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In that moment Laura knew he meant it. Fear struck deep in the pit of her stomach, shooting adrenaline through her system.
“You are addressing the wrong gentleman, Mr. Mitchell.” Sebastian’s voice rang clear and strong far to the right. Laura swung her gaze to him, stunned to find him there. “I am the one who took your wife and children to a place of safekeeping.”
Mitchell whirled in his direction, and, to Laura’s horror, Sebastian stepped forward, separating himself from the others. “You did?” Mitchell looked at him none too certainly. “Then where are they?”
“See here, young man.” Chase hobbled forward, his cane lifting.
“Gramps, no,” Laura protested, terrified that he intended to foolishly shake it at Mitchell like a man scolding a naughty child.
Instead he swept it upward with lightning swiftness, striking the underside of Mitchell’s gun hand and evoking a yowl of pain. At almost the same instant Laredo launched himself at Mitchell, tackling him from the side and driving him to the floor.
With amazing calm, Sebastian planted a foot on Mitchell’s wrist and twisted the gun from his grasp. By then, Trey and Boone had joined forces with Laredo to pin Mitchell to the floor.
In the blink of an eye, it seemed, the threat was over. Relief skittered through Laura as she turned an amazed look on her elderly grandfather. He was once more leaning on his cane and smiling at Quint.
“You have to use whatever weapon you have, son.”
Quint responded with an amused shake of his head and glanced at Laura. “You’d better call the police.”
Less than twenty minutes later a state patrol helicopter landed in the Triple C ranch yard. Its arrival was soon followed by a squad of police cars. In short order Mitchell was handcuffed and escorted off the premises, and the usual round of questioning and statements followed.
Trey and Laredo accompanied the last of the officers onto the veranda while everyone else remained in the den. Boone sat beside Laura on the leather sofa, his arm draped along the back of it behind her head. Quint and Chase occupied the two wingbacked chairs in front of the desk. Tall and lean, Sebastian stood at the window, observing the departure of the last officials and looking as unflappable as he had been through it all.
He turned from the window, his glance briefly making contact with her. Laura was conscious of the instant rise of her heartbeat. She realized it was a normal reaction to him, one that had existed from the outset.
“I think we can safely conclude this business is over,” Sebastian declared to no one in particular.
Uncrossing her legs, Laura rose from the sofa and carried her empty coffee cup to the service tray on the desk.
“You do realize that you took a terrible risk speaking up like that.” She eyed him with more than a little interest.
“But a calculated one,” Sebastian replied with customary insouciance. “After all, if I was the one who knew the location of his wife and children, it was unlikely he would shoot me.”
“As drunk as he was, he could have pulled the trigger without even knowing it,” Laura countered.
“As I said, it was a calculated risk.” His eyes had a warmly amused gleam to them.
Boone pushed off the leather couch, his jaws rigid with anger. “Was it part of your calculation to put this entire family in jeopardy?” he demanded. “None of this would have happened if you hadn’t stuck your nose into something that wasn’t any of your business. You’ve caused this family enough trouble, Dunshill. It’s time you packed your bags and went back to England. And I mean right now.”
In that instant, any lingering doubts vanished as Laura turned a cool look on Boone, her chin lifting. “You are only half right, Boone.”
“What do you mean, half right?” he said with a frown.
“You are the one who needs to pack your bags and leave this house. Immediately.” There wasn’t an ounce of heat in her voice, only an icy determination.
“What are you talking about, Laura?” His expression was all shock and confusion. “We’re going to be married.”
“We were. But not any more.” She twisted the engagement ring off her finger. “Here. You can take this with you.” Laura flipped it to him with a touch of disdain.
The stunned look on his face as he caught the ring was almost laughable. “You’re upset, Laura,” he protested in a dazed fashion. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“I always know exactly what I’m doing, Boone,” Laura corrected, while Sebastian looked on, struggling to hold back a smile. “You have about as much style as one of your Texas barbeques. And I certainly don’t want anyone as cunning and ruthless as Max Rutledge for a father-in-law. I don’t care how much money he has; marriage to you would still be a step down. Now, leave.”
Chase spoke up, “I hope he doesn’t go. I would enjoy having him thrown out.”
Boone glared at them, for a moment angry beyond words. “You’ll regret this,” he pushed the words through clenched teeth and stalked out of the den, roughly shouldering Laredo aside when he met him and Trey in the doorway.
“What’s got into him?” Laredo hooked a thumb over his shoulder in the direction Boone had taken.
