Love Inspired Suspense September 2015 #2 (17 page)

NINETEEN

S
eth sat on top of the rail and watched the bull ram the barrel. When the sphere came to a stop, his gut tightened as the bull prepared to strike again. He clenched his fist against his left thigh and absently noted that his leg ached but not too bad. And while he noticed that, he had his attention centered on Tonya.

As long as she stayed put, she'd be all right. The other two cowboys were already racing to help, to distract the bull, but he was on his way for another hit.

And Tonya crawled from the barrel.

Seth's heart nearly stopped. He stood on the rail. “What are you doing?” he hissed even though there was no way she'd hear him.

Tonya got to her feet and faced the oncoming bull.

The crowd fell silent as though someone had flipped the switch. This wasn't the way things were supposed to play out and they knew it. She was supposed to wait for one of the others to distract the bull.

Jake stood beside him. “What's she doing? She's going to get herself killed!”

“I don't know. I don't know.” Without thinking, he leaped into the arena and hollered for the bull.

Tonya registered Seth's entrance into the arena and the bull's focus turning. The animal skidded to a stop and all she could think was that history was going to repeat itself.
Not again.
She wouldn't live through another Daniel.

And she couldn't leave Seth to face down the bull alone. He didn't know the tricks of the trade. He was going to die because of her. Because he cared too much. Just like Daniel. Tonya heard Mia's shouts and looked over her shoulder to see her friend waving and calling to her.

But the big animal heard Mia, too, and whirled to come after Tonya one more time. She backed up and, for one brief second, caught Seth's eye.
He's mine. I can do this.

Seth hollered again. And once again the bull was distracted for a brief moment. She clapped her hands and stomped her feet. Now it was just a show. A competition. And one she planned on winning.

The bull charged her. Closer, closer. The crowd's roars rose once again, then faded to the back of her mind. It was just her and the bull. He thundered nearer. Still she waited.

At just the right moment, she spun.

Right where she wanted to be. In his “pocket,” up against the end of his body near his ribs. She faced his tail and waited for him to do the spinning move. He swung his head around and tried to hook her with that deadly horn, but she stayed with him, stepping in tight circles, keeping herself right in his pocket. There was no way he could reach her this way. And the more he spun, the closer she was able to move toward the fence.

She waited, continuing her movements, biding her time. She knew the window of time would be minuscule for her exit. More stepping, more spinning.

And there it was.

She shot straight out, parallel with his hindquarters, faking one way, then throwing herself in the opposite direction. She hit the fence and flipped over.

Safe. Alive. And in Seth's arms.

The crowd went crazy, their roars and applause nothing compared to the admiration and love—and terror—staring down at her.

Seth's heart pounded like a runaway train. She'd done it. She was safe. And she was wrapped up next to him. Right where he'd keep her and never let her go out of his sight again.

She moved against him. And he had no choice but to release his grip. “You're all right.”

“I'm fine.”

“You scared me.”

“You scared
me
. We're even.” She looked toward the arena and he let his gaze follow hers. “They got him back in his pen,” she said. “Man, what was wrong with him? He was one angry bull.”

Before he had a chance to respond, they were swarmed. Back slaps and congrats followed, and Seth gritted his teeth and waited for the hoopla to pass. He wanted to talk to Tonya alone. Finally, the crowd dispersed and Officer Abbott moved in. “Come on. Let's go somewhere a little more private so y'all can catch your breath.”

Seth gladly draped an arm around Tonya's shoulders and let Abbott lead the way. He cleared the path, and within a short time they found themselves in the break room. Fortunately, they were the only ones there.

Seth turned her to face him. “I thought he was going to stomp you. What made you get out of your barrel like that? You're not stupid, Tonya, and you're not a grandstander looking for attention, but I can't come up with what would make you do that.” He heard the low pulse of anger in his voice, but she'd terrified him.

“It wasn't my barrel.”

“What?”

“Someone switched it. I need someone to get it so I can look at it more. I mean, it looks like mine on the outside, but on the inside, it's definitely not mine. It's all wood.”

His heart thudded again. “So that's why.”

“Yeah.”

“You could have been killed.”

“I think that was the goal.”

He looked at the officer. “May I borrow your phone? I left mine in the locker while I rode.”

“Of course.” Officer Abbott pulled his from the clip on his already overloaded belt and handed the device to Seth.

