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“I’m not the bad guy, you know,” Caroline said, redirecting her attention.

“Excuse me?” Sadie said, unable to hold back a laugh.

“Seriously. I don’t get pleasure from hurting people. All I did was look out for my own best interests, just like anyone would. I worked hard for this job, planning and taking risks.”

“Risks like people’s lives? When you messed with Wally’s machine?” Sadie shot the words at her like bullets.

Caroline pulled on Target’s reins, slowing her to a stop. “That particular risk ended up saving your life.”

Sadie swallowed. “But it could’ve just as easily killed me instead of Eli.”

“It didn’t.”

The two stared at each other long and hard as Sadie considered her words. Mostly, she was embarrassed because she’d done just what Caroline said. She’d looked out for herself and Teddy, withholding that part Wally needed and damn the consequences.

“You killed Nicole and her boyfriend,” Sadie said, stomach still turning at the memory.

“Killed? No, I didn’t. I used this.” Caroline held up the small silver gadget. “It’s a stun gun. They’ll be out for a bit, that’s all.”

“A bit might be too long to save Wally and Lacey from Amos and his posse. They’re up in the suite waiting on gold or something. If they aren’t back in an hour, they’ll start shooting.”

Caroline flinched and looked back over her shoulder in the direction of the TCR. “Not my fault. Or my problem.”

Sadie bit back the anger blooming inside her. She had to think straight, not make Caroline mad. “Why sabotage them in the first place?” she asked.

Caroline’s eyebrows rose in surprise as she shrugged. “I don’t know. A rival company’s CEO hired me. The Bennets piss a lot of competitors off. I took it as an opportunity. But that’s enough talking. Let’s go.”

Suddenly, Teddy kicked the horse at the same time he slammed his head back, connecting with Caroline’s chin. The horse crow hopped sideways, sending them both tumbling to the ground. The rope went slack.

Sadie wasted no time. She bent down toward her boots as Caroline tousled with Teddy. After a grunt and a bit of flailing, Teddy ended up with his arm bent behind him and Caroline’s knee at the small of his back.

“I told you I know Krav Maga,” Caroline boasted as he squirmed.

“Get off my son. You’re Krav Maga isn’t going to stop a bullet.”

Deringer held between her bound hands, Sadie marched toward the woman who held her son in the dirt. At her words, Caroline’s head turned her direction.

“Small but deadly,” Sadie assured her. “Slide that weapon over here and keep your finger off the trigger or I shoot. Safety’s off.”

Teeth bared like a cornered animal, Caroline let go of Teddy and did as she was told. Teddy scrambled out of the way. Sadie kept her eye and gun steady as she knelt to retrieve the odd weapon.

“Just let me go, Sadie. We can both have what we want.”

Sadie pressed the trigger on the little machine and a pulse of red electricity shot out, vibrating her hand. It landed square between Caroline’s eyes as she knelt on the ground then wrapped around her like a fishing net before seeming to sink inside of her. Her body convulsed, and she dropped with a thud, arms and legs twitching for a full minute before stopping completely.

Sadie stared at her, limp in the dirt, vaguely aware of Teddy sawing at her bonds with something.

“Hold still, Ma.”

“What is that?” she asked, watching him whittle fiercely with a tiny blade.

“It’s a Swiss Army Knife. Wally gave it to me, and it comes in real handy when y’all keep getting tied up.”

The ropes fell to the ground. Sadie massaged her wrists, smiling at her son with pride. “Help me get her tied up with what’s left of this here rope. Then get on Target. We have some folks to rescue.”

“You ain’t gonna make me stay home?” Teddy asked, hastening to comply.

“What home? Besides,” Sadie said, appraising their work, “you’ve more than proven yourself. Not that I want you in immediate danger, mind you.”