Stockman’s Showdown (The Stockmen #4)

Forty-six

Using his tactical military knife, Ryder slid back the window lock, pushed the window open and climbed inside the bedroom.

‘Bree!’

It was his own voice, recorded on his phone, followed by a spurt of gunfire, but on the other side of the building.

Dex wasn’t very subtle. But Ryder had asked his trigger-happy brother for a diversion using his favourite toy, the woodcutter.

And it worked.

Everyone else was distracted, facing the front door while he entered the room behind them. ‘Hands up.’

He was ready for it. The two men on his left drew their weapons, and he shot them without blinking. The other two fled through the front door, where Dex shot them in the legs, they crumpled onto the cracked concrete path.

Dex ran up and kicked their weapons away, aiming his new lethal toy at their heads. ‘Please move. Go on, I dare you.’

They weren’t going anywhere, flat on their stomachs with their hands out in surrender.

But it was Leo who was an issue.

The prick had Bree, while Charlie was trapped in the corner, too close to Ryder’s line of fire.

‘Let go.’ Bree struggled against the enemy.

‘No. I wish I could. But we both know Ryder won’t shoot, not you.’

That prick was right. But it did nothing to deter him from aiming at Leo.

‘I would have used that crop to buy Elsie Creek Station for you, Bree.’ Leo’s cheek pressed against Bree’s, his handgun pressed against her ribs, wrapping his other arm around her while watching Ryder. ‘I know how much that place really means to you, Bree. Not him,’ he said sneering at Ryder. ‘He has no clue how much you sacrificed for that station, how much you care about that land of red dust. I know, because I’ve been watching you for a long time.’

‘Stalker much!’ Somehow Bree got free, enough to spin around to face Leo. Even though Ryder’s heart dropped, Bree was using her body to shield Charlie. ‘Charlie, go. Get outside. Now!’

Ryder grabbed the old man. ‘Dex is outside. Go.’

‘Not without—’

Ryder pushed Charlie out the door, then spun around for Bree, who was again being held by Leo. ‘Police are on their way.’

‘I have no doubt,’ replied Leo, who was eerily calm. The same way Bree had been mega mad at Ryder for accusing her of being a cattle rustler. It was the kind of anger that made you want to watch your back, making Leo a thousand times more dangerous.

With his pistol raised, Ryder had the prick in his sights, but Leo had his gun aimed at Bree. ‘I will not give you a warning shot. Let Bree go, and I won’t kill you.’

‘I knew you were a killer.’ Leo then said to Bree, ‘You could have done so much better with me.’

‘And you’re such a prize? You didn’t exactly shower me with flowers and chocolates, did you. No, you became our tormentor.’ Bree’s anger hit a whole new level. She stamped the heel of her boot against Leo’s foot, then slammed the back of her head into Leo’s face.

Ryder took his shot.

As the bullet passed through Leo’s right shoulder, Ryder grabbed Bree’s hand, dragging her away from Leo. Leo landed on the floor where Ryder pressed a boot against his neck, forcing his head down as blood leaked out from the non-fatal wound. ‘You deserve to die.’

‘I can pay you whatever you want.’

‘You’ll have nothing left when the police seize your assets.’

Bree grabbed Ryder’s spare handgun, clicked off the safety and pressed it to Leo’s head.

‘Bree? Let Marcus deal with this.’

‘No.’ She got lower to Leo. ‘Your uncle killed my uncle. You poisoned Charlie’s dogs. Held that old man in a strongarm hold, hurting him, to try and make him sign some papers like a bunch of bullies. You tormented us for almost two years. You made constant legal threats against the Riggs brothers, poisoned Cap’s dogs at the campdraft, and organised for their cattle to be stolen so you could steal their water. You know what happens to cattle rustlers in the outback? I’d be happy to show you.’

‘Don’t do it, Bree.’

‘He kidnapped us!’ She pressed her gun into Leo’s temple.

‘Babe, he’ll go down for his crop.’

Leo’s eyes flared at Ryder.

‘Yeah, arsehole. We came back that same night your idiot sidekicks shot at the plane, and we found your crop.’ Bree gave an evil grin. ‘And the Riggs brothers have been watching you, just like you’ve been watching us.’ Her anger was pure fire. She lashed out and kicked Leo’s wounded shoulder.

Leo groaned in pain, gripping his bleeding shoulder as he writhed on the floor.

‘Don’t you know we could have been friendly neighbours to you? The old-fashioned kind that baked bread and shared excess vegetables and beers over the fence line.’

‘I’m sorry, Bree.’

‘No, you’re not. I know you’re not.’ She leaned closer to Leo. ‘People may think I’m a horrible person. I’m loud, I’m mean, and mouthy, but I’ve seen evil, Leo. I watched my father murder my mother after taunting her for years. Which is exactly what you’ve been doing, taunting my grandfather, hoping to send him to the grave, and you’re never going to stop, are you?’

‘He what?’ Ryder glared down at the mongrel. He’d known about the damage Leo and his goons had caused, but he hadn’t realised the full extent of Leo’s handiwork, especially how it had been targeted specifically at Charlie—until now.

Bree peeked back at Ryder.

With her distracted for just a second, it was all the opportunity Leo needed. He pushed Bree towards Ryder where they collided into each other, falling back onto the floor, as Leo scrambled to his feet, holding the gun he’d dropped.

Rolling away from Bree, Ryder turned his gun towards Leo.

But as he pulled the trigger a round was already shattering Leo’s chest. He was dead before he hit the floor.

‘No one hurts my family,’ Bree growled, with the smoking gun in her hands.