Page 104 of Billion-Dollar Ransom

JEFF PENNEY AND Virgil Tighe had two of the money pallets loaded onto the back of the Peterbilt and were about to lift the third out of the hole when Boo spoke.

“Uh, guys… what the hell is that ?”

She was referring to a set of bright, bouncing headlights on the dim horizon. Lights that grew in size. This vehicle was gunning straight for them.

The three of them exchanged worried looks. Nobody should be out here this early in the morning. Or any time of the day, for that matter. This was a former airstrip used by no one, not even the military. There was nothing to do out here. Nothing to see. No reason for this vehicle to be approaching.

Unless it was coming for them .

“We got two pallets on the truck and two in the ground,” Virgil said. “How do you want to handle this?”

“We don’t know who they are,” Boo said. “Could be nobody.”

“We could leave right now,” Virgil said, “split off in different directions. They might catch up with the truck, but the Porsche can definitely outrun ’em.”

“Come on, man!” Jeff shouted. “We’re not just gonna leave two hundred million dollars in the ground! Are you out of your mind?”

Virgil squinted into the predawn dark. “Better than staying put, getting caught, and losing it all. Maybe we can cover it up fast and come back for it later.”

“That’s two dumb ideas. We stay to hide it, we’re as good as caught.”

Boo watched both men closely. Virgil was the cold, analytical one.

He would gather the facts and select the option that maximized reward and minimized risk, even if meant leaving behind a sizable fortune.

Jeff, however, was more of a street fighter.

Never admit defeat, never surrender—and never, ever walk away from that much money.

And who did Boo side with? Most days she was all about minimizing risk. But the idea of going through all this planning and sweat and drama just to leave two hundred million behind for Scrooge McDuck to shovel back into his vault? Hell no.

Boo caught Jeff’s eye. He nodded.

Virgil sighed and shook his head—he’d read the conversation as it floated through the air. “Oh, no,” he said. “No, no, no. I refuse to die in the Antelope Valley, of all places. If we’re going to leave, we do it now.”

“We’re not leaving,” Boo said.

Jeff pulled out the Glock strapped to his waist. “It’s just one car. We’re both experienced marksmen. I like our odds.”

“I agree with you in theory,” Virgil replied. “But think this through. We take out whoever’s approaching, we’ve got to deal with another body. Possibly more, depending on who’s in that car.”

“I think it’s an Escalade,” Boo said. Her vision had always been sharp.

“So what?” Jeff said. “We’ve got a giant hole right here that’s big enough for an Escalade.”

Virgil just stared at him.

The vehicle was racing into view, and Boo had been right.