Chapter 21

Jed started to lunge for John Paul, but I put a hand on his arm, holding him back.

Big Mo and Tiny looked disappointed. I suspected they’d hoped to use the distraction to get away.

“You’re the one who ran me off the road back in January, when I was in Mason’s car? Driving out to the farm?”

He nodded, casting a fearful glance at Jed.

“And the notes on the windshield?”

He looked over at me, guilt in his eyes. “Teagen gave ’em to me to put there.”

“Who’s Teagen work for?”

“We didn’t know, but now we’re guessing it’s J.R. Simmons.”

“And the woman?”

“No idea. Never seen her, and Teagen doesn’t say anything about her other than to call her the boss lady.”

I racked my brain trying to come up with more questions, but Neely Kate beat me to it. “So if you were following Rose around, leavin’ notes on her car and runnin’ her off the road, why’d you stop?”

His bony shoulders lifted to his ears. “I was just doin’ what I was told when I was told.”

“Did you ever snoop around at her farm?” Neely Kate asked.

“No, ma’am.”

Neely Kate gave me an exasperated look.

Jed slightly lifted the gun in his hand. “So who’s Marshal?”

“Dunno. Never met him.”

“But you’ve heard of him?”

He nodded.

“So what have you heard?” Jed asked.

John Paul swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “I think he’s from someplace else because he just showed up last week.”

I cast a glance toward Jed. Was Marshal one of J.R.’s men? Maybe one of his Twelve? I quickly cast the second thought aside. I’d seen him in action. He wasn’t smart enough to be one of J.R.’s twelve most important men in the state.

Jed turned his attention to the other two men. “Do you two know anything about Marshal?”

“Screw you, Carlisle,” Tiny sneered.

“I think I’ll take a pass,” Jed said with a grin, then turned to face Big Mo. “Tompkins. Last chance to cooperate.”

He leaned back in his chair and stuck out his legs, crossing them at the ankles.

While we had confirmation of things we’d long suspected, we didn’t have any new leads to help us find Teagen or J.R.

I turned back to John Paul. “When Teagen gave you orders, how did you communicate?”

“He called me.”

“So you have his number?”

“No.” He shook his head. “His number is always blocked.”

“Do you have any idea where he’s hiding out? Gentry was in Columbia County. Is he up there?”

“I’m guessing he’s here in Fenton County, maybe down south. Teagen and Gentry didn’t get along, so I doubt they’d be anywhere close to each other. I think Gentry got his orders from Simmons, but Teagen got his from the boss lady.”

“When was the last time Teagen called you?” Jed asked.

“Yesterday.”

Big Mo kicked John Paul’s chair leg. “Shut up, runt.”

Jed’s face hardened and he moved closer, pressing the tip of his gun to Big Mo’s forehead. “Got anything else to say, Tompkins? Because the gentleman and I are having a conversation.”

Big Mo had just enough sense to stay silent, but he looked downright pissed.

Jed took a step back, but he kept the gun trained at Big Mo’s chest as he once again addressed John Paul. “What did Teagen say when he called you?”

“That things were about to start happening,” John Paul said.

“What things?” Jed asked.

“The end of Malcolm’s reign.”

“Did he ask you to do anything?”

John Paul looked sheepish but didn’t answer.

“John Paul,” I said. “Which bomb did you set off last night to create a diversion for J.R. Simmons’s escape?”

His eyes widened. “How—”

I rolled my eyes. “Please. Don’t insult me. Which one?”

He lowered his gaze. “The one at the ice cream shop.”

“Did you make it yourself?” Jed asked.

“No, Teagen had ’em already made. We just had to pick them up.”

“We? Who is we?” I asked.

“Me and them two.” He motioned to Tiny and Big Mo.

The two men’s faces turned red with anger.

“How’d you get the bombs?” Jed asked.

“He told us where to pick ’em up. He didn’t meet us. They were behind a Dumpster on the Moore For Less used car lot.”

If Teagen had used these men last night, there was a chance he’d call them again. I held out my hand. “I’m gonna need your phones, boys.”

Big Mo snorted. “There ain’t no way I’m gonna—”

Jed shoved the gun in Big Mo’s face, but Big Mo was prepared. He lifted his hand to swat it away—a risky move, in my opinion—but Jed was prepared. He grabbed the back of Big Mo’s head and slammed it down against his own upright knee.

Jed let go and stepped back while Big Mo wavered in his seat, blood gushing from his now busted nose.

“Let’s make this perfectly clear,” Jed growled, his eyes hard with anger. “You are only still alive due to Rose’s interference on your behalf. One more attempt to disobey will be met with the gift of a few bullets. Got it?”

John Paul and Tiny nodded, murmuring, “Got it,” but Big Mo looked too dazed to respond.

“Now, Rose asked for your phones, so I suggest you get them out—slowly—or I won’t have any qualms with pulling them off your dead bodies.”

John Paul handed over his phone with shaky fingers, but Tiny took his time, looking like he was hoping for an opportunity to get his revenge. At Jed’s demand, John Paul retrieved Big Mo’s phone from his pocket. As he handed it over, I had to wonder what Jed had planned. We couldn’t just leave them here. They could—and would—warn Teagen.

Jed pulled his own phone out and pressed a button, then held it up to his ear. “Yeah, we’re ready.”

Seconds later, the back door opened and two beefy men brandishing guns came through the opening. I didn’t recognize either of them.