Missing in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law #5)(66)

“Even if everyone starts firing weapons.”

“And?”

She threw her hands in the air. “Even if a parade of pygmy elephants tromps through the back wall. Even if QVC starts a half-off sale. Even if Daniel Craig shows up.”

His lips quivered. “Well, maybe if pygmy elephants appear.”

“I’m giving away my position if Daniel Craig shows up,” Jadyn said.

Colt looked over at her.

“Just saying,” Jadyn said.

Colt shook his head. “Pygmy elephants and Daniel Craig aside, is everyone ready? Because we’ve got about ten minutes until sunset. I figure Pickett will wait until dark to make his move.”

“Ready,” Maryse said.

Jadyn nodded.

“I’m ready to get this over with!” Helena yelled from the loft. “I’m hungry.”

Jadyn glanced upward and saw Helena standing at the railing of the loft. She was completely decked out in camo, down to the paint on her face, except for the pink pumps that had likely gone out of style before Jadyn was even born. Maryse had said it was a “throwback” problem and she’d explain later. Helena had been so pissed off about it, she’d stomped through the hotel so hard Jadyn wondered if she could break an ankle.

Even if you removed the outfit from the equation, Jadyn was quite happy that she’d be floor level with potential gunfire if the only other option was in the loft listening to Helena. Maryse would need a strong drink when this was over. Maybe even therapy.

“Okay,” Colt said, “then let’s all get in our places. Remember to put your phone on silent and cover it where the screen light won’t give you away. If anyone sees or hears anything, text the others and give a location for the activity.”

“He’s going down,” Maryse said and gave them both a high five before scrambling up the ladder to the loft.

Jadyn moved to her position behind a pile of tires about fifteen feet behind Pickett’s Cadillac while Colt took his spot behind a stack of crates near the front of the Cadillac. Nothing else left to do, she sat on a set of tires and prepared to wait.

She didn’t have to wait long.

Only twenty minutes after they’d taken their places, a loud creak signaled the opening of the back door. They’d tested it earlier and Jadyn had no doubt the sound came from that entry point.

A minute later, Pickett emerged from the dark corner near the back door and walked into the dimly lit center of the shop. He looked around, then when he spotted his car, made a beeline for the far end of the shop where the Cadillac was still on the hydraulic lift that Colt had used earlier.

Pickett located the lift lever on the wall and raised the car, then pulled out a screwdriver and immediately went to work on the gas tank. It didn’t take him much time to get the box removed from the tank, but then Jadyn figured he’d probably been using that device for some time.

He made quick work of the box and pulled out the black bag. In the quiet of the shop, Jadyn could hear the marbles they’d put in the bag clinking together, but the charade would only hold another second. Pickett felt the bag and frowned, then loosened the string and poured the marbles into his hand. He cursed and flung them across the shop, the pings echoing across the open building.

That was all they needed.

Colt stepped out from behind the crates, his gun leveled at Pickett. “Don’t move or I’ll shoot.”

Pickett whirled around to face Colt. His arm dropped to his side and the bag fell to the floor, scattering the remaining marbles across the shop.

“Sheriff Bertrand,” Pickett said, trying to pull an innocent look and failing completely. “I just wanted to check on my car. I couldn’t make it here during regular business hours but the back door was open. I know it’s trespassing, but I didn’t think the owner would mind.”

“That’s a nice story,” Colt said. “We’ll see if a jury believes it, especially after they see the pouch of diamonds I have tucked away.”

Pickett sneered, dropping all pretense of innocence. “I’ve gotten out of far worse than this. Do you really think someone like me works without a backup plan?”

“Then it’s your backup plan against mine,” Colt said. “Now, turn around, get down on your knees, and put your hands on your head.”

Pickett turned around, then launched for a toolbox about five feet away, pulling a pistol from his waistband as he went. Jadyn moved to the far side of the tires, trying to see if she had a shot, but her line of sight was blocked by a stack of cardboard boxes.

Pickett began firing and Colt dove for cover behind a car frame that offered minimal coverage.

“They’re shooting!” Helena screamed from the loft and Jadyn looked up to see the ghost scrambling down the ladder as fast as the pumps allowed. A couple seconds later, there was an enormous crash and she looked over to see Helena emerge from a pile of hubcaps.

Jadyn checked Colt’s position and her chest tightened so hard it hurt. If Pickett could manage a shot, even inches to the right, he’d have a bull’s-eye. She gripped her pistol, preparing to fire through the cardboard boxes and hope for a hit, when Colt returned fire from the far end of the car body.

Pickett screamed and she knew he’d been hit, but had no way of knowing if the hit had incapacitated him. She crept around the edge of the tires as Colt inched across the shop toward the toolbox. He whipped around the back and Jadyn heard Pickett cry out again. A couple seconds later, Colt dragged him from behind the toolbox and pulled handcuffs from his pocket.