CHAPTER ONE

June 7th, 2025

FLETCH

“I’ll be there a little after six,” I told my mother-in-law as I sat at my desk, typing the last sentence on my report. With my phone sitting on my desk, plugged into the outlet after nearly dying on me, I wore one earbud hooked around my ear while the other remained free in case someone entered my office. I could hear the TV in the background, something that sounded like the news. “My meeting with Soames is at 4:30, then I have to pick up the groceries between five and six.”

Marilyn, on the other end of the line, said, “Mhmm. Though I suppose this time you’ll be forced to be on time if you want to get those groceries.”

Hitting the period key, I leaned back in my chair, letting gravity take me back enough to find some relaxation, even if it wouldn’t last long. I pinched the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes, and thought about the long week now behind me. Or … almost. It was only 3:30 on a Friday, and the last couple of hours of the day always seemed to go by more slowly than the rest.

I glanced around my office slowly after reopening my eyes. My office wasn’t as decorated as the others. Two chairs sat in front of my desk, along with a small loveseat in the corner for when I had more than two visitors. A dying plant took up a corner near the window, which I kept partially closed since, at this time of day, the sun shone right in my face. Only my degrees from the University of Washington hung on the dark blue walls, along with my Bureau accolades. On my desk sat three photos: the first being my wedding portrait with Tamika, the second being the three of us the day our baby girl was born. And the third … Well, the third was Zoie and me last year at her kindergarten graduation.

Staring at the photo of my daughter and me, my heart began to shatter. She looked so much like her mother. Every time I looked at her, I saw Tamika.

I saw the woman I’d let down.

“Today’s the day, Mar,” I told her mother. “I’m gonna ask him for the transfer.”

“Oh, are you? Well, Adam, you’ve been saying that for a year and a half, so forgive me if I don’t automatically believe you.”

I knew she wouldn’t. Frankly, I didn’t believe me. And it wasn’t the first time I’d walked into Soames’s office and chickened out. But they said the third time’s the charm, so if I could find the courage to walk in again, I knew I could do it. For fuck’s sake, I was an FBI agent!

“You have my word,” I said with every ounce of sincerity in my body. “This last case was … a lot. And not just the travel, but all of it. I’m ready to move on, Marilyn. I’m ready to do it for Zoie.”

My mother-in-law sighed. “Adam, baby, I know you, and you’ve always been dedicated to your job. Old habits are hard to break. If you couldn’t find the will to step back when Tamika died, I don’t know how you’ll do it now. What’s changed?”

What had changed was missing so many crucial moments in my daughter’s life. The kindergarten graduation picture was a miracle, one of the reminders that there was more to life than dedicating myself to the government. But I’d missed nearly all of her dance recitals, every flag football game where she was a cheerleader on the sidelines … I’d even missed her losing her first baby tooth three months prior.

Marilyn and Rodney had to be the tooth fairy. I’d been in D.C. at the time.

That moment had been the breaking point for me. But case after case poured in. Meeting after meeting. Soames was so busy, he barely had time to squeeze me in, and I knew I needed to make it fast. Walk in and blurt it out, otherwise it could end up being another six months.

“Everything changed,” I told Marilyn. “And I know where I want to be.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear it, baby, but you gotta show us,” she said. “And I’m not complaining too much. You know I love watchin’ my grandbaby. Just don’t forget that you’re her daddy and she needs you here.”

Especially since Tamika couldn’t be.

“I know, Mar. It’s happening. Promise.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” she said.

Hanging up moments later, I removed my earbud and set it back in its case, sighing. I’d turned in everything for my latest case, and once I hit send on the report I’d been finishing up on my call, my week was over, at least barring some major disaster. And I prayed that didn’t happen. I needed to spend time with my daughter.

Grabbing the wedding photo on my desk, I brought it closer and lost myself in it. Tamika looked so damn beautiful in her ivory mermaid style gown, her dreadlocks wrapped on top of her head like a crown and decorated with pearls, and her smile spanning from ear to ear as she rested her head on my chest. My arms were wrapped around her, glancing down at her while she looked directly into the camera. I saw the love in my eyes and on my face as I’d beamed at her: my bride. The love of my fucking life.

She’d always been beautiful, but never more so than on our wedding day in 2016.

Nine years. We would’ve been married nine years in June.

No. This month. In twelve days.

Christ, how had I almost forgotten?

Running my finger along her face, I felt a tear escape the corner of my eye. My chest tightened, and I inhaled deeply, remembering her voice, her laugh, her touch … everything about her.

Our bed no longer smelled like her. All her clothes had lost her scent. The only thing that remained was her perfume, which I kept in bulk because I couldn’t stand the thought of losing that scent. I could see her in photos, hear her in old videos, and smell her with one spritz of her favorite scent.

But I could no longer touch her. Or taste her. My two favorite senses.

“I miss you, kitten,” I said. She was ‘kitten.’ I was ‘puppy.’ The nicknames seemed so juvenile, but we’d known one another since high school. We started dating when we were fifteen, and I used to follow her around like a lost dog. I couldn’t believe she agreed to go out with me just before homecoming our sophomore year. And I knew the first time I kissed her that we’d be together forever.

We would’ve been if childbirth hadn’t taken her away from me.

A knock on my door snapped me out of my thoughts, forcing me to jump and almost drop the photo. I caught it before it could hit the ground and quickly returned it to its rightful spot on my desk. Clearing my throat and wiping the tear away, I said, “Come in.”

The door opened just enough, and in poked the head of Cade Robbins, one of the special agents on my small team. As a Supervisory Special Agent, I was assigned a handful of agents to work with, and we often traveled together for our cases. Cade had been on my team for just over a year and excelled in his role.

“Sorry to interrupt, Fletch,” he said. “Soames said you had a meeting at 4:30, but his four o’clock cancelled and said you could come down if you wanted. He’s asked for us both, actually.”

While the news that Soames could see me early was welcome, I wondered why he’d asked for Cade. Furrowing my brows, I asked, “Is your presence necessary, Robbins? My business with Soames is personal.”

“I can hang back a minute if you need me to,” he replied. “But he insisted on me being there too. Seems like it’s important.”

Sighing, I figured I couldn’t go against whatever Soames wanted. He was my supervisor, after all. As long as I could make my request, nothing else mattered. One way or another, I’d leave his office with the promise of a transfer regardless of why he wanted to see me, plus another.

“I’d appreciate that,” I told Cade, rising from my seat and pulling my suit jacket together. Fastening the buttons, I made my way around the desk and toward the door, which Cade swung open and moved out of my way. “Did he happen to hint at what he wanted?” I asked as we fell into step together, heading to the bullpen.

Cade shook his head and stuffed his hands in his pants pockets. “No. He doesn’t let me in on things ahead of time.”

I glanced at Cade as we walked together.  He was a good agent in my view, and I figured one day he could be a great agent with enough experience. When he’d joined my team, I’d read his profile: Born in 1996 in Flint, Michigan, raised by a single mother who was arrested when he was nine for child abuse, and subsequently did a stint in prison. By the time she got out, Cade was already an adult. He’d been raised by his grandparents in the meantime.

Something we shared in common. Not that I’d ever told him.

Cade was also top of his class at Quantico. Insanely brilliant with an IQ of 185, though he’d just barely passed the physical requirements and his test to be allowed to carry a firearm. He usually remained at our base of operations whenever we traveled for a case, since the other members of our team were more physically equipped to do the job. Still, his mind proved to be a valuable asset.

He’d do well even after I left.

When we made our way through the bullpen and down another hallway to get to Soames’s office, I said, “I don’t know how long this will take, but I’ll try to make it brief. Then he can speak to us about whatever he wants.”

Cade nodded, stopping just outside the door. “Sure thing, Fletch.”

I knocked on Soames’s door, waiting until I heard his invitation to enter before I opened it. Stepping inside, I came face to face with Special Agent in Charge John Soames, my mentor and previous team leader. He’d been promoted three years prior to SAC after his predecessor retired. The now sixty year old man sat behind his desk, holding his phone to his ear.

“I gotta call you back, dear,” he said, and I assumed he was speaking with his wife, Debra, whom I’d met several times. The pair had been married for thirty-six years, their anniversary being six weeks before the day I was born. I envied Soames for his happy marriage, wishing Tamika and I could’ve had one for ourselves. Frankly, whenever I saw couples on the street displaying their affection, it made me sick and angry.

What the fuck had I done to deserve losing so many loved ones, especially my wife?

“Love you too,” Soames said into the phone before setting it down on the receiver. “Ah, Fletch. We’re just waiting on Robbins, then we can begin.”

“Actually, Robbins is in the hallway,” I said. “I asked him to hang back a minute so I could ask you something in private.”

Raising his eyebrow, Soames asked, “Everything alright?” He extended his hand, indicating one of the chairs in front of his desk.

I nodded, thanked him, and unbuttoned my jacket as I sat down. Clearing my throat, I wrung my hands together, feeling my nerves as they started screaming at me. My throat grew dry, and I had to remind myself to take a deep breath.

“Soames, I’ve enjoyed my time working with you and my team,” I said. “I’ve learned so much from you about how to be a great agent, and nothing gives me more hope than when we get to bring cases to happy endings. But since Mika died, things have been different. I’ve known it since then, but I think I was too afraid to ask until now. I’d like to request a transfer to something that’ll get me home at a decent hour and with no travel, or very minimal travel. I can’t keep relying on my in-laws to raise Zoie. As her father, I need to be there for her.”

By some miracle I’d gotten it out with no interruptions, despite it sounding like word vomit. Frankly, it wouldn’t have come out any other way. Once I found the courage to say the words, all I could do was let them pour out as they were meant to.

My boss, meanwhile, watched with concern, then surprise, as soon as the words ‘I’d like to request a transfer’ left my mouth. I hoped Soames would be accommodating, but I also understood he had to put the needs of the Bureau ahead of everything. Even if he granted my request, it could take weeks for me to move out of my current role and into a new one.

As a Bureau agent, I sacrificed a lot. Agents were always expected to be ready to move, even during their ‘off’ hours, and I’d run out of fingers and toes trying to count the number of times I had to drop Zoie off at Marilyn and Rodney’s in the middle of the night because I’d been called in for an emergency.

It could’ve been worse. I could’ve worked in D.C. But something still had to give.

Soames’s eyes wandered to a photograph on his desk. He leaned forward, grabbed it, and handed it to me. I turned it around to find a photograph of what must’ve been him, his wife, and their children in the 1990s. The hair and clothes gave it away. They sat in front of a Christmas tree which was surrounded by presents.

“That’s one of the only good photos I have with my children when they were kids,” Soames said as I stared at the photo before slowly glancing up. “Charlie was nine, Amber was eleven. I missed so many moments in their lives because of this job. But I made up for it with lack of sleep and a whole lot of determination. This job takes a lot out of you, but it’s the job we signed up for, Williams.”

I knew when he called me by my surname, he meant business. My heart sank into the pit of my stomach.

“It won’t surprise you to hear that there are very few places you can transfer to where you won’t be subject to the same bullshit,” Soames continued. “A work-life balance is virtually impossible. So I’d love to help you, Fletch, but I can’t guarantee a transfer will make any difference for you.”

Handing the photo back to him, I said, “I know, Soames. But I have to try … for Zoie.” My daughter meant everything to me, and missing her milestones tore me apart. Even if Tamika was still alive, I imagined I’d be going through a similar crisis. It only hit harder now because Zoie had no one but me … and her grandparents, but she needed her father.

She needed me.

Clearing his throat, Soames placed his hand on top of a folder laying on his desk. “Well, here’s the deal: the reason I called both you and Robbins was because I have a case for you. Just the two of you since resources are limited and you’re the best I have. And I need the best agents working on this.”

Sighing, I asked, “So we’re just dropping this and getting right into a new case?”

“No,” Soames answered. “I’ll make you a deal, Fletch. You work this case with Robbins, bring home a win, and I’ll find you a new spot in another division. But you need to train Robbins to be your replacement. I didn’t think I’d have to prep him so early and so fast, but I brought him onto the team to be your eventual successor since, frankly, I wanted to recommend you for my job when I retired.”

My eyes widened. I never suspected that Soames was grooming me to be the next SAC. Even if I shouldn’t have been surprised, since he’d done the same thing before I moved up to Supervisory Special Agent when he became ASAC. “But … What about Rita?” I asked. Our current ASAC was more than deserving of his position if he planned to retire soon.

Soames shifted in his seat. “I’m supposed to keep this under wraps, but Rita’s looking to take a SAC position in Birmingham. It’s closer to her hometown and her family, and her interview went well from what I heard. Well enough that she’s more than likely leaving us in the next few months.”

I nodded. That was understandable, and it made me feel better about Soames choosing me over her. Rita deserved the SAC position, but if she wanted to move closer to home, I couldn’t blame her considering what I was asking of our boss.

“This puts me in a bit of an awkward spot, though,” he continued, “since you likely won’t want her job when she leaves. You have the potential to move up, Fletch. And I want you to think real hard about it before you make any permanent decisions.” He lifted the folder, holding it in one hand. “This case is a big one. Take this and, if by the end of it you still want to transfer, I’ll see what I can do.”

I supposed I didn’t have much of a choice. Refusing a case simply wasn’t the done thing, unless there was a conflict of interest, and I sincerely doubted there’d be one. And if it meant I still had the option of transferring after, I’d do whatever it took.

Zoie was worth it.

“Deal,” I agreed.

Soames nodded. “Good, lad.” Looking toward the door, he called, “Robbins! Get in here!”

CADE

My ass hurt. Between sitting on a plane for two hours from Seattle to Billings, Montana, and a three-hour car ride after that, I seriously needed to move. Thankfully, Fletch and I were pulling into the city limits of Treasure Falls, Montana, a city three hours north of Billings in the middle of nowhere, and the last known location of Jewel Marie Johnson.

As Fletch drove our rental car past the sign welcoming us to Treasure Falls, I took the case file out and set it in my lap. “Do you need to go over it again?” I asked. I’d only needed to read it once, retaining all the information immediately, but I knew how much Fletch liked to review things. Repetition helped cement it into his brain.

“Jewel Marie Johnson, aged sixteen, born November 12th, 2008,” he said. “Daughter of Carol and David Johnson of Seattle. Solid B student, President of her high school’s book club, and took third place in the track and field Washington state championship. Generally described as a happy and outgoing girl.”

Nodding, I said, “Right. Until she went missing three weeks ago.”

Fletch squirmed in his seat, doing his best to loosen his muscles, which I imagined were as stiff as mine. “She took off in the middle of the night with only a backpack full of clothes, which her parents noted were missing, along with her cell phone, though there was no trace of her anywhere. Her phone didn’t ping on any towers until six days ago here in Treasure Falls. But it’s been radio silence again since.”

“And her internet history suggests she was supposed to meet someone in Montana,” I added. Messages we’d recovered from SnapChat told us that Montana seemed to be the initial destination, but we had no way of knowing whether it was Treasure Falls, or if she was supposed to progress further east. If anything, she could’ve been headed south toward Billings and we’d just traveled three hours out of our way.

The messages Jewel had been receiving were extremely well encrypted. Our Cyber division was still working on pinning down the location of the sender. Their initial findings put them in Russia, but when they investigated the IP address further, they found it was a VPN server which was a diversion from another VPN server.

Whoever our suspect was, they were good.

“They could be out of the state by now,” Fletch said. “A six day head start? They’re definitely on the coast by now, or even in Canada.” The messages about where they were supposed to go weren’t clear. It seemed like they decided on making a last minute decision once they met up.

And unfortunately, that made our job harder.

“Hell, six days, they could even be in Mexico,” I pointed out.

“If they’re trying to be inconspicuous, I doubt they headed south,” Fletch rebutted. “With the way we guard the southern border compared to the northern border? Way easier to slip into Canada.”

Fair point, though it wouldn’t have been my first choice. Having grown up in cold climates that I hated, if I could run away and start all over? I’d be headed somewhere with no snow or no rain. When the Bureau asked if I had any preferences for my placement, I told them that if I couldn’t stay in D.C., I wanted to be somewhere warm. Florida, California, Texas. Instead, they placed me in Washington State of all places.

Seattle was nice enough, and despite the rain, I considered myself lucky. While Florida and Texas were warmer, their state laws weren’t as friendly to people like me.

Not that I’d ever been open about it. But I felt like I could be myself in Seattle.

Which was what seemed so odd about Jewel running off. I’d read her messages. She stated how she was afraid to come out to her parents. Come out as what, I didn’t have a clue since Jewel never said. But apparently the Johnson family was more conservative than the average Seattle resident. Looking at their voting record, they’d voted for a republican in every presidential and gubernatorial election their entire lives, except 2020.

What made 2024 different after the switch? I could only guess, though I had my suspicions.

“Hopefully we don’t have to get the Canadians involved,” I said. “Much easier to keep things Stateside.”

“Agreed,” Fletch said as his phone rang, sitting in the center console next to mine. We’d connected our phones to the car in case anyone called. The number on the screen was local, so I assumed it was someone from the Billings office. Fletch hit the answer button on the touch screen and said, “This is Agent Williams.”

“Fletch,” a female voice greeted cheerfully. “It’s Meghan Moore.” A name I recognized. Meghan Moore was an agent at the Billings field office. She was the person who’d reached out for Seattle to assist in the case.

“Meg!” he greeted back, a small smile appearing on his face. “Hey, how are you?”

“Good, Fletch, how about yourself?”

“Oh, we don’t have time to get into that today,” he said, followed by Agent Moore chuckling. “I’m in the car with Agent Robbins. We just arrived in Treasure Falls about three minutes ago.”

Agent Moore replied, “Good, glad to hear it. Listen, before you settle in there, I wanted to bring something to your attention. It’s part of a case I’ve been working on, and I was hoping you could keep an ear to the ground while you’re looking for Jewel Johnson. They might be related, they might not. I can’t say for certain.”

I exchanged a brief glance with Fletch as he looked my way for a second. My curiosity certainly peaked, and it seemed my supervisor’s had as well. “What’cha got for us?” I asked.

“About three years ago, a young girl named Lindsey Morgan disappeared,” Agent Moore explained. “Fifteen years old at the time, supposedly left her house in the middle of the night, and the local police didn’t report her disappearance to us for a month. She’s never been found, and we hit a dead end, but Jewel Johnson’s phone pinging in her hometown can’t be a coincidence.”

“What do we know about Lindsey Morgan?” I asked.

“Youngest of three, parents are divorced. Good student, church-going like everyone else in Treasure Falls. Her mother suspects she ran away because they’d gotten into an argument about politics.”

As Fletch pulled into the parking lot of the only motel in town, he asked, “Appearance?”

“White, naturally blonde hair but she’d dyed it a bright red color. Cartoonishly red, definitely not natural. Brown eyes. About five foot four.”

Jewel Johnson was also a white girl, natural blonde, and had brown eyes. Albeit she was a bit taller at five foot seven, but it couldn’t have been a coincidence.

“Suspected LGBTQ?” I asked Agent Moore as Fletch parked the car.

She replied, “Possibly. Hard to know since the parents seemed to deny it, but they’re hardline Evangelicals.”

“We’ll keep an ear out,” Fletch said. “Ask around. The girls seem to have the same profile, but I’m not about to jump to conclusions without interviewing the locals for myself.”

“Thanks, Fletch. Thanks, Robbins. I’m swamped with a case in Billings, but if you need anything, just holler. In the meantime, I’ll send over the original case file.”

“Sounds good, Meg, thanks,” Fletch said before we bid her farewell. He hit the End Call button on the screen and leaned back against his seat. “Well, shit.”

I nodded as his glance wandered toward me. “Sounds like things just got interesting.”

He laughed, unamused. “You’re tellin’ me. But our priority is Jewel Johnson. If something happens to lead us to Lindsey Morgan, or to suspect that the cases are related, we’ll go from there.”

“Heard, Fletch.” Part of my task during our case was to absorb what I could from Fletch since Agent Soames informed me I’d be his replacement once he transferred out. The news had surprised me since Fletch never let on that he was unhappy leading the team. But, of course, I didn’t know much about him personally. He only spoke about cases with me, never anything else.

In fact, on our plane ride, he’d put earphones on and barely looked at anyone. And during our car ride, he let things sit in silence with nothing but the sound of the air conditioning blowing through the vents to fill the void.

I didn’t want to profile him, and knew it was bad form to do so to a fellow agent, especially a supervisor. Fletch never wanted people to know what was going on with him, so I wouldn’t ask. I needed to learn from him; study what decisions he made and how it made him an effective SSA.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Unbuckling our seat belts, we got out of the car and stepped into the motel office where we found a young blonde haired woman behind the counter who looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties. On the outside, the building looked run down, and like it hadn’t seen any major renovations since the 1970s. The inside looked much the same, with technology straight out of 1999. I felt like I’d traveled back in time for a moment, a bit culture shocked as I took in the surroundings.

“Afternoon, fellas,” the young woman greeted with a smile. “What can I do for ya?”

Fletch took the lead. “I believe the Bureau called ahead about booking two rooms.”

“Ah, yes,” she replied, “we’ve been expecting two fancy feds around here.” She looked at her computer and hit a few buttons on the keyboard. “Adam Williams and Cade Robbins. We’ve got you in Room 6.”

Fletch and I exchanged glances before returning our gazes to her. “Sorry, one room? There should be two,” Fletch said.

“Sorry, fellas,” she said, very nonchalantly. “We’ve only got one available right now. It’s family reunion season, plus we got the cattle show this weekend, and everything else is booked up since we’re the only place in town for visitors to stay.” I’d looked up the motel situation before we came in. They supposedly had thirty rooms, twenty-eight of which were available to rent.

The fact that they had one didn’t bode well for us.

“At least tell me it’s two beds,” Fletch said.

She shook her head. “Sorry. I’d be lyin’ if I did.”

Holy shit.

I felt the air thicken around Fletch and me in an instant. Not only was it one room, but one bed? We’d had to share rooms with our team members before, but never without separate beds.

“When’s the next room supposed to be available?” I asked, hoping it would only be a temporary setback.

The young woman looked at her screen again and clicked a few more buttons. “Four days,” she answered before glancing back between Fletch and me.

Jesus. That was longer than we planned to be here. Three days, maybe. And that was if we didn’t have to come back. We were only supposed to be here long enough to gather what information we could, speak to the locals, and see if we could figure out which way Jewel might’ve headed. Three days should’ve been enough.

But it was three days longer than I needed to be confined in a small space with Fletch.

Because, and I’d never told anyone (due to not having any outside of work friends), I’d been nursing a crush on my supervisor since … well, since I’d joined his team.

I’d never spoken about it. To anybody. Not even my therapist.

Just the thought of being in close quarters with Fletch made me seize up with anxiety. I tried to keep it hidden, reminding myself that it was just a stupid crush and nothing could or would come out of it. Besides, Fletch liked women. He was married to one before her death. I’d always told myself I could handle an innocent crush since we would never be alone together outside of a professional setting.

Yet, our current situation threw all of that out the window.

Fletch cleared his throat. “Fine. Guess we don’t have a choice.”

“If it makes you feel any better,” the young woman said, “it’s a king. I can find y’all a couple extra pillows if you wanna put a wall between you.”

“That would be ideal,” Fletch responded. “Thank you.”

She reached behind her and grabbed two keys from a board on the hanger underneath the spot that read ‘6.’ Fletch and I took one each as she said, “My name’s Felicity, by the way. If you need anything, just holler. I’m here almost all the time, but if I’m not, my little brother, Adrian, is. We’ll take care of you.”

Nodding, I said, “Thank you, ma’am.”

“‘Felicity’ is fine,” she said with an awkward laugh, almost like being called ‘ma’am’ made her uncomfortable. Some women were weird about that. She wasn’t the first one I’d met who’d cringed at the respectful form of address. “So what brings the feds to our neck of the woods?”

Fletch answered, “We’re here on a lead for a case we’re working on.” He pulled up his work phone and showed Felicity a photo of Jewel Johnson. “Have you seen this girl?”

Leaning over the counter to get a better look, Felicity squinted her eyes and pursed her lips for a moment before shaking her head. “Never seen her before,” she said as she sat back. “She supposedly come through here or something?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Fletch said. “Do you greet all guests who stay at the motel?”

“Usually,” she said, “Unless I’m sick or they get in super late, but even then, I’m back on duty by the time they check out. Being the only motel in town, we see a lot of folks coming through here in the middle of the night and use us as a rest stop on their way to and from Canada.”

Considering that they were about half way through the state from either direction, I believed it.

“If you were booked up, where would the next closest motel be?” I asked.

“North of us, you’d have to travel about forty-five minutes. South, about an hour,” Felicity explained.

Treasure Falls really was in the middle of nowhere. I couldn’t imagine living in a place where the next nearest town was roughly an hour away. I’d always lived in urban areas throughout my life where there was a CVS or a Walgreens on every corner, or to get from one Walmart to the next, it took twenty minutes, but there would always be other major supermarket chains to choose from in between.

But a place like this? I already felt isolated enough internally. I didn’t need to feel it in my surroundings.

Fletch nodded. “Appreciate your time, Ms. Felicity,” he said. “If we have any other questions, we’ll follow up.”

“You know where to find me,” she said. “And if I’m not here, you can probably find me at Pepper’s. That’s the local bar.”

“Noted. Thanks again,” Fletch said before we left the office.

Once the door closed behind us, Fletch stopped and closed his eyes. I watched him take a deep breath before clearing his throat and opening them again.

“Everything good?” I asked, trying not to sound too concerned, or like I didn’t know why he was frustrated.

“Yeah,” he said. “It’s just … I guess let’s assess the room and figure out things.”

I only nodded before we headed to find room 6, just a handful of steps down from where we’d parked. Fletch unlocked the door and we stepped inside, flipped a light switch, and the overhead lights flickered several times before popping on for good. The room smelled. The aroma of bleach filled the air, but I could tell it didn’t quite do the job. Given how old everything looked, including the bed, some things were just going to have a … scent.

