Chapter Three

───── ? ────

Nash was already working out the logistics of how this search would play out, and he knew Ruby, the cops, and Caroline were no doubt doing the same thing.

Apparently, Jordana was, too.

“Bodie,” the woman said on a sharp rise of breath, and she would have no doubt started sprinting toward those woods if Officer Gonzales hadn’t stepped in front of her and held her back.

“Mrs. McKenna, you’re not leaving,” Detective Malley insisted, and he glanced around the woods.

Nash could see the debate that Malley was having with himself, so he threw out a suggestion. “You, Officer Gonzales, and my boss can stay here with Caroline, and I can—”

That was as far as Nash got before the objections started.

“I have to get to my husband now,” Jordana insisted while she frantically shook her head. “You can”t keep me here.”

“I can and will keep you here,” Malley fired back.

“And I want to go with you to look for the sonofabitch who tried to kill me,” Caroline stated, spearing Nash with her fiery gaze. “It’s not up for debate,” she added when Ruby opened her mouth. “Think it through, Mom. Would I be safer here or with Nash, one of your highly trained operatives who stands the best chance of finding the piece of crap escapee?”

Ruby closed her mouth, and it seemed as if she was trying to rein in what would have been an order for Caroline to stay put and inside the workshop. An order her daughter likely wouldn’t follow.

So, Nash spelled out the argument for Caroline.

“Bodie might not have a knife this time but rather a gun,” he told Caroline. “He could want you in the woods so he can shoot you.”

“Then, let’s not give him what he wants,” Caroline immediately countered. She tipped her head to his SUV. “Certainly you’ve got a Kevlar vest or two in there that’ll protect us.”

Nash silently did a whole bunch of cursing. “A vest won’t stop you from dying from a head shot.”

“And me being here won’t prevent one either,” Caroline was equally quick to point out. “In fact, Bodie could be out there waiting for the biggest threat to head off into those woods so he can charge in here after me. You’re the biggest threat, Nash. Not them.” She motioned to the cops. “Not my mother.”

Despite Ruby’s huff at being dismissed as that biggest threat, Caroline had a point, damn it, but Nash didn’t believe the cops were incompetent. They could stand on their own. Ruby could, too. But Bodie likely wouldn’t see a fifty-something-year-old woman as a challenge.

She was.

But Bodie probably wouldn’t realize it.

His brother was basically a chicken shit coward who had attacked a woman from behind. A woman half his size. So, yeah, the coward might indeed plan on waiting until his odds were better at getting to Caroline.

“Maybe Bodie isn’t here for her,” Jordana complained, her voice a nasally whine. “He could be coming here to get me. I’m his wife, and he loves me.”

Everyone ignored her, and Nash turned to Ruby. Not for a whispered conversation though. He needed the cops to hear this, but most importantly, they needed to come up with a plan and act on it.

Fast.

Nash didn’t want Bodie seeing them and tucking tail and running when he realized that Caroline wasn’t alone and defenseless.

Though defenseless no longer applied to her, that’s for sure.

Caroline seemed more than capable of protecting herself. Still, all the training and skillset in the world wouldn’t prevent being killed from a lucky shot.

“I have at least three vests in the SUV,” Nash pointed out.

That was apparently all that Ruby needed to know since she could easily see the determination on her daughter’s face. Ruby nodded, giving him approval for the plan.

“Detective,” Nash said, turning to Malley. “A county deputy should be here any minute. Are you okay with Ruby, Caroline, and me going after the suspect while you and Officer Gonzales remain with Mrs. McKenna?”

Nash had purposely used the Mrs. as a not so subtle reminder that a couple of things could happen. a) Bodie might indeed come for Jordana or b) Jordana might try to help her husband in some way. That could include attacking a cop or two to run into those woods after her asshole spouse.

“You don’t have the authority to arrest Bodie,” Malley reminded him, and for a moment Nash thought the detective was going to try to nix the plan. He didn’t though. “So, if you find him, detain him and call me. As soon as the county deputy arrives, I’ll join you on the search.”

Malley rattled off his phone number, and Nash gave a verbal command to Oz to put it in his contacts. Then, Nash hurried toward his SUV to get those vests.

Part of him wanted to stop moving and just continue to think this through. But he knew he wouldn’t be able to come up with anything that wouldn’t involve Caroline being tucked away and out of harm. If she was with him, she could be a target, and the same could be said if she wasn’t with him.

Praying this was the right thing to do, Nash came back with the three vests, and Caroline, Ruby, and he quickly got them on.

“Oz, is there an update from the drone?” Nash asked.

“No further sighting of the suspect,” Oz supplied.

Nash took out his backup weapon and handed it to Caroline. “Best not to take a knife to a gun fight, huh?” she remarked, sheathing her knife.

“Something like that,” Nash muttered. “Stay low and behind me. If things go wrong, get down. Repeat that last part to me.”

