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Bridger did the same. “Randall.” He nodded at the other man.
Both guys looked alarmed. Terrified, even. He leaned back against the leatherette upholstery and waited.
The preacher jabbed a finger across the street. Jane’s assistant manager was nailing plywood over the broken window. “That’s what’s up.” He spat out the words, rapid-fire. “The sheriff showed us the note. Now the guy is threatening Jane. Who knows what’s next? I can’t even risk driving my own car. There could be a bomb under it or something. I had to ask Randall for a ride.”
“It’s not trouble,” Dressler said in that oozy, soothing voice that irritated Bridger to no end.
The pastor ignored the other man. “My wife is terrified. Randall agreed to drive me down to Southern California. She’s got her car with her. We’ll run. We’ll—”
Bridger cut him off. On the off chance Peckham wasn’t their extortionist, he needed the pastor close. “That’s a seriously dumb idea. Understandable, but dumb.”
The pastor’s small eyes narrowed. “It’s not dumb. It’s what normal people do when they’re in danger. They run.”
Tai shook his head sadly. “Preacher, preacher, preacher. Of course you want to be with your lady love, but dude, you could be leading the blackmailer straight to her.”
The pastor flapped his thick hands. “But she’s scared. I need to get to her.”
“Sure. Only natural.” Bridger nodded slowly and spread his hands on the tabletop, taking care to relax his muscles. People associated open palms with honesty. Relaxed body language would suggest calm. Confidence.
The pastor desperately wanted to have confidence in someone. Might as well be him.
“I’ve got people who can keep your wife safe,” he said.
Tai picked right up on his cue. “Absolutely. A hundred percent. We’ve got a whole crew who can watch over her.”
The pastor tugged at his beard, looking confused.
Excellent. Confusion was way better than stubbornness.
The set up completed, Bridger dove in for the kill. “It looks like the bomber is here, in town. I’d rather have you here, where we can protect you until he’s in custody. Then we bring your wife home.”
Myles made a face. “Because of that note? You can’t be serious. The guy could have a partner. Maybe he’s not even in Redemption Creek. Maybe he paid someone to do that.”
Bridger shot him a suspicious look. “You’ve given this a lot of thought.”
“Of course I have. It’s my life we’re talking about.” The man swiped sweat off the back of his neck. “And Jane’s,” he added lamely.
Bridger tamped down his rising irritation. How did the man not get that his best chance to stay alive was to let Bridger and Tai do what they did best?
Dressler looked from the damaged hardware store to the pastor. “These guys sound like they know what they’re doing, Zack.”
The pastor winced. “I know, but even if you can protect Vangie, I can’t stay with the Creightons anymore. It’s putting them in danger.”
Bridger nodded vigorously. Movement. At last. “Good point. Let’s think this through. We’ve got other options.”
Dressler winced. “You can’t stay with Jane.”
The very thought seemed to shock the preacher. “Of course not.”
Tai gave Bridger the high sign. “I don’t like the idea of us splitting up,” he said.
No. Bridger didn’t, either. If it came to protecting only one person, it would be Jason’s sister. He balled up his napkin, running the permutations through his mind.
There weren’t many.
“How about staying with me?” Randall offered. “My father’s terrified of being robbed. I’ve got a state-of-the-art security system. That would work, wouldn’t it?” he directed his question at Bridger and Tai.
“It is a sweet system,” Tai agreed. “I’d love to get another look at it, maybe beef things up a little.”