Fletch cringed as we observed the old, wooden king sized bed that looked like it came from the nineteenth century with a comforter and pillow casings straight from the seventies. The walls were stained, and old, pale green wallpaper peeled off in various directions. And the carpet. Jesus, the brown carpet which seriously needed to be ripped out and replaced.

While I didn’t know what Fletch could’ve possibly been thinking, I could guess based on his scowl. For me? It brought back too many memories.

Things I’d worked hard to forget.

“It’s only for a few days,” I said, hoping to keep things on the bright side.

“A few days longer than I’d want,” Fletch said, his hands shoved in his pockets. “But we really don’t have much of a choice, and I’m not backtracking an hour to find the next nearest motel in the hopes that they have two rooms.”

He had a point. And that would just be wasted gas traveling to and from every day.

“Let’s grab our bags and throw them in,” Fletch said. “We need to get to the sheriff’s station to make contact. The real work begins tomorrow, but they’re expecting us, so we should introduce ourselves as soon as possible.”

“Sounds good,” I said. And hopefully by the time we returned, Felicity would’ve made good on the promise of extra pillows.

Turning, we stepped out of the room, and just as we did, a massive pickup truck came flying into the parking lot, stirring up dust everywhere. With the wind blowing in our direction, Fletch and I held our hands up to shield our eyes, and having inhaled some inadvertently, I coughed.

The truck, which had wheels almost half the size of me and Fletch, stopped in front of us. The roar was too loud for my liking, and somehow I could hear the blaring of country music, Faith Hill’s ‘Wild One,’ over the radio since its windows were down. I had no idea why someone felt they needed to drive such a monstrosity.

Moreover, it looked too new and out of place for such a small town like Treasure Falls. Silver in color, aside from the light layer of dust covering it, it appeared to have been recently cleaned and polished. Probably a 2022 or 2023 model, whereas the other vehicles we’d passed in town were a combination of late 90s, early aughts or 2010s. The tires looked like they’d seen their fair share of work, but still new enough.

The engine turned off, and the door opened. An automatic step bar lowered into position, allowing the driver to exit.

And my eyes were met with a woman dressed in tight jeans, a red and blue long-sleeved plaid shirt, and a black cowboy hat with her brown hair hanging around her shoulders. She removed a pair of sunglasses, her eyes locked right on Fletch and me, and as soon as I locked with her dark brown irises, my throat suddenly went dry.

Fuck.

ELLA

I’d heard rumors about our impending visitors. Hell, I’d even asked my brother about it. Ro kept tight-lipped about it since he couldn’t talk about open cases, but when the most exciting crimes around our hometown were petty theft or some ultra-religious white trash being arrested for child abuse, hearing that the feds were coming into town put everyone on the edge of their seat.

How lucky for me to have run into them as they appeared to be arriving.

Though I couldn’t believe they were staying in town. Surely they’d commute from somewhere closer to Billings, where things would be more fancy and comfortable for them. The motel wasn’t anything special, but Felicity barely had the funds to maintain it, let alone renovate it.

Of course, Papa could change that with the snap of a finger. Felicity was just too proud to accept the help.

Most folks around here were.

Hopping off the step bar, I slammed my truck’s door shut, holding onto my sunglasses and the keys in my left hand. The two fancy boys in front of me kept their gazes locked in my direction, though I couldn’t get a good read on them. Not that it mattered. They were feds. I probably wasn’t supposed to.

One with light brown hair, one blond. Both kept shorter, but full haircuts. They were also a few inches taller than me. At 5’7”, I was fairly average. They didn’t tower over me, or anything, but their height wasn’t what intimidated me. It was the badges they wore hooked onto their belts.

“Sorry, fellas,” I said, noting the dust covering their suits, “I’m sure the dry cleaners can take care of that for you when you get back home.” I slid my hands in my back pockets, still holding my glasses, while I looped a finger through my key ring.

“Bold of you to assume I can’t just dust myself off and move on,” the brown-haired one said. He swiped the back of his fingers over his lapel while his eyes remained locked with mine. “Do you always drive like a madwoman?”

“Speed limit doesn’t exist until you get another half mile up the road,” I said, stepping closer to them to get out of the sun.

His lips curled as he narrowed an eye and rebutted, “Mmm, technically it’s 80, but sure, we’ll call that ‘non-existent.’”

I removed my hands from my back pocket, crossing my arms as I stood at the side of the building. “I’m sure it is wherever you’re from. Too bad. Driving fast down a country road is a thrill. Better than sex even.”

Okay, so perhaps I lied. Sex was better. But they didn’t have to know that.

I noted how the blond swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and his eyes widening just a smidge. The reaction brought a smirk to my lips.

“Good to know, Sweetheart,” the brown-haired one said. “I’m SSA Adam Williams, this is SA Cade Robbins from the Seattle Field Office.” He nodded to his partner. Or perhaps his subordinate, given the extra S in his title.

“FBI,” I said. “Heard we had some feds coming into town. Can’t imagine what the high and mighty want with us here in Treasure Falls.”

The blond, Robbins, spoke up. “Missing girl from our area.” As Williams got his phone out and turned the screen to me, Robbins continued, “Her name’s Jewel. Ever seen her before?”

My eyes met the face of a younger girl, probably no older than mid-teens, and my heart dropped. Not because I knew her. No, I’d never seen this girl before in my life. But her youthful appearance sparked something inside me … something that hit way too close to home. I hadn’t forgotten about her, but memories from three years prior zoomed back to the forefront.

Shaking my head and clearing my throat, I said, “Nope. Sorry.”

Hopefully, they found her, though. I’d hate for this Jewel girl to be forever lost like someone we knew too well around here.

The agents exchanged glances for a moment before Williams put his phone away, tucking it in his jacket pocket. “Well, if you see or hear anything, please give us a call.” He pulled a card out from the same pocket and offered it to me.

I wouldn’t, but figured I didn’t need to look suspicious, especially since I didn’t know the girl they were after. Uncrossing my arms, I took the card and said, “Sure.”

“Thank you for your time, Miss …” Robbins said, searching for an introduction.

As I recrossed my arms, I said, “Ella.”

He nodded, offering the faintest of smiles. “Miss Ella.” He seemed kinder than his boss, but he was still a Fed. I didn’t trust either of them, even if their cause was just in this particular instance.

“Nice chatting with you, fellas,” I said sarcastically. “Hope you find what you’re looking for,” I added, very much not, but still couldn’t help letting my disdain for their presence slip out.

Force of habit, I supposed.

I watched the two agents head toward their SUV, unlocking the back and grabbing their bags as I headed inside the main office, keeping an eye on them over my shoulder until they were out of view. As far as I knew, the FBI had never been to Treasure Falls before, not even the office in Billings.

Not even for Lindsey.

Pushing the door open, I stepped inside to find Felicity and Adrian behind the counter. Adrian swapped places with his sister in front of the computer, and my best friend smiled when she noted my entrance. “Hey, girl! Ready?” she asked.

“Hey, El,” Adrian said, readjusting to tuck his leg beneath him.

“Hey Aid,” I greeted. “How’re the babies?”

Smiling, he replied, “Good. Sleeping through the night better now, which helps Mary out a lot when I’m here.”

“Guess it helps to live eight feet north of this place,” I said, crossing my arms as his sister made her way around the counter. Adrian and his wife, Mary, who was almost my sister-in-law, had twin girls, who were about five and a half months old, and they lived in the house just off the motel grounds which had been owned by the Harris family for generations. After five years of miscarriages, they’d finally gotten the two babies they’d always wanted in one go.

I remembered how horrible the birth had been. The closest hospital was an hour north of us, and Mary had lost so much blood, she’d nearly died on the way there. I was in the back seat with her as Adrian sped down the highway, and her brother, Devon, was in the front passenger’s seat. Thankfully we’d gotten pulled over by a cop on the way, and they called for her to be air lifted from the side of the road.

From that day on, I was glad the chances of me getting pregnant were slim to none. Not that I wanted children. Or if I did, I’d adopt. But that was still a very big if.

“Ready?” I asked Felicity as she slid her jacket on.

My bestie nodded. “Yep, let’s get to it.” Glancing at her brother, she said, “Have a good night, little bro, and call if you need anything.”

“Always do,” he said, waving goodbye as we left the room.

Felicity and I headed to my truck, hopping inside after I unlocked the door. As we settled in our seats, the feds exited their temporary quarters and headed for their vehicle. I watched them as I turned the engine over, my radio kicking back on half way through ‘Wild One.’ My friend nearly jumped, reaching for the volume knob and reducing it a couple clicks.

“Jesus, you’re gonna go deaf,” she said.

“Already am,” I said. “Well, partly.” I’d never listened to Papa when he told me I’d blow my eardrums out as a child while playing music at the highest decimal possible in my headphones. I could still hear just fine, but not as well as most.

Frankly, my hearing was the least of my medical problems.

“Zip got the last laugh outta that one, huh?” she asked, referring to my papa.

“Sure did,” I said. “He never forgets to remind me when he says something from across the table and I didn’t hear a word of it.” Of course, part of it was me scrolling through my phone and zoning out. Stuff we Millennials still did, even in our thirties.

I caught the feds glancing at me as I turned my head to look over my shoulder before I could back out, stopping me in my tracks. As my hand clutched the gear shift behind the wheel, I locked eyes with the one named Williams. What an asshole. Insanely unprofessional of him to judge me for my driving habits.

“El?”

Felicity’s voice snapped me from my stare. Turning my head toward her, I asked, “Sorry, what?”

“You meet our new guests?” she asked, buckling in nodding to the men in fancy suits.

“Yeah, unfortunately,” I said. “Got ‘em a little dusty on the way in.”

She giggled. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. Did they ask you about their missing girl?”

Nodding, I watched them get into the SUV and the lights flicked on. “Yeah. Pretty sad. Hope she’s okay, whoever she is.”

As they backed out of their spot, Felicity said, “You think it might be connected to … you know?”

My attention returned to her. She didn’t have to handle me with kid gloves. “Maybe? Probably not? Who knows. Might just be a weird coincidence. Besides, who the fuck would come through Treasure Falls of all places? Lindsey was leaving this place.”

Like so many of us wanted to. But circumstances kept us here. Things beyond our control.

My bestie shrugged and said, “It’s probably nothing. But you know Fitz never got the feds on the horn before. I think someone leaked it to them.”

“I know,” I said. “Ro swears it wasn’t him.”

“Coulda been anyone around here,” she said. “But I don’t think it would’ve made a difference. She was long gone by the time Fitz got the surrounding sheriff’s invoices.”

Nodding, I said, “True.” I glanced back over my shoulder and put the truck in reverse, backed out of my spot once the Fancy Boys were gone, and got back on the road.

Four miles onward, on the other side of town, we pulled into Pepper’s parking lot. Varying degrees of old, beaten pickups and motorcycles already filled up the good spots, and more lined the paved main road, so I navigated my way through all the way to the back and parked on the dirt road off to the side. As soon as we exited, we could hear the music coming from inside. Felicity and I crossed the road after a sedan passed, and went into the bar through the back door, into the stock room, then into the main area where we found Tyler, the owner, behind the counter pouring beer from the tap into mugs and setting them on trays for our co-worker, Carly, who stood on the other side.

The bar was already hopping. Devon’s cover band played on the main stage while the league of pool players were in the middle of a game. Other patrons sat and ate, drank, and chatted. Some danced on the dance floor just in front of the stage. A few teams played darts in the far corner, a strategic position after some idiot once hit Tyler’s brother, Justin, in the eye and blinded him. Whether it was on purpose or an accident, everyone had their own theories, and no one seemed to agree on what really happened.

I wasn’t there that night. I was just a kid. But my daddy told me about it the next day after he’d returned from taking Justin to the hospital. Back when we had one closer than an hour away.

We passed the open door to the kitchen where Justin worked, shouting our greetings to him. He wore his eye patch along with his apron, flipping burgers while arranging the buns onto plates, waving with his spatula.

“Hey girls,” Tyler greeted once he heard us greeting his brother, continuing to pour.

“You need help tonight, Ty?” Felicity asked, nodding upward at the crowded establishment.

“Grab an apron, ladies,” he said, passing the last mug off to Carly’s tray, setting it down. “I’ll never say no to help, especially during Pool League Night.”

I removed my hat and hung it on the rack. “Carly, you got a hair tie for me?” I asked, unbuttoning a few buttons on my shirt.

The twenty-one year old reached into her apron and tossed me the scrunchie she produced moments later. I barely caught it as she said, “Don’t lose that one. Mama said we aren’t going to town for a while and I don’t got no more to spare after that one.”

Felicity nudged me with her elbow as she tied an apron around her waist. “Give the girl her hair ties back. You got a whole stash in your bathroom.”

“Most of those are Jessa’s,” I said. My sister had so many hair accessories, I couldn’t keep them all straight. “I’m sure she won’t miss a few if I pick the wrong ones.”

My best friend laughed, grabbed an empty tray and lifted the divider to head onto the floor while I pulled my hair up into a high bun and did the same. While Carly served drinks to the darts players, Felicity went to check on the band as they wrapped up a song, knowing I wouldn’t if I didn’t have to. The act left me to go strike up conversations with the pool players, most of whom I’d known my whole life. They were all various ages, some my age, others way older, and a couple younger.

“Where’s your Pappy, Ellory?” one man, who went by Buck, asked. Buck was my Papa’s age. They went way back, but while Buck had since retired after selling his car dealership, Papa continued to work.

“Where else?” I asked, propping the tray on my hip, plastering a smile on my face. “The ranch don’t run itself, Buck.”

Some of the others protested. “Oh, come on, Ellory, tell Zip that excuse don’t work anymore,” the one we called Peaches said. Peaches was a few years younger than my grandparents, but he still grew up with them. His son, Crew, and grandchildren, Georgina, a.k.a. Georgie, Rocky, and Dustin, a.k.a. Dusty, all of whom were in the pool league with him, sat off to the side, waiting for their turn.

“I’ve tried, Peaches,” I assured him, “but you know he’s a stubborn old man, just like the lot of you.”

A few of them didn’t appreciate my jab, but they played it off like a joke, which I only partially intended. Fact was, there were more older folks around here than younger folks. Every year when kids started turning eighteen, at least half disappeared to places like Billings or Helena, and a lucky few of them even left the state. Some went to Washington, others to California. A couple even made their way east.

Being a small town, Treasure Falls’s school district handled kids from the entire county, and even a couple of the surrounding ones. All in all, each graduating class had maybe fifty kids. Mine had fifty-nine in 2010, Felicity, me, and Tyler’s son, Devon, and Georgie, included. Of our class, about three quarters left looking for other opportunities.

We were part of the few who remained.

I asked the folks if they needed anything. A few requested refills, and others told me they were waiting on food from the kitchen, so I returned to the bar, told Tyler what I needed, and checked in with Justin. He said the food for the pool league was up next.

For the next couple hours, I ran around, helping with drinks, food, and socializing with the patrons. The distraction helped, especially as thoughts of Lindsey came up, but every time I looked at Carly, I wondered how she’d react to the news that federal agents were in town investigating a missing girl.

After all, Lindsey was her little sister.

Around eleven o’clock, the band retired for the night. Most people had departed, knowing the bar closed at midnight, but that wouldn’t mean Tyler and Justin wouldn’t have to kick people out after Last Call at 11:30. Tyler sent Carly home to her mama as soon as her twin brother, Carter, showed up to drive her. Felicity and I could stick around, being older and more capable of defending ourselves in case the situation called for it.

Tyler turned the jukebox on in lieu of the band for the final hour, and as they packed up, I glanced at the lead singer. Devon’s eyes had followed me all night, and while I’d grown accustomed to it, I would remain eternally annoyed. He did so every time we found ourselves in a room together.

After he packed up his guitar, he hopped off the stage, leaving the case against the wall, and approached me as I picked up a few glasses and plates from the empty tables. I could feel him coming toward me from the side, and my level of irritation rose.

“Hey Ells,” he said, using his ‘sweet’ voice. A tone I knew all too well was a load of shit.

“What do you want, Devon?” I asked, not bothering to look at him while I stacked the plates on top of each other.

“Just to talk,” he said. “I’m sorry I–”

Throwing my rag down on the table, my body snapped to face him. “No. You don’t get to say you’re sorry. Again. Because you don’t fucking mean it.”

“I do, Ells!” he said, taking a step toward me while I took one back. His desperation used to get to me, but not anymore. “I promise, baby, I wasn’t thinking, and I just got so–”

Holding up a hand, I said, “Stop. Okay, just stop. I’m done with you. I don’t know how many more times I have to say it. Besides, you didn’t seem too sorry when I saw you and Lexie Jones last week.” Same cycle, different period of our lives. I’d been through enough of them over the past fifteen years to realize Devon wouldn’t bring me anything but pain.

All sorts.

“Come on, Ells,” he pleaded, his wide eyes focused on me. I imagined they hurt from forcing them open that way. “You know Lexie means nothing to me.”

“Nah, she’s just a good back-up pussy,” I agreed, playing along with his game. If only he knew the truth, how me and Lexie hooked up a few times too, and how much my agreement wasn’t so much an insult as it was a fact. Of course, we didn’t need those rumors flying around town with the way people were so damn judgmental. Frankly, I didn’t care so much, but Lexie, a good Christian girl, did.

And not that I liked Lexie that way, nor did she like me. But that wasn’t the point.

Devon wrung his hands together, and I swore he was about five seconds from dropping to his knees and begging me in front of the folks who remained in the bar. “Ells, I love you. Please, I swear, I’ll never hurt you again. You’re the love of my life, baby. I can’t live without you.”

He’d spoken the words before so many times, I’d lost count. And suddenly, along with a spike in my anxiety, I felt various spots on my arms twinge with pain.

Not again.

From behind the bar, his father shouted, “Devon! Leave Ella alone, for fuck’s sake, son.” Tyler knew how bad it was. He’d intervened during one of the incidents. And watching him beat his grown son’s ass had certainly been satisfying.

Not that we talked about it. It went unspoken, especially in public.

“Dev, I’m only gonna say this one more time,” I began. “We are done. You hear me? Done. I’ve told you why in the past, and it’s not my problem you refuse to accept it.”

“But you always come back to me, baby,” Devon said. “Please, you know we’re meant to be. No one else can love you like I do.”

“Then I’d rather be alone than with the likes of you,” I said just as Felicity came up to us like a hellion with a bat in her hand.

Devon jumped back as Felicity raised it. “Get away from her, motherfucker! Come near her again, and I’ll beat you worse than your daddy did!”

Frankly, he was lucky Felicity didn’t have her shotgun handy. The girl could hit the bullseye on anything. She only never went after Devon because I begged her not to. I didn’t want to be visiting her in prison halfway across the state.

I took the opportunity to hurry away as my skin continued crawling, all the pain flaring up around my elbows and the back side of my arms. Tyler asked if I was okay on my way to the bathroom, but I ignored him as I stepped into the employee facilities and locked the door.

Ripping my apron off, I tossed it aside before unbuttoning my shirt all the way and tearing it from my body. One look at my arms told me I had another flare up in progress. Parts of my skin were raised, red, and dry. And unfortunately I didn’t have my ointment on me, so I needed to improvise.

Grabbing several paper towers, I turned the cold water on and ran one end of them underneath it, wetting it just enough before I could set it over the worst area on my elbows. I didn’t have enough hands to deal with everything at once, but at least I could try to get the inflammation down one area at a time.

A few moments later, a knock on the door made me jump.

“It’s me!” Felicity shouted from the other side.

With my free hand, I opened the door just enough to let her squeeze into the small area. Upon seeing me with my shirt off and a wet paper towel on my elbow, she sighed. “Shit,” she said. “Do you need to go home and get your meds?”

“Probably,” I said, removing the towel and checking. It didn’t itch much anymore, but that didn’t mean anything.

“Go,” she said. “I can get a ride from Justin.” He lived next to Adrian and Mary, so he wouldn’t be going out of his way.

Nodding, I said, “Thanks. I’ll be a minute, but I’ll head out. Did Devon leave?”

She shook her head. “His daddy’s laying into him. Apparently, he lost his job again, so he’s more than fed up with his bullshit.”

Once upon a time, I might’ve felt bad for Devon. Now I just felt far more superior to him. I still couldn’t believe I’d once loved such a loser.

But Devon wasn’t so different from most of the men around Treasure Falls. His daddy and his uncle? Two of the good ones. Him? Trash.

“Just makes me glad I got out for good,” I said, wetting another towel to put on another spot. “I’m so done with relationships. Men suck.” At least the ones around here did. And Billings was too far away to be taking weekend trips to the bar to meet someone the way we used to when we were in our early twenties.

Felicity giggled. “I hear you, sis.”

After getting the inflammation down enough, I put my shirt back on and hurried out of the bar. I’d asked Felicity to have Tyler hold my cut of the tips until tomorrow, knowing he was good for it, and that I wouldn’t accept anything else. He tried to pay us the way he had when we were his actual employees, but now we did it just to help out. Besides, my job on the ranch paid me plenty.

I got in my truck and sped off, heading toward the outskirts of town. Ten miles from the city proper, the Burke Ranch lay on five thousand acres of Montana land, and Papa was about to acquire about four hundred more. The ever-expanding territory was the place I called home, namely the main house two miles from the main road after pulling through the gate.

Everyone was asleep by the time I made my way inside, so I tiptoed my way up to the second-floor bathroom and shrugged out of my shirt again. I pulled the topical ointment out of the cupboard and applied some to the patches where my skin had flared up. Between the stress of Devon and the memories of Lindsey coming back to the surface, no wonder I’d broken out. I thought I’d had a handle on it, but negative emotions weren’t good for my skin.

Once I finished, I turned to leave before nearly running into my younger brother, Roland. He wore his pajama bottoms and a white undershirt, half asleep. “Oh, shit,” he said. “Sorry. Didn’t know you were home.” He rubbed his tired eyes, stifling a yawn.

“Had a flare-up,” I said, showing him my arms. “Needed to get something on it.”

My little bro cringed. “Damn. Sorry, El.”

“Your federal agents arrived today,” I said. “Met them at the motel when I went to pick Felicity up.”

Ro nodded. “I know. I met them too, just as I was leaving. We’re having a big meeting about why they’re here tomorrow. Us and night shift.”

“Do you think it has anything to do with Lindsey?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Nah, Lindsey’s case is cold. Try as we might, we can’t prove anything other than her running away. You know how badly we all want to leave this place.”

“You could’ve,” I said, crossing my arms, mindful of my flare-up areas. “They need cops in Billings, too.”

Ro shrugged. “Yeah, but Papa won’t live forever. And Mama and Thomas are gonna need more help running things when he goes. At least I can switch to nights or something, and help out on the ranch during the day.”

“When the time comes,” I said. Papa was certainly up there in age, but he still worked like a thirty-year-old. “Until then, we don’t have anything to worry about. Except two federal agents.”

Especially the two federal agents.

CHAPTER TWO

FLETCH

Cade and I introduced ourselves to the folks at the Treasure Falls Sheriff’s Station, touching base with them on when would be a good time to have a meeting. One of the deputies said everyone could meet the next day bright and early just before shift change, which meant rising early for me. I planned to get a run in and a shower before we went and scoped out a good route on our drive back to the motel. On our way, we also stopped at the local diner to grab something to eat, figuring we’d be eating there a lot in the next few days since … well, our options were there or starve. They didn’t have much in the way of variety. Not fast food joints, no sit down restaurant chains. Nothing.

Thankfully we still had some snacks from the drive up from Billings, but those wouldn’t get us very far. Not three or more days worth, depending on how long our investigation took us to complete.

When we returned from our short trip, we found extra pillows sitting on the bed, thankful that Felicity had come through on her promise. The bed was big enough, but better safe than sorry.

Besides, I hadn’t shared a bed with anyone since Tamika died.

Once Cade and I finished eating, he went to take a shower while I looped my earphone around my ear, with my phone plugged into the charger, and called Marilyn to check on Zoie. It was nearly nine o’clock and she should’ve been brushing her teeth or getting dressed in her jammies. We were very strict about her bedtime, especially on a school night, but thankfully her last day was this week.

The phone rang three times before Marilyn picked up. “Hi, baby,” she said. “She’s getting her teeth cleaned.”

“Good, Daddy’s happy to hear that,” I said, sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning on my knees. “How’s she doing?” I wrung my hands together, letting the phone sit on the small table next to me.

“She misses her Daddy, Adam,” my mother-in-law said bluntly. “You promise this is gonna be the last trip?”

I replied, “As long as Soames keeps up his end of the bargain … and we bring home a win of some sort. Which, I assume, entails us nailing the bad guy.”

“Well, I certainly hope you do,” Marilyn said. “She cried when you left again.”

My heart stung upon hearing those words. I almost caught my voice in my throat. Every time I had to leave, I hated hearing that I’d made Zoie cry. And though I’d chosen this damn job so many times before, I vowed to always choose her when I returned. I knew what I’d been signing up for when I applied to the FBI, but everything changed once I married Tamika and she became pregnant only a few years later.

And once Tamika died, it all came crashing down.

I’d hated making Tamika cry, and it absolutely destroyed me knowing I made our baby do the same.

“I swear, Marilyn, this is it,” I declared once I managed to hold back the tears in my eyes. “She won’t have to watch me walk out the door with a suitcase again after this. At least … not as often.” There would still be times I had to travel, especially to D.C., but nothing as frequent as what I’d been forced to do.

From the other end, Marilyn said, “Just find this criminal and bring those families justice. Be the hero I know you are; the hero Tamika adored; the one Zoie looks up to. Then come home to your baby girl and be her father.”

Come hell or high water, I would.

“Here she is,” Marilyn said before I could reply. Her voice got far away, but I heard her say, “ZoZo, it’s Daddy.”

A moment later, I heard, “Hi, Daddy!” She was so chipper, even at nine o’clock at night when she should’ve been worn out from the day.

