She needs you to be strong. So, suck it up and get strong. We have to face this together.”

“Heidi could be getting raped … or beaten … or something even worse right now,” Mandy said, fresh tears pooling in her eyes. “If that’s happening to her we both know it’s my fault.”

“You can’t go back in time and decide not to go to work,” Ally said. “You did it. It was a mistake. It’s time to move on. Don’t you think James is grappling with the same guilt?”

“What? Why?”

“He let you go back to work because he didn’t want to argue with you,” Ally pointed out. “If he had put his foot down like he wanted you would’ve pouted for a day and gotten over it. Heidi would never have been a target. Maybe it’s James’ fault.”

“Don’t even joke about that,” Mandy snapped. “He’s taken enough on. This is on me. Not him.”

“I’m not blaming him,” Ally shot back. “I’m not blaming you either. You’re doing enough of that for everyone.”

“I … what do you want me to do?”

“Grady is calling Sheriff Morgan,” Ally said. “Peter is downstairs. They’re going to be working together on this. Now, if a career law enforcement official and a career criminal can put aside their crap to work together, can you tell me why you can’t find the strength to get out of bed and help your friend?”

Mandy opened her mouth to argue, astonished hurt washing over her features as she absorbed Ally’s words. “I … .”

“You don’t have an argument in this that I’m going to accept,” Ally warned. “You can’t go back in time and change things. We’ve got one hand to play and we’re going to have to make the one we’ve been dealt work to our advantage.

“Now, I know it’s easier to stay up here and hide and feel sorry for yourself,” she continued. “You can’t do that, though. You’re stronger than that. I won’t let you be this … mousy little whiner that you seem to want to be right now. It’s not allowed.”

“You’re ticking me off, Ally.”

“Right back at you.”

“ARE
you worried that they’ve been up there so long?” Jake asked, moving to James’ side and staring at the empty spot at the top of the staircase. “I … maybe I should go up there.”

“No,” James said, his shoulders stiffening resolutely. “Mandy needs a kick in the pants. I can’t give it to her.”

“Why not?”

“Could you sit there and yell at Ally while her heart is breaking? I can’t look at her while she’s crying and not coddle her. I’m sorry. It’s not in me.”

“Do you think Ally can shake her out of it?”

“I think Ally is our only option,” James said. “We need Mandy down here. I’m not sure how Heidi will react in a situation like this and Mandy is our best option for details. If she doesn’t get it together … .”

“What about calling Judge MacIntosh?” Jake suggested.

James stilled, surprised by the suggestion. “I … that’s a good idea. I’m hopeful Mandy will snap out of this, but if she doesn’t … we need insight into Heidi.”

“Do you want me to call Clint, too?”

“No,” James said, shaking his head. “Clint is in the hospital, and as much as he would like to help … I hate to say it … but he’s just going to get in the way. I’ll apologize for cutting him out after the fact. For now we need professionals on this.”

“And what happens if Heidi dies?”

“Then my wife and I are going to have to find a way to deal with the guilt that’s going to haunt us for the rest of our lives.”

“I’ll call the judge,” Jake said. “I … we’ll save Heidi. Have faith.”

“I hope so,” James said, his eyes trained on the top of the stairs. “Mandy will never get over this if we don’t.”