Chapter 23
“Crap,” I muttered, digging in my purse. I wrapped my fingers around the bear spray. Stepping inside, I caught the waitress again and handed her fifty dollars. “Black limo, the driver’s name is Dean. Tell him I found what I’m looking. I’m heading into the stables. Tell him to call the police.”
The waitress’s brows dipped. “Are you, a cop?”
“Nope. Just a good Samaritan,” I said, hiding the purse back in the shrubs. The picture I’d drawn of this moment depicted Suzie being held at gunpoint in one of the stalls.
The grass tickled my bare feet as I jogged down the embankment. I hiked up my dress to climb through the gate where Suzie had crossed. Music and lights faded behind me with each step I took, taking me farther and farther away from anyone who would hear me yell for help.
Cursing beneath my breath and clutching the canister of bear spray, I rounded the stables to the opposite entrance from where Suzie had snuck in. I grabbed a cattle prod as I strolled past a work bench, adding to my arsenal. One of my meager weapons was bound to work.
I crept into a stall. The sound of voices drifted to my ears. I paused in the shadows. A man stood in darkness with his back to me. I could see the outline of a gun in his hand.
“You just had to be a control freak, and now I’ve got to get rid of you.”
I knew that voice. Only it didn’t belong to the person I thought it would. It wasn’t Riley’s voice; it was Milton’s.
“You’re the one who’s using our crates and dogs to import the drugs? How could you, Milton? We’re family, and it’s our business too.”
“This quit being a family business when you fucking dumped me six months ago, or have you forgotten?” Milton growled.
“Is that what this is about? You’re trying to get back at me?” Suzie asked.
The hard metal barrel of a gun pressed into my head.
“Drop the cattle prod, Nina,” Quinton said from behind me.
I closed my eyes and dropped it. “I should have guessed.”
I slid the bear spray into my bra then held up my hands.
Milton glanced over his shoulder seconds before cocking his trigger. “Don’t move, Suzie.”
“Nina, so good of you to join us.” Milton slid out of the way while Quinton shoved me inside.
There were no horses inside. Only a dog crate and a table with three boxes on it. The boxes were empty. The dog toys were discarded at the end of the table with the drugs and money on the other.
“You’re smuggling drugs?” I asked. “Harlon is your friend. Why would you set him up?”
“Harlon?” Suzie asked. “What did you two assholes do?”
“Tried to frame him,” I answered as Quinton shoved me deeper into the stall from behind. I tripped on my skirt and fell to the ground into the hay and came face to face with a bulldog baring his teeth at me. I slid the bear mace out from between my boobs and clutched it in my hand.
Suzie helped me to stand, and I held the bear spray behind my back.
Quinton began packing up the drugs and the money.
“Why would you ruin your company?”
“Drugs pay more,” Milton said.
“Shut up, Mil. They don’t deserve an answer,” Quinton said, glancing over his shoulder at his brother, who had his back to us.
“So, you’ve sunk to the likes of Riley’s family?” I asked.
They both started laughing.
“It wasn’t Riley’s family involved with the mob. It was ours,” Milton said.
