Hidden Target (Otter Creek Book 2) by Rebecca Deel

Author:Rebecca Deel [Deel, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Hidden Target
Publisher: Rebecca Deel
Published: 2015-01-06T16:00:00+00:00

Nick parked in the Churchill fitness trail lot and glanced at the clock. Right on time. No other cars in the lot, though. He locked the Jeep, tugged on a light-weight jacket to cover his weapon and set off down the trail.

Mockingbirds sang, a few fluttering between trees on either side of the track. A muggy breeze spoke of the humidity to come by afternoon’s end. The diner’s coffee, a brew tasting like boiled combat boots, weighed heavy on his stomach.

He learned a few interesting information nuggets at Delaney’s. He grinned. Madison wouldn’t like knowing the old fishermen wagered on an end-of-the-year marriage for her. Too young and beautiful to stay single. He couldn’t argue with that so long as he was the groom.

He neared the rendezvous point and his thoughts veered from the deli to Bates. He sounded tense when he asked Nick to meet him. No matter how much Nick pressured, Bates refused to discuss anything over the phone.

He rounded the curve. Bates paced in front of a bench on the right side of the trail. The middle-aged man drew up short. Nick’s gaze swept the heavy underbrush and the dark wall of trees and bushes close to the trail. Nice place for an ambush.

“Santana.”

“What do you want?”

Bates sat on the bench. “Called my old man last night. Said to tell you thanks.”

The sadness pooled in his eyes touched a sympathetic chord in Nick. “I’m sorry about your father.” He waited, confident Bates called him out here for more than passing on a message.

He rose, resumed pacing. “Look, I know Blackhawk thinks I’m responsible for what’s happening around here.”

Nick shrugged. “The cops know you blamed me and my partner for your marriage breakup. After you left prison, someone stalked Madison, then killed my partner and his son, and injured his wife. Now she’s being stalked again the same time you arrive in town. You telling me that’s a coincidence?”

Bates scowled. “Wasn’t me.” He shoved his fists into his pockets. “It’s no secret I hated you and your partner. Shot my mouth off to anybody who’d listen. But that’s it. I didn’t kill Ryder or go after his wife.”

“How did a sniper rifle end up in your trunk?”

He swung away from Nick. “I don’t know.”

“Come on, man,” Nick said. “You expect me to believe that? You bought the rifle on the street and tried to finish the job you started when you killed Luke. Need more practice, Bates.” He spread his hands. “You missed.”

Bates spun around, yanked his fists from his pockets and advanced.

Nick balanced his weight on the balls of his feet and waited for a lunge, a punch.

Bates stopped a couple of feet in front of him, face stained with color over the beard. “It wasn’t me.” He opened his mouth to say more, but glanced over Nick’s shoulder. He clamped his jaws shut. Color leached from his face.

The skin on the back of Nick’s neck prickled. He reached for his gun and started to turn. A blinding explosion of pain at the back of his head sent him to his knees and into darkness.

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