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“You won’t touch her.”
Brylee loved his confidence, loved him, but she didn’t see how he could command these men with guns. She was even more terrified than the last time Danny had come.
“We’ll get your money for you,” Cash said, as if these two foul criminals were picking up a table they’d bought from them on Facebook Marketplace. “We found it earlier today.”
How was he so calm? Brylee’s body was shaking. Cash squeezed her hand and then directed her around the side of the tent.
“It’s in my backpack,” Cash told the men.
Brylee noticed how he walked confidently but placed his body between her and the men and their guns. They all walked over to the supplies and camp chairs. Cash released her hand, hefted the backpack, and stepped in front of her. He quickly slipped the satellite phone into her hand. She hadn’t even seen him pull it out. She clung to it like a lifeline.
He turned to face the men and set the large backpack on one of the camp chairs, maybe so he wouldn’t have to bend over to get the money, maybe to give him something to shelter behind when they shot. How should she know? She didn’t think like a warrior.
Cash slowly slid the metal box part way out of the backpack, but he only held it with his left hand. What was in his other hand? There was only the one pistol, and it was by the waterfall. Should she run for the gun while she called Shawn? Even if she retrieved it before Danny shot her, she’d probably shoot Cash on accident. As a Texas girl, her brothers and dad had tried to teach her to shoot, but it hadn’t taken. She rarely hit the target.
The men watched Cash carefully. They were so close by. What if one of them shot him?
Cash yanked the box free of the backpack and then he yelled, “Bry!”
She dropped to the ground, clinging to the phone.
Cash threw a knife right into Truman’s chest. The man fell back to the dirt. He didn’t even cry out.
Cash grasped the metal box with both hands and ducked behind it and the backpack. Danny fired multiple times with his gun.
Brylee screamed when she heard Cash grunt and saw blood seeping from his arm and his leg.
“Call,” he said urgently to her.
Oh, my. Cash was shot and still calm and in control. She had to call for help. She touched the phone and pushed on Shawn’s number.
He arched up and hurled the metal box at Danny. It knocked into Danny’s head and the man went down.
Cash leaped around the chair and backpack that had given him a bit of shelter. Brylee screamed out again.
“Brylee?” Shawn’s voice demanded from the phone. “Brylee!”
“Bad men are back!” she screamed into the phone.
Cash flew at Danny, but she heard the retort of the pistol.
Cash slammed back into the dirt, blood sprouting from another wound. This one was on his abdomen.
“No!” she screamed, dropping the phone and rushing to Cash. She threw herself next to him, kneeling in the dirt and pressing her hand into the blood seeping from his stomach. No, oh, no!
“Bry,” he whispered, his eyes fluttering open.
She heard Danny rise to his feet behind her.
She laid her body over Cash, praying Danny wouldn’t shoot him.
“Move,” Danny growled, grabbing at her shoulder.
“No!” she yelled, glaring fiercely back at him.
Blood was running down his forehead from where the edge of the metal box had caught him. His eyes were full of rage, and he gripped the gun in his hand.
“I’m going to kill him and take you and the money with me.” He laughed. It was unsteady and creepy. His eyes flickered to hisunmoving partner. “He killed Truman. Guess I’ll have to thank him for saving me half a million bucks.”