He punched in Clay's number. The phone rang, and just when he thought it might go to voice mail, his brother answered. “Clay?”

“Yeah?”

“Get the barrel Tonya left in the ring.”

“They've moved it.”

“I need you to find it. Someone swapped it out. That's why she got out of it. If she'd stayed in it, she might have been killed.”

“What?”

“Just find that barrel.”

“Copy that.”

He hung up and handed the phone back to the officer. He looked at Tonya's pinched face and settled his hands on her shoulders. “Did you have your barrel stored in the barn?”

“No, it was on my motor home. I just unloaded it and put it with the rest of the gear when we got here.”

His mouth tightened. “Maybe the person thought it was in the barn and went looking for it, didn't find it but got to it here.”

“Maybe, but then that means the person has clearance, has access to be in that area.”

“That's a lot of people if you count participants, staff and volunteers.”

Tonya shook her head. “And I'm guessing this place doesn't have a lot of security cameras.”

“There are some, but I don't know where they are.”

The officer's phone rang and he unclipped it. Glanced down at the screen and handed it to Seth. “I think it's for you.”

Seth took it. “You find the barrel?”

“Yes, we've got it. I've also got some interesting video footage of your ride last weekend. Want to come take a look?”

“Absolutely.”

“I'm in the cruiser.”

“I'm on the way.” He hung up and handed over the phone once again. “I'm going to meet Clay at his car. He wants to show me some video of my fall from last week. You want to come?”

She hesitated. “I think I'm going to wash up and go spend some time with my family while I can.”

Seth glanced at the officer and nodded. “All right. I'm good with that. I'll get my phone from the locker first thing. Do you have yours?”

“It's in the women's dressing room. I'll get Officer Abbott to escort me over there so I'll have it.”

He leaned over and kissed her. “We're going to get to the bottom of this.”

She gave him a tremulous smile. “What happened to ‘It's going to be all right'?”

“That too.” He looked up at the quiet policeman. “The guy that's been stalking her escaped. He could show up any moment. And he won't look like the picture that's circulating. I'm trusting you to protect her.”

“That's what I'm here for.”

“Yeah, but would you die for her?”

The man raised a brow. “I don't plan on letting anyone get that close.”

Seth gave a reluctant nod. “All right, then. See you soon.”

Tonya bit her lip as Seth left the room, then drew in a deep breath and looked at her new friend. “All right. I guess I need to get that phone.” She looked down at herself. “And dust myself off.”

“That was amazing out there. I've never seen anything like it.”

“Don't go to rodeos much?”

He reddened. “No, not much. But I might after today. Talk about an adrenaline rush.”

She gave a short laugh. “Tell me about it.”

“Let me just check the hallway.” He walked to the door and opened it.

Jake and Monty tried to step inside. The officer held up a hand.

“It's all right,” Tonya said. “I know these guys.”

He let them pass and Tonya went to Jake and hugged him, then Monty. “Good to see you guys.”

“You too, Tonya. That was crazy bullfighting out there.”

She smiled. “Thanks. Have either of you seen Mia?”

Jake nodded. “She was out in the hallway not too long ago talking on her cell.” He grabbed a snack out of the bowl that someone had been kind enough to fill.

“Okay. Thanks.” She nodded to Officer Abbott. “I'm ready when you are.”

The bodyguard led the way, walking just behind her and a little to the side so he could protect her back and see what was coming from the front.

As she walked to the dressing room, Tonya kept an eye on each doorway she passed and each person who got a little too close. Especially the men. Hank was on the loose and somebody else besides him wanted her dead. That fact was made clear by the switching of the barrels. Hank couldn't have done it. He'd escaped only thirty minutes before the show. So it had to have been someone else. Probably the same someone who'd deposited ten grand into Hank's bank account.

At the door, she paused and Officer Abbott knocked. “Anyone in there?”

“Just me.” The door opened and a young barrel racer stepped out. Tonya couldn't remember her name. She was new on the circuit. The woman smiled. “And I'm leaving. You've got it all to yourself.”

Officer Abbott nodded and let her pass. To Tonya he said, “Let me just check it out. Will you stand inside to the side of the door?”

“Sure.” She did as he asked.

The dressing room was one of the smaller ones she'd used but big enough to meet the needs of the female participants. Her bodyguard disappeared into the back, where the toilets were. She waited for him to return, anxious to get cleaned up and out to her waiting family.

