LLucy’s Revenge(Divine Creek Ranch 15)(133)

She wiggled around to get a look at what was on the entertainment center. Perhaps there was a blunt object. She could move fast if she needed to. But there was nothing of aid there.

Emily Anne whispered to her. “What are you doing? He’ll know you’re moving around. He’ll catch you.”

Lucy stopped and looked at Emily Anne. She could tell her friend—yes, she was her friend—was scared. “Emily Anne, we have to do something. We can’t let him leave with us again. If no one knows where we are, then the trail will go cold.”

“Listen, Lucy. I didn’t get to—” She clammed up when Baxter rushed back into the room talking to himself, gave them a dirty look and then hurried to what must be the bathroom. “I didn’t get to tell you everything. That man is a murder suspect. Murder, do you hear me? That’s what the men were talking about at the meeting at the Dancing Pony.”

Murder? Oh no! “If they were talking about him, then they have to know where he lives. They’ll come.”

“I think someone already may have seen us. My friend, Chloe. I think she saw me behind the wheel of your car. She slowed down after she passed us.”

“Chloe?”

“Yes, and if I know her, she’s going to get herself into some kind of foolishness attempting to help us. I’ll die if she gets herself killed. It’ll break Grant’s and Andrew’s hearts and I’ll never forgive myself.”

Lucy nudged Emily Anne to get her attention before she became more agitated and attracted Baxter’s notice. As long as he muttered, she could tell where he was in the small house. “Okay, honey, listen, we’ve got to keep clear heads. What would she do?”

“First? Oh, first she would call Adam Kendall. He’s the sheriff whose life she saved. He’s like a big brother to her. He’d tell her what to do.”

“What would he tell her?”

“To stay put and wait for help, most likely.”

“Would she do it?”

Emily Anne looked at her and smiled for the first time since earlier in the morning. “Would you if your friend was in trouble?”

“Hell no.” Lucy thought of the way the Lusty men had helped orchestrate Jayne’s rescue. “No, I’d be right there if I could.”

A light thump was heard at the back door and Baxter came running, gun in hand. He flailed it at the girls. “You two stay put and don’t make a sound. I will shoot you dead, understand?”

He made sure their binds were still tight. They were so tight in fact that they cut off Lucy’s circulation. He hurried into the kitchen and Lucy said, “We have to get that gun away from him.”

“How, Lucy? He’s acting a little crazy but he’s as dangerous as a rattlesnake. I don’t want you to die. I’m scared.” She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

Lucy got right in her face, taking the chance Baxter would see her moving around. “Emily Anne Bancroft, you listen to me. You don’t get to be scared right now. Scared will get you killed. Get pissed. Haven’t you ever been so pissed you could hurt someone?”

“No, but I—” Emily Anne hesitated and her angst seemed to decrease somewhat.

“But what?”

“But I understand what you mean. I have this coworker—she’s a friend, actually. A waitress, just like me. She’s so mild-mannered you’d never know she has a temper. Someone hurt her and hurt her bad and scared her and she said one day, when she saw him, she just got…so mad…”

“There you go,” Lucy said hurriedly, glad to see her bucking up a little. “What did she do?”

“I heard she kicked his ever-lovin’ ass. She got in lots of trouble with her men for doing that, too, but she said it needed doing.”

“Well see? You just think about your friend—”

“Ginny. Ginny Kendall. Adam’s wife.”

“Okay. You kick ass like Ginny Kendall when the time comes. In trouble with your men for taking action is better than your men losing you, and mourning you, because you didn’t act when you had the chance. You just follow my lead—”

“Oh! Hey!” a friendly voice said from outside the back door that he’d brought them in through earlier. “Hi there! I’m looking for my friend, Emily Anne. I saw her just a bit ago turning in here and I haven’t seen her in ages. Is she here?”

The innocent voice was very convincing, Lucy thought. Not that she was all that jazzed about this particular woman helping them. She didn’t want Chloe’s help. Not really. But hell, beggars couldn’t be choosers.

“That’s my friend, Chloe. I knew it!” Emily Anne said excitedly while trying to keep her voice down. “Maybe she can buy us some time until help comes.” Emily Anne sighed, sounding relieved. “Chloe wouldn’t be at the door unless she’d already called in the cavalry.”