I couldn’t help it. The tears escaped from my eyes. I let them flow as I took in a deep breath. “Hi, Zoie-Woie. Did you have a good day with Grammy and Grampy?”

“Yeah, we went to the park and got rained on!” she exclaimed, sounding a little bummed.

Good ol’ Seattle weather.

“Oh man!” I played along. “That stinks! Why can’t the rain just stay away?”

“That’s what I said to Grampy!” Zoie said. “We don’t like the rain! We like the sun!”

“That’s right,” I said. “The sun is the best.” My daughter giggled on the other end before I said, “Well, it’s time for bed, so what song do you want me to sing to you tonight?”

Hearing the rustling of her getting into bed, Zoie said, “Ummmmm, can you sing Ariel?”

Ariel was code for ‘Part of Your World’ from The Little Mermaid. We’d shown the live action version to her for the first time shortly after it came to streaming, and she loved it. It was one of the moments I actually got to experience with her for the first time, and I cherished watching her little face light up when she saw someone who looked like her as a mermaid. That was her thing right now: she wanted to be a mermaid when she grew up.

And, of course, she would be the best mermaid.

“Of course, ZoZo, just let me know when you’re snuggled in,” I told her. 

Seconds later, she said, “Ready!”

From there, I sang the song to her. Though I wasn’t the best singer in the world, I’d embarrass myself in front of a stadium of people if it meant Zoie would be happy. Singing her to sleep was the least I could do since I couldn’t be there in person.

But soon enough, I would be. I could curl up beside her and sing as many songs as she wanted before she passed out every night. I could watch her while she slept, clinging onto her favorite Ariel doll and drooling into her pillow.

Once I finished, silence filled the air. I imagined she was asleep, and I heard the shuffle of footsteps after a few seconds before Marilyn’s voice came back on. “She’s asleep. You’ll check in tomorrow?”

“I’ll try,” I said. “If not, play her the video?” A while back, I’d recorded a few videos for her to watch if I couldn’t call by bed time. Marilyn only had to choose which song she wanted that night, though she usually just wanted ‘Ariel.’

“You know I will,” Marilyn replied. “I love you, baby. Be safe.”

“Always, Mar. Love you too.”

We hung up, and I ripped my earphone away, setting it back in the case before I fell onto my side. A heavy sigh left my body, and I closed my eyes, hoping I could make it through our damn trip without failing. Everything hinged on me bringing home the win. Failure wasn’t an option.

A few minutes later, after I’d undressed from the day and put on my pajamas (a pair of gray sweat pants and a plain blue t-shirt), I sat back on the edge of the bed, and pulled my tablet from my bag. I caught up on emails and wrote my report for the day, compiling all my notes in one place. Even if I didn’t have a lot to add, since we hadn’t officially begun working, we’d spoken to enough people to get a sense of where the case might head. So far, no one had given us enough to go on concerning Jewel’s whereabouts. No one knew her, and Treasure Falls seemed like the kind of place to be hyper aware of when an outsider came to town.

Sitting up against the pillows and I typed everything out, I watched Cade come out of the bathroom, rubbing his hair dry with a towel. He wore a pair of checkered pajama pants and a torn and faded Mötley Crüe t-shirt, giving me a better view of his arms. I hadn’t expected him to be so built given how he’d only barely passed the physical requirements to work in the field. His arms weren’t bigger than mine, but I imagined he’d been lifting weights.

And something about it made me … feel some type of way. Though I couldn’t put my finger on it. The best way I could describe it? Nervous.

“Really?” I asked, nodding toward his shirt. “Crüe?”

Cade glanced down, pausing his drying action, then looked back up and resumed. “Let me guess: not a fan.” He didn’t pose it as a question.

“No, I like them,” I said. “Just didn’t peg you to be a fan.” Cade seemed more like a Pop music guy, which wasn’t a bad thing. I simply didn’t peg him to be a Heavy Metal person.

Ceasing his actions again, he wrapped the towel around his shoulders and held onto the ends. “They’re not one of my favorites, but the shirt belonged to someone important to me.” He approached the edge of the bed opposite of where I sat.

If he didn’t want to get specific about it, I wouldn’t push it. ‘Someone important’ was usually code for ‘it’s personal.’ His business wasn’t my business.

“Why?” he asked. “What kind of music are you into?”

“I have a pretty eclectic taste,” I answered. “I grew up with 90s country, but hit a pop and rock music phase by the time I was in my teens in the early aughts.”

A smirk appeared on his lips. “Best time to get into pop music, frankly. You turned thirteen in … what? 2001?”

Assuming he’d read my file, as I’d read his, I nodded. “And you were a fetus.”

Feigning offense, he said, “I turned five that year!”

Even so, it felt like we were from two very different generations: me being a Millennial born somewhere in the middle, and him being born at the very end, damn near classified as Gen Z. Though the lines were definitively drawn, we would’ve had polar opposite experiences in school.

Regardless, I couldn’t help but smile. “Same difference,” I said. “But hey, the big 3-0 next year for you.” I wasn’t far off from my fortieth, and the thought terrified me. Hell, I’d thought thirty was old, but I’d realized I was still plenty youthful until I started waking up in severe pain from sleeping the wrong way just after Zoie’s birth.

Cade nodded. “Yeah. Won’t be anything special. Probably work and a call from my grandparents. The usual.”

“You’re from Michigan, right?” I asked, even though I knew the answer. “Do they still live there?”

He shook his head. “No, they retired to Florida right after I graduated from college. I have a few cousins still back there, but no real reason to go back.”

I frowned. Despite his lack of interest to return, I supposed I needed to respect it since it wasn’t any of my business. As someone with no family left except my daughter and my in-laws, I would’ve given anything to see my family at every opportunity. I was a local Seattleite, and had never permanently lived anywhere else. The suburbs hardly counted. And I hadn’t left so much as my family had all been taken from me in various ways.

Car accidents … Suicide … Old age … Childbirth.

Remembering hurt like hell, gripping my heart tight enough to make me close my eyes and pray for the pain to go away.

“Fletch?”

I inhaled deeply, exhaling as the moment passed, and opened my eyes. “Sorry. Just … sometimes I have … things I’m dealing with come up.” Although I’d never really sought out help for it. Sure, I’d spoken with the psychologists we had on staff, but they were hardly therapists. And as far as real therapy went, I didn’t have time.

At least not now. Perhaps if and when I transferred, things might change.

Cade nodded. “I understand.” He stared at me with sympathetic eyes. Knowing what I knew about him, I could only imagine what kind of trauma he dealt with on a regular basis. Our line of work could break people. Cade was brilliant, sure, and he proved it everywhere we went. The folks of Treasure Falls would soon see what I already knew. But what most people in these towns didn’t know was how human we were.

They saw us as opposition because of the badges we wore and the authority that came with it.

The whole ‘Fuck the Police’ thing? It applied to us. And in some ways, I agreed. Systematically, things needed to change on every level. But someone had to bring justice for the families in our cases.

Someone needed to bring Jewel Johnson home … if they could.

Cade pulled the towel from around his shoulders and tossed it on top of his suitcase. “Well, we should get some sleep while we can,” he said. I noted the time in the bottom right corner of my screen. If I wanted to get at least five hours in, I couldn’t continue working like I normally would.

Nodding, I shut the computer and slid it back in my bag while Cade rearranged the extra pillows, creating a barrier on my right to allow us our personal space. Cade also had a blanket of his own, which I watched him pull from his suitcase, and though it was a simple throw blanket, it worked well when he laid on top of the comforter, creating an additional divider for us.

He hooked earbuds around his ears and brought what looked like YouTube up on his phone, locking the screen after and setting the plugged in device on the nightstand and turning off the light on his side. I wondered if he was the kind of person who needed light noise to fall asleep. Frankly, I wouldn’t have pegged him as such, but I supposed I’d learn new things about my eventual replacement while we were in our confined space.

Like how he was more built than I imagined. Or how his Mötley Crüe shirt was important to him.

“Night, Fletch,” Cade said before turning his back toward me, one arm above the throw blanket on top of him.

“Goodnight,” I said before turning my own light off. The room became dark, only a bit of moonlight peering through the corner of the blackout shades over the windows. I always hated sleeping in new places. Hell, I hated sleeping in general since Tamika died. Most days I ran off of about three hours of sleep, a ton of coffee, and the energy from my workouts. Sometimes Zoie slept with me if she had a bad dream.

But it wasn’t the same as having an adult companion.

I never imagined my first time sharing a bed again with a grown person would be with a co-worker. Seemed like it should be more awkward … and yet I fell asleep almost immediately.

How unlike me.

---

CADE

I couldn’t drift off to sleep without ASMR playing. I kept a playlist of videos on YouTube from various ASMRtists, which I normally put on my TV, then set a timer for the TV to turn off. On the road, I used my phone, though I normally didn’t need headphones. But sharing a room with someone meant I had to consider their level of comfort, and Fletch didn’t seem like the type of person to need noise to fall asleep.

Generally, I fell asleep during the first video, depending on the length. Sometimes it took me into the second. But the anxiety I felt with Fletch on the other side of the bed? I put on one of my longer videos, knowing it would take a while, and thankful for the ASMRtists who made compilations. It felt like an eternity before I finally drifted off, but suddenly I woke up at five in the morning of my own volition, an hour before my alarm.

Even waking up an hour early should’ve allowed me to feel well rested.

Instead, I felt anxiety … because when I did, I woke up facing Fletch, both of us close to the pillow barrier. And I thanked God he was still asleep … because my cock was hard as a rock.

Fuck.

The universe hated me.

Sliding out of bed slowly, I made my way toward the bathroom, my back turning toward him as soon as I could. Once I entered and shut the door, I let the panic consume me, my throat growing dry and my breaths short, fast, and choppy. Surely the pillow would’ve prevented him from feeling anything, if he was awake in any capacity, but I still couldn’t believe it only took one night for me to embarrass myself. I knew I couldn’t handle being close to him. Perhaps I should’ve slept on the damn floor. Instead, I slept close to him and his damn face and his damn arms … the body I’d watched in the gym at the Bureau as he lifted weights or ran on the treadmill, or … well, fucking anything.

The thoughts didn’t help. In fact, I should’ve steered my thoughts to literally anything else. Kittens, ice cream cones, the beatings I used to receive as a child for no reason …

Yet I could only think of Fletch.

I needed to surrender. Just once. Get it out of my system.

Making sure the door was locked, I inhaled deeply before lowering my pants just enough, allowing my dick its freedom. Without hesitation, I wrapped a hand around it while grasping onto the sink, stroking slowly with my eyes closed. Fletch’s image flooded my mind, flashbacks of every time I’d seen him at the gym in his tank tops and shorts, how sweaty his body grew during his workouts, and how I’d fantasized bending him over and fucking him. How, just once, I wanted to walk into the locker rooms and suck him off in the showers.

The scenarios made my heart race. My balls tightened as I stroked faster, bringing myself to the edge, and finished off with one last thought of how good his dick would taste on my tongue. I came faster than I could react, letting out the breath I’d been holding as the cum shot onto the wall behind the sink.

Christ … I’d never come so hard.

And I knew I could never do it again …

–

The sheriff’s station in Treasure Falls felt more like a remodeled doublewide trailer that they’d extended in order to create a couple extra offices and an interrogation room in addition to their two holding cells. When we’d arrived yesterday, we’d gotten a small tour, but the sheriff himself wasn’t in, having left early. We did meet the four deputies, two who worked day shift and two who worked night shift just as they were clocking out and in respectively. Roland Burke and Lydia Mossier worked days, and Ryan Plummer and Jack Harris worked nights, Jack being the night supervisor. Though in a small town, having a hierarchy with four people seemed pointless.

By the time we walked in around seven in the morning, the four of them waited at their desks while another man stood in the middle of them. When Roland, the youngest deputy, noted our presence, the unknown man turned around. He looked to be in maybe his late forties or early fifties, and sported a mustache which seemed stereotypical of a small town sheriff.

“Ah, you must be the Bureau Boys,” he said. I picked up on some slight disdain in his voice, but he extended his hand to Fletch first before offering to me. “Dawson Fitzer. I’m the sheriff in these parts. You can call me Fitz, or Sheriff.”

Fletch nodded and said, “Supervisory Special Agent Adam Fletcher Williams. You can call me Fletch. This is my SSA in training, Cade Robbins.” He pointed at me with a slight turn as he spoke.

“Moving up to the big leagues, eh, son?” Sheriff Fitz asked.

“Yes, sir,” I said with a nod.

Crossing his arms, Fitz asked, “What brings you folks down here? I understand you think someone’s been through our town.”

“Well, that’s what we wanted to meet with you all about,” Fletch said.

“Well, shoot. Let’s hear it,” Fitz said, sitting on the corner of Deputy Harris’s desk. He wrung his hands together, propping one foot up against the metal on the desk’s side.

Pulling out his phone, Fletch brought Jewel’s photo up and turned it around. “This is Jewel Johnson. She’s sixteen and a runaway from Seattle, Washington. There’s been no sign of her until a week ago when her cell phone pinged for the first time at a tower near the outskirts of Treasure Falls. Since then, it’s been radio silent. And with this being her last alleged location, we’re here to ask around; see if the locals know anything about her whereabouts.”

“Being such a small town,” I added, “we figured if someone new came passing through, someone might remember her face if they’d seen her while she was here. Or if she still is.”

Fitz looked closer at the photo. “Can’t say she looks familiar. But right you are, Agent Robbins, newcomers stand out like a sore thumb around here. Still, any known connections to this area? Distant family, or ….?” he trailed off as he left the question open ended.

Shaking my head, I answered, “Not from what we’ve found. All of her connections seem to be in Washington State, or northern Oregon. But we’ve obtained her internet history, and she’d been speaking with someone who told her to come to Montana. Our initial search on the IP took us to a server out of Moscow, Russia, but it was registered to a Virtual Private Network, which was, itself, masked by another VPN.”

Deputy Mossier asked, “I assume you’re looking into the true location of the sender?”

Nodding, Fletch said, “Yes, and they could theoretically be anywhere in Montana. Our best lead at this point, however, is the cell phone ping.”

“What are the exact coordinates?” Deputy Plummer asked.

Once we relayed them, Deputy Burke perked up. “That’s our farm. That’s literally the tower north of the ranch.”

All eyes locked onto the young deputy. He looked like a deer in the headlights, and I couldn’t say I blamed him. If the last known location of a teenaged runaway was near my house, I’d be pretty surprised too. And with only two cell phone towers around Treasure Falls, one to the north and one to the south, it felt pretty lucky to hit the one closer to an area one of the deputies knew well.

“I guess that’ll be your first stop then, huh?” Sheriff Fitz asked. “Deputy Burke can take y’all out there.”

“We’d appreciate that,” Fletch said, while I nodded in agreement.

After confirming we’d check back in once we investigated the Burke Ranch to the best of our abilities, the night shift clocked out and went home while Deputy Mossier hung out at the station and the Sheriff announced he was headed to the local diner.

Deputy Burke loaded up in his patrol car, which looked like it had seen better days, and led Fletch and I past the city limits toward the outskirts. On the way, we passed wheat and corn fields which looked like they were in the middle of growing for the season. The fencing seemed to never end, winding all the way up to a large estate where we drove through a gate with the words ‘Burke Ranch’ crafted in metal and bolted onto a large wooden display.

The drive up to the main property was long once we were through the gate, but soon we reached a grand house which was just off to the side of several large barns, all spaced out about a couple hundred yards from one another. We parked in the grass alongside a row of vehicles against another fence line while the deputy pulled his patrol car right up to the steps of the house.

As we got out, I noted the plethora of farmhands freely roaming the grounds. It seemed like the Burke Ranch was a huge operation given the number of barns, people, and horses and cattle out in the pasture. And there seemed to be no end to it. Given how long we’d followed the fence lining the wheat and corn fields, I couldn’t begin to imagine how much land these people owned.

My main question? Was this land big enough to hold secrets?

Perhaps I immediately thought the worst when it wasn’t warranted. I’d done so my entire life, not just in my job which taught me to expect the worst and hope for the best in most situations, in that specific order. But everything and everyone was suspicious until proven otherwise.

I watched Deputy Burke walk through the main doors of the large house: a two story wooden building that almost resembled a log cabin, but on steroids. A walkout balcony peeked out from the back and wrapped around to the side. Large windows made the whole thing seem like there were no walls in another corner of the house as we approached. From the inside, I could see a kitchen where Deputy Burke spoke with three people, all of whom looked our way before following him outside just as we reached the main entryway, remaining outside.

The deputy led the group of three to us: an elderly man and woman, and a middle aged woman who looked quite a bit like him. I assumed she was his mother, but she looked nothing like the two older folks, even with their gray and white hair in contrast to her blonde hair.

“Agents,” the deputy began, “these are my grandparents, and this is my mama: Nathaniel Burke, Julianne Burke, and Laura Burke.”

“Howdy,” Nathaniel greeted, extending his hand. He looked like he was maybe in his seventies, but had the energy of a forty-year-old in the way he approached us. He wore a cream colored button up with dark jeans and a giant belt buckle fastened in the front. Even for a man of his age, he still had a full head of hair. I hoped I had as good of genes as him. “Everyone calls me Zip. What can we do for you fellas?”

As Fletch and I shook his hand, Fletch introduced us, then answered the question. “We’re from the Seattle Field Office. A young local girl has run away from home and the last ping on her cell phone has coordinates that line up with part of your property. I understand there’s a cell phone tower somewhere north of here.”

Nodding, Zip said, “Sure is. About two hundred yards north of my property line.”

“Which is … where?” I asked, hoping for some clarification as I looked around at the vast estate.

The old man chuckled, and the two women joined. Even Deputy Burke pursed his lips together, attempting to suppress a laugh.

“Son, I own five thousand acres and am in talks to claim four hundred more,” Zip answered. “My territory goes on for miles. We’re one of the biggest operations in the state of Montana, supplying to many of the towns truckers refuse to come through.”

“Do you utilize every piece of your land?” Fletch asked. “Any areas that might be good for someone to hide out?”

“Nothing they could hide in for the long term,” Julianne answered. “Our grandson, Thomas, ensures the security of our property and helps with upkeep when fences get weak or other structures start falling apart. Zip and I regularly drive the perimeter and check out the old barns where we keep old equipment.”

Fletch asked, “No signs of anyone camping out?”

Zip shook his head. “No, sir. You’re welcome to roam the grounds, and I’ll even have my granddaughter drive you back to the tower. Just let me know and I’ll holler at Ellory when you’re ready.”

“Mind if we speak with folks?” I asked. “I understand they’re on the clock, but–”

“Don’t worry about that, son,” Zip interrupted me. “If I can do anything to help find your missing girl and get her home safe, I’m happy to, even if that means interrogating my staff.”

Fair enough. Zip seemed genuine, and him giving us free access to the property without us asking felt like a good sign.

A large red pickup pulled up behind Deputy Burke’s patrol car, the passenger’s side window rolled down while the driver leaned over the console. The truck looked brand new, and I started to get the feeling that the Burkes weren’t just successful business people, they were incredibly well off for a place like Treasure Falls. Given the state of things in town, it felt like culture shock from only a few miles away, even though we were still in the middle of nowhere.

“Everything alright, Papa?” the man inside asked.

Zip waved. “All good, Thomas. Come here and meet our guests.”

So that was the grandson who worked security on the grounds. I watched with Fletch as Thomas put the vehicle in park and hopped out, approaching us with his hands in his pockets. He wore a cowboy hat, a black turtleneck and a matching denim jacket and jeans set. If I had to guess, he was probably around Fletch’s age. Mid-to-late thirties at best.

Deputy Burke said, “This is my older brother, Thomas. Thomas, Agents Williams and Robbins with the FBI.”

Thomas extended one hand to Fletch first, then me. “FBI. Y’all from Billings?”

Shaking my head, I answered, “Seattle. Missing persons case. Your grandfather says you work security here?”

He nodded when he slipped his hand back into his jeans pocket. “I had a back injury that put me out of commission for a while so Papa made me a supervisor and allowed me to keep everything in order. Even after I recovered, the doc advised that I take it easy. So I do the minimal amount of labor and the maximum amount of driving.”

I noted his build. He didn’t seem muscular, which could’ve been a side effect of his injury and him losing a mass he no doubt would’ve built up working on a ranch.

“Often see hitchhikers trying to pass through the property?”

Shaking his head, Thomas said, “Can’t say that I have. Not unless they broke down and are headed our way for assistance. But they’re always local folks. Don’t usually get a lot of outsiders coming through our area.”

“Well we’re looking for a young girl who ran away from ours, and her last known location was somewhere on the north end of your papa’s property,” Fletch said. “At least her cell phone pinged there. Do you have regular patrol times?”

“I’m up about five in the morning and I get started around six,” Thomas answered. “I don’t usually stop until late at night. Not much of a good sleeper, so best to keep busy. Is there a time your young girl came through?”

I answered, “According to our sources, it was pretty late at night. Eleven o’clock, thereabouts.”

Thomas nodded. “I’m usually headed back up to the house around that time, so if anyone came through, I’d just missed them.”

“Your papa says there’s not really a good place to hide out on the property? Set up shop for a night?” I asked.

“Maybe the old barn, but I don’t know why anyone would wanna go back there,” Thomas said. “It’s not exactly structurally sound. We keep hay and old equipment I’m working on back there, but I would’ve noticed if someone had been through there. And if not me, someone else woulda said something.”

“People go back frequently?”

His mother, Laura, answered, “Mostly every day just to make sure things are in order. Thomas will check on the rigs to make sure something doesn’t break down and we don’t end up with a damn lawsuit. Ro helps on his days off.” She nudged her son gently with her elbow while her arms were crossed.

Fletch exchanged a quick glance with me. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but it seemed like they kept things pretty tight around here. “Do you keep cameras on the property?” Fletch asked after returning his attention to Zip.

“Not off the main stretch,” Zip answered. “Which is here at the house and around the nearby barns. All the fields are covered by Thomas. Running lines out that way is too costly, and getting WiFi signals or Bluetooth connections is impossible. Cellular connections sure, but they’re weak, even with that tower.”

That sounded fairly typical of rural areas. Even in the Year of Our Lord 2025, service providers wouldn’t cover certain areas in the flyover states. And with Montana being along the Canadian border and most of its citizens living in its big cities, folks in places like Treasure Falls were left in the dust, or they received the bare minimum accommodations.

Having grown up in Flint, Michigan, a place that had been neglected most of its existence, or at least in my lifetime, Flint was a major city in comparison to the place I stood in now. Sure, it still didn’t have clean drinking water, but at least it had things like major grocery chains, fast food joints, and movie theaters. And WiFi.

Hell, Flint might as well have been Billings to these people. And I had no idea why anyone wanted to live out here, even as a loner who didn’t have friends.

“Thanks for your time, Zip,” Fletch said. “If we have any follow up questions, we’ll let you know. In the meantime, we’d love to head out to the tower and the area where our young girl’s phone signaled.”

The older man nodded as the roar of an engine approached us with loud music blaring, eerily similar to a scenario we found ourselves in yesterday. He said, “Well you’re in luck. My granddaughter’s pulling back up now.” He pointed further down the property where the road continued between the house and the barns.

And as Fletch and I followed with our eyes, we were met by the same blue truck that had pulled up to us a day prior.

Ella. Must’ve been short for Ellory.

I should’ve put two and two together.

She stepped out after parking and approached the group, her narrowed eyes locked on me and Fletch from beneath her white cowboy hat. “What’s going on, Papa?”

“Ellory, this is–” her grandfather began.

But she cut them off. “I know who they are. Ran into them at the motel yesterday. What the hell are they doing here?”

A knot formed in my stomach. I didn’t know why, especially since it didn’t seem to form out of fear. No, I couldn’t help but stare at her. When we’d initially met, it felt like I’d been struck by something. She was beautiful, and I could tell she was smart because of how quick-witted she appeared and the way she carried herself with confidence. Those things didn’t necessarily equate to intelligence, but she’d captured something inside me almost instantly.

Even if she didn’t seem to like us, I liked her quite a bit already.

“Ellory Mae,” Laura scolded. “Mind your manners.”

“They’re feds, Mama,” Ella said. So Laura was Ella’s mother, making her Thomas and Roland’s sister.

Julianne stepped closer to her granddaughter and placed a hand on her shoulder. “That may be, but they’re just here to do their jobs. Besides, we ain’t got nothing to hide, and there’s a missing little girl they need to find. I’d think you of all people would welcome that.”

Furrowing my brows, a small alarm went off in my brain. What could Julianne have meant by that?

Though she continued to scowl, Ella said, “Fine. My sincerest apologies, fellas.” She didn’t seem to mean it, but I figured that was the best we’d get out of her.

Besides, we didn’t take it personally. Or at least, I assumed, Fletch didn’t. For me? I’d worked hard to separate personal attacks from professional ones. It wasn’t perfect, but a lot better than when I first started in the field.

“Ella, could you take our agents back to the cell phone tower?” Zip asked.

“Why can’t Thomas do it?” she asked, crossing her arms, the tassels from her cropped brown suede jacket flying in nearly every direction.

Zip snapped, “Because I’m asking you, girl. Besides, what do you have going on that’s more important?”

The young woman sighed while her scowl remained. “Fine. Let’s go. Ro, you comin’ too?” It didn’t seem like much of a question, more like a stern suggestion.

“If you want me to,” he said, and it seemed she very much did.

Fletch and I followed Ella and her brother to Ella’s truck, using the handles to pull ourselves in with additional help from the step bar. Her cop brother sat in the passenger’s seat while me and Fletch sat in the back, our eardrums almost blown out after she turned the engine over and took off for the northern property line.

---

ELLA

Of course, they would’ve come to the ranch. I hadn’t expected it so soon, but surely they wanted to interview as many of the locals as they could. Like Memaw said, they had a job to do, whether I liked it or not.

