"You mean with the ladies, right?"

That was too easy for Rowdy to believe, but he played along, anyway. "Cheryl and Alice?"

Probably hoping to find common ground, Lowry nodded. "Yeah. Woody wants the bitch, that's all. You're just collateral. You can leave now, and I'll tell him we killed you. He doesn't have to know."

"He wants to kill a few cops, too."

"Because they're getting in the way!

But you don't have to worry about that.

You're not a cop, right?"

"It's that obvious, huh?"

"Yeah, man, it is. I mean, you don't act like any pig I know. So what do you say?"

"'Fraid not." It felt weird to say it, but Rowdy knew it was true. "They're my friends."

"Oh...shit. Cops? Seriously?"

Because that had once, not that long ago, been Rowdy's reaction, as well, he only shrugged.

"Well, I didn't know that, now, did I?"

He ignored the dramatic reasoning.

"Anyone else planning to show up here tonight?"

When Lowry hesitated, Rowdy let out a sigh. "Do I need to kill Phelps here to let you know how serious I am?"

While Phelps gave panicked, muffled pleas, Lowry's chin went up. "How do I know you won't kill us, anyway?"

That was funny enough to make Rowdy grin. "You know, I'd like to, I really would. But those cops I mentioned?

They wouldn't like it. So you can thank them for living another day. Once I get all the info I want, I'll stuff you both into the trunk and call the boys in blue to come collect you."

"You're going to have us arrested? "

Smirking, Rowdy said, "Yeah, I know.

Unheard of, huh? But there you go. For today, that's how we're gonna roll." He nudged Lowry's chest. "Who else should I expect tonight?"

Lowry must've believed him. He didn't look thrilled over the idea, but cops were surely preferable to death in a dark alley. "Hickson will be here with Cheryl."

"Bullshit," Rowdy said. "I know that's what we were told, but no way does your boss expect Alice to make it here without getting nabbed along the way."

"True. But on the off chance she manages to pull it off, then Hickson will be here to...greet her."

"And if she doesn't show up?"

Uncaring, Lowry said, "Then Hickson will kill Cheryl, dump her body and join Woody for some...interrogation of your girlfriend."

Rowdy hit him; he couldn't help himself. It was like a reflex. Then he hit him again just for the hell of it. Swaying drunkenly, Lowry slouched to the side, his chin on his chest, his eyes dazed.

"Fucking ham-fisted bastard,"

he muttered in a slur.

Standing, Rowdy opened the trunk and hauled Phelps to his feet. "Get in." But even as he said it, he stuffed Phelps in himself, shoving him as far back in the trunk as he could.

"Now you."

Shaking his head to clear it, Lowry used the side of the car at his back and tried to struggle up. It wasn't easy, especially considering how hard Rowdy had slugged him. "You have me tied so fucking tight-"

Rowdy grabbed the elbow of his injured arm and hauled him to his feet, shoving him near the tailgate. "Figure it out or I'll stun you and then dump you in."

Lowry more or less fell into the trunk.

It was a tight fit, but Rowdy got them both in there.

He ripped away another section of Lowry's shirt to gag him. Leaning on the trunk, he asked, "How many men will be after Alice?"

"Enough." At Rowdy's narrow-eyed look, he corrected, "How the hell should I know? I'm here with you."

Again, Rowdy could tell he lied. He saw it in the shifty eyes, in the tripping pulse, the faster breathing. "Know what, Lowry? I started this without patience.

Push me anymore and you're going to regret it."

"Meaning what?"

Rowdy pressed the stun gun to his crotch. "Meaning I'll make sure you never hassle another woman for the rest of your blighted life."

Lowry breathed harder...and broke.

"There'll be four men. Three hired on, and..." He closed his eyes, swallowed hard.

"And?" Rowdy pressed.

"Woody's going along."

"The hell you say." Why would the boss do that? Why risk getting caught?

"You're full of shit, Lowry, you know that?" Rowdy jammed the stun gun in tighter.

Lowry tried to buck away. "It's true!

He likes staying in the front lines, says it keeps him sharp. He still picks out the women himself. He gets a kick out of it."

