Tyree took ahold of Stone’s arm and propelled him forward. He tripped over a rock and fell awkwardly to the ground. He rose to his knees and looked at the warden.

“They have this place completely locked down.”

“There are ways out of here that I know that nobody else does. You don’t think I didn’t plan for something like this?”

Knox looked at the guards. “Must’ve been more guys than this involved. You just going to leave the others for the feds?”

“What do you care? You’ll be dead,” Tyree sneered.

“Would it sound really stupid if I said you’ll never get away with it?” said Stone.

“Yeah, it would.”

“How about if I said it?”

Tyree and the others whirled around to see Alex Ford step from the shadows of the trees, his gun aimed at the warden’s head. When the guards pulled their weapons, a bullet sailed over their heads and the men froze.

A wisp of smoke floating from his gun’s muzzle, Harry Finn moved forward while Reuben leveled a shotgun at the men. Annabelle and Caleb stepped out of the woods and stood next to Reuben.

Tyree suddenly pulled Abby toward him and leveled his pistol at her head. He said, “You folks better back the hell off or this lady is dead.”

“Put the gun down, Howard.”

Tyree jerked at the sound of the voice and then looked for its source. His gaze stopped and held as Lincoln Tyree stepped from the tree line. “Put it down, Howard.”

A smile eased across the warden’s plump face. “You know you were never any good at telling your big brother what to do. Now why don’t you stop playing detective and just go on back down to your little town and pretend you know what you’re doing.”

“I know what I’m doing, big brother. I’m arresting you for enough stuff that you’re the one’s who’s gonna end up at Dead Rock.”

Tyree jammed his pistol against Abby’s neck, causing her to cry out in pain. “Maybe you didn’t understand what I said. If you don’t back off, this lady is going to die.”

“Put the gun down,” the sheriff said again. “Killing her gets you nothing. It’s over.”

“Gets me nothing? Nothing? I tell you what it gets me. Satisfaction.”

Alex said, “Last chance. To all three of you. Weapons down, now!”

“Go to hell,” screamed Tyree.

He started to pull the trigger. But his gun never fired because Stone slammed into him, knocking the pudgy man off his feet, his pistol flying away.

“Run, Abby,” screamed Stone, as he struggled to get up.

Tyree stopped rolling and sat up. Unfortunately, he’d stopped right next to his gun. He snatched it up and aimed for Stone’s head.