Picnic in Someday Valley (Honey Creek #2)(77)

“Pecos!”

Pecos turned up the volume to full blast as he tried to make out words over the noise of a Harley running at full speed.

“Ranger McBride here. I need backup ASAP. Kidnapping in progress.”

“Shoot me the location, Colby.”

Ten seconds later Pecos was back in the chair, yelling facts. Every man in the office was loading up and heading out. When a Texas Ranger was in trouble, LeRoy figured they’d need an army for backup.

Pecos was sending every deputy on patrol to Colby’s location. Someday Valley Trailer Park.

He heard rifles being pulled from the racks and the front door banging as everyone headed out with LeRoy shouting a stream of orders.

The 911 number sounded again. Marcie’s phone number popped on the screen. Before Pecos could get out a hello, a man ordered loud and clear, “Patch me into the sheriff. Kidnapping. Mayor involved.”

Pecos didn’t know who the man on the call was, but he didn’t waste time asking questions. “Will do,” Pecos answered as his fingers were already flying over the keyboard. “He’s on his way to his car now.”

As they waited for the sheriff to pick up, Pecos asked, “Mayor’s location?”

“Someday Valley. Marcie Latimer’s home. Last trailer on the lot.”

“Sending to all units now. Second nine-one-one request to that location.” In the silence, Pecos asked, “Where’s Marcie?”

The low voice answered, “She’s headed into trouble. Big trouble. I don’t know for sure, but I’m betting she’s heading toward Piper.”

Whoever the guy was, he seemed to know the situation.

The sheriff answered on the radio as he fumbled with his keys. Pecos patched him through to the stranger calling, and listened in, writing down details.

Kidnapping. Piper in trouble. Marcie headed that way. Two men within ten minutes of them.

When Pecos leaned back to look at the other dispatcher, who should be settled enough to take over, she wasn’t ready. She was shaking with panic. “I can’t handle this. Tell Rip to come back. This is too much.”

“You handle all other calls. I’ll stay on this one.” There was no way Pecos was handing over his post.

He worked like a pro. Putting the fire department on call. Directing an ambulance to the scene and reminding them to stand clear until the area had been secured.

He could feel his heart trying to pound through his chest. In a few months he’d be a deputy ready to run toward trouble. Right now all he could do was do his job. Maybe, if he did everything right, he’d help.





Chapter 52


Piper


Piper fought to wake up from a terrible dream. She felt she’d fallen down a well. The world was dark and cold. Her entire body ached. She couldn’t move as the smell of smoke filled the air.

The nightmare mixed with a memory from almost six months ago. Fire barreling down the hallway toward her office on the fourth floor. Colby covering her with his jacket. His only thought had been to get them to safety. “I’ll get you out, PJ,” he kept yelling. “I swore I’d protect you. I swore.”

The feeling that she was going to die this time, without Colby, smothered all other thoughts. He should be by her side. They’d be fine together.

But she’d walked away from him. He’d turned his back after she’d said they were over.

She heard banging and tried to scream. Something smelly was shoved in her mouth and tape ran from cheek to cheek, holding the rag in place.

“Shut up,” a man close to her ordered. “You are not the one I want to hear screaming. Shut up or I will hit you again.”

She shook her head and tried to fight free. Smoke seemed to fill her lungs. She had no way of knowing if it was real or brought on by fear.

Then a fist hit her cheek so hard it slammed her head against her shoulder. The cover over her mouth wouldn’t allow the scream out.

“Be still!” the low voice said, angry now. “If you don’t just sit there, I’ll hit you again.”

Reality wedged its way into her thoughts and she opened her eyes. The scene before her was far more frightening than a nightmare. It was real. The cold, the foul taste in her mouth, ropes binding her to a tall chair. Her head reeling from the blow.

Her legs dangled off the high chair, not able to touch the floor. Both her shoes were gone.

The man she’d seen talking to Marcie was standing in front of her, saying something about how he shouldn’t have hit a mayor. He stepped backward and took a long draw on a whiskey bottle.

“That wasn’t my fault, Mayor. You made me do it.”

Her mouth was taped. She couldn’t scream or ask where she was. Ropes hurt as they crisscrossed over her body, tying her in place.

She tried to wiggle free, but the ropes wouldn’t give.

The man kept staring at her as if he couldn’t understand why she was trying to fight. Finally, he must have decided to talk to her. “You ain’t going anywhere, girl, so you might as well stop fretting.” He tightened the rope already cutting into her throat, then tested each rope as he pushed his fingers between the rope and her body. His hand pushing into her breasts, her rib cage, her stomach. “I ain’t going to hurt you unless I have to. You’re just bait for that tramp.”