I made my move. My Navy knife was out and flicked open in a heartbeat, while they all stared at my brother like he was some kind of evangelist who had gone insane on the pulpit. I was close, but not quite close enough. That forced me to try something crazy, but this whole situation was crazy. I leaned into it and threw the knife. Hard. It hit the woman in the upper chest, knocking her back, and she staggered from shock.

Her male companion fired as I moved. The round went wide and I was on him before he could pull the trigger again. I was bigger and had momentum. He went down and his pistol flew across the floor. I put him in an arm lock, making him gasp in pain.

When Couch Potato Man moved toward the pistol, Natty took action. He threw a solid elbow into the man’s chin. Nice. Then he shoved the man back onto the couch. Right where a couch potato belonged.

We had no time to waste. I twisted my body and broke the other man’s arm.

The woman was on the floor in shock.

Natty picked up the loose pistol. “Now this is what I’m talking about.” He pointed the gun at Couch Potato Man.

I rolled away and onto my feet. My anger came out in a scream. “Where’s Bailey Mae?!”

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Natty looked like he enjoyed holding the gun on Couch Potato Man. I had other things to do. The man on the floor, closest to me, was moaning and holding his arm. The woman by the door was barely conscious. Now I had both her pistol and mine.

I looked at Natty and said, “Pull off a couple lamp cords and grab some rags from the kitchen. Let’s tie these jerks up.”

Natty hesitated at first, then tucked the gun in his belt and ripped the cord from a floor lamp, then the cords from some old blinds. The cords and a couple of longer dishrags made for decent restraints as we tied the men’s hands behind their backs. The man with the broken arm whimpered. Then, for good measure, I tied each man’s ankles together with a lamp cord. That would keep them from having any ideas about running.

I carefully examined the woman on the floor, then eased my knife out of her chest and used a dish towel and duct tape over her wound to stem the bleeding. She moaned and seemed to be in and out of consciousness. Then her eyes focused.

“Get me to a hospital.” Even in this state she was scary.

I gave her a smile and said, “No problem. Just tell me where Bailey Mae is.”

She looked puzzled.