Out of the Storm (Buckhorn, Montana #1) - B.J. Daniels Page 0,87
have the insurance they were counting on. But they could still threaten to kill her or hurt her if she didn’t comply. He thought of Collin and what he’d seen in the man’s face when he’d looked at Kate as she’d entered the house earlier. He’d been relieved to see her alive. Which mean Collin did care about her, although Jon was too smart to ever trust that the man might be an ally. But he might be used in a crunch.
Jon turned toward the dusty window at the far end of the room. It was small, but he was slim, and he had no choice. If they caught him, it wouldn’t be Collin taking care of him this time.
* * *
KATE WATCHED THE men out of the corner of her eye as they sat around the table eating. She told herself she couldn’t eat a thing but forced herself to get a few bites down. Just before they sat down to eat, she’d excused herself to use the restroom.
Gerald had ordered Collin to make sure she didn’t go any farther than the bathroom. Once inside, she’d locked the door and quickly put the paring knife she’d pushed up her sleeve into the top of her boot. Then she’d used the facilities, flushed, washed her hands and come out. Collin gave her a suspicious look, making her realize that he might know her a little too well.
“My breakfast is getting cold,” she said as she pushed past him.
Back in the kitchen, Gerald asked if everything was all right. Neither she nor Collin answered. Phil chuckled and then complained that the eggs were too spicy.
“They’re perfect,” Gerald said. “Delicious. Good job, Kate.”
She gave him a nod and ate some of her own. They were spicy. But her insides were already roiling, so it was hard to tell if the eggs added to it.
“Someone is bringing the car over now,” Gerald said as they all finished. Kate rose to gather up the dishes. “Help her,” he said from behind her at the table. She heard Collin’s chair scrape angrily on the floor, and the next thing she knew he was beside her at the sink.
“You can load them in the dishwasher,” she said, handing him a plate she’d rinsed. He growled something under his breath that she couldn’t make out as she opened the dishwasher for him and pulled out the lower rack.
“Collin, you and Kate will cross the border this afternoon right before it gets dark,” Gerald was saying. “I want you to wait until the shift change. I’ll call you and tell you when to cross. That means you will have to stop before the border—just not too far from the crossing. Don’t cross until you get my call. Once you’re safely across, we’ll let your friend Jon Harper go.”
Kate didn’t believe that. She tried to hold her tongue and couldn’t. Turning toward the table and the two men sitting there, she said, “You won’t let him go.”
Gerald seemed surprised that she would argue with him. Beside her, Collin grabbed her arm, but she shook off his hold. Gerald motioned him aside and faced Kate. “I admire the way you handle yourself,” he said. “I will let him go. What is he going to do? Call the cops? Incriminate you? Even if he could prove that you’re Collin’s hostage, the man isn’t going to get involved. He has too much to lose if he does. There is a bounty out on him. One phone call, and he’d be dead within hours. So if I wanted him dead and didn’t want my own hands dirty, which I don’t... What I need to know is if you can do your job?”
She stared back at the man, trying to decide if he was telling the truth or not. Either way, she had little control over the situation. “I’ll cross the border with Collin and play my part—but only when I know that Jon is safe.”
With a curse, Gerald slammed his fist down on the counter but quickly got his temper under control. “You don’t really have a lot to bargain with,” he pointed out. She said nothing. “But in order to have you all-in on this, you have a deal. I will release him and let him know he has to call you. So, you’ll be hearing from him by the time you reach the border crossing. I’ll call Collin. Jon will call you.”