Christmas Justice (Carder Texas Connections #7)(47)

A loud clatter rang out. Hondo let out a curse. “You trying to break my hand?”

“Shut up,” Strickland said. “Or I’ll kill you first. I may choose you anyway. You’re too damned annoying.”

“No, please, no. Now, Lucy, it’s going to be okay.”

“Make her stop that sniveling, or I take her.” Strickland stomped away, toward the front of the building. “Someone’s pulling out front.”

That had to be Laurel.

Which meant Strickland had his back to the jail.

Garrett hurried outside the emergency exit to the side of the jail. A small window ledge was the only opening. He lifted himself up, then dangled the keys in front of the glass. He grabbed a diamond cutter from his pocket and within seconds had opened a hole. He set the keys in reach.

Garrett tapped lightly.

Keller jerked his head up. His eyes widened. He sidled over to Hondo. The man slid a subtle glance toward Garrett and gave a nod. At the right moment, they’d grab the keys.

Garrett had to trust the ex-marine to get Keller and Lucy out safely. He returned to the secret entrance and pushed back inside. The easiest thing would be to shoot Strickland in the back of the head. The man deserved it. Garrett had been dreaming of killing the man since he’d woken up from his coma, but that would silence the only lead Garrett had to the identity of the mastermind behind a decade’s worth of death and criminal activity.

And Strickland’s death wouldn’t protect Laurel and Molly in the long run.

That made his job that much more difficult. He needed Strickland alive, which made his every move that much more dangerous.

Hondo hadn’t budged. Good man. Playing it smart. Lucy was tucked up on the end of the cot, rocking away. Easy to see how Strickland had gotten the drop on Hondo. Deputy Keller... Well, Garrett would be having a talk with him.

Strickland held an M16 in his hand. He peered through the front window, stepped aside and opened the door.

“The McCallister woman and the girl. But where’s Bradley?” Strickland shifted his M16.

“Guess Bradley didn’t believe me when I said one of you would die.” He pointed the gun at Lucy.

Now or never.

Garrett launched himself at Strickland, knocking the man’s weapon from his hand. Garrett landed on his shoulder and nearly cried out in agony even as he grabbed Strickland by the throat. He pressed his forearm against the man’s trachea. “I should have killed you.”

Strickland grinned up at him. “But you won’t, because someone will keep coming now that the boss knows you’re alive. You can’t kill me.”

The bastard was right.

Garrett pressed harder, blocking the man’s air. “Who do you work for? I want a name.”

Strickland glared up at him. “Let me go.”

“Let me out. Let me out,” Lucy shouted.

Out of the corner of his eye, Garrett saw Hondo pluck the keys from the ledge and unlock the door. Lucy raced from the jail cell the moment Hondo opened it.

With that second’s distraction, Strickland thrust his arms against Garrett’s chest and twisted his body. He broke Garrett’s hold and leaned back just in time to avoid Garrett’s killing blow to his windpipe.

Strickland leaped to his feet, grabbed Lucy by the hair and dragged her to the front door.

Garrett raised his Beretta. “You won’t get out of here alive.”

“Stay still, Lucy,” Hondo pleaded with his sister.

The poor woman started crying. Strickland’s trigger finger flinched.

“What are you going to do now, Sheriff?” Strickland grinned. “Looks like I’m back in charge. Drop your weapon.”

Garrett cursed. He had no choice. He slid his weapon over.

Keller circled around Strickland. The man didn’t hesitate. He let a bullet fly. Keller went down, his shoulder bloody.

“No more games. Get McCallister and the girl inside, and we’ll finish this.”

Before the words left his mouth a gunshot echoed through the room.

Lucy screamed.

Strickland fell to the floor, unmoving.

Hondo ran to his sister and cradled her in his arms, turning her away from the dead body. “I was only bringing the deputy cookies,” she babbled.

“Everyone down.” Garrett raced to the open front door. He stood in the doorway, Beretta drawn. Molly was ducked down in the backseat. Laurel had squeezed under the SUV. “He’s dead,” Garrett said.

Laurel’s eyes widened; she crawled toward him, rose and threw herself into his arms.

“Did he say anything?” she whispered. “Give us any information?”

Slowly Garrett shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

“I understand.”

But her voice held a resignation that Garrett didn’t like. She, too, realized the implications. If Ivy’s file didn’t give them the name of the person responsible, they were at a dead end. That could cost all three of them their lives.

*

THE BLACK ESCALADE backed out of sight of the sheriff’s office. Shep shoved the gear into Park and glared at Léon. “You should have taken the shot. Strickland was easy, but Bradley was in your sights twice. First when he orchestrated that harebrained scheme with the keys, then through the front door. You could have taken them both out.”