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“This is important, Bull. Armando says that Esteban has Isabella. He’s taken her and her family hostage and is forcing her to face Desperado in the ring.”
Bull heard him, then tried to make sense of what he heard. “What the fuck did you say?”
Dax tried to explain. “Esteban used to bullfight with Romero Miguel, Isabella’s father. Armando thinks he killed the matador or had him killed. He doesn’t know all the details, but Esteban and her uncle are working together. I’m sure there’s money involved, not to mention that big ranch but…”
Bull held up his hand. “Tell me about Isabella, where is she now?”
“At Terra Dura, she’ll face Desperado in two days. Armando doesn’t think he intends for her to survive.”
Bull jumped up and slammed his hat on his head.
“Where are you going, Boss?”
“Mexico.”
…Bull used the time it took to drive from Leakey to Kerrville to come up with a plan. He was shaking like a damn leaf. The idea of Isabella at the mercy of some madman made his blood run cold. He knew if he could get to Canyon, Josh, and some of the others, they could help him think. He’d have to get a plane ticket, but there was no way he could take a gun on the airplane. He’d need a gun. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” he bellowed, slamming his fist on the steering wheel.
When he skidded to a stop in the back drive of Tebow, Bull was out of his truck and halfway to the blacksmith shop before his engine stopped running. “Brady!” he bellowed. “I need help!”
Canyon was standing over his anvil with a hammer in his hand. Jacob was with him, holding a piece of rebar in the fire. “What’s wrong, Redford?”
“I need to go to Mexico, Isabella is in trouble.”
He immediately had their attention. All it took was laying out the facts and Jacob got busy. Canyon called Josh and Josh called Mateo. Aron brought them all together and came up with a plan. “Performing rescues in Mexico has become our forte. After the family rescued me from that female drug lord, we rescued Noah’s mother from a serial killer. Don’t worry, we’ve got this down to a science.” He smiled, but he wasn’t being disrespectful. Bull was grateful he had someone to help him think.
“All I need is some quick way to get my hands on a horse and a gun once I get there. I’m planning on handling this myself. Isabella used to have so much faith in me, she thought I could take on the world singlehandedly.” He gazed at his friends with desperation on his face. “I want to earn that pure, sweet trust again.”
“You can take our plane, Noah will fly you.” Aron pointed at Mateo. “Do you know anyone near…?” He looked at Bull. “What the name of this town, I don’t remember?”
“Aguascalientes.”
“Yea, near there?” Still speaking to Mateo, Aron pulled up a map on his computer. “See, here it is, almost due west of Tampico, smack dab in the middle of the country.”
Mateo was already on the job. “I think so, let me speak to Sophia. I believe she knows a gentleman in the neighboring village of Jesus Maria who could help us with weapons and mounts.” He left to do so and Bull felt guilty for getting angry when the young man had shown his respect to Isabella. Now, he was grateful for any help these people could give him.
“Jacob, get a hold of Saxon and Micah to see if they can get us any in-depth information on the area and the ranch,” Aron continued, making notes and checking schedules. “It’s been so long since I’ve been there, I don’t remember much.”
“Aron,” Bull interrupted him, “I’ve been to Terra Dura recently. I know the layout of the ranch.”
“Good, we can mark that off.” Aron did so.
Bull continued thinking aloud. “We also have a man on the inside, so to speak. He’s not there, but he works for Esteban here.”
“Talk to him, pick his brain. Ask him how many men we’ll be facing and what they’ll be shooting” He checked his watch. “We’ll leave here at six in the morning.”
“Isabella!”
The sound of Renata’s voice brought her to her feet. “Are you okay?”
Renata hugged her tight. “I’m not much worse for wear. Don Luis brought me to you. I was throwing such a fit, it was either that or shoot me.”
“How is Magdalena?”
“She’s scared, like we all are.” She sniffed, running her hand over Isabella’s hair. “I always knew your uncle was bat shit crazy, now he’s proved it.”
“Where were they keeping you?”
“In the barn, they have the men all tied up in the tack room with just one man standing guard. What are we going to do, Isabella? How are we going to get out of this?”