"That doesn't make any damn sense."

Unless Woody Simpson was a lunatic, which... would make sense.

Feeling the weapon snug against his jewels, Lowry panted with fear.

"Woody said he wants to see if he can get your lady friend to come along willingly."

For a second there, Rowdy thought he was joking. When he realized Lowry was serious, he barked a surprised laugh. "Old Woody must be even dumber than you."

"He's not dumb. But he does like the game."

The game of tattooing women and forcing them to be drug mules. Rowdy fought to hide his rage. "When are they supposed to grab her?"

"About five minutes ago." Around his swollen mouth and split lip, Lowry managed a smug smile. "Don't be looking for your cop buddies to back you up. Woody gave orders to kill everyone except the girl. And once they have her, they'll be coming after you. There's still time for you to make a deal with-"

Rowdy zapped him. As he watched Lowry flop and heard Phelps's freaked objections, he reassured himself that Lowry was wrong. Reese was prepared.

He wouldn't be taken unawares.

They would all be okay. Damn it, they had to be.

Now that they'd gotten him to care, he didn't want to lose them. Fate couldn't be that cruel. Not even to him.

But to be on the safe side, he gagged the unconscious Lowry and slammed the trunk shut. Stalking into the bar through the back door, Rowdy decided that he'd find Reese's men and send them to help with Alice. He didn't need them now.

Handling DeeDee would be a piece of cake, and if Hickson showed up, he'd grab that bastard, too.

Unfortunately, as he stepped into the crowded barroom, he realized that Reese's men must be good, because he didn't see a single person who looked like a cop.

But he did see Hickson and Cheryl.

Damn it. For now he had to follow the plan or it just might cost that poor girl her life.

And then, just to complicate the night more, Avery came into view-and she was heading for Hickson's table.

ANXIETY KEPT ALICE'S heart beating so

rapidly she felt it everywhere. Palms clammy, she popped another jelly bean into her mouth. A surreptitious glance assured her that Reese was still busy talking to Logan, bringing him up to speed.

Two more jelly beans-red, her favorite-gave her the backbone she needed to approach Trace. He was on a phone, talking low, and she hated to interrupt him, but if she waited, she might lose her opportunity.

Given the few words she overheard, Alice thought it might be his wife.

She touched his arm.

As if it surprised him, Trace looked at her hand first, then up to her face. He wrapped up the call and put the phone back in his pocket. "Everything okay?"

Stupidly, Alice offered him a jelly bean.

Brows angled, Trace said, "Thanks, no."

Regardless of what Reese thought, she didn't know Trace that well. She knew he had incomparable skill and wasn't afraid to do what needed to be done. He was smart, cunning and, luckily for her, very caring.

He had saved her life, so hopefully he wouldn't mind one more imposition. "I need you to promise me something." So that Reese wouldn't overhear, Alice kept her voice low. "Please."

Golden gaze probing, Trace looked beyond her, then leaned closer. "What's on your mind?"

"I know you have your own way of doing things, but this time, you have to do everything by the letter of the law."

Wanting to make sure he understood how serious this could be, she again touched his arm. "Reese is a police detective."

His mouth quirked. "No kidding?"

Of course Trace knew that. He probably knew everything there was to know about Reese. Without thinking about it, she grabbed more jelly beans, then had to chew fast and gulp them down so she could continue.

Trace waited with nerve-racking patience.

"What I mean is..." She licked her lips.

"He's an honorable man."

Those angled brows lifted.

This expression was almost more intimidating than the other. The last thing she wanted to do was insult him. "That is...you're honorable, too, of course."

"I have my moments."

He absolutely could not be joking with her right now. "But Reese has a code of conduct that he believes in. He lives by that code. It's important to him, so it's also important to me. "

Folding his arms over his chest, Trace studied her. "You know I'm not going out there to slaughter people, right?"

She damn near dropped the bag of candy. "Yes, of course. You would never do that. You're...well, scary-adept with lethal skill, but you're not exactly bloodthirsty."

His mouth twisted. "Not exactly."

"You don't commit random murder."

No, he only went to extremes when absolutely necessary. Alice winced, because, really, she'd done the same.