She didn’t huff, but it was close. “If things go wrong, get down. And what will you do?” Caroline tacked onto that.

“I’ll neutralize the threat,” he said.

He was aware that sounded cocky, but it was true. It was something he’d had a lot of experience doing first as an Air Force Combat Rescue Office and then working for Ruby. Normally though, he worked alone or with another trained operative who didn’t happen to be his boss.

Or the attacker’s target.

Both of those things were only going to add to the tension, and the stakes, of this search.

Hurrying to get them out of the open, Nash led the way toward the woods with Caroline behind him and Ruby at the rear. All were armed. All were ready.

Hopefully.

“Don’t you dare hurt my husband,” Jordana shouted.

He didn’t know whose groan was the most intense. Ruby’s, Caroline’s or his. But hearing the woman’s voice was a reminder that he needed to do a deeper dive on her so he could figure out if she had a part in what was happening now. Because everything she was saying and doing could be an act. A distraction to allow her husband to have another go at Caroline.

“Oz, continue drone surveillance,” Nash instructed.

He needed that recon to detect anyone near them so he’d have a heads up, and they wouldn’t get ambushed. Of course, it was possible Bodie had already spotted the drone and was staying out of sight and behind cover.

But to get to Caroline, he’d have to show himself.

Nash breathed just slightly easier when they finally made it out of the clearing and into the woods. Not merely a cluster of trees either. These were actual woods, choked with towering live oaks, cedars, and redbuds. They were thick enough to create a canopy that shut out enough of the sunlight to affect visibility.

They kept moving, stepping over dead leaves and sticks and dodging the underbrush that scratched against them as they passed. Behind him, he could hear Caroline’s breathing. On the fast and heavy side. No surprise there. Despite wanting to dole out some payback, she had to be scared.

Ruby was probably feeling a whole bunch of that fear, too. Even though Caroline and she technically weren’t close, this was still her child. A child in the potential path of a killer.

“Drone has detected someone,” Oz said in his ear. “Approximately twenty feet ahead at your two o’clock.”

Nash automatically shifted a little to the right. But he didn’t see anyone. “Is the target moving?” Nash whispered.

“No,” was Oz’s reply.

So, Bodie was lying in wait. The coward’s way.

“Stay crouched down,” Nash whispered to Caroline.

He headed further to the right, hoping to come up on Bodie from the side. Of course, Bodie would almost certainly be able to hear them coming. Might be able to see them, too, but Nash didn’t want to go at him head on, not with Caroline in the potential line of fire.

Caroline made a soft gasp that had his heart crashing against his ribs, and Nash whipped his head around to look at her. However, her attention was on the ground where he saw a copperhead slithering away.

Hell.

He’d been so caught in looking for the human piece of shit snake that he hadn’t noticed the actual snake. Good thing it hadn’t bitten one of them, and he continued walking, this time volleying some glances at the ground. At least if they encountered a rattlesnake, it’d give them some warning.

“Bodie?” someone called out.

That caused Nash, Caroline, and Ruby to freeze. Because it wasn’t Jordana’s voice. This was a man. And it wasn’t someone’s voice that Nash recognized.

“Bodie?” the guy repeated. “Hey, man. Is that you?”

Nash didn’t answer. Instead, he got them moving again, closing in on the sound of their visitor.

Who the hell was this? Bodie’s accomplice maybe? Or someone that Bodie had sent after Caroline? Either way, Nash was going to shut him down.

After trudging along another couple of minutes, Nash finally spotted the man. Definitely not Bodie. This guy was shorter, about five-ten, and he had fashionably messy dark blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. He had sort of a celebrity vibe about him, what with his stubble and clothes. Black jeans and olive green tee that looked tailored made.

And no visible weapon.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t armed though.

Nash was only about ten feet away from the guy when he must have heard the approaching footsteps. He pivoted in that direction. Instant alarm shot over his face, and he reached in the back waist of his pants. No doubt to draw a weapon.

“Don’t,” Nash immediately warned him. “Put your hands in the air so I can see them.”

The guy didn’t comply right away, not until he’d given all three of them a long look. He must have realized he was seriously outnumbered and outgunned because his hands went up.

“You’re Bodie’s brother?” the man asked.

Nash ignored his question and went with one of his own. It would be the first of many things he wanted to know. “Who the hell are you?”

“Eddie,” he said, his voice cracking a little. “Eddie Mulcrone. Is Bodie with you?” But then, he immediately shook his head. “No, Bodie wouldn’t be with any of you lot. I know who you are,” he spat out, tipping his head to Caroline and Ruby. “Did you kill him? Did you bastards kill Bodie?’

There was a lot of info in that handful of remarks. Something key was missing though. “How do know Bodie?”

Despite it being an obvious question to Nash, apparently this Eddie hadn’t seen it coming because he looked somewhat nonplussed. “We did time together, but I got out last year. Bodie’s like a brother to me,” he tacked onto that. “Not like you. You turned your back on him. I didn’t.”

