Page 51 of Outlaw Ridge: Hayes

“Shit,” Ruby muttered. “No one’s at the Salvetti estate, and there are signs of a struggle,” Ruby paused a heartbeat. “There’s a body”

“A body,” Jemma said on a gasp. “My father?”

“No. My guess is this guy is a bodyguard. We’re looking for your father,” Ruby assured her. “And we’ll head your way now.”

Jemma wondered if Cordelia had done something to him. If she could have even killed him. But those questions were put on hold when she heard the woman in question shout.

“I’m not the one shooting at you,” Cordelia yelled.

Jemma muttered, “Yeah, right.”

However, Cordelia’s voice hadn’t come from near those mountain cedars but rather far to the left of them. And she didn’t sound like someone launching an attack. Her voice was a tangle of fear and nerves. She was sobbing as well, but Jemma reminded herself that it could all be an act. This could be a ploy to try to lure her out so that Cordelia could try to finish her.

“Someone has your father,” Cordelia called out. Her voice cracked. “Oh, God. Someone has him.”

“Who the hell are you talking about?” Hayes shouted back. “Who has Stefano?”

More sobbing from Cordelia. “I don’t know. When I got home, Stefano wasn’t there. I found his bodyguard dead, and he had a note on his chest, saying Stefano was taken because of me.”

“Because of you?” Jemma questioned.

“Yes, because of your mother’s death.” Cordelia’s words were rushed together with those gasps of breath. “But I didn’t kill her, I swear. That was Brooks.”

Jemma believed it was indeed Brooks’ doing. Others might not buy that though, but she couldn’t imagine anyone using her mother’s murder to spur what was going on now.

“The note also warned me not to contact the cops and to bring fifty thousand dollars to these coordinates or Stefano would die. I’ve got the money, and I used a hiking GSP app on my phone to get here,” she added in an even louder voice.

Fifty grand. Considering her father’s financial worth, that wasn’t much, probably about the amount he would keep in his home safe for emergencies. But maybe this wasn’t about money. Perhaps this was about getting Cordelia out here, to this exact spot so she could be framed for the murders.

If Cordelia wasn’t the killer, that is.

But Jemma still hadn’t ruled the woman out.

“Have the other teams reached Duane and Royce yet?” Jemma asked, the question meant for the earpiece.

“Negative on Duane,” Angel responded. “We’re still trying to get through the gates at the school.”

“Negative on Royce as well,” Shaw answered. “We’re about ten minutes out from his place in San Antonio. According to his assistant, Royce is working from home today.”

That was possible. But Royce could also be in the woods. And he might even have been the one to do something horrible to her father.

Jemma couldn’t deal with the thought of her father possibly being dead. No. She couldn’t go there. She just had to hope that he was all right.

“I have the money,” Cordelia shouted again. “Just let Stefano go, and I’ll give it to you.”

That was a good touch, if Cordelia was indeed the killer. It sounded earnest, like a woman pleading for her husband’s life.

“Stefano?” Cordelia called out. “If you can hear me, please let me know you’re safe.”

Her father didn’t respond. No one did. Well, not with words anyway. But a gunshot tore through the air again.

“The shooter changed positions,” Hayes muttered through the earpiece.

Yes, he or she had. This last shot hadn’t come from the mountain cedars but to the left of them. More in the direction of where they’d heard Cordelia’s voice.

“Stefano?” Cordelia shouted. “Please—”

The sound of more gunfire drowned her out. Three more bullets. And these weren’t coming anywhere near Hayes or her. No. They seemed to be landing in Cordelia’s direction.

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