My gaze traveled around the room, touching on my rifle propped against the wall by the front door. It was only a dozen feet away, but it might as well have been a mile for all the good it did me over there. I’d left it inside when I went out to shut the chickens up in the barn, preferring to have my hands free.
Deke pulled the second chair out and turned it around, straddling it, resting his forearms across the back. “See?” His gun dangled from his fingers, pointing somewhere in the vicinity of my lower chest and upper abdomen. “Isn’t this better? We can talk like civilized people.”
“You ambushed me in my yard and put a gun to my back. There’s nothing civilized about that.”
“No, I suppose not,” he agreed. He didn’t appear chagrined, however. More like a man who hadn’t a care in the world.
That nonchalance scared me. The man was nuts. Certifiably crazy.
Through the window over his shoulder, I could just see the chicken run. Several birds milled about, including one or two I’d already ushered into the barn but had come back out since I hadn’t shut the door before Deke showed up. Hopefully, they made it inside before the foxes came out for the evening. We still had time yet.
Stop worrying about the damn chickens and focus on the crazy man with the gun.
I pressed my mouth into a tight line.
Right. How did I get out of this?
For starters, I could keep him talking. He wouldn’t actively shoot at me if he was talking.
Probably.
Plus, I wanted to know as much as I could before I died. It wouldn’t help put Deke in jail, but at least I’d know why I was dead.
“You came a long way,” I said. “YouandVic. I heard about his death. Did you travel together?”
“No. That weasel ran the moment things got squirrely.”
“How did you end up down here? Did he lead you here?”
“No. You did.”
“Me?” I hooked a thumb toward my chest. “How so?”
A cold smile graced his face. “I don’t leave witnesses. So, I tracked you down. You and your lady friend.”
“Okay. I get why you want us dead, but why Vic? I thought he was your partner?”
“He was, but I couldn’t trust him to keep his mouth shut after the way he took off that day. He proved he would save his own skin first.”
“Toby’s already talking.” I held his gaze. “Whatever Vic knew, Toby knows. Killing me and Lana changes nothing. The case is built. You’re a wanted man whether we’re breathing or not.”
“You think I don’t know that?” For the first time, something shifted in his cold expression. Not anger. Something sinister. “I’m not here to fix anything. The operation’s gone. I’ve already written it off. I’ll be in another state within a week, with another name, building my next operation. I’ve done it before.” He leaned in over the back of the chair, putting his face closer to mine. “I’m here because three years of my work came apart thanks to you and your little honey. That deserves some payment, and I’m not leaving until I settle the score.”
The cold in my gut spread, but I kept my face still. He wanted fear. Thrived on it. But I wasn’t about to give him the begging he wanted.
Two could play this game.
Because I had an ace up my sleeve.
I’d made plans with Lana. While I didn’t want her coming here, my hope was when I didn’t show, she’d call in reinforcements.
“You might want to fix some things, then, for next time.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Really?” he deadpanned. “Do tell.”
“Well, for starters, don’t be so cocky. It makes you sloppy.”
A hint of anger shimmered in Deke’s eyes, but I didn’t let that stop me. I needed to buy time.