With my brother beside me and the feds in the back, I made a U-turn in the driveway and sped off back the way I’d come from minutes earlier. I’d just finished with getting the cattle out to their grazing area and was headed up to load one of the pieces of equipment we needed to take back to the old barn so Thomas could work on it, but it seemed that task would have to wait until I finished chauffeuring the Pretty Boys around.

The cell tower lay to the north of our property, and we’d have to hop the fence to get there, but it wasn’t too far from where the barrier would stop us. A couple hundred yards at best on the other side of the dirt road that connected the three counties most of us came from. Treasure Falls was where everyone gathered since it was, in fact, the biggest.

Roland decided to converse with the unwanted guests in my truck as we made our way back. I tried not to roll my eyes as he asked, “So are y’all actually from Seattle, or is that where you’re assigned?”

The blond, Cade, answered, “Fletch is a Seattle native, yes. I’m from Michigan.”

My brother turned slightly. “Oh yeah? How’d you end up on the west coast?”

“I was able to give my preferences about where I wanted to go,” he answered, “but ultimately the Bureau thought I’d be best suited in Seattle. I’ve been there a few years and haven’t looked back.”

“You must’ve been top of your class or something,” my brother commented.

Cade nodded, which I caught as I peered in the rearview mirror. “Yes, sir. Almost lost out due to the physical requirements, but somehow managed to squeeze by.”

Roland chuckled. “Yeah, the physical shit will get you every time. Same thing at the police academy. Lots of running and jumping required.”

“That there is,” Cade said.

“Your mother mentioned you help on the ranch on your off days,” Fletch said, directed at my brother. “I assume this is a family affair, but what made you want to be a cop?”

He sounded surprised and genuinely curious at the same time. I supposed they all had a story about why they wanted to be police officers or federal agents or what have you. It was a little club that I wasn’t a part of and didn’t care to hear about.

I loved my brother and all, but I hated the police. His boss, Fitz, was a corrupt son of a bitch, and only a few of us saw it. One day he’d get his comeuppance, and I couldn’t wait to see it happen. I only wished it would happen sooner rather than later since it had been long enough, considering how he’d fumbled Lindsey’s case.

Ro replied, “I wanted to enlist in the military, but then our dad got sick and passed while I was still in high school. I knew the military could take me far away, and I couldn’t stand the thought of being on the other side of the world when something happened to Papa. Not that it ever has. We expect him to outlive us all out of spite at this point.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle and add, “Yeah, he’s secretly a thirty year old who looks like a seventy year old.” We all loved our papa. He was strong, fierce, and one hell of a businessman. More importantly, he was one of the kindest souls a person would ever meet. The first time I’d ever seen him cry was the day he lost his only son, my daddy and best friend in the whole world. I didn’t like thinking about it, but I thought about Daddy every single day. A picture of the two of us sat on my nightstand next to my alarm clock and phone charging stand. It was my high school graduation, and I could still feel the giant hug he’d been giving me in the photo.

Every time I thought about it, I teared up. But I did my best to not show much emotion in the presence of strangers.

When we reached the fence, I parked the truck and everyone got out. Leaning against my door, I crossed my arms and told the feds, “Well, here we are. Hop on over the fence if you need to get closer.”

“What, no escort?” Fletch asked. “Don’t want to make sure we’re not doing anything fishy? Or are you planning to drive away and make us walk back?”

Bold of him to make such an assumption. Unfortunately, Papa would kill me if I did something so rude to our ‘guests.’ I might’ve been thirty-two, but he’d still whoop my ass if he thought I deserved it. Besides, I still lived under his roof. The family had remained together for generations. I’d probably die in that house, the same one I came home from the hospital in.

“Nah, I’m just lazy and don’t want to go,” I said, though it wasn’t the truth. I simply didn’t want to be in their presence longer than I needed to be.

“I’ll go with them,” Ro said as he rounded the front of the truck with Cade trailing him.

Fletch said, “Thank you, Deputy. We appreciate it.”

I rolled my eyes as he side-eyed me on his way past, headed for the tower. I didn’t know for sure, but I was fairly certain Agent Williams needed to pull the stick out of his ass. Perhaps then he wouldn’t be so fucking rude. How was this guy a field agent? His people skills sucked, at least where I was concerned.

Or maybe he just hated women. Maybe he was rejected in high school and made it everyone’s problem.

Or he was just so high on his own power. FBI agents probably had a Messiah complex.

Who could say?

I watched as they hopped the fence, Ro pulling the barbed wire away so they wouldn’t get cut or rip their fancy suits. My focus remained on them as they darted across the dirt road and made their way to the tower and began to look around. I couldn’t possibly imagine what they thought they could find out there. The girl they were after probably didn’t want to be found if she was a runaway. And, assuming there was no sign of her being kidnapped, frankly, I found it impressive that she’d made it from Washington State to Montana without being detected.

Crazier things had happened.

Surely someone must have helped her. Same with Lindsey. I couldn’t imagine her getting away on her own at fifteen years old, especially in our neck of the woods. Lindsey couldn’t even drive yet. The girl from Seattle probably could, given her age. But even then, she must’ve been with someone who flew under the radar.

If she was even still alive.

Even three years on, I hated thinking about the possibility of Lindsey being dead. I’d known her since she was born, and she’d had a bright future ahead of her. I prayed that she was safe, wherever she was, and could lead a happy life away from her cruel parents.

Now if only Carly and Carter could get away from this place.

If only I could get away from this place.

The odds of me leaving were nothing compared to the opportunities the twins had. Carly wanted to go to school, and even at twenty-one, she still had time. For me, who had eleven years on her, I felt like my time had passed. Besides, the family needed me. If Daddy couldn’t be here to take over the ranch, and with Thomas being unable to perform hard, backbreaking labor, he needed people who were capable.

My phone rang, distracting me from my thoughts, and I pulled it out of my pocket to find Felicity calling. Sliding my finger across the screen, I quickly put it on speaker and said, “Hey girl, what’s up?”

“Hey, how badly do they need you at the ranch today?” she asked. “Because Andrew’s sick and I really don’t want to deprive Adrian of his sleep.”

Shit. She didn’t usually call unless it was urgent. “How bad is he?”

“Food poisoning, and Dani says he can’t leave the bathroom for more than five seconds before he’s hunched over the toilet again.”

Well, I certainly didn’t envy Andrew, but I couldn’t leave Felicity hanging. Someone needed to work on the extensive repairs needed around the motel, and if he couldn’t do it, I would. Besides, his daughter, Dani, the housekeeper, probably couldn’t work either if she needed to take care of him. “I’ll be there soon, but I’m playing Driving Miss Daisy for the suits. They wanted to check out the cell tower, so I’m just waiting until they’re done.”

“Okay,” she said. “I called Carly to ask if she could help too and she said she’d be right over, so she can cover the cleaning.”

“Right, sounds good.” Carly wasn’t exactly mechanically savvy. She and her siblings had spent a lot of time on the ranch growing up, but she’d never gotten her hands dirty the way me and my sister Jessa had. “I’ll be there ASAP.”

“Thanks, babe, I owe you,” Felicity said with a sigh of relief.

With a small chuckle, I said, “No you don’t. You know I’ll always have your back.”

“Shut up,” she said with a laugh.

We hung up after quick goodbyes. It took another twenty minutes before the boys came back over the fence and returned to the truck, all the while I hopped back inside and sat in the air conditioned cab.

“Find anything useful?” I asked as everyone loaded in.

“Nothing helpful,” Cade answered. “But we appreciate you bringing us. It’ll at least give us an idea of how to start mapping her path to wherever she might’ve gone.”

So they expected to find her alive. I sincerely hoped she was, and that they could find her.

“Well I gotta drop y’all off at the house,” I said, putting the truck in drive. “Felicity called. She needs help today.”

Nodding, Cade said, “Of course. We’ve taken enough of your time.”

“More time than you deserve,” I said.

Ro’s head snapped in my direction. “Ella, seriously?”

From behind me, Fletch asked, “What is your problem, ma’am?  Did we do something to offend you, or are you just naturally hostile?”

“Your very existence offends me,” I said, throwing the truck back in park and whipping my body around. “I don’t like people from the government. I don’t like people who have power. You’re all fucking snakes.”

“Ella, Jesus Christ, stop!” Ro shouted. “Whatever issues you have with the feds who failed Lindsey have nothing to do with them!”

“Wait – Lindsey? Lindsey Morgan?” Cade asked.

The question stopped me in my tracks. I hadn’t expected Cade to know Lindsey’s name. My eyes widened as my emotions did a complete one-eighty, and swallowed hard with my heart pounding. I watched the two agents exchange knowing glances before returning their attention to me, imploring me with their eyes to say something.

“Yes,” I said. “Lindsey Morgan. The Morgans are … friends. Extended family, really.” The Burkes and the Morgans had always been friendly.

Roland held up a hand. “How do y’all know about Lindsey?” he asked Cade and Fletch after looking from me to them.

“A colleague of ours out of Billings put in a tip,” Fletch answered. “Asked us to poke around when we could, if we had time.”

“Who?” I asked. “Who’s your colleague?”

“Agent Meghan Moore,” Fletch said.

I didn’t recognize her name. Of course, there were tons of agents whose names had come up when assisting with the investigation, even if they’d never come to town, but I didn’t remember any women.

“Has … has she been looking into Lindsey all this time?” I asked.

Fletch furrowed his brows while Cade raised one of his. “Had someone stopped?” Cade asked.

So they didn’t know. Unsurprising, since they weren’t from the area.

Still, it made me angry. Scoffing, I said, “Forget it. I have to get to the motel to help Felicity.” Turning around, I threw the truck in drive again and sped off.

Thankfully, the feds in my back seat didn’t push the issue. I noted, however, that my brother offered them an apologetic look on my behalf, which I certainly wouldn’t have given, but Ro was nothing if not professional. As the baby of the family, he’d always been the kind one, even when spoiled rotten.

After dropping them off at the house, I took off for the motel, rolling my windows all the way down, driving one hundred miles per hour down the road, and blaring my music. I needed something to channel my anger into, and I hoped Felicity had something I could beat the shit out of as I repaired it.

Which seemed counterintuitive, but sometimes it got the job done.

CHAPTER THREE

FLETCH

Frankly, I didn’t have a clue what Ella’s problem was. As I watched her speed away, I shook my head, figuring I’d never know and it wouldn’t do me any good to try. Besides, she was a person passing through my life, and not even the first one I’d met during a case who immediately came off hostile. She also wouldn’t be the last.

Her connection to Lindsey Morgan concerned me. Clearly they were close, but I assumed that of most people in this town. They all knew one another, presumably for generations, and harbored secrets about one another that would make us start looking for actual skeletons in closets, or inside renovated walls.

Then again, Ella’s reaction felt different. And, unfortunately, I couldn’t deduce why without asking around.

Cade and I walked the ranch with Deputy Burke, speaking to the workers, all of whom were from the three counties, and asked if they’d ever seen Jewel, or if they were willing to talk about Lindsey. Most everyone knew Lindsey, of course, but upon further questioning, I started to get the impression that the Morgans were … odd.

Naturally everyone around here was religious, but the way the locals spoke about the Morgans, namely the parents? Red flags started going up in my mind.

I would give Meg a shout later in the day, but upon hitting a dead end for Jewel, Deputy Burke led us back to town where we wound up at the local diner. We asked around further, but nobody seemed to know Jewel. I drew closer to the conclusion that Cade and I wouldn’t find our missing girl in Treasure Falls, and we’d need to widen our search.

The best thing we could get was another cell phone ping. Or any communication from Jewel herself. A tip from a bystander somewhere else? Shit, the list was bigger than I thought, but I refused to believe her phone had pinged in Treasure Falls on a fluke.

She had to have turned her phone on. Or turned airplane mode off.

The possibility that she’d been picked up or coerced by someone who could’ve trafficked her hadn’t escaped me. In my head, I considered a scenario where she’d somehow gotten away from her captor while at a pitstop and she’d turned her phone on in the hopes she could contact somebody. It meant her disappearance wasn’t connected at all to Lindsey Morgan’s, though we had no proof of that anyway. Of anything. It only meant that her phone pinging in the hometown of the girl who’d disappeared three years prior was a coincidence.

Still, I had to think we’d come here for a deeper reason, one I couldn’t figure out. Given how we’d only been in town for less than twenty-four hours, though? Nothing was supposed to make sense yet. That was why we questioned people and paid attention to our surroundings.

By the time we returned to the sheriff’s office, we’d gotten nowhere. I’d hoped to find at least one person who might’ve stumbled across Jewel, but alas, Cade and I weren’t so lucky. We checked in with Seattle, and they told us to hang tight for their latest report from the Cyber division before we made any decisions about moving on. Surely without any other leads, staying in Treasure Falls would only serve to waste time, and I wasn’t about to entertain that idea.

Only Deputy Mossier was present when we entered the building with Deputy Burke, and she informed us that Sheriff Fitz would be back shortly. It was just after two o’clock, and they allowed us to use an interrogation room so we could call Meg, knowing full well she might not answer in the middle of the day.

To my surprise, however, she did, and I put my phone on speaker so both Cade and I could hear. “Go ahead, Meg, you’re with both me and Cade.”

“Hey, Robbins,” she greeted my trainee. “So what do you have for me?”

“What do you know about the Morgan family’s relationship with the Burke family?” I asked, sitting back in the uncomfortable metal chair while my phone sat in the middle of the table which I only assumed was made from the exact same material.

Meg replied, “Their families go back generations. Unconfirmed, but they might be distant cousins, which isn’t surprising for a community as small as theirs. Records from around the time they settled are a bit messy. But it would be many generations back, even before they made it to Montana. Both have roots in England going back to the eighteenth century so the familiar connection would be found there.”

“Well that would make sense, considering how a member of the Burke family reacted when we showed up,” Cade said. “Do you know anything about Ellory Burke?”

“Her name comes up in the case files a couple times, but only as someone who we interviewed in terms of where Lindsey Morgan might’ve gone,” Meg explained. “She used to babysit for the Morgans and all the kids got on well despite their age differences.”

Raising a brow, I asked, “What did they ask Miss Burke?”

“She seemed to be the one person Lindsey was comfortable confiding in, so they asked if she knew anything about her plans to run away, or who she might’ve been talking to online. Unfortunately, Ellory seemed to know very little. Lindsey expressed wanting to leave Treasure Falls. She told her that someone was hurting her, but she didn’t disclose who. And she opened up about her doubt in the existence of God, which I imagine wouldn’t have gone over well with her parents since they’re religious extremists.”

Scoffing, I said, “I kinda get that impression about everyone around here. Some more so than others.” More conservative areas tended to skew heavily religious. I was raised in a secular household. Before he’d died, my grandpa told me about how he’d been brought up, forced to go to mass every Sunday, but he stopped going as soon as he left home because he didn’t believe in it. He never stopped anyone in his family from going, even my dad when he went through a discovery phase, saying people needed to figure things out for themselves.

But above all, the church shouldn’t influence the government or its policies.

“Treasure Falls is certainly a majority Evangelical town,” Meg said. “I’d argue there are worse places around the country for the hardliners. Still, they’re all good Christians around there, and none more devout than the Morgans. And without cooperation from the sheriff’s office, we can’t exactly prove that they abuse their children.”

“What do we know about them outside their religion?” Cade asked, wringing his hands together as he leaned on the table, his eyes locked on me even with the question directed at Meg.

Our colleague sighed. “Not a lot. The parents are divorced. Carl and Amanda married in 1996. They had their twins, Carly and Carter in 2004 after years of miscarriages. Lindsey came along three years later. Court records show they divorced in 2018.”

The urge to roll my eyes and groan became difficult to hold back. Carl, Carly, and Carter. Jesus Christmas, these people were lame.

Meg continued, “Carl lives in Billings now. He works as a salesman for a major car dealership. Up until they turned eighteen, the children went to see him every weekend, and he’d come for holidays. I assume Lindsey would’ve hated the prospect of going alone for three years. Her siblings had just turned eighteen a couple months prior to her disappearance.”

“Was the custody agreement court ordered?” I asked, keeping my glance at Cade.

“No, they came to a peaceful resolution,” Meg said. “Court only had to grant the divorce once the mediators drew up the documents. For their situation, things played out rather quickly. Montana’s divorce process is one of the fastest in the nation. I know from personal experience, and I was fortunate enough to not have children involved.”

I hadn’t known Meg was married before, but it also wasn’t any of my business.

“Any proof that they were actually abusing their children?” I asked. “If Lindsey confided in Miss Burke that someone was hurting her, I’d assume our main three suspects are her mother, her father, or her preacher.” Scenarios like that were all too common in our country, even in the Year of Our Lord, or whoever, 2025.

“Nothing that’s ever been reported,” Meg said.

Cade added, “In a small town like this, with people who look out for each other, unless it’s really bad, they more than likely don’t say anything. Or they’re so old school that they don’t view it as abuse. They’ll say it’s simply disciplining their children and people will look the other way. Even teachers, who are mandatory reporters, will turn a blind eye. It’s how they were raised. They don’t know any better.”

I wondered if Cade spoke from experience. Granted, he grew up in a heavily populated area, but knowing what I did about his background meant he had first hand knowledge on the subject. In the back of my mind, I made a note to tread carefully, not wanting to bring up any trauma Cade harbored. He wouldn’t be any good to me if something triggered him.

“Would you be able to speak with the Morgans?” Meg asked. “Or at least Amanda and the twins? My case is winding down so I can find some time to question Carl here in Billings.”

“We’ll see what we can do,” I said. “But with no leads on Jewel, and pending the report from Cyber we’re waiting on, we might not be around much longer.”

And just then my phone chimed with a push notification dropping from the top. Cade’s did as well. An email appeared, and I tapped the screen, opening the very message we’d been waiting for. “Ah, here it is,” I said, my phone still connected to Meg. Cade also opened his, both of us browsing through the information.

Cyber had managed to break through the encryption enough to place the true sender in Montana, but they were still narrowing their search. The address seemed to hop between three servers: Billings, Helena, and Glasgow. Treasure Falls laid within the triangle formed by those three cities.

We were definitely in the right place.

“I don’t think we’ll be leaving any time soon,” Cade said, peering up at me, his phone settled between both hands.

Nodding, I said, “We either haven’t met our suspect yet, or they’re an excellent liar.” Considering how many people we’d met, I couldn’t imagine the list of remaining locals being very long. No matter the case, we wouldn’t need to go far for results.

“Meg, we’ll see what we can do about speaking with Amanda Morgan,” I directed back into my phone. “Keep us updated, yeah?”

“Of course,” she said. “It might be a couple days, but you’ll hear from me once I’ve questioned Carl.”

“Thanks,” I said before we said our goodbyes just as a knock came from the other side of the door. Cade and I looked as it opened, Deputy Mossier poking her head inside. “Hey, Fitz is back.”

I left the room with Cade moments later, heading out to the main area where Sheriff Fitz stood chatting with Deputy Burke. With his hands casually looped through his utility belt, he said, “Ah, there ya are,” when he noted our presence. “How’d things pan out for you folks?”

“Not as well as we’d hoped,” I answered, “but we received further information from our Cyber division. They narrowed down the location of Jewel’s chat buddy to somewhere within a triangle from Helena to Billings to Glasgow. This means we’ll be sticking around and continuing our search.”

Suddenly, the mood shifted. I noted the curl of the sheriff’s lip as he stared at me, and the twitch in the corner of his eye. “Oh. I see.”

I crossed my arms, readjusting my stance. “We spoke to many locals today, but I suspect there are more who come around at night from your neighboring counties.” At least that was the impression I got while hearing people talk. “There’s no guarantee the sender is from here, and given how big the triangle is, we could still be hours out of our way.”

Though, I suspected, we were right where we needed to be given how Jewel’s last known location was here. And it didn’t hurt that there was a missing local no one seemed to be searching for, even three years later.

Cade added, “If things take us away from Treasure Falls, we’ll head that way. But for now, we need to do our due diligence for Miss Johnson’s sake. Her family deserves answers, and she deserves to come home.” He locked eyes with Fitz, his subtle tone forcing me to suppress my smirk. Frankly, I didn’t know Cade had it in him, but I couldn’t have been more proud, and I suspected he took this seriously due to his own experiences.

Agents weren’t supposed to get emotionally attached to their cases. That didn’t always work out, and sometimes having such a strong connection turned out to be beneficial. I only hoped Cade’s would be, at least if I’d come to the right conclusion.

I also suspected that bringing Lindsey Morgan up by name would make Fitz less cooperative. Since we weren’t officially investigating her disappearance, I decided to keep my mouth shut. We’d get more out of him by keeping everything centered around Jewel.

Fitz cleared his throat and said, “Well, if we can be of any assistance, let us know. I’ll make sure one of my deputies is available to escort you at all times.”

He sounded annoyed, but like he was trying desperately to hide it. I figured as much given his physical reactions moments earlier.

Nodding, I said, “Appreciate your willingness, Sheriff. We’ll get out of your hair for now, but should anything come up, you’ll be our first call.”

Cade and I left moments later, hopping back into our SUV and turning the engine over. I didn’t put the vehicle into gear, however. Instead, I sat and watched the door, wondering what the sheriff’s next move would be. How badly had we made him sweat with just that small amount of information?

“What are you thinking?” Cade asked.

Without turning my attention to him, I shook my head. “I know he’s going to be a problem. How much so, however, is the question.”

“Agreed,” Cade said. “We’ll have to be careful how we go about questioning people regarding Lindsey. It may be best if we don’t bring her name up at all, and pretend we don’t even know about the case.”

Nodding, I said, “At least in public. But we still need to question Amanda Morgan and her two remaining children. I think that means, when we can, we split up.”

“I can handle the Morgans if you think that’s best,” Cade offered.

Finally looking at him, I said, “Let’s just play it by ear and see how things feel when we’re able to catch Amanda at home. I’d prefer to keep everyone separate, and we don’t know if her twins still live at home. If they do, we need to ensure they aren’t there when we arrive.” No sense in forcing them to lie, especially if their parents similarly abused them the way I suspected they abused Lindsey.

Of course, I didn’t know for sure. Based on the profile we had, though? The odds were high.

“Heard,” Cade said. “Are we headed back to the motel?”

“Yeah, we’ll stop and grab some fuel first, then work from the room unless something major comes up. I need to compile our notes into the report, dig into Lindsey’s case file, then I want to examine Cyber’s findings closer.”

“I can do that,” he said. “Gives you time to review the other stuff.”

Truth be told, Cade would be able to decode the Cyber report far better than I would. He would understand their verbiage right away, whereas I’d stare at a sentence for five minutes before understanding what they’d been trying to say. The tech stuff didn’t always go over my head, but splitting the work between us would help move things along.

“Great,” I said, grabbing the gear shift and sliding into reverse. “Let’s get out of here.”

One pit stop at the diner later with plenty of food to keep us satisfied for the rest of the day and night, we headed back to the motel where we parked right in front of our door and next to Ella’s blue truck. As we got out and started toward the door, I noticed her exiting the next room over with a toolbox, her face and hands covered in black marks, and a dirty rag hanging from her front right pocket. She was sans cowgirl hat, her hair up in a high ponytail, and had swapped her frilly jacket out for a utility jacket which she’d tied around her waist.

Ella noted our presence as she shut the door, scowling as it clicked. “I just can’t seem to avoid you two,” she commented.

A frown crossed my lips. “I imagine that’s normal for as small a town as this,” I commented as Cade opened our door and took the food inside. Instead of following him, I remained in place and raised a brow, crossing my arms as I turned toward her. “Besides, this is the only place to stay in town.”

“Shouldn’t you be out asking unwanted questions of the townsfolk?” she asked, gripping her toolbox as she swung it around in front of her, both hands secured on the handle.

“I think I could be asking you about Lindsey Morgan,” I said. “Seems like you don’t want to talk about her. Why might that be?” I cocked my head to the side, already knowing the answer, but wanted to see how much she’d reveal of her own volition.

“None of your fucking business, Boy Scout,” she said as Cade reappeared, standing in the doorway just in my peripheral. “She’s not even why you’re here, so why the fuck do you care?”

Bringing my head level again, I answered, “Because she and our girl have similar profiles. And I’ll bet it’s not a coincidence that Jewel Johnson led us to the place another missing girl was from.”

“So you’re saying someone from around here did something?” Ella asked.

“Would that be so unbelievable?” I rebutted. I knew what the statistics said. Most crimes in small towns like these were covered up because they saw it as being in line with their religion. Domestic abuse, child rape, and drug crimes? Easily the top three. Of course, I couldn’t say that to Ella without pissing her off, even if it seemed like every word out of my mouth would send her spiraling.

Ella scoffed. “I won’t even dignify that with a response.” Though even as she said it, I noted how her eyes dilated. I’d struck another nerve.

“Then I have my answer,” I said. “You may not like that we’re here, Miss Burke, but we have a job to do. Two young girls are missing. Children.” Sometimes people forgot those under eighteen were still kids, and even if Lindsey Morgan would technically have been eighteen by now, she’d disappeared as a minor, and that mattered a great deal in the grand scheme of things.

“You don’t have to remind me how young they are,” she fumed, stepping toward me until there was no space between us. “I want Lindsey found, I just don’t want you to be the ones to do it.”

A light breeze blew past us, and despite it being mixed with grease, I caught a whiff of her scent. It caught me off guard, the mixture of earth and leather that swirled through my nostrils and took hold of me. I’d never anticipated such a scent from a woman, and yet it suddenly became my new favorite thing.

But why?

Why in the fuck would I like it? Especially coming from her?

---

CADE

Nearly every muscle in my body clenched as I stood in the doorway of our motel room, watching Fletch and Ella get in each other’s faces. Something about it frightened me, and I couldn’t put my finger on why. Perhaps they reminded me of my mother and her boyfriend, the man who absolutely was not my father, despite him being around all the fucking time. All the arguments I tried to block out as I attempted to sleep; the looks of volatility; the way they never seemed to get along yet he was always there when I woke up the next morning, naked beside my mom in her bed, or on the couch because they two of them just couldn’t stop having sex to try to mend things.

