Page 44 of Barry
Mr. Marshall tapped the map. “Now, for the details.Dixon and Drake here will be on standby with the helicopter. Close enough to be there quickly, far enough away the bastard won’t think we’re looking for him. Andrew, Doc Cassidy here, and a few fellas living out on the ranch will be your backup. This is what we’re going to do.”
Barry listened to the plan. He would be the distraction so others could move closer and into position from the general area they’d be located in by morning. It wasn’t perfect, but there were so many unknowns that a perfect plan couldn’t be devised. He realized it sucked, but there was no disputing the fact.
“Everyone will leave from my ranch, that is, except you.” Mr. Marshall pointed to him. “Does anyone have questions?”
Ethan waited for a moment, then said, “Not a question, but the GPS isn’t registering. Brando has it monitored. If it comes up, we’ll know.”
Barry snapped, “Why would that happen?”
“The battery is dead, or it’s shielded. It doesn’t matter. We’ll be able to get him pinpointed with his phone call in the morning,” Ethan said.
“That would be the plan,” Mr. Marshall said. “Barry, you’ll leave from town.”
“I’ll leave from her house.” He nodded.
“It’s dark and late now. The town knows something is up, but we’re not saying anything about what’s happening.” Mr. Marshall looked at him.
Barry nodded. “Ken is informing Kathy’s parents. I’ll go to her house and keep my mouth shut.”
Mr. Marshall looked over at Senior, who stood up and put his hands on his hips. “I haven’t heard a thing, won’t say a thing.”
“Then we’re heading to the ranch. We have some work to do, and getting out there on horseback will take some time. Getting closer on foot, even longer. Use those comm devices. Don’t forget them.”
Mr. Marshall said it to everyone, but Barry looked down at the earpiece and answered, “I won’t.”
The men all shook his hand on the way out, and he thanked them for their help. As the last one filed out, he felt rather than saw Doc Wheeler behind him.
“Look, Doc, not now.” Barry shook his head. “I don’t want a sit-down.”
“I know. I wanted to tell you that you have everything you need to get this job done. You lost it when you found out about Kathy. But here, now, you’re completely capable of handling this situation. If he baits you, recognize it. No matter what condition Kathy is in, you know what the next step in the plan will be. He can’t take that away from you. There’s a plan. Now, it’s up to you to execute it.”
Barry narrowed his eyes at the doctor. “You’ve done this before.”
“This isn’t about me.” Doc Wheeler extended his hand. “Bring her home.”
He shook the offered hand and left the diner. He’d bring Kathy home or die trying.
Barry stoppedat the top of the large swell and looked at the compass he’d strapped to the gas tank of the ATV. The night had dragged on. Sleep was never going to happen. Instead, he busied himself cleaning her house. He wanted nothing of the struggle to be there when he brought her home. Fuck the evidence. The only thing they’d need it for would be to prosecute the fucker. But if he had his way, the man would never face a jury. Barry glanced at the compass again, adjusted his course, and took off again. “You’re about a half mile from the checkpoint.” Ethan had talked to him throughout his journey, giving him time hacks and information about the others. The plan was solid, but for it to work, Fish’s brother needed to concentrate on him. Hopefully, showing up on the ATV would be unexpected enough to pull off that trick.
“Do we have a visual yet?” Ethan asked as Barry powered up the next hill.
“Negative.” Alex’s voice came over the communications device.
“You’ll need to keep him on the line as long as you can, Barry,” Ethan reminded him.
He knew what he had to do and didn’t bother to respond to the reminder. He shot down the hill andfollowed the bottom wash out to the east a bit before he came up over the hill. The ATV launched over the top of the hill and landed hard. Barry held on and powered up the gas, tearing up the prairie as he landed. A cloud of dirt and dust spit into the air behind him. They told him to make his arrival noisy, so he would. He located the flat of land the map had said was the place he was supposed to be. He gunned the engine and flew across the semi-flat land before slamming on the brake and spinning the ATV in a circle. Dirt and dust flew all around him. He cut the engine and stood up on the ATV.
He lifted his arms and shouted, “I’m here, motherfucker!” If that didn’t get and hold the bastard’s attention, nothing would. His phone vibrated in his pocket.
“Where are you, you son of a bitch?”
“Temper.” The voice he’d memorized taunted him.
“I’ll show you more of it, you bastard. Quit hiding and face me like a man.”
“Like you did my brother? Looked at him in the face and then left him.”
Barry ass-planted on the ATV. “How …”