Chapter Sixteen
Sixty-four missions. That’s how many times Deacon had put his life on the line in the field. How many times he’d gone out knowing he would kill and possibly be killed.
He’d directed that many more missions, sending other men under his command out to face death or capture. He understood fear and war, death and loss. He accepted it and faced it head on.
This? This was something else entirely. The moment he heard that Mica had been taken, he felt like he’d been gut punched. His knees nearly buckled and that shamed him, but he’d never been hit with anything as painful as that news.
But he did what he’d always done. He sucked it up, geared up for battle, got in his truck, and drove to town. The first thing Deacon saw when he walked into the blacksmith shop was Mathias. He was standing in front of the anvil with the big hammer in one hand.
“He’s been standing there for the last ten minutes,” Charli told him. “Right after he picked up a barrel and threw it out of the door. A barrel.” She pointed outside. “Do you have any idea how much that thing weighs?”
Deacon nodded. “Tell me.”
“Mr. Deacon? Oh thank God you’re here.” A high-pitched, almost childlike voice had him looking around. A short, round woman with blonde hair that was matted with blood on one side and bruises marring the same side of her face hurried toward him.
“Mrs. Baker, you should be resting,” Charli said, then made the introductions. “Deacon, this is Nellie Mae Baker, Mica’s friend.”
“Yes, Mrs. Baker and I are acquainted.”
“Oh, well, she was here when three men broke in. They held her hostage and instructed her to call Mica.
“When Mica arrived, Cody Sweet-Riggs was with her, along with Cody’s cousin, Willow—I didn’t write down Willow’s last name. Mica told them to run and get help, to call you, and she stayed.”
“She stayed to save me.” Nellie Mae interrupted the narrative and sobbed into an already damp tissue. “God, love her, she stayed to save me.”
“Mrs. Baker, can you tell me what happened?” Deacon asked in his most calm and gentle tone, despite the storm that was brewing inside him.
“She came in and told those men that if they were smart they would leave because her friends had already called the law. But that head man, that snake, he yelled at her.” Nellie Mae lowered her voice. “He called her a cunt and said it was her fault that his brother was dead because she ran her mouth and he got sent to prison and got raped and gutted.
“He said he was gonna make her pay and was going to have the same thing done to her.” Nellie Mae started crying again and put her hand to her heart. “Dear Lord, he said he was going to make her suffer all that then put her in a vat of acid and laugh as she screamed and dissolved.”
Ice cold, all consuming rage filled him. Mica was in the hands of a sadistic madman.
“Dear God in heaven,” Mrs. Baker continued. “That man is the devil. He told one of his goons to kill me and Mica just flew into action and threw a knife at the goon and he fell over dead with that thing sticking right out of his eye. The head man got really mad then and threatened to shoot me but Mica said if he did, she’d throw the other knife she had at him but if he let me go, she’d go with him.
“She said that. She offered herself to save me.”
Nellie Mae broke down at that point, sobbing uncontrollably. Deacon helped her across the room and onto a chair that a deputy fetched for her. He waited, standing at attention until she collected herself. He had to force his thoughts away from images of Mica at the hands of that sadist. He had to make himself see nothing but her whole and unharmed and everyone who’d threatened her dead.
Mrs. Baker’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. “Mica helped me up off the floor and said for me to tell you that she has a tracker on her and the Marshals can find her. Then she went with those men.”
Deacon felt a surge of hope at those words. “Thank you, Mrs. Baker,” Deacon knelt on one knee and took her hand.
“Find her, Mr. Deacon. Bring our girl home.”
“I will, ma’am.”
He stood and looked at Charli. “The Ranger who came to see her was named Childress. Can you get in touch with him and have him reach out to the Marshal who sent him to check on Mica? We need to know about the tracker and we need access to follow the signal.”
“I’m on it. But—”
“But what?”
“But you’re not law enforcement.”
“No, I’m not, but you don’t think that will stop me?”
“No. I’ll speak with the Chief and Ranger Childress.”
As soon as she moved away, Deacon walked over to Mathias, who still had not moved. Deacon put his hand on Mathias’ shoulder. “As God is my witness, we’re going to get her back, Mathias. And the people who took her will pay.”
Mathias nodded. “If they have harmed her, I will take them apart.” He looked at Deacon. “Literally.”
“And I’ll help you. Did you know Mica was implanted with a tracking device?”
Mathias’ eyes grew round and he reached for his phone. “When we first got here she said she put an app on my phone, something I could use to find her if I ever needed it. I asked what it was and she laughed and said she was lo-jacked. I thought she was just going on.”
He found the app and accessed it. A map displayed and on it was a blinking dot.
“Mica.” Mathias looked at Deacon.
“Get your gear and let’s get our girl.”
“I have everything we need in the house.”
“Right behind you.” Deacon nodded to Mrs. Baker as he followed Mathias out. Charli called out to him and he paused.
“If the tracker is still active, we should have her location soon. Zeb is calling the Marshals Services now.”
“You have my number? If not, get it from Etta and call me as soon as you know anything.”
“Where will you be?” she called after him as he walked away.
Deacon didn’t answer because he didn’t know the exact location. All he knew was that he was going to find Mica and if anyone had hurt her they’d wish for him to put a bullet in their heads before he was done, because he would show them true inhuman brutality.