Page 64 of Lone Star Wanted
Cassidy lifted her weapon and shouted, “Don’t!”
But Kincade was already moving. He stepped from his cover, weapon raised and voice like steel. “You shoot again,Sheriff,and you’re getting blasted from three sides.”
Cassidy didn’t need more prompting. She sighted down her barrel, heart steady despite the storm crashing around them. Across from her, Jericho raised his weapon too. They formed a triangle, all trained on Becker.
It was three against one, and they were done playing games. Unfortunately though, Becker wasn’t making any move to surrender.
Cassidy kept her aim steady on Becker, and her voice was calm but firm. “Put down the gun, Becker. Let us get Marlene an ambulance before it’s too late.”
Becker still didn’t lower his weapon. His jaw clenched, and a growl ripped from his throat. “She doesn’t deserve to live,” he spat out. “It was her and Daniel who dragged me into this shit in the first place.”
Cassidy’s heart beat harder. She kept her gaze locked on Becker but caught the subtle movement in her periphery. Kincade was inching sideways, careful and quiet, using the stones for cover. He was going to try to flank Becker, get close enough to end this without more bloodshed.
Marlene let out a weak moan. “This isn’t my fault,” she rasped.
“Yes it is,” Becker barked. His voice was twisted with fury. “You came to me, whining that Daniel was going to be ruined. That it would destroy his family, his career. Daniel was a wreck, begging me to fix it.” He cursed. “So I tried to talk to Alisha, calm her down.”
Cassidy stayed locked on him, barely breathing.
Becker’s voice turned bitter. “But Alisha wouldn’t listen. Said she was going to tell everyone that I was helping cover it up. That I was just as guilty. She ran, yelling she was going to Sheriff Moran.” He paused, making a low groan and adding more of that raw profanity. “I didn’t mean to kill her. But she wouldn’t stop running her mouth. She left me no choice.”
Cassidy’s gut twisted. So there it was. The truth, laid bare and filthy. Becker had killed her cousin. Not out of rage. Not by accident.
But out of fear. Out of selfishness.
“You panicked again when Travis found that old hard drive,” Becker shouted, aiming that at Marlene. “You kidnapped your own mother to make it look like someone was forcing you. You played the victim so well that I almost believed you.”
Cassidy’s breath hitched. Her hands tightened around her weapon. She stole a glance at Kincade, who was still inching forward.
Marlene let out a strangled cry. “I wasn’t setting you up! You murdered Alisha. You murdered Daniel. I didn’t kill anyone.”
“Daniel was going to confess everything,” Becker snapped back, his voice rising. “He was going to throw me under the bus. He was clean-up. He was damage control. So was the things I did at the safe house. He stopped, cursed. “You were collateral damage, Maddox. That’s all.”
Kincade huffed. “You tried to kill me by knocking me out and setting the place on fire. You took my phone, my gun, my keys. I’m guessing you took my ride, too, and dumped it somewhere.”
Becker didn’t deny any of that. The SOB had planned on murdering Travis and Kincade then, and nothing had changed now. He still wanted them dead. And her, too.
Cassidy caught a glimpse of him as Becker glanced out from cover. His hand trembled, finger tightening slightly on the trigger. Cassidy steadied her aim, heart hammering. But she didn’t have a shot because he ducked back behind the tree. If she fired, she had to make sure she didn’t miss or she could end up hitting Kincade or Jericho.
“He was going to take the whole thing public. Put it all on me,” Becker spat out. “I did what I had to do.”
“And now you’re doing it again,” Cassidy shouted. “Trying to bury the truth with more blood.”
For a moment, the silence was absolute, and she hoped Becker was on the verge of rethinking his actions and surrendering.
Apparently not though.
“I have no choice,” Becker shouted back. “None of you is leaving this place alive. If the truth gets out, my family will be ruined. My name dragged through the dirt.”
The anger sliced through Cassidy. That’s what he was worried about? His reputation? What his family would think of him? He’d killed, destroyed lives, framed Travis for a murderand created this living hell they were in now, and he deserved every damn smear to his name.
Becker deserved to die.
And she had to fight the rage. Had to force herself not to just bolt up and start shooting at him until he was as dead as his victims.
“You betrayed your family,” Cassidy snarled. “You betrayed your badge, you despicable piece of shit.”
“I did what I had to do,” he shouted.