“Great,” Nash muttered. “Another fan of a chicken shit felon. I’m guessing that means you also know his wife?”

Eddie’s mouth tightened. “Yeah, I know Jordana. Can’t say I like her much, but since Bodie married her and all, I tolerate her.”

That was more than Nash could do. He had no intentions of tolerating his sister-in-law.

“Why are you out in these woods?” Nash asked, and then he added the most important question of all. “Were you here to try to kill Caroline?”

“No,” Eddie was quick to say. “I was here to leave something for Bodie…” He stopped and must have realized he was about to admit to a crime. “I, uh, was going to convince him to turn himself in.”

“Sure you were,” Nash remarked, and Caroline and Ruby gave similar responses. “Is Bodie supposed to meet you here?”

Eddie shook his head. Too fast. Too firm of a response. “No. I was supposed to leave him this.” He lowered his hand toward his pocket, but Nash stopped him by moving into a shooting stance. “Don’t get all trigger happy. It’s just a phone and some money, that’s all.”

“So, aiding and abetting an escaped felon,” Nash concluded.

“No,” Eddie practically shouted. “It’s not like that. Yeah, I brought the stuff, but I was going to hang around and wait for Bodie to show up. Then, I was going to convince him to turn himself in.” He shifted his narrowed eyes to Caroline. “I was going to make him understand that she and her mother will try to kill him and cover it up.”

Nash wondered how Bodie had managed to brainwash this dipshit and Jordana. Then again, Bodie had always been the charmer. On the surface anyway. And he’d likely used that charm eighteen years ago to convince Caroline to go out with him. But the charm was just a veneer, and beneath, he was twisted and dangerous.

“Ruby, could you text Detective Malley and let him know we’re about to escort Eddie to him so the two of them can have a chat,” Nash said.

Eddie cursed a blue streak. “You’re taking me to the fuckin’ cops? Why? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Put your hands on top of your head,” Nash ordered, and knowing that Ruby and Caroline would cover him, he went to frisk the man. No gun. But a knife that Nash confiscated and slid into his own pocket. “Move.”

Eddie continued to curse and complain, but he started walking, probably because Nash gave him a shove in the back. Nash and the others followed him, and Nash continued to keep watch just in case Bodie was indeed around. But if he was, the drone hadn’t picked up on it, or Oz would have alerted him.

“Don’t know why I have to talk to the fuckin’ cops,” Eddie went on, kicking at a clump of twigs and leaves with far more force than necessary. “They should be talking to Jordana’s daddy. I’m bettin’ he’s the one who set all of this shit up.”

“What shit?” Nash asked.

“Setting up Bodie to escape, that’s what,” Eddie snapped. “Let me tell you, that wasn’t Bodie’s idea. Why escape when he’d be getting parole next go around? He would have been out in maybe less than a year.”

Nash heard Caroline’s quick intake of breath. Yeah, it was a chilling thought that his brother might have gotten parole, but Nash had figured it probably would have happened eventually. Bodie had already served eighteen years of a twenty-five-year sentence. Normally, the max would have been twenty, but there’d been some illegal weapons and resisting arrest charges tacked onto that.

“So, what does Leland Harris have to do with Bodie escaping?” Nash pressed.

“Shit. Everything, man. I figure Daddy Rich Ass set it all up so that Bodie didn’t have a choice but to escape. Maybe because somebody inside was going to murder him if he didn’t get the hell out of there.”

Caroline huffed. “And why would Mr. Harris do that?”

Eddie made a duh sound. “So that Bodie would be killed. No way in fuckin’ hell does Daddy Rich Ass want his pretty little princess daughter married to the likes of Bodie. This way, he gets rid of Bodie without getting his hands dirty, and his idiot daughter won’t hate him for doing her husband in.”

Well, if Leland Harris had indeed set this up, then his hands were indeed dirty. But that notion sounded like a long shot to Nash. Still, it was possible. A father could do all sorts of things to protect his child.

“You ought to be careful about Leland Harris,” Eddie went on and glanced back at Caroline. “I figure he’s planning to kill you and set up Bodie to take the blame. That way, if the cops or y’all don’t murder Bodie, then he’ll go back inside on death row. A win-win for Daddy Rich Ass.”

Nash wished that theory didn’t tighten his gut. But it did. And it was something that would need to be investigated.

They reached the clearing, and Nash spotted the county cruiser now in Caroline’s drive. He also saw Malley lifting his phone before using it to make a call. Nash’s own phone rang, and he answered it on speaker.

“No sign of Bodie?” Malley asked, but it was obvious from his urgent tone that he had something else to say.

“None, but maybe our guest will be able to tell us where he is. Is something wrong?” Nash went ahead and asked.

“Yeah,” Malley verified. “After the deputy got here, I went inside the house to finish looking around.” He paused. “And I found something.”