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“Nicely put,” Miles said, nodding to Jace. He turned to Bryan. “I am finished with you.” He lifted his weapon and Jace sheltered Ayla, not wanting her to see Bryan get killed no matter how big of a loser the guy was.
Brad held Bryan as he screamed. Miles slammed the butt of his A.R. into Bryan’s forehead and he crumpled to the ground. Ayla trembled in Jace’s arms, but she didn’t cry out.
Jace prayed someone from the resort had heard the screams and would at least call the police. Or maybe these guys would leave them alone, take Bryan, and go. Despite what a jerk Bryan was, Jace felt bad for him putting himself in such a hopeless mess.
“Tie him up and put him in the trunk. We’ll get some more money out of him. He’s got a home, vehicles, and a boat that will at least cover some of his debt. We’ll make the Bryan Worthen Insurance Agency bleed.”
Brad nodded and dragged Bryan’s limp body to their car.
Miles turned to face them. Jace prayed he’d leave them alone. Ayla was safe in the circle of his arms, for now. He still had the pistol clutched in his right hand, but he hoped he wouldn’t have to get in a shootout with a couple hardened criminals and their automatic rifles with Ayla in harm’s way.
“You seem like a nice couple,” Miles said conversationally. “The problem is that she’s been working for him and getting paid by him with money that technically belongs to me.”
“It’s not my fault he owes you,” Ayla said. She sounded braver than Jace felt. What would this guy do when he realized Ayla had put all her money toward Tim’s debts and Jace had very little in his business savings and only slightly more in his personal savings?
“I know, sweetheart, but a debt is a debt.” His jaw hardened. “Jardine? You own this place?” He gestured with his rifle to the resort.
Jace nodded.
“No employees around on a Sunday night?”
Jace shook his head.
“All right. Let’s head inside and you can transfer whatever you’ve got in your business and personal savings accounts. We’ll see if it covers her share of the debt. Set that pistol down and let’s walk inside.” He gestured for them to walk in front of him.
Jace reluctantly set the pistol on the asphalt and then straightened. He shuttled Ayla in front of him to keep her out of Miles’s scope. They walked toward the front doors of the resort.
His savings wouldn’t be enough. He and Ammon had been proud to pay cash for the lodge additions and remain debt free.
The twenty grand in the business savings and close to forty grand in his personal savings wouldn’t come close to satiating this guy. Had someone heard Bryan’s scream or seen them? Had one of his family members seen Bryan pointing a gun at them back by his cabin? He doubted it, or someone would’ve come by now. He usually loved how quiet the resort was on the Sabbath. Right now, he wished they were open.
He prayed for some idea, some way to keep Ayla safe. What would Miles do when he saw they didn’t have the money he was planning on? Bryan owed the guy millions. Would he take it out on them, or on Bryan?
They climbed the steps and Jace held the door and escorted Ayla in. Miles walked in behind them. Jace’s gaze darted around. The resort had security cameras, but nobody monitored them. They’d have footage of Miles’s face, but that wouldn’t help them right now.
The lobby and open lounging areas were deserted. Dang. Not that he wanted anyone else in danger’s path, but he would love for someone to see them and call 911.
They made it to his office behind the front desk. They had an automated system set up for anyone who needed to check in or check out on a Sunday, so not even a front desk clerk was around to sound an alarm.
He walked to his desk and then turned to face Miles, tugging Ayla behind him. She was shaking but kept her head tilted at a proud angle and gave Miles an impertinent look. She was brave and beautiful.
Jace stayed standing, leaning forward to click on his computer and then open the internet and his online banking.
Miles pulled a business card out of his wallet and set it on the desk. This guy had done this before. “It’s pretty simple. Just do an online transfer to that account.”
Jace nodded.
“How much do you have?” Miles asked.
Jace looked into the guy’s eyes. They were blue and cold. He prayed hard for help. Miles had a loose hold on the A.R., and Brad hadn’t come in from securing Bryan yet. “Not enough,” he admitted.
“How much?”
Jace splayed his hands and told him the truth. “We recently expanded the lodge and paid cash for it.” The guy gave him a look that said he didn’t care. “We have twenty grand in the business account and I have forty in my personal savings.”
A muscle ticked in Miles’s jaw and his eyes narrowed. “Why did you waste my time walking in here?”
Jace had no answer for that. He didn’t think Miles would appreciate him saying he was trying to bide his time and hoping somebody would come.