Sex was never the answer.

Yet, as Fletch spoke with Ella nearly pressed against him, I swallowed hard, reminding myself to breathe.

“I don’t give a fuck what you want, Sweetheart,” he said, keeping his volume down but held the authority he carried. “I’ll bring the whole damn Bureau down to this shit hole and tear every inch of it apart. I don’t care if I have to interrogate every person who’s ever set foot in this town, I will find Lindsey Morgan, and by the end of it, you’ll be on your knees begging for forgiveness for insulting me. And I’ll make you grovel in front of every person you’ve ever loved only to deny and humiliate you like the brat you are.”

Holy fuck.

I had no idea what had come over Fletch. Not once had I ever seen him speak that way to someone on a case. Despite needing to learn from him while we were here, and make mental notes about how to be a good leader, his speech to Ella certainly wasn’t something to take a lesson from.

And still, I wouldn’t ever forget it.

Equal parts arousal and horror swept through me. I’d always enjoyed watching him take charge, but the way he looked at Ella while he said it? Plus, noting the way she tried to stop herself from biting her lip.

Jesus Christ. No, it couldn’t be happening.

Suddenly my mom and her boyfriend took their place. The sexual tension; the natural clashing of two strong personalities?

Breathe, Cade. You need to breathe.

“I never beg,” Ella said. “And I never get on my knees for a man. He gets on his knees for me.”

“Is that a promise?” Fletch asked, his tone dropping. Husky. Low. The perfect pitch a man could use if he wanted to seduce a woman.

Ella’s lip almost curled, but I noted how she caught herself. “I can make it a threat if you’d like, Boy Scout.”

“Threatening a federal agent? That’s a serious crime, Sweetheart. I wouldn’t recommend it.” Fletch kept his tone even, not flinching even once. Nothing intimidated him. I’d watched him through enough cases to know.

Yet, something about the way he acted with Ella was different. And I didn’t like it. The hard knot in my stomach served as a big indicator.

“Mmm might be worth it,” Ella said before slowly turning away, her eyes being the last thing I saw before I backed into the room, stumbling and hitting the chair by the door. My ears started ringing, my throat closed up, and my heart raced fast … so fast that I knew what was happening.

Lord, I didn’t need one of these now. I’d been doing so well.

I barely heard Fletch’s voice as I collapsed in the chair, my sporadic breathing making the nerves in my body tighten up more. My vision grew blurry as Fletch’s face came into view, feeling the faintest hint of his touch as he placed his hands on either side of my head.

“Cade? Cade, come on, focus. Look at me.”

His hands dropped for a moment, and he ran to the mini fridge to grab a bottle of water, which I only knew after feeling the coolness from the bottle against my neck when he returned. Fletch held it there for a moment before ripping the cap off and bringing it to my lips.

“Drink. Slowly.”

As soon as I’d calmed down enough, I obeyed, taking one shaky sip and letting the cold liquid soothe my throat. Once I swallowed, I gasped, a huge bout of air refilling my lungs, and my muscles began to loosen.

“Easy,” Fletch said, my vision refocusing better than before. He knelt in front of me, one hand in mine and the other holding the water bottle. Worry covered his face, which didn’t surprise me in the slightest. No one had seen me have an anxiety attack before at work. Not in the office, not in the field.

Again, I’d been doing so good keeping things under control.

Closing my eyes tight for a moment, I inhaled deeply, exhaled, and repeated several more times, letting my body relax. The residual anxiety continued tingling throughout me, and I suspected it would be an hour or so before I felt one hundred percent normal again. Hell, I’d almost forgotten what it felt like. It had been so long, I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d gone down the way I had.

As I reopened my eyes, I saw Fletch still in place, kneeling before me. I felt a slight squeeze of my hand as I regained control of my body as much as I could in the moment, but still feeling incredibly embarrassed for everything. Why did it have to be in front of Fletch? Why did it have to be in front of Fletch when we were alone?

“Are you okay?” Fletch asked.

One more big inhale, and I managed to nod as I exhaled. “Yeah, I … I will be.”

“What happened?” he asked.

“Panic attack,” I answered. “I get them sometimes. Not as often as I used to. I actually can’t remember when I had one before this, but I generally do well with managing my anxiety. Work tends to keep me occupied on things unrelated to my triggers.”

Fletch frowned. “Do you know what triggered you?”

I couldn’t tell him the truth. The problem, however, was he’d see right through my lie. Even if the situation didn’t warrant it, I knew from experience that turning off our analyst brains was easier said than done. Mine didn’t work so well at the moment due to my current state, but once I’d relaxed, I’d be back in high observation mode.

The only way I could ease his concern was by telling him only what he needed to know.

With a nod, I said, “Yeah, but it’s not a big deal. Promise. Sometimes it’s the little things, and I usually get through it okay. It won’t happen again.”

God, I hope it doesn’t happen again. Not in front of him.

I couldn’t handle losing it around Fletch. The number one question circling in my mind became, ‘Does he think I’m weak?’ Fletch was the one person whose opinion mattered most, especially when it came to how we – how I – handled this case. How I carried myself, how I contributed, and how it all ended. Me becoming SSA of our team meant everything, even if Fletch wouldn’t be there in the end.

Fletch nodded slowly, keeping a soft tone about his voice. “I just want to make sure you’re okay. And if you feel the signs come on again, just grab my arm and squeeze it. I’ll stop whatever we’re doing so you can get through it, and I’ll help however I can.”

Honestly, what would’ve helped in that moment was being one hundred percent truthful. In the end, however, it seemed like it would only help for a moment. I could see the alternate reality in my mind, and how telling him I’d been attracted to him for years would’ve made him retract. Plus telling him how Ella had captivated me from the moment she first stepped out of her truck, and watching the two of them argue with such erotic tension between them setting off every nerve in my body? The fear I constantly harboured about being alone in life, but being too afraid to actually put myself out there?

For one, I couldn’t be attracted to two people, especially not my boss, and certainly not someone who I’d never see again once I left this place. For another, these were personal hangups, and I needed to work them out for myself.

No sense in getting Fletch involved.

Yet, him holding my hand didn’t do any favors.

His hands were softer than I’d imagined. Still a bit rough, but they were just right for me. Was he even aware that he was stroking mine with his thumb? I certainly was, and I wanted to swallow my nerves away, but held myself together, despite the added difficulty of staring into his eyes. Christ, his eyes … I saw concern in them, and I worried it wasn’t as genuine as I was imagining.

But fuck if they weren’t the most stunning brown I’d ever seen.

“Thank you,” I said. “I promise I’ll keep things under control, though. We won’t need to worry about me slipping up again. Once is embarrassing enough, especially in front of you.”

Fuck, why did I say that?

The words seemed to vomit their way out, but Fletch didn’t react in an alarming way. He only gave me another nod and said, “Okay. And don’t be embarrassed. We’re all human and these cases can get to us. I think sometimes people forget we’re beings who feel genuine emotions, even if the system tries to beat it out of us.”

Some were way more successful than others at keeping their humanity. Others seemed to let their souls be drained from their bodies. They became machines for the powers that be. Once upon a time, I’d thought Fletch might’ve lost his. The way he handled cases made it seem like nothing could break him.

But the way he’d handled my situation, and even helped me through it? It made me reconsider everything I’d thought about him.

Unfortunately, it made me fall harder for him, too.

---

ELLA

Storming into the office, I slammed the toolbox down on the counter where Felicity sat reading a book, leaning back in her high chair, only supported by the wall beside her. She peered up at me, keeping her head aimed at the worn-out copy of To Sir Phillip, With Love, the fifth Bridgerton book, and her favorite in the set. I’d found a special edition copy for her online and snagged it for her birthday coming up in a couple of weeks, wondering if she’d replace the copy that was currently falling apart in her hands, or if she’d just use it as a shelf trophy.

“You good?” she asked, turning a page while keeping her eyes on me.

“How can you sit there so calmly and read romance novels when there are two feds wandering around unchecked?” I asked, gripping her side of the counter as I leaned over it. My heart rate continued to keep the accelerated pace I’d picked up as soon as I confronted the Boy Scout who seemed to like being adversarial. How had they let him in the field if he treated people so badly?

Felicity giggled, closing the book and setting it down without marking the page. “El, chill. They’re here to do a job. It doesn’t have anything to do with us. They’ll get the info they need about their missing girl and they’ll move on. Easy peasy. Besides, it’s not like any of us broke the law.”

“No, but why didn’t anyone seem to care about Lindsey this way?” I rebutted. “Those fuckers from Billings couldn’t even bother to show up in person for us. Instead we all sat in Fitz’s interrogation room while they phoned in. Meanwhile, this Jewel girl has two local feds crossing state lines for her. It’s not fair!”

A frown replaced the small grin on my best friend’s face. She reached over and placed a hand on top of mine, patting it twice. “I know, El. She was like a baby sister to you. Or another one.”

The Morgan kids were all like younger siblings to me, but none more so than Lindsey. She deserved so much better, and I wished Fitz had cared enough to call in her disappearance earlier. I wished the feds from Billings cared more to come up to see us in person. Why hadn’t they come? Why didn’t she matter enough?

And why was there an agent tipping off out of state feds, not brave enough to come to Treasure Falls herself?

“It makes me so angry,” I said, trying to keep everything together. Getting animated wouldn’t do me any good. “What was that other girl doing here anyway? How the hell had she come through our town, and why was she near the ranch?”

“Well, I assume that’s what your new favorite strangers are here to find out,” Felicity commented, her eyes widening just a bit.

Scoffing, I said, “‘Favorite.’ Hilarious.”

“Come on, El, don’t be daft. I know there’s more to this than being angry about their presence,” Felicity said. “We’ve been friends long enough for me to pick up on subtle hints, even if you can’t see them yet.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I asked, unable to process her meaning. What hints?

Felicity removed her hand, leaning back against the wall again. “They’re both pretty attractive, aren’t they?”

Another scoff left my throat, this one accompanied by a high-pitched noise I couldn’t describe. Hell, I’d never made such a noise before. “You’re joking.”

“Just making an observation,” my bestie said. “I saw the way you stared at them in the truck.”

“I didn’t stare at them in the truck,” I rebutted. “Are you out of your damn mind?” How in the world could she possibly think that? Sure, they weren’t bad-looking, and maybe I’d imagined FBI agents being old, ugly losers because of how they treated Lindsey’s case, but that was beside the point.

Felicity shrugged. “I dunno, Ells. They’re both pretty dashing. I mean, the blond looks kind of dorky, but in a good way. And the gruff look of the other one? With those muscles? Straight out of a western romance novel. He could probably bench you without breaking a sweat.”

“Well, if you think they’re so attractive, why don’t you go after them?” I asked. “I mean, for fuck’s sake, if anyone needs a good dicking between the two of us, it’s you.”

“Mmmm, pretty sure I get it more than you.”

“From who?”

Felicity stared me straight in the eye and said, “Justin.”

This brand new information floored me. My eyes widened and my mouth dropped. Justin was so much older than us, and yeah, our options were pretty limited in this town, and we couldn’t always commute to Billings. Unless we wanted to try Internet dating, which I absolutely did not. Perhaps I was old fashioned, or maybe it was me keeping my guard up because of how badly things had ended with Devon, but I wanted to meet someone in person.

People could lie on the Internet. And true, they could lie in person too, but it was far easier to tell fibs behind a screen than when face-to-face with someone.

“You … You and Justin?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yeah. We’ve been shagging for a bit, on the down low, of course. He asked me last night to be exclusive with him. I said yes.”

Frankly, I couldn’t believe it. Justin wasn’t a horrible guy, but Felicity could do so much better than a man old enough to be her father. I wanted to tell her that, just like she’d told me how I could do so much better than a man who beat me regularly, but no good would come of it.

“Are … Are you sure?” I asked.

“Absolutely,” she said. “When he asked, I didn’t even hesitate. I mean, I would’ve continued fucking him with no other strings attached, but I started catching feels somewhere along the way. And it’s glorious, Ells.” I caught the way her lip curled as she spoke, right around that statement. “It probably means I’m never leaving this place, but for Justin, it’s worth it. For the first time, I could see myself being happy here for the rest of my life.”

Most people who grew up in Treasure Falls in the last several decades had dreamed of leaving. And with so few who got the opportunity to, or at least never came back after leaving, we sat there and envied those who did. Some found happiness here. I thought, perhaps, I could do just that with Devon. I’d deluded myself into thinking we’d be together forever, and he’d take care of me properly. As I grew older, however, I wondered if my time had run out, and I’d remain here, forced to be miserable.

But maybe as long as I had my best friend, I’d be alright.

Forcing a small smile, I said, “Well, then, I’m happy for you, Lis.” Rarely did I ever call her by her nickname, but when it slipped out, it was usually due to me being in my own feelings, good or bad.

I hoped she couldn’t read too much into it.

“Thanks, Ells,” she said. “But anyway, back to your thing: I don’t know if you’re interested or not. It doesn’t actually matter. But you had to admit, they are very attractive men in different ways. I’d certainly take a chance on at least one handsome stranger who came through this town. How often do we get visitors here? At least ones we don’t know, or aren’t related to locals?”

While I conceded her point, it didn’t make a difference. The Fancy Boys might’ve been good looking, but what did that have to do with literally anything?

Shaking my head, I said, “No, not a chance. I don’t like them.”

“Who said anything about liking them?” Felicity asked. “Besides, the way you were talking to the brown haired one just now? I thought I was gonna have to turn the cameras off.”

Fuck. She’d been watching the cameras. I usually forgot they were there since they were so low quality and I didn’t tend to look up very often.

Felicity started laughing. “Come on, Ells, the sexual tension was so intense between the two of you, I can’t believe you didn’t push him into his room and let the other one watch. Seems like a load of fun, if I’m being honest.” She picked her book back up and fanned through the pages while keeping her eyes on me.

“You’re out of your mind,” I said. “I think you’ve been reading too many romance novels.”

“Maybe you’re not reading enough,” she shot back before returning to nineteenth century London.

Admittedly, it stung a little. Who was she to suggest I liked the two people who annoyed me most at present, especially Fletch? He drove me insane with the way he immediately came off as confrontational. If anyone needed a good fucking, it was him, but it certainly wouldn’t be with me.

Leaving the office, I hustled back to my truck and hopped in. A handful of minutes later, I pulled back into the driveway leading up to the ranch and parked once I reached the house. I noticed that my sister’s car was in the lot, so she’d finally returned home from … well, whatever the fuck she was doing these days.

Most of the ranch workers were leaving since the workday had wrapped for the most part. A few stragglers would continue hanging on as long as they could, but just about everyone would be gone by a little after sundown. Plenty were headed for Pepper’s, and others would head home to be with their families.

As they all headed to their cars, I spotted my sister amongst them, hugging a few of her friends before they departed. I leaned against my truck, waiting for her to make her way up for a few minutes before Thomas pulled around at the same time she crossed the main drive to meet me. Our brother honked his horn, and she waved as he continued driving right past on his next round.

“Hey, you,” I said, opening my arms and hugging my little sister. “Welcome back.”

“Thanks,” Jessa said, returning the embrace tightly. “It’s good to be home.”

“Where were you this time?” I asked as I let go, wrapping an arm around her back as we started toward the house.

She giggled. “New Mexico. There’s gorgeous landscape out there, and it was perfect for Bev’s newest costume.” Jessa’s best friend, Beverly, was a cosplayer and did things on the Internet. With Jess being into photography, she offered to do photos for her for free just to get a portfolio going. As I understood it, Beverly raked in enough money now to be able to pay her and cover travel expenses. They’d never been outside North America, but Jess was eager to travel abroad, especially to Asia.

“I assume you had a good time,” I said. “And that’s all that matters.”

“Plus a paycheck,” she said, turning slightly and pointing at me as we walked up the stairs, staying within my hold. “It’s a good side hustle. The photos are getting noticed, and I’ve even had offers from other people who want me to photograph them.”

“Local?”

“No!” Jess exclaimed excitedly. “People all over the country! There’s a girl in New York who wants me to come out and work with her. She says she loves my style and thinks I’d be perfect for this shoot she’s doing for an actual magazine!” She squealed as we reached the door, grabbing the handle for the screen first and swinging it open while the second door was already ajar.

I forced a smile, gritting my teeth as she rambled on, both of us stepping into the kitchen through the doorway where Mama, Papa, and Memaw sat at the table eating snacks and doing paperwork while dinner cooked on the stove and in the oven. A thousand different spices filled the air, and I couldn’t quite make out which ones Memaw had used today. She never used the same ones twice for the same dish, always wanting to mix it up and keep us on our toes.

“Ah, there you are, El,” Papa said, glancing up from his paperwork. “How’d it go at the motel?”

Jessa left my side and bounced over to hop into the seat next to him. I slid my hands in my back pockets and said, “Well enough. I got the furnace working again.”

“You’ve told her I’ll pay for all the upgrades that place needs, right?” Papa asked. “That poor girl can’t afford to keep that place going on the little bit of money they have. What happens if the place catches fire, or a tornado blows through?”

“I know, Papa, but you know she won’t let her pride go,” I said, stopping at the edge of the table directly across from him, right next to Mama. “She’s just like everyone else in this town.”

Papa huffed, picking up a baby carrot from the tray of veggies in the center. “You can say that again.” He popped it in his mouth before going back to his paperwork.

“Did the agents find what they were looking for at the cell tower?” Mama asked, setting her pen down and turning toward me.

Shrugging, I said, “Don’t know. Don’t care. I’m sure if it was something important, they’d have told us. Besides, no one around here knows that girl, so why should we get involved?”

“Well, if she was last heard from around our property, it’s gonna be our problem,” Papa said. “Maybe the feds will finally send a team from Billings up here like they shoulda done in the first place.”

Agreed. Make them get off their asses.

“You think they’ll start taking Lindsey’s case more seriously?” Mama asked.

“Hard to say,” Papa answered. “But I certainly hope so.”

I wanted to tell them about the Fancy Boys and how the Boy Scout seemed to be very determined to investigate Lindsey’s disappearance along with his own girl’s, but on the off chance that they let us down – which I counted on – I decided against it. Why would I believe them in the first place? Why should any of us believe them?

“Dinner’s just about ready,” Memaw announced, getting up and heading for the stove. “Somebody get Thomas on the horn, and tell him to get back up here. I’m tired of that boy living on granola bars and beef jerky. He needs an actual meal every once in a while.” She grabbed an oven mit and removed the boiling pot from the burner onto a warming pad.

“I got it, Dearest,” Papa said, grabbing his phone and dialing Thomas’s number. Jess and I started grabbing dishes and silverware for the table while Mama cleared off all the paperwork and laptops.

Thomas returned just in time for dinner, along with Ro who’d finished his shift for the day. We sat and ate the chicken concoction Memaw created this time, everyone going for seconds and finishing it all off, except for Thomas, who ate the bare minimum and went right back out to patrol. He grabbed a couple apples and an orange on the way out, while me and Ro cleaned up and Jess did the dishes.

Papa and Memaw retired to the family room for a few hours before bed, as they always did, and Mama left to go to the diner to help them close up for the night. Ro immediately went to shower, and while Jess continued with the dishes, I decided to retreat to my room. I didn’t much feel like going to Pepper’s tonight and seeing if they needed help, and wasn’t obligated to since I didn’t actually work there. Tyler appreciated when I dropped by to help, but he always told me it wasn’t necessary, and with it not being Pool League night, it wouldn’t be as busy. He, Carly, and Justin could handle things.

Once in my room, I undressed for the night, checking my arms to see how they were doing. The redness had gone down quite a bit, and the bumps weren’t as prominent, but the dry patches persisted. I grabbed my lotion and applied just enough to help it along, knowing it could either take a few days to completely settle, or just not go away for months since it never seemed to do the same thing twice in a row.

I also checked the calendar hanging in my room, knowing it was getting close to the start of my cycle. That would also complicate things, along with bringing new pain in my pelvic area, which I normally pushed through as much as I could. Sometimes it was so debilitating, however, that I couldn’t. Things had been going well lately, but I remembered how bad things used to get in my 20s, and getting older meant there was a possibility of new problems. My periods had changed so much since I started having them at 13 years old.

Just a symptom of getting older, I supposed.

Getting into bed, I decided to grab a book and read for once in my life. Normally, by the time I got home most nights, I was so exhausted I didn’t have time for much else. I’d get changed into my pajamas and crash. But by not going to Pepper’s or hanging out with Felicity, or even having a boyfriend to occupy my time anymore, I figured I’d resume a hobby I’d once enjoyed quite a bit when I was a teenager.

Back when I had to be out of the bar by 7 p.m., since no minors were allowed once it got dark.

Felicity regularly bought me books which I’d just piled up on my nightstand and ignored. They were all smutty romance books since it was her favorite, and I knew she’d read them all. I suspected she’d been trying to get me to take the hint about how men should treat a woman, or at least how women thought a man should treat them. Her way of saying, Ditch that abusive ass loser.

I’d finally taken her advice, but perhaps at great expense to my own mental health. And only after he’d beat me so badly and got caught in the act by his own father.

Thank God Tyler stepped in when he had. Thank God he’d been there to begin with.

After several chapters, which were fine enough, my eyes started to protest. It was late, and I figured I’d try to get a few extra hours of sleep in before my 5 a.m. alarm. I set my book down, turned the light out, and slid down under the covers, hoping sleep came quickly.

But even as it did, my dreams were invaded by scenes from the book I’d been reading … and instead of the main character and her love interest, I dreamt of me and the Fancy Boys.

CHAPTER FOUR

FLETCH

I didn’t sleep well.

Throughout our work session in the motel room, I constantly worried about Cade. Every two minutes, I’d look up from my computer and make sure he was alright while he reviewed the Cyber Division report. It seemed to keep him occupied and distracted from the anxiety attack he’d had, falling back into his normal personality after an hour or so, almost like nothing had happened.

He had to be putting on a mask for me. Surely he was determined to prove he could do this job without the stain of damaged mental health looming over him. After all, my report to Soames on his performance would determine how ready he truly was to take my job once I transferred. Perhaps this case, with the possibility of investigating abusive parents, would be his greatest test yet, and if he could pass it, he could do anything the Bureau threw at him.

I could only hope so.

At best, I got maybe three hours of sleep after laying awake and watching Cade. He slept soundly beside me on the other side of the pillow barrier, facing me, holding one of those pillows for support. Extra security? Something to keep him grounded, even during his slumber?

Analyzing him probably wasn’t a good idea. He was a colleague, after all, and his situation didn’t warrant me trying to build his profile. Besides, I’d already read what the Bureau provided. I knew enough. They knew enough. They still accepted him as an agent.

Still … I felt compelled to watch him. I felt compelled to protect him. And I didn’t know why.

Surrendering around four in the morning, I got up and changed into my running clothes, grabbed my room key, phone, and earbuds before stepping outside the door. I stretched for a few minutes before sliding my earbuds around my ears and turned my music on, commencing my run moments later.

I stuck to the path I’d scoped out a couple days prior and used yesterday morning, finding it was easy enough to follow along the main road, almost to the other side of the county line after only a few miles. On the way I passed the diner, which was opening up, the sheriff’s station, and a bar called Pepper’s. I made a mental note that Cade and I should make an appearance there, as I assumed there would be plenty of locals present who didn’t otherwise come to town. Even if we didn’t speak in depth with anyone, we could at least observe.

If someone around here was responsible, they’d slip up. Eventually.

After returning to the motel, I found Cade still asleep, so I hopped in the shower and freshened up for the day. By the time I finished, I heard Cade moving about outside the door, so he was up and at ‘em at least. As long as he’d gotten an adequate amount of rest, I wouldn’t worry as much. As I understood them, anxiety attacks took a lot of energy out of people. Having never experienced one myself, I couldn’t confirm first hand.

Stepping out into the room, I found Cade dressed and eating an apple with a pocket knife, slicing off small pieces while he stood at the window, peering out through the curtains. The sun had just begun rising, and the way it hit his face made him look ethereal. I stopped, struck by the scene, feeling a knot form in my stomach. My throat grew dry all of a sudden, and tingles vibrated their way around my body.

I had no idea what had come over me. I couldn’t even find the words to describe it.

The one thing I did know? He looked perfect.

And that frightened me.

Perhaps it was my lack of sleep getting to me, having stayed up and worried about him the entire time. Hell, maybe it was me being baffled at how he could just go on like nothing happened, showing remarkable resilience as we worked the previous evening and being as sharp minded as ever. I didn’t have the slightest clue, and not knowing made me feel uncomfortable.

Cade turned his head, noting my presence as I remained frozen just steps outside the bathroom door. He offered a small smile, half way through a chew, and said, “Morning.”

Clearing my throat and shaking my head, I said, “Morning. You sleep okay?”

He nodded, swallowing hard, and said, “Yeah. You?”

“Slept as well as I could,” I lied, moving to my suitcase where I set my running clothes down, separated from the clean garments. Perhaps my brain was evening things out for getting more sleep than ever the night prior. My body probably didn’t know how to handle it. “I was thinking we should head to the local bar tonight. There are probably folks from the surrounding communities who make their way there at night, and it’ll give us an opportunity to scope them out.”

“Sounds good,” Cade said. “What’s the plan for today?”

“I’m going to see if we can make contact with the Morgans, based on what Meg sent us last night,” I answered. “Jewel might be a dead end for the moment, at least until we can map out the possible routes she could have traveled. And that’s if she even left Treasure Falls.”

Her phone pinging here and then not again for, now, eight days didn’t sit right with me. There was a reason she either turned her phone back on, or turned airplane mode off, and I wondered if something didn’t go the way she’d hoped. Who was around here that made promises to give her a better life? And what had they done with her?

More importantly: Had they made those same promises to Lindsey?

