Page 17 of Strip It Down (Spoiled by My Blue Collar Man #4)
Sayer
“This is fucking bullshit and you know it, Tate. It’s Greg and his crew. First, I catch Clive and JonBoy stealing and your officer basically calls my foreman and me the liars. Say’s there’s not enough proof and won’t even write anything up.
“I fire Clive and JonBoy and half hour after every one has left for the day, they’re back here stealing and trashing the job like they’re protected. Thank fuck, Denny forgot his lunch box with his meds or who knows how much damage there’d be.
“And where the hell is your crime team? It’s been almost an hour.”
“Calm down. I’ll need you to give a statement on Michaels. He’s one of my questionable deputies. I will also interview him.” He pulls his own phone. “I don’t know where the crime team is. They should have been here by now.”
He frowns and looks up. “Do you have reception?”
I look at my phone. “No signal. That doesn’t make sense. I texted Gentry from here earlier and again when I knew I’d be late. It shows they went through, and I have responses. That was just before you got here.”
He looks at me. “They’ve got a fucking jammer. Follow me.”
Down the road from the construction site, Tate pulls off and I see him on his phone. I call the house. No answer. I try Gentry then Jarrett. I pull up beside Tate and he rolls his window down.
“I’m getting a connection but no answer at my house. I’m going.”
He peals out behind me. In another couple of minutes my phone rings it’s Tate. Jabbing the phone button on the steering wheel answer on speaker. “What?”
“Using a jammer is a federal offense. I have the crime team on the way out now to the work site. Their primary focus is to find it before it can be removed.
“I called the two officers I trust directly. They are radio silent and right behind us. This is not going through the office yet. I have others I’m calling so they know my concern, my judge is one of them. I assume you’re carrying. Don’t be stupid.”
I don’t bother to answer. He knows damn good and well I am.
“Sayer. They need you alive and at home with them. Remember the priority. We’ll get there.”
I pull onto the drive that leads to my house seconds before I get a text from Jarrett and slow down.
Jarrett: Six, armed. Came down mountain, west of house. One insurgent down. One dog down.
Sayer: I’m on site. Eight hundred meters. Sheriff with me, two deputies enroute.
Jarrett: They just broke out a window on the porch. Three went in. Two men are watching the road. Rose and I will take them.
Jumping from my truck, I pull my weapon and start running along the tree line. Tate comes up beside me and I give a quick report. “Six we have eyes on. They’re breaking into the house. One down for sure.”
Reaching the tree break in front of the house, we hear a scream.
Jarrett just took down one of two guards and Rose, has her jaw clamped on the other’s upper arm.
Jarrett slides in behind her and knocks the guy out.
He looks up, nods and drags the men into the woods. Rose bounds off in search of more prey.
Inside, I lead the way toward the office. I see Bella slink in the open door to the office. Good thing we introduced Tate the other day.
We’re almost there when there’s a scream and a shout rings out.
Weapons drawn, we storm through the door.
Bella has a skinny man on the floor, her mouth clamped on the very sensitive curve of neck and shoulder.
Stone has Clive by the upper arm, blood dripping on the floor as the man screams in pain.
Greg has his left arm wrapped around Gentry’s upper torso. A gun pressed under her chin with his right.
“Drop your weapons,” he snarls.
Tate and I comply.
“You don’t want to do this,” Tate starts.
“Shut up.” He looks at me. “Call off the dogs.”
“Can’t. They aren’t mine. Someone took down their trainer.” I glance at Gentry. “You okay, sweetheart?”
A tear slides down her cheek. “I’m sorry. This is my fault.”
Before I can say more, she shifts just a fraction, raises her right forearm a few inches and drives her fist back into Greg’s thigh. He screams, tossing her to the side. A weapon goes off. She hits the hardwood floor and doesn’t move.
Tate scoops his gun from the floor as he charges Greg. I go for my woman.
“Gentry!” A bump is blossoming on the side of her head, she’s limp. Something falls from her blood soaked hand. I slide her into my lap. “Sweetheart. Sweetheart!”
“Medic. Medic. Man down,” I shout. “Need a medic.” I fumble, checking for her pulse.
More people in uniform rush in. More dogs. Tate’s shouting orders. Jarrett’s in my peripheral as I hold Gentry to my chest.
“Ayla. Where’s Ayla?” I yell, still holding Gentry to my chest.
Jarrett squats before me, Ayla is in his arms and Stone’s beside them both.
“Dada.” Reaching for my little girl, I cuddle her to my other side, covering her face with desperate kisses.
“Ambulances are in route,” Jarrett says. “Everyone is seized. I’ve called your father. He’ll meet you at the hospital. I’ll stay at the house and assist.”
“The dogs?”
“Tate called a mobile vet. She’s here. She’s working on Duke now. I’ve got the Homefront. Take care of your family.” He stands and backs away when the EMT walks up.