Two muffled cracks made her jerk. The thud that followed scared her. “Officer Abbott? Are you all right?”

She moved until the stalls were in sight. As well as Officer Abbott on the tiled floor and Hank Newman standing over him, his gun rising to level on her chest. “Hello again, Tonya. I knew if I waited long enough, eventually you'd show up.”

TWENTY

S
eth hovered next to his brother as he brought up the video. “What did you see?”

“I'm not sure. I wanted you to watch it in case you spotted something I wouldn't recognize as being out of place. Since we know the rope was cut, I was watching the video from right before you got on the bull.”

Seth leaned forward. The video played and he watched. The memories washed over him. The jubilation of staying on. The horror of the slipping rope. The pain of the bull's hoof scraping his leg. The blackness. He blinked and focused. “There. I fell and Tonya and Mia did their job. There's another barrelman, too. They're all trying to distract the bull and he went after Tonya.”

“There's the rope,” Clay said and pointed. “See it?”

“Yeah. And that's Mia picking it up and heading out of the arena after the bull's back in his pen. She said she got it and hung it up.” Seth raked a hand through his hair. “But it wasn't there when Jake went to find it.”

“Right. Someone tried to throw it out.”

“But who?” He tapped his chin. “Play it again. I'm missing something.”

Clay rewound the video and hit Play. This time Seth refused to let the memories intrude and just focused on watching, taking in every detail. “Again.”

His brother obliged.

About thirty seconds in, it hit him. “Wait.
There.
Play it in slow motion.”

Again Clay did as asked and Seth sucked in a deep breath as he realized what was bothering him. “She's not supposed to be there.”

* * *

Tonya stared at Hank, who now sported a bald head, black glasses and a clean-shaven face. But she knew the eyes. “You killed him,” she whispered.

“I hope so. Been trying to get to you for the past few hours and he's been there every step of the way.”

Tonya swallowed and tried not to let the shakes take over. “Hank, this is ridiculous. Why do you want to be with me so bad? Why do you care?”

“I don't. Not really. This time it was about the money.”

“What?”

“That ten thousand you asked me about? Yeah. She gave it to me to get rid of you.” His eyes hardened even more. “After all the grief you've caused me, I figured it would be my pleasure.”

“She?”

“Me.” Two more muffled gunshots exploded from behind her and Tonya dropped to the floor with a scream. The gun settled on the back of her head. “Now, get up.”

Tonya rose to her feet, tears blinding her, betrayal raging through her. “Mia? H-how could you?” she stammered.

“It was easy.” She grimaced. “Only now we've got to go.”

“What about Hank?”

“Hank was always going to die. Granted, I didn't have this in mind, but my plans have been falling through since day one. It's time to change that. Now move.” She jabbed the gun in Tonya's face. Tonya gasped and moved as told, praying no one would open the door.

She had no doubt that Mia would shoot anyone who walked in. Her brain raced. How was she going to get out of this? How could she overpower the other woman? Was she strong enough? Right now she was shaking so hard she wouldn't be able to open a soda, much less get a gun away from a very determined woman.

Tonya unlocked and opened the door. She glanced up the hallway, then back down. People milled, coming and going. The gun in her back said she'd better not alert them. If she did, would Mia shoot her or the person Tonya asked for help? She couldn't take any chances. She looked at the clock on the wall. The barrel racers were out there performing and the crowd was cheering.

“Where do you want me to go?” She couldn't risk asking for help.

“To my car. It's parked out back. We're going to leave the dressing room then go out the emergency exit just ahead and to the left. Understand?” Tonya paused and Mia gave her a hard shove. “Go. Or I'll come back and find every single member of your family and kill them all.”

Tonya winced. She'd heard that before. This time she wasn't going to let it sway her. “Why, Mia? What did I do to you to make you do this?”

The door shut behind her and she saw the Closed—Will Reopen in 30 Minutes sign tacked to the paint. Well, that explained the lack of traffic into the dressing room. Mia had thought ahead.

“Every time I turn around, you're winning,” the woman sneered. “I never get a chance, because you win every stinking competition—
and I need the money
!”

Tonya was floored. “You're jealous? You want to kill me because you're
jealous
?” She nearly shouted the words as she pushed the door open that led out of the building. The oppressive heat hit her. She couldn't get in the car. If she did, she was dead.