Cade nodded, pushing himself off the window, half of his apple gone. “Are we going to consult the sheriff first?”

I shook my head. “No. I think it’ll be better if we go about this without them. I don’t trust him, and I’m unsure if we can trust his deputies not to run right to him and report what we’re doing.”

“I wish we had backup,” Cade said. “Our whole team should be here for this. They could at least distract the sheriff while we do whatever we need to do.”

“As much as I agree with you, we’ll have to do what we can here.” My only hope was that Meg could possibly sneak away from Billings and assist, but unless her case had wrapped up enough, she couldn’t neglect her primary duties. I understood that more than anything.

When Cade didn’t respond, I felt the sudden urge to check in with him. Even if I should’ve kept to myself, I’d witnessed an incredibly vulnerable moment with him and it had scared me to death, knowing what this case could do to him given his history. Any decent human being would ensure the stability and comfort of their peers, and I hoped Cade could at least count on me to be that, even if I didn’t always feel like one. Given the way I’d let my late wife and my daughter down, something needed to change, and it started with me.

“Are … Are you alright? After, … you know, everything?” I asked.

Cade offered another smile, but this one felt more reserved. “Yeah. Working helped a lot. As long as I have something to distract me, I’ll be fine.”

Despite knowing better, I asked, “Do you want to talk about it? Do – … Do you need to talk about it?” I wanted to be a lifeline for him. Something came over me as soon as I saw him collapse into the chair, and I grew determined to do whatever it took to earn his trust so he could be comfortable with me. I still couldn’t figure out why. The question crossed my mind multiple times over the course of the night as I observed him in his slumber, and no good answer presented itself.

Of course I cared about my team. I wanted them all to be comfortable enough to come to me with problems. Yet, I knew this want was far easier said than done, especially with how closed off I’d been after Tamika’s death. Even six years on, I remained a constant professional, but perhaps connecting with people was easier in one-on-one scenarios.

Maybe it was good that we were the only two on this assignment.

Cade shook his head. “No, Fletch, I’m good.”

A part of me didn’t believe him, and I didn’t understand why. Why couldn’t I take him at his word?

How untrusting of other people could I have been?

Pushing the issue wouldn’t do us any good. We had a job to do, and if we lost sight of our goals by worrying about one another – or me worrying about him – we would ultimately fail in bringing this case to a satisfactory end. I could only nod in acceptance and say, “Alright,” as I tried to come to terms with this not being the time or place to have such a discussion.

“When do you want to head to the Morgans? It’s still early, but if we have enough time, I’d like to take a walk,” Cade said.

With it being just before 7 o’clock, I figured we could spare a few hours. I needed to check in with Seattle and send my report in from the day prior so Soames could gauge our progress. So, nodding, I said, “Go ahead. Do whatever you need to do. I’ll be here.”

Cade’s lips curled, and I watched him leave the room a few moments later after grabbing his room key and his phone.

I sank down on the bed, a heavy sigh escaping me as I closed my eyes. We’d only been on this case for a few days, and somehow it seemed to be the most taxing case of my career. I’d seen so much in my time as an agent, yet every time I’d managed to keep a level head. Seeing Cade go through a panic attack, though? I wouldn’t ever forget how terrified I became, and even more so for not knowing why my worry lingered the way it did.

Why couldn’t I shake it away?

I should’ve been stronger than this.

---

CADE

Pushing through work took a lot more out of me, and I’d already lost a lot of energy after suffering such an intense attack. Thankfully, sleep did wonders for me. I still felt a little on edge, but far less so than the previous evening after everything played out. Fletch’s presence helped, and suddenly I was glad we’d been forced to share a room. Even if I didn’t want to, and couldn’t, talk about it, I also knew being alone wouldn’t help. Having another human being in the room brought me all the comfort I needed.

Fletch being that person probably helped less than it might’ve if it had been anyone else.

The edge that remained was, without a doubt, the embarrassment of losing my shit in front of him. I’d work through it in my own way, and at the very least, I could be grateful my brain functioned as well as it did to keep going through this case. Focusing on the details in Cyber’s report made me forget the incident for a time, all the way up until I went to sleep.

I put my ASMR Anxiety Videos playlist on in lieu of my sleep playlist, finding it helped get me relaxed faster, and pushed me into a slumber I desperately needed. By the time I woke up, feeling refreshed, I felt better about the day and reminded myself that we would probably only be here a few more days. Just long enough to interview these people, call for backup if needed, and get the hell outta here.

After Fletch came out of the bathroom, I thought it would be back to business as usual. Yet, when he asked me if I was okay, my whole body wanted to seize up with terror. Internally, I slapped myself, sending a sharp reminder that I couldn’t lose focus. No, I needed to keep my head on straight. Besides, nothing could come of me and Fletch because there wasn’t anything there to begin with. And Ella? In a few more days, I’d never see her again anyway. She was simply some woman. An insanely beautiful, strong-willed woman, but just some woman nonetheless.

Forming useless attachments to people would only bring more pain to my soul. Besides, I didn’t know anything about Ella, and what I did know reminded me of my mother. The abrasive personality, the fearless demeanor she wore when faced with authority … I shouldn’t have been attracted to those things.

But maybe I was because it was all I knew.

Not getting out and meeting new people really hindered my ability to find safety in numbers. I could’ve made friends with people who were like me, especially in a safe place like Seattle. I could’ve … and I hadn’t.

That was on me.

Leaving the room with my keys and my phone, I slid my earbuds on and hit shuffle on my music. I started down the road and took nice, steady breaths while ensuring my steps weren’t too quick. One foot in front of the other, one at a time. Focusing on the steps while listening to my music helped keep my mind away from my current predicament.

Yet, even as I redirected my mind, the thoughts kept returning. My long-time crush on Fletch; my obvious attraction to Ella; how they both reminded me of the people who destroyed me the most in life when they spoke to one another. It killed me inside. Little jolts of anxiety rippled throughout my being and, eventually, I had to stop at a nearby tree only a couple miles away from the motel.

Placing one hand on the trunk, I bent over for a moment, inhaled deeply, then slowly brought myself back up, exhaling as I did. Getting out of my head proved to be harder than I anticipated once I was back in it. All the work I’d done to find distractions when the memories returned seemed to disappear.

I quickly logged onto my therapy app in the hopes that my therapist could see me. They were out of New York, so with it being two hours ahead, they were definitely within business hours. I popped off a quick message, stressing my urgent need to speak, and slid down the tree to the ground where I planned to remain for however long I needed to wait.

Within ten minutes, my therapist replied and said they could chat now if I needed to hop onto a call. Immediately, I hit the call button, and after two rings, my therapist, Lila, a blonde woman in her early forties, appeared on screen. She offered a small smile, looking like she was sitting behind her desk instead of the chair she normally set up at.

“Hi, Cade,” Lila said. “What’s going on?”

“Hi,” I said before taking a deep breath. “I’m working a case away from home,” I began explaining, with her being aware I was in the FBI, “and … some unexpected things have come up.”

Lila nodded. “Okay. Tell me how it started.”

From there, I went into my spiel about how we were tracking down a missing person, and how the topic of abusive parents had arisen. I figured it would be best to begin there, especially since I hadn’t told her about my crush on Fletch, the one thing I’d been hiding from her: a crush on my immediate supervisor. And today, I knew I’d have to fess up.

“Is this the first time you’ve worked a case with potentially abusive parents involved?” Lila asked.

Shaking my head, I said, “There was one other at the beginning of my career. It wasn’t bad, though, at least not as bad as what I experienced, so it didn’t stir up a lot of feelings at the time.” The case had been just outside of Seattle. While all child abuse was awful, there were levels, and some kids got off a lot better than I had.

What my mother had done to me? Those memories would never truly go away. I could simply find ways of coping and, hopefully, healing.

Why had I gotten the worst of it? Why me?

And why had the smallest thing triggered those memories in the deepest corner of my mind?

“How does this one differ?” Lila asked, scribbling notes down.

Where to begin with it?

After contemplating, biting my bottom lip in the process, I answered, “It’s kind of involved, but … the profile we’re working with is suspected LGBTQIA Youth, and even if we don’t have proof yet, there are rumors that at least one was abused. So it just brought up a bunch of feelings, and I thought I had a handle on it, but …”

I trailed off, almost wanting to chicken out when it came to the next part. Saying it out loud made it real.

“Take your time,” Lila said. “We don’t have to get into everything today.”

Continuing to keep it to myself wouldn’t do any good. I couldn’t deal with the problem when I spent every day pretending it didn’t exist. No, we needed to talk about it. I needed to talk about it.

“I’ve been keeping something from you,” I said. “Something … Something I didn’t think was a big deal until yesterday. For the last few years, I’ve … I’ve had a crush on my supervisor. And he’s the only other person from the team on this case with me. And … we’ve been forced to share a bed.” I went on to explain the erection I woke up with, and how I basically started the day with a ton of anxiety because of it, hoping it painted a full picture, adding in how I didn’t think he even liked men so it presented a whole other problem for me.

Then, sighing, I said, “When we first got here, we met a local woman. I swear, I thought I’d seen an angel when I first laid eyes on her. But her personality is anything but angelic. She’s harsh, headstrong, and worst of all, she and Fletch got into it. It was like watching my mom and her boyfriend again, and in a similar setting, except I’m not a child anymore and I have no reason to be afraid of them. I trust Fletch. And as far as Ella goes, well … I don’t actually know anything about her except she doesn’t seem to like me because of what I do for a living.”

“Well, that hardly seems like a reason to dislike someone, but how often do you find yourself drawn to someone without knowing much about them?” Lila asked.

With her question, I couldn’t help letting a few tears escape from my eyes, unable to hold them back any longer. “A lot,” I admitted. “I know that probably makes me shallow being attracted to people for their appearance first, but … look at me. I’m not one of the pretty people.” I fell into an average category, at best, and perhaps I’d picked up the trait from my mom. She tended to go after conventionally attractive people. Hell, her boyfriend, despite being scum of the earth, was easily an 8.5 out of 10 before all the drugs and alcohol.

Lila frowned. “First of all, Cade, you are a handsome young man and you shouldn’t think so harshly of yourself. Anyone would be lucky to have you, and not just for your looks. You’re intelligent and kind, and having worked with you for the last few years, I can tell you easily that partners like you are hard to find. You’re doing the work to overcome your trauma in a world where society looks down on men who go to therapy. That says something about how strong you are. It’s not all about how pretty you are, or what you do for a living. You just have to be you. And when the right person comes along, they will love you for who you are.”

If anyone had witnessed my growth, it was Lila. And true, I might’ve been paying her to listen to my problems and guide me through solutions, but I trusted her judgment more than anything, even over my own grandparents.

Because if it ever came down to it, I suspected my grandparents would choose my mother over me. She was their baby. And while my mother was now out on probation, if she ever got in a jam, they would be on the first flight back to Michigan to bail her out or do whatever she needed, despite everything she and that piece of shit did to me.

I remembered their reactions the day she was arrested, and I would never forget them for as long as I lived.

Why would I place my full trust in them after that?

More tears fell from my eyes as I leaned against the tree, bringing my shirt up to dry them since I didn’t have any tissues. I always felt embarrassed for breaking down in front of Lila. Still, she remained patient and waited for me to get it out and calm down, a process which took a couple minutes at most.

Once I’d taken a few more deep breaths, preventing more tears from flowing, I asked, “So what do I do?”

“I think you know the answer, Cade,” Lila responded. “You’re on a job right now. That takes priority over everything else. I’ve seen you conquer other other problems, even if it takes time. At this point, there’s nothing you can’t face, even if it seems impossible right now. You know there’s a flurry of emotions running inside you, and that’s nothing new. They’re simply different combinations than you’re used to, but they are certainly manageable.”

Nodding, I inhaled slowly, letting the breath out at the same pace. “Okay. Focus on the job. I can do that, even with the parental abuse angle.” If that even truly existed, since we had no solid proof yet. The odds of it being legit were greater than not, but we couldn’t take chances either way. If the Morgans were innocent, then it would be better that we cleared them of any wrongdoing than ignoring it completely.

“You’ve got this, Cade,” Lila said. “I know you do. Just remember your exercises and, if necessary, find new ways to steer your thoughts away from the bad and back to the good.”

Take a walk. Listen to music. Think about the good times with my uncle.

I really didn’t know what else I could possibly add to the list, but surely it would present itself if I searched hard enough.

“Thanks, Lila,” I said. “And thank you for squeezing me in.”

“Any time, Cade,” she said. “You know I’m always here.”

I did. And I hoped I wouldn’t have to interrupt her calendar any more than this one time. As long as I could let the emotions out as I sat against the tree, put my head back on properly, and get back to it, perhaps I would be okay.

---

ELLA

Flying into town, I ran by Mort and Frannie’s diner to see if they had any extra boxes for a project Jess was working on. I wouldn’t ask what they could possibly be for, but she said literally any large boxes would do, even if they weren’t particularly clean. She could put them back together if need be, and would take anything they could spare.

I shoved the rest of my granola bar in my mouth before I hopped out at the diner and went in through the front. The place was busy, as always, for breakfast, and people placed their lunch orders to go. Most folks, even those on our ranch, ate and worked at the same time. We also set our fresh fruits and veggies, plus cheese and bread for anyone who wanted it between 11 and 1. For now, though, they were grabbing their breakfast burritos and biscuits, plus whatever else would fill them up.

Mort, a man in his sixties whom Papa had been a mentor to in their youth, stood behind the counter while Frannie, his wife, worked the grill, something they swapped duties for. Their granddaughter, Jade, a woman only a couple years younger than me, served tables and was currently chatting with patrons in the back corner booth. As I approached the counter, I asked Mort if they had any boxes. Frannie invited me to come back into the kitchen and look around near the side exit where they kept the trash and other disposables. I could take however much I needed since I brought Memaw’s special honey with me as a gift, something I knew I couldn’t walk into the diner without.

Thank God Memaw had some ready.

After picking up about ten boxes, all in different sizes, I thanked them, said hi to Jade, and ran out the door, also armed with a bag full of breakfast burritos and homemade salsa, which I hadn’t asked for, but they sent them ahead to the farm anyway.

Speeding off back toward the ranch, I noted a figure walking down the side of the road, someone I didn’t recognize right away. As I slowed, I found one of the Pretty Boys. The blond, Cade. He didn’t look like he was dressed for exercising or anything, so I wondered what the hell he was doing outside this time of morning in a t-shirt and jeans.

Turning my music down, I pulled up beside him, letting the truck roll along. Rolling down my window, I placed my left hand on the outside of the truck, leaning out toward him. “You should probably wear different clothes if you’re trying to exercise. I can’t imagine jeans are comfortable walking clothes.”

Cade turned to me, his hands in his pockets and his earphones secured over his ears. He’d probably heard me coming on account of how loud my truck was, even if I could hear his music clearly through the tiny device as he removed one. It sounded like Evanescence, but I couldn’t be sure since it wasn’t a song of theirs I was familiar with. But it definitely sounded like the voice of Amy Lee.

I noted the redness on his face, and how his eyes were puffy and glossed over. His lip trembled, and given his stance, I couldn’t have imagined this was normal for him.

Has something happened?

“Oh,” he started, “I’m not out here for my physical health. I just needed to get out for a second before we started for the day.”

“Are you alright?” I asked, pushing my foot down on the brake and throwing the gear in Park.

Cade sniffled, running the back of his wrist across his eyes. “Yeah, I’m good. Nothing to concern yourself with, Miss Burke.” He turned to start back toward the motel.

“Wait!” I said, prompting him to stop and return his attention to me. “Come on, let me give you a lift.” Plus, I didn’t necessarily believe him when he said he was okay, and if he’d just lied to me, I wouldn’t have felt right leaving him alone, even if it was only a couple miles back.

“No, I’m fine,” he said. “I need to be alone for the time being, but I appreciate your offer. However unexpected it might’ve been.”

His tone suggested that was his nice way of saying I can’t believe you offered such a thing after the way you’ve treated me and my partner. Or something.

Frankly, I didn’t blame him. I, too, almost didn’t believe I’d made the offer. Yet, after the dream I slept soundly through, an insane delusion of being taken care of by him and his partner in polar opposite ways, both of which I suddenly craved, I figured neither he nor Fletch had done anything to deserve my bitchy attitude. Even if Fletch still infuriated me with his rule following morals.

Perhaps I was simply starved for the touch of another. And perhaps dreaming about strangers would turn out to be safer, since I imagined they’d be gone after a handful of days. Not like we’d be besties or anything by the time they packed up and returned to Seattle. Even so, I didn’t have to be a cunt, even if that was my default setting.

“Look,” I said. “I’m sorry for the way I’ve come off towards you and your partner. You haven’t done anything wrong. Your partner comes off a little strong, but so do I, and I naturally butt heads with people just like me.”

Cade’s lips curled into a half-smile, at least attempting to look appreciative. “It’s alright. We get reactions like yours a lot wherever we go. People don’t like the government, and sometimes we’re the only representatives of it who show their faces in towns like this, and only when something bad happens. It’s part of the job.”

I could only imagine how much shit he and his fellow agents got whenever they traveled. The federal government was a joke, and they seemed so far away from a place like Treasure Falls. I never thought federal agents would descend upon my hometown, especially after the agents in Billings couldn’t be bothered to show up in person.

“Even so,” I said, “I’m sorry. I’m sure your job is tough. Hell, I could never see myself doing what you do.”

He chuckled, his smile growing. “It’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but you don’t strike me as someone who couldn’t handle it.”

Ah, a flatterer. I didn’t get the impression he actually wanted to flatter me, but he succeeded anyway. And his smile, however subtle, was adorable. Infectious, even. I mirrored the expression, finding it didn’t help in keeping my ridiculous fantasy from returning.

Get it together, El.

“Look, I can’t promise to play nice with your partner,” I said. “He seems to be keen on making sure he knows his dick is bigger than mine, at least metaphorically, so I’m sure we’ll continue clashing for however long you’re here. That said, I really do hope you find your missing girl. And … if it happens to lead to more information about Lindsey then … Well, I’m glad you’re both here.”

“I appreciate that,” Cade replied. “We’re just here to do our jobs and bring a young girl home if we can. After three years, I don’t know how much we’ll be able to dig up on your friend, but we’ll do what we can. So will our friend in Billings.”

Whoever this Agent Moore was, I certainly hoped she came through. I’d put faith in the Billings team before, and they’d let me down. They’d let so many people in this place down.

Especially Lindsey.

“Seriously, let me give you a ride back,” I said as another truck passed us on the road. “I know it’s only a couple miles, but it’ll get you out of this heat for a minute. Plus, I have burritos in here, and you look like you haven’t eaten.” Not unless he ate at five in the morning, which I doubted, since Mort and Frannie’s didn’t open until 6.

Cade sighed, his smile remaining. “Alright, you win.”

My expression grew, watching him walk around the front of my truck. The door was already unlocked after I’d placed it in Park, and I watched him hop inside after I moved the huge brown sack of food. Opening the bag, I presented it to him, and he didn’t even look, grabbing the first one he touched, wrapped in tin foil with BPE written on the side. Bacon, Potato, and Egg.

“Thank you,” he said.

“You’re welcome,” I returned. And though I knew better, after a moment, I had to ask, “Is it the case that got to you?”  I pointed at my own eyes, hoping to signal that I noticed the redness.

Cade sighed as he pulled the foil away from the food. “Kind of. I just … I have experience with abusive parents, and it’s always hard when there’s a defenseless child involved. I’m sure that’s true for everyone, unless you don’t have a soul, but for me, the difficulty is greater.”

Something in his tone suggested a deeper meaning in his statement. I couldn’t quite make out what it could be, and I didn’t want to assume he’d also been abused by a parent, or someone else in his life. However, the fact that he’d specifically mentioned ‘abusive parents’ led me to believe he’d given something away about his past, and he wouldn’t have done so otherwise.

Even if my abuser wasn’t a parent, I could still relate.

“You’re probably right,” I said. “Only monsters wouldn’t find a case like yours difficult. But no one deserves to be abused. Not by anyone. Especially not by someone who promised to love them.”

Cade stopped before he could take a bite, lowering his hands as he stared at me.

“Don’t worry about it,” I continued, once I realized he would ask. “I have a history of abuse myself. It’s not a big deal, and I’m not in that situation anymore. Still, if Lindsey or your girl were being mistreated by someone close to them, I hope you nail their asses to the wall. They deserve nothing less.”

“If you’re a victim of domestic violence, it absolutely is a big deal, Ella,” he said. “Have you spoken with anyone about it?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I have my friends and my family. They helped me out of it and I’m in a stronger place because of them.” If only my dad had still been alive when everything transpired. He would’ve killed Devon for laying hands on me. I supposed the best I could ask for was the protection of my almost-father-in-law in lieu of what might’ve been.

“You don’t speak with a therapist?” Cade asked.

Shaking my head, I replied, “We don’t have one around here. And I don’t like the idea of speaking to someone over video chat. The Internet’s not exactly a safe place.” Lindsey’s disappearance proved as much.

“Fair enough,” Cade said. “As long as you have people around you whom you can count on, that’s important. Everyone deserved that. Everyone deserves to feel safe.”

A lesson I learned later than I should’ve.

I realized I was leaning on the center console, and my pinky finger grazed Cade’s hand. I had no idea how long we’d been touching, but his hand was soft, and the innocent contact sent a chill throughout my body. Following it, a wave of anxiety swept in, and I pulled my hand away, clearing my throat after he glanced down between us, noticing the act.

“Well, let’s get you back,” I said. “I’m sure you and the Boy Scout have a busy day ahead of you.”

Cade chuckled. “Boy Scout. That’s, sadly, a perfect nickname for Fletch.”

“Not for you?” I asked, throwing the gear in Drive and slowly pushing on the accelerator.

“He’s way more serious about the job than I am,” he replied. “I mean, he has to be, as my supervisor and all. Though I suppose he won’t be for much longer.”

“Oh?” I asked, curious, turning my head toward him briefly before returning my attention to the road.

After taking a bite and swallowing, Cade said, “He’s training me to take his place. He’ll be moving to a different department. At least, if we bring home a win. Different departments and different teams means we won’t see a lot of one another.”

Why did he sound sad? He spoke the way I had in high school when I wasn’t allowed to see Devon for a week because he was grounded. The slight inflection in his voice gave it away. And I wouldn’t judge their situation, but I couldn’t get a good read on Cade’s true meaning.

All it meant was he was wrong when he said I could do what he did for a living … because I had zero idea what to make of the two feds in my town, or why they acted the way they did.

CHAPTER FIVE

FLETCH

As I waited for Cade to return, I sent a quick text to Marilyn asking how Zoie was doing. Marilyn, who usually woke up around 4 in the morning Seattle time, said she was doing good, and still sleeping for the moment. I figured she’d be up within the next hour, and I could possibly sneak out of the room and talk to her over FaceTime for a bit, at least until we had to go see the Morgans.

To my surprise, Marilyn’s number popped up on FaceTime twenty minutes later. I answered after the second ring, waiting for the connection, and saw my baby girl’s face as soon as she popped up.

“Hi, Daddy!” Zoie exclaimed.

“Hey, Zoie Woie!” I greeted. “What are you doing up so early?”

“I had to go potty, and I’m hungry,” she said. “Grammy said yesterday she would make waffles.”

Laughing out loud, I said, “Oh, did she? I bet that’s what you were dreaming about, huh?”

“Yeah! Waffles with bananas and chocolate syrup and whipped cream!” She giggled, her little face lit up with wide eyes and the biggest grin.

She reminded me so much of her mother. So damn much.

“Well, not too much chocolate syrup and whipped cream,” I said. “But you can have all the bananas you want.”

Zoie asked, “Can I have fifty bananas?”

“Fifty? That’s a lot of bananas! How about some other fruit?”

“Like strawberries and blueberries?” she asked.

“Sounds good to me,” I said. A good variety, and she loved her fruits and veggies. I told Marilyn and Rodney that I wanted her to have as little processed food and unnatural sugar as possible. Tamika was a health nut when it came to eating, much like I was about exercising, preparing most of her own foods from scratch, even ice cream. In the spirit of doing what I assumed we would’ve done together, we tried to keep her away from candy and other sweets, except in moderation.

It made Halloween difficult, but we managed.

“Grampy doesn’t like blueberries, but he said he keeps some just for me,” Zoie stated. “And Grammy wants me to try blackberries!”

“Oh, yes, blackberries are very good,” I said. “Maybe not on waffles, though.” Changing the subject, I asked, “What are you going to do today?”

“Ummmmm,” she said, drawing it out, “go to the park! Maybe it won’t rain this time!”

Rodney appeared in the background, kneeling down to Zoie’s level and waved at me. I waved back as he said, “Well, it’s raining right now, Punkin, so it might be a no-go there. But maybe we can go to the rec center.”

Zoie’s face lit up again. “Yeah! Rec center! I can go swimming!”

She could swim?

… My baby could swim?

Fuck, I’d been missing so damn much. I didn’t know she could swim, let alone that they’d been taking her to the rec center.

Rodney frowned upon making eye contact with me. He kissed the side of Zoie’s head and said, “Why don’t you help Grammy with the waffles. I’m sure she’d love her little helper to read the recipe to her.”

“Okay, Grampy,” she said. “Bye, Daddy. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby,” I said, trying my damnedest to keep my voice from cracking. “Be good. I’ll be home soon.”

Zoie handed the phone off to Rodney before skipping toward the kitchen. My father-in-law said, “You’re missing a lot here, Adam.”

“I didn’t know you were taking her to swim lessons,” I said. “Since when?”

“A couple months,” he said. “It hasn’t been long. She’s still getting the hang of things, but she loves it, and she said she can’t wait to go swimming with her Daddy. She’s just like Mika. That girl was a fish outta water. I swear, her soul transferred into her baby’s so she could continue living.”

