Page 145 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

“Here it is!”Her voice sounded like a squeak even to her own ears.She thrust another folder at Gavin, hoping that Harper was ready to make her move.

Jim caught her gaze and gave her the slightest nod.Gavin spotted it, but it worked in their favor as a distraction.

He sneered at Jim.“She can’t help you.And you know, if you’d just been reasonable about this, I would have waited.I mean, you wouldn’t have had long left anyway—not at your age.But when I heard that you were going to give Cash …”

Harper crept closer while Gavin talked.She was carrying something.Shelley couldn’t make out what it was, but it didn’t matter—she just needed to...

Harper leapt forward and hit Gavin’s head with whatever it was.Shelley grabbed the pistol as Gavin stumbled into the table.He recovered quickly, spinning around to face Harper, but she moved faster, landing her knee to his groin and leaving him doubled over, groaning.

“You bitch!”he gasped.“I’m going to …”

“You’re not going to hurt anyone,” Shelley told him as she kept the gun trained on him.“It’s over—and you’re going to prison for this.”

He straightened up slowly.“You underestimate me.I’m not going to prison.It’s all going to work out.”

Shelley’s confidence waned a little as he smiled at her.Harper was untying Jim and removing his gag.

“He’s working with someone,” Jim said as soon as he could speak.“You had Jeb call Banner down to the barn, didn’t you?”

“I did.I knew you’d send him down there—you always cared about the animals more than you cared about me.Thought it was time I used it to my advantage.”Gavin smiled.“Darryl helped me out, too.I always said you should be more careful about who you trust, Uncle.”

Jim sat up straighter in the armchair, and Shelley was glad to see him look angry—he looked full of life again.

“What did Darryl do?”

“Just followed Cash MacFarland on a wild goose chase up into the mountains and out of my way for a while—so that I could come calling on you.”

Jim shook his head sadly.Shelley knew that he did his best to make the men who worked for him feel like family.

Gavin shrugged.“You think people care.I know that all they care about is money.Jeb and Darryl were happy to help—for a price.You think Banner and his brothers care about you?You stupid old fool—they’re only in it for what they can get.And Cash?”He turned and spat after he said the name.

“Shut up!”Harper pushed Gavin, and Shelley remembered that they didn’t have to let him rant anymore.She waved the pistol toward the sofa.

“Go and sit down.”

“I’ll tie him up,” said Harper.

“Then we can call …” said Jim.

They all went quiet when they heard a vehicle approaching.

“That’ll be them,” said Gavin.“Jeb and Darryl—they’re coming to help me with cleanup.”

“They’ll be cleaning you up if you try anything,” Harper told him.

Gavin leered at Shelley.“Are you comfortable enough with that thing to hold off two men carrying pistols they know how to use?”

She could feel her palms sweating against the cold steel.If only they’d been quicker—she could have called Trip.He could have come, could have brought help.

She and Harper exchanged a look when they heard movement outside.She didn’t know what to do.

Harper finished tying Gavin and stood.

“Let’s get you in the bathroom, Jim.”

He scowled and struggled to his feet.“I’m going nowhere.We’re in this together.”

Harper picked up what turned out to be a wooden doorstop—the thing she’d used to hit Gavin.Shelley raised the pistol, and Jim grabbed a broom from the small kitchen area.