Page 82 of Hard Knock Hero

“I disagree,” Trace said softly.

My brother had been brooding over in the corner during Owen’s brief visit. He had a dark look in his eyes. Adangerouslook.

I walked over to Trace. “You mentioned timing before. What did you mean?”

“This isn’t just a sloppy attempt to harass you. The Rigsbys must know that the murder charge is weak at best. This is a ploy. They wanted to get Aiden into custody at the jail because they’re going to make a move, and it’ll happen before the state investigators arrive. Before sunrise. While they’ve got surprise on their side and things are still chaotic.”

It felt like a hand had closed around my throat. “You think they’ll try to kill him?” I whispered.

Even as I said it, I knew it was true. I’d seen the look in Jeremy’s eyes yesterday at the diner when Aiden had pulled him off of me. Jeremy would want Aiden dead for that alone. Add in the fact that Jeremy believed Aiden was my new boyfriend?

Trace nodded. “The jail will have three shifts, probably manned by one correctional officer each, given how small this place is. If it were me, I’d do it at the shift change. Sometime this morning before the state police arrive. That’s their window. And ours.”

“Then what do we do?” Scarlett asked. “How do we get Aiden out of there?

“What about calling Jake?” I said. “Aiden’s brother might be able to help somehow as a federal agent.”

“No.” Trace’s eyes had gone even darker. “No law enforcement. If we’re doing this, it’s the three of us in this room. Unless you want out, Scarlett. If we get caught, we could be in worse trouble than Aiden is already.”

She scoffed. “Are you kidding me? I’m all the way in.”

“Then I have a few ideas.” My brother’s head tilted in my direction. “Now, the real question is how much you’re willing to risk. What is Aiden’s safety worth to you, Jessi?”

What was I willing to risk for Aiden?

Stand your ground. That had been my motto for the last two years. I’d been fighting for my place in Hartley. But I had more to fight for now. Even if Aiden was leaving Hartley and I’d never see him again, I wanted him safe. I needed to know I’d done everything I could for him, the way he’d done for me over the past few days.

Even if I had to risk my home, my very life, to do it.

“Everything,” I said. “I’ll risk everything.”

Trace nodded. “Then you’ll need to do exactly as I say.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

Aiden

I had never been arrestedbefore. It wasn’t something I wished to make a habit. Especially when I rolled into the station in no shirt and no shoes, with it below freezing outside.

The deputy un-cuffed me once we were indoors. They finger-printed me, took my mugshot. Asked for all my info, and this time, I told them my real name. This wasn’t the time to play around. I probably needed a lawyer. Maybe my brother’s help, too. I could just imagine Jake’s expression when he heard about this.

And the wedding.Shit. The bride and groom in Steamboat were in for some disappointing news.

But my biggest concern was Jessi. The Rigsbys had done this for revenge, but perhaps also to get me out of the way. What were they going to do to Jessi? I hoped she’d called Trace. He would protect her. But if the Rigsbys got to her first…

“I want my phone call.”

“You’ll get it when we say you get it.”

The deputy made me turn over my jeans as evidence. That left me naked, since I’d been going commando. He gave me thin cotton sweats and a sweatshirt to wear, plus sneakers that were too small. Then he took me to the jail, which was a drab building behind the sheriff’s headquarters. Four cells, all of them empty. Except for the one they locked me inside.

The deputy who’d arrested me and the guy on correctional duty both sneered from the other side of the bars. They looked like carbon copies of Jeremy. Not his exact features, but the same age and type. Maybe not high school buddies of his. Nothing that would make their bias so obvious. But these two clearly had made up their minds about me.

“Hope she was worth it,” the deputy said.

“Why would I go after Mitch Rigsby?” I asked. “If Jessi wanted me to kill someone for her, wouldn’t it be Jeremy?”

The correctional officer’s hand flinched toward his gun. “Watch it.”

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