I believed it too. Zoie was Tamika reincarnated. All I wanted was for her to be happy and be safe, something I would finally step up and do myself once the transfer went through. No more traveling, no more consecutive late nights. One way or another, I’d figure out what happened to Jewel, suspecting her situation was somehow related to Lindsey’s.

With or without the help of the local cops.

“I can’t wait to swim with her,” I said, trying hard not to cry. “Soon. I promise. As soon as we wrap this case up.” It would be the first thing I did when I returned home. Zoie and I would spend the whole day at the rec center swimming for as long as her little heart desired. I wanted to see all the things she’d learned. I wanted to teach her what I knew and help her skills grow.

Not just with swimming. With everything.

“I know, Son,” Rodney said. “But she asks us about it every day, wondering if today’s the day you’ll be home. Bring home that bad guy or gal or whoever it is, and be a father to your baby.”

That was the plan.

After hanging up with Rodney several minutes later, I heard the roar of a truck pulling up to the door. I stood up and went to the window, peeking out through the curtains and found Cade hopping out of Ella’s truck. I watched him wave to her with a small smile on his face as she backed away and sped off, kicking up dust in the process. He stood and watched her, hugging himself, until she got back on the road and headed in the direction of her home.

His smile though … Something about it didn’t sit right with me.

And it wasn’t so much his lips, but his eyes.

His eyes smiled, too.

I clutched the curtain, annoyance rising within me. Whatever my feelings were where Ella was concerned, they were beside the point. After a few days I’d never see her again, and the brief irritant in my life would evaporate. But Cade? Knowing how vulnerable he could become with this case? No, I couldn’t allow that to happen. My obligation to protect him didn’t stop at shielding him from anxiety attacks over the topic of abuse.

As his superior, I needed to save him from himself.

Letting go of the curtain as Cade turned and inserted his key in the door, I crossed my arms and waited for him to stop inside. He paused as soon as he saw me, one foot in the door, and his bright eyes suddenly dilated, the smile he wore fading.

“Fletch?” he asked. “What’s going on?”

“You know, Cade,” I began, “we have a duty to bring home a young girl and track down whoever’s responsible for luring her here. Every moment we’re in Treasure Falls, we’re on duty. That means our professionalism is to be shown at all times. Personal feelings must not interrupt our task.” I kept my eyes narrowed, not blinking once as I spoke.

Stepping in further, Cade shut the door and said, “Fletch, I don’t know what you think you saw, but –”

“But nothing,” I cut him off. “Ella Burke is a brief visitor in our lives. A difficult visitor, but nevertheless, she’s also possibly connected to this case. I would remind you that you must keep your guard up every moment. One screw up, and we could fail in a way we didn’t see coming.”

Cade swallowed, ringing his hands together, and nodded. “I know, Fletch. I’m sorry, she was just giving me a ride back.”

“Where did you go?” I asked, almost snapping.

“I just went for a walk a couple miles down the road. Stopped at a tree for a minute to pull myself together. Then I started back and she was headed this way, so she insisted on bringing me.”

His cheeks looked red, even before I began my lecture, so I wondered if he’d been crying. I suspected Ella knew this, and I worried he might’ve opened up to her in an extremely inappropriate way. As a general rule, agents didn’t get close to victims or people related to a case. We had to uphold professional standards.

Cade knew this. He knew it as well as I did.

The fact that I had to remind him made me angry in a way I couldn’t understand. Why him? Why her?

Why now?

“I sincerely hope that’s all it was,” I said. “Don’t let it happen again. As the next SSA of this team, you will be responsible for setting an example for your subordinates, and I expect you to follow mine.”

Cade nodded, his arms swinging around his back as he stood up straight. “Yes, sir. Heard.”

Part of me felt like an ass. Unfortunately, these conversations were part of the job. We had responsibilities to the people we served. I wouldn’t allow Cade to fail. If he failed, I could fail. Failure would mess everything up.

Clearing my throat, I said, “Right then. Get dressed. We have work to do, then we need to see the Morgans.” No more time to delay. As long as he’d gotten his head on straight, we could resume our tasks.

---

CADE

I never expected Fletch to react the way he had when I returned to the motel. As my superior, I understood why he’d made his speech, but somewhere inside, I didn’t like it. Nothing had happened between me and Ella.

Okay, there was the hand thing, but despite the momentary chill it sent throughout my body, I knew nothing more would come of it.

Ella was a distraction. I couldn’t afford one of those, no matter how much she captivated me. Seeing a softer side of her made me weak, something I had to push down. Tuck it away, ignore the brief lapse in judgment I’d made by getting in her truck. Though it turned out she actually possessed a heart, I suspected she didn’t know how to use it.

Or she’d forgotten, given that I suspected her history with abuse was at the hands of a significant other.

If her family and friends had helped her through it, only one option remained.

Not that it was any of my business. I couldn’t think about it. Still, seeing a sweetness come from her gave me butterflies. While she might’ve reminded me of my mother, the apologetic side certainly did not. My mother never apologized to me. The words “I’m sorry” might as well have been a foreign language to her. And while they might not have rolled off Ella’s tongue so easily, they sounded more sincere than most of the things I’d ever heard from my mom.

Fletch’s speech, meanwhile, while it sounded harsh, I knew came from a place of caring. I was used to getting lectures and being talked down to by Mom’s boyfriend, and I’d worked through that trauma, since physical abuse normally followed or accompanied the verbal abuse. I could handle criticism now. That’s all Fletch gave me: a demerit on my performance as an agent. He didn’t yell, despite the anger in his voice, and acted the way a superior should.

It only made me more attracted to him.

What the fuck was wrong with me?

After getting changed into my work clothes, we hunkered down again, reviewing our notes for the case and sent morning messages to the Seattle office while also checking in with Meg. She was hoping to get up to Treasure Falls in the next couple days, but she didn’t want to confirm commitment until she was on the road headed north. I couldn’t say I blamed her, knowing how crazy our jobs could be.

Around ten in the morning, Fletch and I headed out and drove several miles away from the motel to the place the Morgans called home. Only one car sat in the driveway, and a middle aged woman sat on the ground in front of the house tending to a flower garden just off the porch. A gardening bag with various tools sticking out occupied the space beside her.

She noted our presence as we pulled into the driveway behind the lone vehicle, standing up as we hopped out of the SUV. Fletch slid his sunglasses on just before we got out, and my normal glasses, which I wore today in lieu of contacts, started transitioning to shield my delicate eyes from the sun. We approached her slowly, our badges in hand.

“Amanda Morgan?” Fletch asked.

“May I ask who wants to know?” the woman inquired, using her hand as a visor to help with the sun beaming in her direction. I noted the golden cross necklace she wore around her neck as the sunlight hit it.

We held up our badges as Fletch said, “Adam Williams, Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI. This is my partner, Agent Cade Williams.”

Her eyes widened. “FBI? Have you found my Lindsey?” She sounded hopeful, a slight inflection appearing in her tone, which she almost choked on as she said her daughter’s name.

Lowering our badges, I shook my head, “No, ma’am. But we’d like to speak with you about her, if we could. Do you have a few moments to spare?”

Amanda Morgan nodded several times. “Of course, of course! Please, come inside, Agents.” She waved for us to follow her as she turned to the house, leading us up the stairs and into the domicile.

I noted that the home was spotless, everything perfectly positioned in the living room, the first room we entered upon stepping through the doorway. Various Christian religious figures and artwork served as decor for the room, especially a huge wooden crucifix with a bronze Jesus Christ attached which sat over the TV.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” Amanda asked as she headed toward the conjoined kitchen while Fletch and I stopped near the couch.

“Water, if it’s not an imposition,” Fletch replied, to which I nodded in agreement.

“Please, have a seat,” she offered as she stopped at the fridge, pulling out a see-through pitcher of water with a filter.

I sat on the couch next to Fletch, waiting only a few moments for her to return with two glasses of water. We thanked her before she sat adjacent to us in the cushioned recliner.

“Have you come to finally find my baby?” Amanda asked, placing her hands in her lap, her tone full of hope.

Fletch replied, “That’s not specifically why we’re here in Treasure Falls, but it’s possible that Lindsey’s disappearance is related to our assigned case. There’s an agent in Billings who’s been actively searching for your daughter, and she’s the one who presented the possibility to us.”

Amanda’s eyes widened some. “Oh,” she said. “You mean someone close has been looking all this time? I thought they’d given up on her.”

“We don’t know how long our colleague has been searching,” I clarified. “But she’s very invested in your daughter’s whereabouts, and she’s making an attempt to come up here as soon as she can.”

Immediately, Amanda’s eyes glossed over and her lip trembled. “Oh, thank you, Lord,” she said, closing her eyes as a tear escaped from the corner. “My prayers have been answered.” She proceeded to break down further, sobbing into her hands as she leaned forward.

Fletch and I waited, glancing at one another for a moment, allowing the victim’s mother to let everything out. Understandably, her motions hit hard, especially after waiting so many years for someone, anyone, to look for her youngest child. I wasn’t a parent, but I imagined I’d react the same way.

However, the notion that she could have been abusing her daughter remained in my head, and I wouldn’t let her get away with it if the tears were simply an act.

Once Amanda finished, bringing her head back up and grabbing a Kleenex from the small table next to her, she sniffled before taking a deeper breath and exhaling slowly. “My apologies, Agents. You don’t know how long I’ve prayed for this. I thought no one cared about my baby girl, and that she would be lost to me for all eternity.”

“We understand,” I said. “And we can assure you we will do whatever we can to assist Agent Moore in her investigation.”

Fletch said, “We’re here, though, to ask you about your daughter. We wanted to get a sense of who she is.” I noted his use of the word ‘is’ instead of ‘was.’ Clever of him, really, since we couldn’t confirm her true status. Personally, I hated to think she might’ve left this world, but we couldn’t rule any possibilities out.

“She’s very shy,” Amanda answered, clutching her used tissue while ringing her hands together. “Normally, she keeps to herself. She’d come right home after school and do her homework before dinner. We would attend Bible study together every Tuesday, along with my twins, and church together every Sunday and Wednesday. At least until she disappeared. I don’t understand why.”

Nodding, Fletch asked, “I understand you and your husband divorced shortly before her disappearance? I imagine that must have been hard on her.”

“It was hard on us all,” Amanda replied with a small nod. “Carl and I simply drifted apart. God assured us that the best thing to do for our family would be to separate. We prayed on it so hard, and we tried our best, but God’s word is law. He sent us a sign, and we accepted it.”

I wondered what the sign was, considering how most churches didn’t allow divorce, since marriage vows under God were binding for life. I knew of people who couldn’t remarry in their churches because an annulment had been denied. Things differed from one denomination to the next, but as I understood it, Evangelicals generally avoided divorce.

So what sign could God possibly have given them? My mind boggled at the endless list of options it could have been.

“Is Lindsey close with her father?” I asked.

“Oh, yes, she and her daddy are very close,” Amanda replied, a small grin appearing on her face. “Initially, I thought she’d tried to run to Billings to be with him. She cried so hard when he moved out.”

“The divorce was peaceful?” Fletch questioned gently.

I watched Amanda’s body relax, taking it as a good sign. We didn’t want her on edge for this. And the more relaxed she was, the more likely she was telling the truth.

“Once we came to a mutual understanding, yes,” Amanda said. “In the beginning, it wasn’t. By the time Lindsey disappeared, however, Carl and I were co-parenting just fine. We got on well, almost like how things were before everything started deteriorating.”

“And how did her disappearance affect your relationship?” Fletch asked.

Amanda cleared her throat before answering. “We’ve barely spoken since the FBI agents stopped their questioning. We fought a lot, blamed each other for her running off, even in the wake of finding out someone online convinced her to leave. Since Carly and Carter were eighteen, we saw no reason to continue speaking unless Lindsey came home, or we received news of some kind related to her whereabouts.”

Her voice cracked a few times as she spoke, and in unexpected places. Unless Amanda was a very good actress, I started to get the impression that this whole situation rocked her world. Question after question popped up in my brain, however, namely whether she or her husband, or both, had been abusing their children.

I suspected we’d get a better idea when we spoke to Carly and Carter, though we needed to find a good time for them first.

Fletch and I glanced at one another, and as he blinked, trying to send me a message, I nodded. Turning back to Amanda, I asked, “How did the community react to your divorce?”

“Most were supportive,” she answered. “We lost many friends, however, since they don’t believe God would have allowed us to dissolve our marriage. Carl and I judged so many people for letting their marriages fall apart over the years, only to have our own go the same way. Hypocritical of us, I know. But our faith in God remains strong. He is Good. We trust in His word.”

Everything seemed to come back to God. Perhaps that was the reason the townsfolk we’d spoken to already thought they were weird. I didn’t get that impression from anyone else. Sure, some of them wore crosses around their necks, but not every other sentence out of their mouths mentioned ‘God’ or anything related to religion.

Perhaps moderates existed in rural communities after all.

“Before she disappeared, was Lindsey close with anyone outside the family?” Fletch asked.

“She had friends,” Amanda said. “Kids she went to school and church with. Although she seemed to be excited the most when we went to the Burke Ranch. They’re Carl’s cousins, many many generations back. The families always kept close, and she loved spending time with Ellory and Jessa. She said Ellory was her best friend in the world.”

“Were you made aware of the things Ellory told the agents who first questioned her?” Fletch followed up, since Amanda voluntarily brought up Ella’s name.

Shifting in her seat, Amanda said, “Yes. We were also questioned about it. Me, my children, my ex-husband. No one knew she was gay, or however she liked to think of herself. And she certainly never spoke to us about being abused. When they asked me if I’d ever harmed my child, I burst into tears at the thought. I disciplined her when she was a small child, of course, but what parent hasn’t?”

Plenty of parents didn’t use corporal punishment, but we weren’t here to discuss that today, despite how hard I found it to hold my tongue.

Fletch, keeping the lead, asked, “I take it Carl was asked similar questions?”

“Yes, they asked him the same things. It’s what led to our fighting. We accused one another of abusing Lindsey so badly that she felt she had no choice but to leave. I swear on all that is Holy that I never laid hands on my baby. Was I a perfect parent? No. In hindsight, I believe there were many things I could’ve done better. I could’ve been more accessible to her; more accepting. Perhaps then she might’ve felt like she could talk to me about things. I don’t understand being gay or whatever the kids call it these days. Things weren’t like that in my generation. The world has changed, however, and I love my Lindsey enough that I accept whoever she is. She is my daughter, made in God’s image, and if He saw fit to make her love women, then He is right. He does not make mistakes.”

Of the many questions creeping up in my mind, I asked the one I hadn’t considered before. “Was it possible that … Lindsey loved Ellory? As in … romantically?” Could that have been why she was so comfortable around her, and why she was so enthusiastic about going to the ranch.

“They asked Ellory about that,” Amanda said. “Ellory denied it. We searched through her journals, and there were no indications, outright or otherwise, that Lindsey was in love with Ellory. She simply saw her as another older sister, someone she was closer with than her own blood. Once …” Amanda paused, ringing her hands together more, tearing at the Kleenex she continued holding, “once she even said she wished Ella could’ve been her mother.”

I felt awkward having asked it, but it needed to be. And I appreciated the answer, also feeling somewhat relieved. At least Fletch and I didn’t have to travel down that path when questioning Ella later. Whatever the reason for her being so uptight when it came to us and clamming up when the topic of Lindsey arose, we could assume that wasn’t it.

Hearing Amanda’s voice crack again on the word ‘mother’ broke my heart. On the other hand, however, I suspected Amanda had done a lot of soul searching only because of the things happening around her. For most Evangelicals, statistically anyway, if it didn’t affect them directly, they didn’t care.

Just another reason our nation’s politics were so messed up.

Amanda grabbed her glass of water and took a drink. I figured she’d need a moment. The situation seemed to be more emotional than we realized.

“We understand this is difficult,” Fletch said after several moments of tense silence, once Amanda lowered her glass and held it in her lap. “The most important thing is finding Lindsey.”

“I’ve given up hope that she’s alive,” Amanda said. “There were no signs of her anywhere, and people don’t just disappear off the face of the earth unless they’re killed. I prayed to God for months, hoping he would bring her back, but I realized one day …” She stopped, took a shaky breath, and finished, “I realized she would never come back. I would never see her again.”

How awful to hear. I couldn’t imagine holding onto hope for extended periods of time in a situation like hers, so I understood why she thought it was more likely that Lindsey no longer walked among us. I also wondered if God had sent her another ‘sign’ to make her believe it.

As fresh tears stained Amanda’s face, I said, “We will do our best to find Lindsey, no matter what. And hopefully, you can find peace in the resolution.”

“That is my hope as well, Agent,” Amanda replied.

“We’d like to speak with your other children,” Fletch said. “Is there a good time for us to set this up?”

Breathing in deeply, getting control of herself and clearing her throat again, Amanda said, “Yes and no. Carter’s schedule is unpredictable, as he often takes the opportunity to work last-minute overtime when it’s offered. He’s supposed to be off tomorrow, but he hasn’t actually taken a day off in months. I sometimes only see him at church or first thing in the morning when he’s headed out the door. Carly, though, normally she’s asleep since she works nights and doesn’t get home until very late. Today, though, she went out of town for the day and won’t be back until she starts her shift at Pepper’s so I won’t see her.”

“Whenabouts does she normally wake up?” I asked.

“Noon or so, depending on the night,” Amanda answered. “If you’d like to come over tomorrow afternoon, you’re more than welcome to speak to her.”

Her response seemed genuinely inviting. No red flags were shooting up, and normally I could catch subtle hints from suspects who were being intentionally misleading. Amanda didn’t give those off. I wondered if the alleged abuser was someone outside the family. Someone they knew, but their identity remained a mystery, even now.

“Thank you for your time, Ms. Morgan,” Fletch said. “We’ll certainly be back tomorrow. One or both of us, depending on where our duties lay.”

“Amanda, please,” Amanda invited us, allowing the formality to be dropped, “and you are welcome any time. You’re doing God’s work to find answers about my Lindsey’s whereabouts. I will remain grateful, no matter what the outcome.”

While we couldn’t guarantee any positive results, we could at least put our everything into the cases before us. And I suspected the perpetrator was closer than we realized, given my case history. Someone in the family’s inner circle always turned out to be the one who did it.

Or at least nine times out of ten.

---

ELLA

After a long day of work, I had one more task to perform. I needed to take some of the hay out to the old barn, figuring it would be better for me to get that part out of the way before cleaning up the area and replenishing our supply there tomorrow. Mama also wanted me to check on the equipment out there and see how Thomas was progressing on some of the repairs. A few pieces were due to be brought back up in a few days. We were waiting on a couple replacement parts for one, but Thomas was supposed to have everything else ready to go for it so we could get it back in the field.

I pulled up to the old barn, finding my older brother standing outside, looking out at the field. He had one arm wrapped around his front while the other was propped up for him to bite at his fingernails. Knowing Thomas, something was wrong. He’d started biting his nails after our dad got sick years ago. I’d never seen my brother with anxiety before then, but the prospect of losing our father, and then it actually happening, changed him.

Really, it changed all of us. Every person in the family.

Hopping out of my truck, I approached him with my hands in my back pockets. Unless he’d completely zoned out, he definitely heard my truck coming, so before I reached his side, I said, “Hey. You okay?”

Thomas snapped his head in my direction, glanced down at his nails and realized what he’d been doing, and wiped them on his jeans. “Yeah. Sorry, just … thinking about things. Summer’s always the hardest, you know?”

Nodding as I stopped beside him, I said, “I know.” Our father had died in the summer. August specifically, but it put a damper on the entire season. Even if it had been years since his death, it would always feel like it happened yesterday.

He noted the trailer hooked up to my truck and asked, “You’re starting now? I thought you were doing this tomorrow?”

“Nah, I’m just dropping the hay off since they had the trailer ready. One less thing to do tomorrow. Mama also wanted an update on Sally.” Sally was the name of the backhoe sitting a couple feet off to the side of the barn. Papa had gotten it when Daddy was five, and let him name it whatever he wanted. It was in rough shape, but we did our best to keep her running as one of the few things we associated with him.

“Sally should be ready for that part when it comes in,” Thomas replied, glancing at the old John Deere machine. She could’ve used more touch ups to look better, most of the green chipped away with rusted metal in its place. Her tires would also be due for replacements in the next year or so, and only if we could keep her going.

With a nod, I said, “Good. Papa says they should be here in a couple days with it.” We had to special order it from their headquarters in Illinois since most of the parts were out of date. Papa paid them big money to provide him with what he needed for Sally.

“Glad to hear it,” Thomas said, reaching behind and rubbing the back of his neck.

Raising a brow, I asked, “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” he snapped, which scared me. Thomas didn’t normally get sharp with me. “Jesus, you already asked me that and I told you I was.”

Taking a step back, I held up my hands. “Okay, fuck, sorry. I’m just making sure. You don’t gotta rip my fucking head off.” What the hell was his problem?

“I gotta head back out,” he said. “Final couple rounds before we close up for the night. Tell Memaw not to leave anything out for me. I got plenty to keep me full in the truck.”

“What, granola bars and beer jerky? You need more nutrition than that,” I said, crossing my arms, almost sounding exactly like our grandmother.

“I have a couple bananas and apples,” he said, still defensive. “I’m not starving myself. Why does everyone think I am?”

Rolling my eyes, I replied, “Because you don’t eat actual meals anymore unless someone forces you.” I had a hard time understanding what his deal was with eating. For someone with an injury like his, he needed all the food he could get, not just small snack foods that he consumed throughout the day.

Thomas said, “I’ll assure you the way I assure Mama and Memaw, Ells: I’m fine. What I’m eating gives me plenty of energy to get through the day, and more than enough to give me the strength I need to work on the machines.”

I didn’t see a point in arguing with him further. Besides, Thomas has never listened to me before. Being the oldest of us four, he’d always been the bossy one, though he and I usually clashed a lot as kids. I wanted to be the one in charge. He didn’t like that.

“Alright,” I conceded. “Well, I’ll see you when I see you. I’m headed up to Pepper’s tonight, so maybe I’ll catch you on my way back in.”

“Maybe,” he said before turning and heading to his truck.

I slowly turned and retreated to mine, unlatching the trailer and making sure it was set up for easy access in the morning before making my way back to the house. Memaw had supper ready, so I ate with everyone, except Thomas, then went upstairs to freshen up and change. I put on something cute, but comfortable, in case Tyler needed help tonight. It was Pool League night again, so I planned on picking up Felicity on the way.

As I exited the house, I stopped short on the porch as I found Devon leaning up against his truck’s passenger’s side door. I hadn’t been expecting him, but I figured he’d try his bullshit again sooner or later. Whatever brief scare he’d given me died down fast as I took a breath, rolled my eyes, and descended the stairs.

“What the fuck do you want, Devon?” I asked, holding my keys in my hand while I had a small bag slung across my body. I’d brought my medication this time on the off chance he tried some shit at the bar, but it seemed like he wanted to do it here.

“You know why I’m here, Ells,” he said, pushing himself off the truck. “I’m here to get you back, baby, and I’m not leavin’ ‘til you agree.” He closed the space between us until we were roughly two feet apart.

Shaking my head and readjusting the strap, I said, “Jesus Christ, you’re like a cockroach. You won’t go away no matter how many times I try to get rid of you.”

“I love you, Ells,” Devon said, reaching out to touch me, but I recoiled as he did. “You’re the only thing I need in this world. How many times do I gotta say sorry for what I did? I’ll say it. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Please. You know we’re supposed to build a life together.”

A laugh escaped me, unable to believe he couldn’t come up with any new lines. It seemed to be the same old shit every single time. “First of all, there’s no amount of ‘sorries’ in the world to get me to take you back. You beat me, Dev. You bloodied me so bad I had to go to the damn clinic. If your daddy hadn’t been there, you might’ve killed me, and I thank God every fucking day that he stepped in.”

Devon reached again, this time succeeding in grabbing my arm, though I tried to break free. “Ella, baby, please. I need you. I’ll never lay hands on you again, I swear.”

“Let go of me, motherfucker!” I yelled through his tight grip as he managed to grab my other arm. I tried kicking at him, but his reflexes proved better than mine.

“No, Ella! You belong to me, and I’m taking you back!” he shouted as I screamed, continuing to struggle in his grasp.

Then, my heart jumped as a gun went off.

Both Devon and I froze. I turned my head to look behind me, finding Papa with his shotgun pointed at Devon’s head. His narrowed eyes and scowl were enough to burn a hole through my ex’s body. I also caught Mama and Memaw staring out the window, watching the scene just behind him.

“Next time I won’t miss,” Papa promised. “Take your hands off my grandbaby and get yer ass off this ranch. You ever set foot on my property again, you’ll leave in a body bag.”

Devon let go of me, holding his hands up and slowly backing away. “I’m sorry, Zip.”

“And if you ever touch her again, you’ll wish you were never even born,” he insisted. “What your daddy did to you won’t be nearly as painful as what I will.”

I watched him swallow hard before nodding. “You got it, Zip.”

“Sir,” Papa corrected him. “You ain’t got no right to call me by my name anymore.”

“Yes, sir,” Devon said, keeping his hands raised as he rounded the front of his truck. I watched, frozen in place, as he got back in the cab and took off moments later, his truck kicking up dust as he sped down the driveway.

After a few deep breaths, letting my heart rate return to normal, I returned my attention to Papa. “Thanks,” I said. “If I could’ve broken free, I’d have kicked him in the balls.”

“Are you okay, Ella Mae?” Papa asked. “You sure going out tonight is a good idea? I know he’ll be there.”

“Tyler will help,” I said. Without his father there to keep his ass in line, I probably wouldn’t have felt safe being at Pepper’s. Of course, I could always text Felicity and ask her to bring her shotgun. She would in a heartbeat. Devon didn’t make me as nervous as he used to. I only wished I could get rid of him for good.

By now, at least, I’d learned to stand up to him. Too little too late.

