Chapter Twenty-Eight
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The ambulance arrived just as Cade and Karen emerged from the trees. In spite of the activity the horses walked calmly past and continued on to the barn. Climbing off and leading them inside, Cade glanced around and called for Joe. Receiving no response, he strode down to the feed room and opened the door.
“I wonder where he is,” Cade remarked as he returned. “I didn’t see him when we were riding back here. Did you?”
“No, but I did notice the wheelbarrow in one of the paddocks.”
“Huh, that’s weird. Let’s get these horses out. Hopefully he’ll show up by the time we’re done.”
A few minutes later, Cade and Karen walked Moon and Lily into their pasture, and with an uncomfortable feeling still rippling through him, Cade started towards the house to see if Joe was there. But a moment later he heard Joe calling him. Turning around he saw his ranch hand jogging towards him from the back of the barn.
“Hey, Joe, where have you been? I was worried.”
“Long story, but what’s all the commotion about? Why is the sheriff and ambulance here? Did something happen on your trail ride?”
“That’s a long story as well.”
“Who was hurt?”
“The guy who was after me,” Karen piped up. “Someone got to him first. I can’t imagine who it was, but it was a really grisly scene…like out of a horror movie. ”
“Sorry, you probably don’t want to talk about it, but what do you mean?” Joe asked with a frown.
“Prepare yourself,” Cade said solemnly. “We found him with his throat cut.”
“I figured,” Joe muttered. “You’d better come with me.”
Before Cade could respond Joe had turned and was walking briskly towards the shed where the farm machinery was kept.
“Joe, what’s goin’ on?” Karen asked as they joined him.
“Uh, Karen, I’m not sure you want to see this.”
“I just stumbled across a horrible man with his neck sliced open! I can’t imagine it’s any worse!”
“Go ahead,” Cade said with a sigh.
“Okay. You’ve heard of Jack the Ripper? Meet Paddy the Slicer,” Joe exclaimed, opening the door.
Staring into the shed, Cade saw a man sitting on the floor sporting a black eye and a bloodied nose. He was blindfolded with a cleaning rag, while duct tape was across his mouth, wrapped around his ankles, and his arms were secured behind his back. Cade guessed they’d be taped as well..
“I knew him in Dallas,” Joe continued with a heavy sigh. “He’s a professional enforcer and killer for hire. Knives are his thing. I suspect the guy you found up Smoky Hill contracted him to come after Karen and something went wrong.”
“I’ll call the sheriff, but first I want to hear exactly what happened, and I mean every last detail,” Cade growled, stepping forward and pulling off the gag. “Start talkin’.”
“I just saved her life! You should be thanking me, not making demands.”
“You came here to kill her. Now what happened, what stopped you, and I swear if you don’t tell me I won’t cut your neck, I’ll put a noose around it and you’ll never be found.”
“I highly doubt that. Americans are weak.”
“Listen, and listen carefully,” Cade growled, crouching down next to him. “My family goes back to the Wild West. One was a hangin’ judge, another was a gunslinger, and a few were outlaws. And that’s just for starters. Gino was aimin’ his gun at me when I lassoed him and he ended up hog-tied. The genes live on, so you’d better talk or I’ll get real mad and my wild side will show up again. I’ll ask you this only once. Why did you bail on Gino Stallone?”
“Okay, okay,” Paddy grunted. “There wasn’t enough time to plan properly, but after I saw her I didn’t want the job anyway,” he muttered, glancing across at Karen. “When I told him I was out he threatened me. He said he knew things about me, and he does, or rather, he did. It was only after I was on my way out it occurred to me if things went wrong he might try to make a deal with me as his bargaining chip.”
“So you came back to make sure that didn’t happen.”
“Yeah, Gino had watched the ranch from that bank across the street. I was there as well, and I remembered seeing the two dogs. That’s why I brought the chicken with me, in case I needed it to keep them out of the way.”
“I take it you took Gino by surprise.”
“Totally, it was done in seconds and I took off. I was almost at the bottom of the hill when the sheriff arrived on an ATV. The timing was great…but then I ran into Joe. Or rather, Joe’s fist ran into my face. Fucking came out of nowhere,” he said woefully. “Then he punched me in the gut and knocked the wind out of me. Next thing I knew he was dragging me over here and shoving me into this fucking shed.”
“How do you know him, Joe?” Cade asked, finally turning his attention away from Paddy .
“He tried to frame me for one of his many murders. It didn’t work, but my alibi wasn’t exactly legal and I was busted. Somehow he still squirmed his way out of trouble, but now look at you, Paddy,” Joe said, glowering at him. “You’ve ended up in the middle of nowhere and about to get arrested. Karma’s a bitch, but revenge…damn it’s sweet.”
“And on that note,” Cade exclaimed. “I’m callin’ Sheriff Cooper!”