She was going to have to take her chances.

“Jealous. And broke. And frustrated. I couldn't figure out how to beat you. I didn't have your death-defying acts. I couldn't wow the audience like you do or make them laugh hysterically when you get shot from the cannon to land in a pile of—”

“Stop. Just stop,” Tonya hissed. Her fear was fading and anger was rising fast. “I helped you create a great routine. We worked together and you were happy. I
helped
you!”

“And it wasn't good enough, was it? Because you still won!” She lifted the weapon and opened the passenger door. “Get in and slide over behind the wheel.”

The stone-cold tone sent shudders up Tonya's spine, but she did as ordered. “What do you plan to do with me?”

“You're going to disappear. It's going to look like you killed Hank and ran.”

“Why would I do that? And what about the guard?”

“Ballistics will show Hank killed him. I'm not worried about that. But you and the weapon that killed Hank will never be found. You'll be a cold case years from now. And I'll be Rodeo Clown Champion from here on out. No more coming in second place. No more.”

Tonya felt sick. How did one become so twisted? How had her best friend lost sight of everything that was true and right? Of the value of human life? She slid behind the driver's wheel and Mia shoved the key into the ignition. “Drive.”

Tonya started the engine. “They'll watch the security cameras, you know. They'll see you forcing me to leave.”

“No, they won't. I disabled the ones on this hall and outside that door.”

Tonya pulled away from the emergency exit, her stomach a ball of lead. What was she going to do? Could she wreck the car? “How did you know where to find me?” She started to turn toward the main exit.

“No. Don't go that way. Turn left right here.”

Tonya complied. “How did you know I'd be at Seth's family ranch?”

“The night Hank attacked you and Seth walked you over to my motor home, you stood below the window talking. I heard him mention Wrangler's Corner and having his brother investigate. When you disappeared along with Seth, Wrangler's Corner was the first place I checked. It wasn't that hard to find the Starke family ranch. Everyone knows them around here.”

Of course.

“How did you find Hank?”

“Again, it wasn't hard to put two and two together. You told your story. I had Hank's name. I knew the trial would be publicized...” She shrugged. “A simple internet search and I knew all I needed to know. I sent Hank a message asking if he was still interested in knowing where Tonya
Lewis
was. He jumped on it.”

“And so you threw in ten thousand to sweeten the pot. I thought you said you were broke.”

“I am. That's not my money and I have to give it back before it's discovered it's missing. Ten grand is just a measly amount. I need well over ten times that and the only way to get it is to get rid of you. That ten grand is an investment that's going to pay off just as soon as you're out of the picture. I'll start winning and my troubles will be over.”

“Troubles? What troubles?”

“It doesn't matter. I'm not getting into that.” She smirked. “I was worried Hank wouldn't be interested anymore. But he was. He was supposed to come after you and kill you. Then I would kill him and set it up as a murder-suicide. I have the account number and banking information so I could get my money back after he was dead. Unfortunately, it didn't quite go down like that, so I'm just going to have to improvise.”

“Why cut Seth's rope?” It was a stab in the dark, but she seemed to be the most logical person to have done it.

Mia raised a brow. “Why not? I could tell he cared about you. He watched you all the time, made excuses to talk to you, had his arm around you when you came to my place after getting back from the hospital.” She paused. “But not only that, I could see you had feelings for him, too. Daniel was willing to die for you to protect you. I thought maybe I could make the reverse happen.”

“So you were trying to kill me...and Seth was just collateral damage.”

“Exactly.” She cut a glance at Tonya. “I knew how torn up you would be to see another buckaroo die on your watch. I thought once the rope broke, he'd wind up under the hooves and you would get between him and the bull. But of course it didn't work that way—because
nothing
works my way—and you just wound up being the hero.” Her bitterness filled the car.

Tonya thought she might throw up.

“Turn here,” Mia ordered. Tonya spun the wheel and pulled up to the back gate of the arena. Once she was through that gate, she was dead. She stomped on the brake, throwing Mia forward into the dash. She hadn't put on her seat belt and neither had Tonya. Mia screamed and Tonya threw open the driver's door. She stumbled, hit the ground, then scrambled to her feet to run.

She took two steps and felt something slam into her back. She grunted and rolled.

Saw the gun coming at her head. The first blow stunned her. The second sent her spiraling down into darkness.