Chapter 12
“Let me get this straight, Keith. Tagart is running some sort of illegal bull-riding event, wanted you and Corey to ride for the win, and Tagart took Elise, why?” BJ asked as he, Susanna, Keith, Corey, Ava, and Carver along with Mason, Steven, Chad, and Michael stood around trying to figure out what happened.
BJ had already put Carver in handcuffs.
“Tagart said that she was going to be part of the event. He mentioned killing her boyfriend or something. Carver here threatened both my girlfriend and Corey’s girlfriend’s lives if we didn’t participate in this illegal bull-riding event,” Keith stated.
“Oh God,” Ava gasped.
“What is it, Ava? Do you know something about this?” BJ asked.
“Elise told me that she had a boyfriend back in Tennessee. They worked on a dude ranch for some business tycoon. She found him murdered after he tried to win a bull-riding event. I don’t think Tagart is the tycoon though,” Ava informed them.
“He probably works for the main guy,” Mason said.
“Carver, what do Tagart and your boss want with Elise?” Mason asked him.
“Fuck you.”
Mason grabbed Carver by his throat and held him against the wall.
“In about five minutes, her two men are going to show up wondering who took their woman and why. You’ve seen them before. They’ll rip you a new one.” Mason slowly released his throat and Carver coughed.
“I’m not talking.”
BJ shoved him hard into the wall. “You will talk or we’ll beat it out of you.”
“You can’t do that. You’re the sheriff,” Carver said and Keith decked Carver in the mouth. Everyone looked at him as he pulled Carver up by his shirt collar.
“I’m not the law, so the same rules don’t apply to me. So I’m warning you, talk now, or when the deputies come, they’ll scalp you to get the answers they want.”
“Oh shit, here they come,” Steven stated as they looked and saw Tommy and Vic heading through the crowd and right to where the gathered.
“They look really pissed off,” BJ said.
“Ah, hell. Let’s cover the hallway and let Tommy and Vic question Carver. If our backs are turned, then we didn’t see shit, right, Sheriff?” Mason said and they all began to turn as Tommy and Vic joined them.
“Where’s Elise?” Tommy asked.
“What the hell is going on and why is he in handcuffs?” Vic asked with his bruised cheekbone giving him a wild and untamed look.
“I’ll talk. Don’t let them at me. I was supposed to deliver Keith and Corey to Tennessee for the bull-riding match tomorrow night. The prize is two million,” Carver stated.
“Son of a bitch. And Elise? Why did Tagart take Elise and what does this Cobbs guy want with her?” Mason asked.
“What the hell is going on?” Vic asked. BJ held up his hand for Vic and Tommy to wait.
“She found her boyfriend dead. The one Cobbs had Tagart murder for double-crossing him. He wants revenge, but Tagart just wants Elise for himself. He’s supposed to deliver her to the contest and then they’re going to sell her to the highest bidder,” Carver rambled. The women gasped, but Vic stomped forward and grabbed Carver by the throat and held him up in the air. Carver was kicking and straining to breathe.
“You tell us every fucking detail so we can stop them or I swear I’ll fucking kill you right here, right now.”
“You need him alive, Vic. Put him down,” BJ scolded, but Vic was furious. “Vic, we’ll get the answers we need. Let him down,” Tommy told Vic and Vic lowered Carver to his feet.
He released him and Carver fell to the floor.
“I’ll tell you everything, but you’ll be too late. Tagart is going to have Elise
before they even reach that plane.”