Page 105 of Bad Decisions & Back Roads

“Mark’s out at the McClary place with the sheriff,” Jackson said quietly.“It’s bad there.”

My grip tightened painfully on the steering wheel.“How bad?”

“Jimmy shot Valerie.Then he tried to run Mark over with the truck.Mark’s a little battered up, but he’ll live.Jimmy shot the other three farm hands.”

The world narrowed.My foot slammed harder on the gas.“What?”

I nearly missed the curve in the road.

“Everyone but Mark is dead at the McClary place.”The words hit like a punch to the chest.“Gia’s mother is gone.”

Dead.

The truck swerved over the centerline before I jerked it back.“Do you think he’ll kill Gia and Misty before they get to the farm?”I didn’t recognize my own voice anymore

Jackson answered immediately.“No.”

That should’ve made me feel better.It didn’t.

“He wants you to watch.He wants to take away what you value most just like you took everything from him.”

Cold terror ripped straight through me.“Jackson?—”

“Listen to me.”His voice sharpened hard enough to cut through the panic spiraling in my head.“You call your mother right now.Tell her to get herself and Sofia into the safe room.You tell your dad to arm himself and stay inside the big house until I get there.”

Cars blurred past me in streaks of light.My speedometer climbed higher.I could barely hear anything over the blood pounding in my ears.

“I’m coming in from the north quadrant,” Jackson continued.“Do not go charging into anything alone.”

I said nothing.Because we both knew I was going to anyway.

“Timothy.”Jackson’s voice dropped lower.Deadlier.“I promise you.We’re getting her out.”The call ended.

I immediately dialed my mother while trying to keep Gia’s open line pressed to my ear.Nothing from Gia’s end.No voices.No movement.Only dead silence humming through the speaker.

My stomach twisted violently.Had he found the phone?Had he made her leave it behind?Or?—

No.Jackson said he wanted a show.

I shoved the thought away and drove faster.The farm sat fifteen minutes ahead of me on the long highway.

When mom answered I rushed, “Jimmy…he killed Valerie.Tried to kill Mark, but Mark’s going to live.Jimmy is on his way to our place with Misty and Gia as hostages.He wants to kill them in front of us.I need you to get Sofia and take her to the safe room.Stay there.Please, I need you two safe.Tell Dad to arm himself and stay inside the big house.Jackson’s on the way.”I hung up before she could say anything.

My phone rang.Jimmy.I answered briskly, “What?”

“I got what you value most.Be at your house in ten minutes or I’ll start blowing parts off of her with my shotgun.”

ChapterThirty-Six

GIA

Neither Mistynor I breathed during the bumpy ride in Dad’s truck.Misty sat in my lap in the passenger seat.Our hands were duct-taped to the oh-shit handle above the window.

“You never were worth a damn, Regina,” my father murmured.“You’re not even my blood.I poisoned Caleb when I found out he stole Valerie from me.If I couldn’t have Lisa, then I sure as hell wasn’t letting my good-for-nothing brother have Valerie.”

What?Jimmy McClary was my uncle?Not my father?

My mind snapped back to something Mama said.“You’re of good blood.A good heart.”