“Then you’d better hurry.”
Almost blinded by rage when Sanders smacked Emily in the face, Hunter took deep breaths to keep from charging into the building and killing Sanders with his bare hands.
“Calm, down, Henderson. Don’t react.” McNeil spoke out of the side of his mouth. “The man’s nerves are already stretched. You can see it in his eyes. One false move and that gun will go off.”
So it had been Sanders who’d murdered Louis. They should have guessed. They were so focused on the killer being one of the partnership’s clients who’d been fleeced of their money, they’d skipped right past the man who seemed so nondescript. As a Texas Ranger, he should have learned over the years that it was the unassuming ones who usually got away with it because they were so unnoticeable.
“I gotta get her out of there. That building is unsafe.”
“I know. But first we have to remove Sanders from the picture.” McNeil paused. “I have an idea. Go with me on this.”
McNeil cupped his hands and shouted. “Sanders. Tell us how much you want and I’ll send Hunter to get the money and horse.”
“What?” Hunter swung to face McNeil. “I’m not leaving.”
“Shut up. Follow along.”
Sanders looked down at them, his eyes shifting back and forth. “Two thousand dollars. And a horse. A fast one.”
McNeil spoke softly, barely moving his lips. “I want you to slowly reach behind me and take the gun I have stashed in my belt.”
“Behind you? I thought your gun was tucked under your arm.”
McNeil tossed him a grin. “Never give away all your secrets, Henderson. You should remember your Texas Ranger days. The gun in my belt is your old Walker Colt. You were always the best shot on the team. Go to the building Sanders’ office is in and you’ll be able to pick him off.”
“Are you crazy?” he hissed. “He’s got a gun pressed up against Emily’s head.”
“I’ll do my best to distract him, have him ease up on his hold. But our best chance of hitting him is with you.”
Sweat beaded Hunter’s forehead as he glanced up at Emily. A bruise had already formed on her face where Sanders had hit her. Tears ran down her pale cheeks, whether from fear or pain, he didn’t know. Everything possessive in him reared up and gripped him like a vise.
Memories flooded him of how he had huddled under a desk and watched his father killed before his very eyes. He’d never gotten over the guilt of not doing something to prevent it, even though he’d been a child and had told himself numerous times there hadn’t been anything he could have done. But this time he could, and the murder of someone he loved would not happen again.
McNeil began negotiations with Sanders, discussing how the money should be bagged, what type of horse he wanted, and how much time it would take to do it all. While Sanders was busy with that, Hunter stealthily withdrew the gun from McNeil’s back and slid it into his belt, underneath this jacket.
“Sanders, Henderson’s going to leave now to notify the authorities what your demands are.”
The man wiped the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his jacket. “Just make it fast, or me and the girl will be buried in a jumble of bricks and boards.”
Hunter backed away, his eyes never leaving Emily’s until he reached the back door of Sanders’ office building. Once inside, he removed the gun from his belt and checked the chambers. Five shots. He only needed one.
Never had a shot held such high stakes for him. If he missed, Emily was dead. He hurried up the stairs and entered the Smith and Sanders office. He dropped to his knees and crawled to the window, peeking out. McNeil was keeping Sanders engaged, but he still had the gun pressed against Emily’s head. He couldn’t take a chance on shooting unless Sanders lowered the gun.
Resting his weapon on the window sill, he peered through the sight. It felt good to have the weapon in his hand again. He’d brought down many a bad criminal with this gun. A clear shot was possible, but not with Emily jammed up against Sanders the way she was now.
“Come on, McNeil, get him to release her,” Hunter muttered.
Almost as if the Captain had heard his plea, he said something to Sanders, and the man moved away from Emily. Years of training kicked in and within a split second Hunter pulled the trigger of the Walker Colt.
Chapter 25
The sounds of Emily’s screams as Sanders fell backward rang out in the stillness, terrifying him. Had he hit her instead of Sanders? A roar filled his ears as he hopped up from his spot on the floor and watched parts of the building across the way crumble. Emily grabbed onto the window frame while the structure shook and trembled.
Hunter flew from the office, down the stairs and out the back door. McNeil held his arm out and stopped him as he reached his side. “You can’t go in there, Henderson. The building is about to collapse.”
“What the hell happened?”
“When you hit Sanders, he fell backward and the weight of his body crashed through the floor. The whole damn place is about to cave in.”