CHAPTER SIX

FLETCH

With the locals gathering at a bar called Pepper’s every night, Cade and I decided to make an appearance there. After wrapping up at the motel, compiling our notes and sending Seattle an update, as well as Meg, we changed into more comfortable clothes and made our way there. The parking lot was packed, and the vehicles lining the road made it hard to navigate. Fortunately, we found a clear area near the back to park and rounded the building to enter through the front.

Even before we stepped inside, we could hear deafening country music playing, plus the loud chatter of what must have been several dozen people. For a medium-sized building, it seemed like they were over capacity.

Upon entering, I noted the sea of people, some who sat at tables, others who stood around, and many of whom danced on the tiny dance floor in front of the stage where a band played near the front. Off to the left, two pool tables were set up, and to my right, a collection of people had gathered to play darts. The pool tables were crowded, and there was chalk board for scorekeeping hung on the wall. League Night, it said.

No wonder everyone had gathered tonight.

A handful of people took notice of our entrance. Only a few stared as we made our way toward the bar, claiming a couple vacant stools near the back wall. I sat my phone face down in front of me, my keys tucked into my jacket pocket. Cade clutched his, along with his earphone case, and I figured he might need a little extra support. Based on the way his eyes darted around the room, I suspected he didn’t do well in crowded spaces.

The middle aged man working the counter approached, wiping his hands on a rag. “You must be the feds who rolled in a couple days ago,” he said. “I wondered if you’d make your way here. What’ll it be, fellas?” He flung the rag over his shoulder, letting it drape across.

“Whatever you have on draft,” I said.

“Same,” Cade replied. I raised a brow in his direction, not taking him for a beer drinker. Yet one more thing I could add to my list.

The man nodded, grabbing two mugs and filling them in front of us. “I’m Tyler, by the way,” he said. “This is my establishment, so if anyone gives you any funny business, you just let me know. I’m not afraid to discipline my elders if they act up on my property.” Tyler set the mugs in front of us, and I slid a $20 bill across toward him.

“Anything else you want,” he began, “it’s on the house. And don’t bother protesting, cuz I won’t hear it.”

Surprising, to be sure, but welcome in its gesture. “Thank you,” I said. “Appreciate it.”

“‘Course,” Tyler replied. “And anything I can do to help your case, just ask.”

Flipping my phone over, I pulled up Jewel’s picture and asked, “Have you seen her before?”

Tyler took a good long look, but shook his head by the end. “Can’t say that I have. At the very least, she never came into my bar.”

“Probably a good thing since she’s sixteen,” Cade commented, still looking around at the settings in as subtle a way as possible.

“Well minors are allowed on their own until seven o’clock,” Tyler explained. “Then they have to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and a responsible one at that, but only if absolutely necessary. We serve more than alcohol here. Some of the youngsters have tabs here so they can order food for school and whatnot. Aside from Mort and Frannie’s diner, this is the only other place to get food.”

Given how they didn’t have a General Store, that made sense. It seemed like they worked with fresh ingredients, most of which I assumed came from the Burke Ranch. Zip had mentioned how truckers refused to travel to the more rural communities given the distance. Clearly they were able to get things like beer and soda, but I assumed they worked off a limited scope.

Nodding, I said, “Thanks.”

Tyler glanced over his shoulder as two people emerged from behind him. “Ah, hey girls. Grab an apron.” He tapped the counter in front of me before moving away. Behind him were Ella and Felicity, both of whom grabbed aprons and trays like they worked here.

Felicity noticed us first. “Oh so they do emerge at night for some fun,” she commented, a grin plastering her face. “And here I thought you spent all night in your room chasing down criminals.” She finished tying the apron around her waist before propping a tray against her hip.

Ella stood back, finishing with her own, eyeing us. Her eyes moved slowly between me and Cade, ultimately settling on me as she kept her head bent forward. With her hair pulled back in a ponytail, no hat, and her button-up shirt open just enough to get a glimpse of her black bra underneath a white tank, I suddenly felt my dick twitch. I carefully and quietly sucked in a breath, my eyes locking with hers. She blinked once, her lips curling in the corner.

Jesus Christ, this couldn’t be happening …

Cade, addressing Felicity, said, “We’re not as stuck up as people think. Agents get to have fun in their off hours. Although, we don’t necessarily have ‘off’ hours right now. This is more for us to get a feel for the local atmosphere.”

“Well let me know if y’all need anything,” Felicity said, approaching us and leaning at the edge near me. “I’ll take good care of ya.”

“Everything’s on the house,” Tyler informed her. “So don’t be taking any of their money.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “You got it, Boss.”

“I think we’re good for now,” I said, managing to rip my eyes away from Ella. “But thank you.”

Felicity patted me on the shoulder before slipping through the wooden barrier and heading to the floor. My eyes followed her, re-examining the scene. Another waitress was on the floor, a girl who appeared far younger, and I assumed she was Carly Morgan. She wore the same hair color as Amanda, and sort of resembled her from the side. I didn’t feel right about questioning her here, but I wondered if her mother gave her a heads up on our plans for tomorrow.

Returning to the scene behind the counter, Ella stepped up to Tyler’s side and said, “Hey, I need to talk to you,” to the barkeep. She lowered her voice, leaning in to whisper in his ear. I watched his eyes widen and his head snap toward the front, aimed at what I could only assume was the band. The scowl he wore, accompanied with the grunt, told me something had happened.

“Goddamn it, Devon,” he said. Back to Ella, he said, “Alright, thanks, Ell. I’ll take care of him.” He gave her a light pat on her upper back and moved to tend to other patrons at the counter.

As Ella lifted the wooden gate, I asked, “Everything okay, Sweetheart?” The name slipped out, and I hadn’t the slightest clue why.

Letting the divider fall, Ella propped her tray against her hip, same as Felicity had moments prior, and said, “Peachy, Boy Scout. Nothing you need to concern yourself with. Besides, I think it’s a little out of your jurisdiction.” She cocked her head to the side.

“Trust me, we can make anything our jurisdiction if we need to,” I said, wondering why in the world I’d engaged in this game.

Ella’s lips curled once again, and I swore I saw a fire in her eyes as she locked with mine. “Stick to the important cases, Boy Scout. Wouldn’t want to waste your time when you’re doing such crucial work.” She turned, walking away from us. I spun slowly on the stool, keeping my eyes on her, watching the way she moved in her tight jeans.

Fuck.

Perhaps I’d been through too long a dry spell. After Tamika, I’d mostly taken care of business on my own. For the most part, I didn’t even look at other women that way. Yet something about Ella hooked me out of nowhere. It felt wrong, especially as I imagined what she’d feel like with my fingers buried in her pussy, rubbing her clit with my thumb while I covered that mouth of hers, preventing her from speaking, only able to whimper and moan from my work.

No. No, I couldn’t. Those thoughts were out of line. Christ, I’d just given Cade a lecture about boundaries.

No matter how much my mouth watered at the prospect of tasting her. No matter how much blood rushed to my cock.

I wouldn’t cross that line.

Besides, once we wrapped this case up, she’d be nothing but a distant memory. I lusted after her. Nothing more.

“I’m gonna take a lap around the place,” I said, needing to get moving and focus my brain on something else. Glancing at Cade, I asked, “You good?”

My partner nodded. “Yeah, I’m good. I might need to step outside in a bit.” I noticed his leg bouncing without pause, and wondered if he realized he was doing it.

“Do whatever you need to do,” I said, tapping his bicep. As I touched him, I got a brief feel for just how muscular he was, and my throat nearly went dry. If that was his arm without flexing?

What the fuck was going on with me?

Get out of your fucking head, Adam.

Sliding off the stool, I made my way through the crowd, adjusting to the atmosphere Pepper’s had to offer. I’d been to bars before, but nothing like this. I couldn’t really describe just how different the vibes were. Perhaps the live country music cover band and the twenty-years out-of-date decorations played a role, or maybe it was the fact that most of the people around here weren’t young.

Yeah, the majority Boomer and early Gen X population didn’t help much.

“Hey, Fed!”

I heard the call nearby of a man who waved his hand in an attempt to get my attention. He sat with a bunch of people around the pool tables where four people were currently playing, and by the scoreboard, plus the number of balls remaining, it appeared they were about to wrap up their current round.

Slowly, I approached, my beer in one hand with the other tucked in my back pocket. “Can I do something for you, sir?” I asked. He looked to be in his fifties, sitting with two younger men and one younger woman, all of whom I figured were my age.

The man nodded. “You lookin’ for the Morgan girl?”

“Officially, no,” I answered. “It’s not why we came here.”

The young woman by his side asked, “But you know about it, right?”

“Yes, ma’am, we’re very aware of Lindsey Morgan’s disappearance.”

Another man appeared beside me, leaning on a pool cue. “Heard you went over to see Miss Amanda today,” he said. “Hope you’re not about to get her hopeful only to crush the faith she’ll put in you.”

A few more folks gathered around, wanting to hear what I had to say. Being bombarded by people was part of the job. Locals, journalists, whatever other identifiers we could put on a group of four or more humans who invaded my space. By this point in my career, I was used to it. Still, knowing half of these people were almost certainly packing heat, and I’d left my gun in the SUV, one wrong word and I could be staring down a barrel with very few people to defend me.

“Ms. Morgan deserves all the answers we can provide,” I said. “No matter what, we plan to find her daughter.” I noted, a few tables away, how Carly Morgan stopped and locked eyes with me. Though my words were directed at the people who asked the questions, I hoped she understood they were really for her and her family. “We came here for one family, but it turned out another needed our help. That’s why I believe fate sent us here. We’ll deliver for both families. We won’t leave Treasure Falls until we have.”

Which meant, unfortunately, I hadn’t packed enough clothes for such an extended stay.

Hopefully Felicity had a washer and dryer at the motel we could commandeer for an afternoon.

“Then why’d y’all stop looking in the first place?” another woman, this one probably in her forties, asked. A few people echoed her sentiment.

“Respectfully, ma’am,” I said, “I’m not from the Billings office, and wasn’t on the original case, so I can’t give you a satisfactory answer. I’ve only learned about Lindsey’s case within the last couple days, and there’s plenty of records I have yet to read. I know I’m a stranger here, but you have my word: we’ll find answers.”

I’d given a version of the speech dozens of times over my career, more so since I became a supervisor. It never got easier. The delivery, yes, but the idea that so many people were counting on us to find answers to questions they’d been asking, in this case for years. And I could only imagine how they were feeling, or what they would do if we gave them an answer in the end that they didn’t like.

We weren’t miracle workers. Some agents might’ve had a messiah complex. Not me. I wanted to think more rationally when it came to my cases. Providing people with false hope never ended well.

“Let’s hope you do, son,” the man leaning on the pool cue said, clasping my shoulder. Tucking the cue under his arm, he extended it and said, “Arnold Beckman. They call me Peaches.”

I accepted his gesture as he introduced himself, matching his grip. “Adam Williams. They call me Fletch.”

He chuckled. “How’d you get that nickname?”

“Fletcher’s my middle name. It was also my mother’s maiden name,” I explained. “How’d you get yours?”

Peaches chuckled. “‘Cause I brought a peach to school every day when I was a sprout. The nickname’s stuck since I was five.”

Fair enough.

He introduced me to his son, Arnold Jr., whom they called Crew, and his grandchildren, Georgie, Rocky, and Dusty, along with other members of the Pool League. Most of them had weird nicknames, but in a small town like this, I figured it was normal. My nickname came mostly from there being too many kids named ‘Adam’ and too many kids with ‘Williams’ for a last name, so I chose Fletch, and it stuck.

“You shoot pool, Fletch?” Rocky asked.

“Sometimes,” I replied after a sip of my beer. “Don’t usually have a lot of free time, and what I do is reserved for family.” Zoie wasn’t tall enough for a pool table yet. I played a little in college at the frat houses and local pubs, but nothing as serious as joining a competitive league.

“Well we’re down a player tonight,” his father explained. “You think you can handle being our sub?”

All eyes were on me, waiting to see how I’d respond. Normally, I wouldn’t get involved like this with local folks where I was working a case, but I caught a glimpse of Ella staring me down from behind the bar. She leaned on the counter, eyebrows raised, almost daring me to say yes. She bit her bottom lip, taunting me and my newly carnal thoughts about her.

I remembered the nickname she gave me. Boy Scout: implying that I was a rule-follower and never had any fun.

Lectures to Cade be damned, I’d prove her wrong.

“Sure,” I said. “Why not?”

A few people around cheered, and I grabbed a cue from the wall, remembering how to test it, and coated the tip with chalk before stepping up to the table. They played in pairs, and Georgie took to my side with her own stick. Our opponents broke, and got solids right out of the gate.

For the next forty-five minutes, we played for best two outta three, losing the first match and winning the second. Georgie was an excellent player and partner. I proved to be rusty in the beginning, but like riding a bike, I quickly remembered how to get into the groove of things. By time things came down to the wire, each team had one ball left before they could try for the 8-ball.

While Ella worked, she kept a close eye on me. Cade had disappeared somewhere, I figured outside, and thank God, because it felt like I was showing off just for her. I had no clue what came over me, but suddenly I wanted to show her I wasn’t the Boy Scout she thought I was. I could loosen up and have as much fun as the rest of them.

Plus, with two beers in me, I started feeling a high I’d long forgotten existed.

By some miracle, not only did our opponents miss the 8-ball on their first attempt, but I pocketed my team’s final ball and was given the opportunity to end it all. I knew if I fucked this up, a lot of people would be cross with me, which would extend to the work Cade and I were doing here. Hell, even if I made it, our opposition wouldn’t like me very much. None of that mattered, though, because I had to win.

I had to win for Ella.

Based on where the cue ball and the 8-ball were, I made a quick scout of the table and determined which pocket I’d have a better shot at making. Making my choice and announcing it, I lined up, took a deep breath, and reminded myself to relax. I held a proper grip on the stick, not too tight, not too loose, and placed my feet just so, all the while I felt like the entire bar was watching me.

No pressure.

You got this, Fletch.

With all the grace I could possibly maintain, I made my shot …

And, to my great surprise, the 8-ball flew right into my assigned pocket only moments later.

My team cheered, and a few patrons applauded as I stood up straight, gripping my cue stick and closing my eyes. I’d done it. I brought home a win. Not the win I needed to bring home, and not like it mattered in the grand scheme of things because, hell, pool was just a game. Yet, it made me feel good; like I could do anything.

Crazy how those little hits of dopamine worked. Sometimes they made a person feel invincible. That’s certainly how I felt as my team celebrated with me. Hugs, handshakes, pats on the shoulder, all the possible ways to end a victorious game. All the while, my eyes locked with Ella’s behind the bar as she stared behind, what I could’ve sworn were, seductive eyes.

---

CADE

‘Don’t fraternize with the locals,’ my ass.

I supposed a game of pool at a bar was harmless enough, but Fletch really should’ve taken his own advice. And I shouldn’t have cared as much as I did, but perhaps being in a bar already put me on edge. Frankly, me lasting twenty minutes was a miracle, but it was twenty minutes longer than I needed to be in there. The air felt stiff, and the band playing while hooked up to giant ass speakers made my anxiety spike. I noticed my leg bouncing, and how closed my throat seemed even though I could still swallow my beer. Once my heartbeat started pounding in places I shouldn’t have been able to feel it, I knew I needed to step out.

Grabbing my phone, headphone case, and my mug, I dipped outside and rounded the building to a large tree I’d spotted when we first arrived. An old rope swing hung from a sturdy branch, and though it looked like the wooden seat had seen better days, I took a seat before securing my headphones and turning on my ASMR Anxiety Playlist.

One breath in, one breath out. Repeat. Then repeat again as many times as it takes.

The reminders only helped so much. Calming audio allowed me to progress further. Fresh air and a light breeze did wonders. The thump of my heart returned to its normal speed over the course of minutes, and though the residual anxiety remained, I felt calmer just by removing myself and going through my exercises. I didn’t want to message Lila again. Besides, it was late in New York.

I could manage by myself.

Despite the noise from inside the bar still present from my position, even over the noise in my earphones, not being in the thick of it allowed me to keep my cool. I could handle the muffled bar noises. Being immersed in it? Not so much. As long as I could hang out here for a majority of the night, I’d be fine. At some point, I’d need to buck up and return, even if Fletch knew I’d need to step out. Hell, not like I was going to walk back to the motel. Even if it was only a couple miles, I wouldn’t dare go off on my own this late at night in a town I didn’t know much about.

Or, rather, a town I knew enough about.

Eventually, I was able to open my eyes and remove my headphones. I didn’t need the distraction anymore, and the natural sounds of nighttime would suffice. As I did, however, I saw the back door to the bar open, and Felicity stepped outside. She immediately lit up what I assumed was a cigarette before noticing me about two dozen feet away.

Flicking the ash away, Felicity approached me and asked, “A little too much for ya?”

Swallowing hard, I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t do well in bars for long periods. They … Well, they bring up a lot of unwanted memories.” Things I’d rather have forgotten, but couldn’t. Things that might’ve started to fade over time, but not fast enough, still haunting me even fifteen/twenty years later.

Nodding a few times, Felicity took another drag on what I could now smell was marijuana. She pinched the joint between her fingers before removing it and offering me some. “I know you’re a Fed and all, but it helps. Trust me.”

“Thanks,” I said, reaching for the joint and taking my own drag. I knew how weed affected me and my anxiety. Because of my job, however, I couldn’t use it as much as I wanted. Random drug tests, and all that. Until they removed it from the Schedule 1 list, or any list, I was stuck using other methods.

After letting it seep into my soul, I asked, “You work here too? Even though you own the motel?”

Felicity, arms crossed, glanced back at the bar before returning her attention to me. “Only sometimes. This used to be my full-time gig when I was younger. Ella too. We only help out during Pool League now. Busiest nights of the week. Not even weekends. Ty lets us keep our tips since he brings in plenty from everything else. It’s not much, but I’m saving up to make some renovations on the motel. I’m sure you noticed, but she needs a lot of work done.”

Of course I had, but I wouldn’t have said anything. Her bringing it up, though? “Yeah, I’m sure she could use a lot more love than you’re able to afford.”

“Ella’s Papa, Zip, has offered to invest in renovations, but I’ll be damned if I take charity,” Felicity said. “Besides, once my family died, I needed to prove I could do everything on my own. So if helping out during Pool Night is what it takes, even if it’s slow going, I’ll do it as long as Ty allows me.” I’d passed the joint back to her as she spoke, and once she finished, she took a hit.

“Did you never want to leave this place?” I asked. “I noticed there are more older folks around here than people our ages.”

Felicity chuckled. “What are you, like twenty-three?”

“Twenty-eight,” I answered. Sometimes I looked younger for my age, but at least she didn’t assume I was eighteen.

“Close enough,” she said. “But yeah, Ella and I are both thirty-two, and we’re among the few in our class who wound up staying close by. Most people get the hell outta here. I never had such a desire, or at least not a very strong one. Ella, on the other hand? Hell, if it weren’t for how close her family was, I might’ve assumed she’d make it out of this place. Plus, Devon, but that piece of shit never deserved her.”

I knitted my brows together, and Felicity noted the reaction.

“Her ex,” she clarified. “Ty’s son; the lead singer in the band. Motherfucker had the nerve to put hands on her more times than we can count. If Ty hadn’t intervened during the last time, she might’ve died.” I watched her take another hit, leaning against the tree.

My heart ached for Ella, not from sympathy, but actual firsthand experience. It seemed we were more alike than we knew, even if our abusers played different roles in our lives.

And it made my blood boil. The thought of anyone putting their hands on Ella? Christ, if I ever got within two feet of this Devon person, I’d swing at him. No one deserved to be abused and assaulted. Not women … not small children.

Especially not them.

“Don’t tell her I told you,” Felicity continued. “She probably wouldn’t want me airing her business to strangers. Sometimes I just ramble and start heading down paths I shouldn’t go down. I over-share. Curse of being a motel owner. Gotta make nice with the folks who come to stay.”

With a small smile, I said, “Don’t worry. My lips are sealed.” I took the joint again when she passed it.

That didn’t mean I wouldn’t knock Devon out if close enough to do so. It only meant I’d have to come up with a different reason for why if I did.

“I should get back in there,” Felicity said. “You can finish off the joint if you want. And when you’re ready for some food, just sneak in through the back door. I’ve got some garlic parm wedges with your name on them. Trust me, you’ll need them.”

Laughing, I leaned forward, my elbows on my knees, and said, “Alright, I’ll take your word for it.” The thought of going back in didn’t sit well with me at the moment, but my stomach started rumbling, and with weed in my system, I was bound to get the munchies soon enough. “Thank you, Felicity.”

“You bet,” she said, winking at me before turning and making her way back inside the establishment.

Finishing the joint, I remained on the swing while letting the substance consume me, gliding in place as far as I could without falling off the seat. At some point, I needed to face my trauma head on in order to overcome it, and while this wasn’t the time or place, I could at least find the strength to go back in for the food Felicity offered me.

---

ELLA

Admittedly, I was ecstatic to see my Fancy Boys at Pepper’s when Felicity and I arrived to help out. I couldn’t show it, obviously, lest I give away my true feelings, and why in the hell would I want to do that? Besides, every time I got into it with Fletch, no matter how low-scale, I felt my pussy get wetter, and watching him play pool nearly made me slip into the bathroom so I could take care of myself.

Cade, on the other hand, seemed entirely uncomfortable, and when he stepped outside, it worried me. I’d asked Felicity to take a smoke break to check on him, but not make it too obvious while I kept up with orders, conversations, and making sure I knew what Fletch was doing at the pool table every twenty seconds. Each time he bent over the table and I got a view of his ass, I bit my lip, trying to will the arousal away.

Plus the jeans he wore? Fuck, they weren’t leaving much to the imagination.

I knew my dry spell had gone on far too long. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to satisfy it with the two Feds who would likely be gone in a few days. Either of them. My best bet, probably, was getting on Tinder and going to Billings for random hookups.

But then I remember my arms … my torso … my legs. What if I had a flare up? What if I became so nervous that it ruined everything, forcing me to return to a hotel, or whatever, to deal with my discomfort? It was never bad when I was younger, which was why I’d clung to Devon so much, because he knew me before the disease got worse, and opening myself up to other people seemed pointless.

Who could love a disgusting human like me?

Still, it wouldn’t stop me from fantasizing about what I could do with my Fancy Boys. Separately. Hell, maybe even together. Women could dream of having two male partners, right? It wasn’t only guys who dreamed of having two female bedmates. Sure, maybe not every woman’s fantasy, and the thought hadn’t crossed my mind until my dream.

But again, I would never be able to make it happen. Fletch didn’t even like me. And Cade? He seemed way too sweet, way too professional to cross boundaries like that.

I could only stand behind the bar and watch as Fletch did the hottest thing ever: sinking the 8-ball without a sweat.

Jesus, I could’ve come at the sight.

After doing my best to be subtle about my ogling, which I might’ve failed at considering the look Fletch gave me, (did he approve?), I glanced at Ty who appeared at my side. I stood up straight and wiped my hands on the rag hanging from my hip.

“So what did he do?” Ty asked. “Specifically, what did Devon do this time?”

“Showed up at the ranch and put hands on me while trying to get me to take him back,” I answered. “Papa got his shotgun out. Told him to never set foot on the ranch again. You know how the rest goes.”

Ty nodded, sighing, and ran his hands down his face. “Every fucking day that boy makes me feel like I failed as a father.”

“Luce and Gray turned out alright,” I noted, reminding him of his two younger children, Lucy and Grayson, the twins, both of whom now live out of state and only came back for special occasions and holidays. “I mean, as far as I know, they aren’t beating their significant others.”

He chuckled, half-heartedly. “Fair. Lucy was easy, even without her mama around. As long as she had something to keep her busy, she never whined about nothing. Then Gray? All he wanted to do was read science books and work for NASA one day. And hey, he made it.”

I smiled, remembering the day Ty told us Gray had gotten a job as a scientist at NASA in Florida. He looked so proud, like any dad would. Like I suspected my dad would have if we’d done something to get out of this town.

“Devon, though?” Ty continued. “His mama leavin’ really messed him up. It messed all of us up in one way or another.”

“When’s the last time you heard from Corrie?” I asked, leaning back against the counter.

“I don’t hear from her much these days,” he said, grabbing a mug and polishing it. “Since the kids are all grown, there’s not much reason for us to speak. I usually hear things from Lucy when she calls, but last Lucy reported, she was back in rehab.”

Sighing, I said, “Shit.”

Ty shrugged, setting the mug down and picking up another. “She’s still my wife and I love her. I only wish she could pull herself together.”

“It’s been twenty years, though,” I pointed out. “Why not give up on her?”

“Some people are worth fighting for,” he said. “Corrie is that kind of person. What she has is an addiction, and even if she’s continued to fall off the wagon, she goes back for help. Or maybe I’m just delusional and believe she’ll finally break the habit and come back to me.”

What a noble hope. Ty would, likely, never see his delusion become reality, but it said a lot about his heart. I’d never seen him lay a hand on a woman my entire life, and I remembered how broken he was the day Corrie left for rehab the first time in the early aughts. I was eleven then, and Devon was twelve. His siblings were six. Felicity, me, and a couple other kids had gone to Devon’s house to see if he wanted to play, but we caught them at a bad time just as Corrie made her way out the door and into a taxi.

And while I didn’t like thinking about it, I knew that was the day when Devon changed. I only ignored it until things got so bad that someone else intervened.

“You think everyone is worth fighting for?” I asked. “Or just some people?”

Ty sighed as he set the second mug down and leaned on his palm against the lower counter. “I love my son. I really do. But … no. If you’re asking if he’s worth fighting for, that’s my answer. The difference between him and his mother is that Corrie knew she had a problem. Even if she took a long time to acknowledge it, she eventually went and got the help she needed. Devon’s been angry for years. I’ve watched him fail over and over. Frankly, Ells, I’m tired of giving him the same damn speech. He’s beyond help at this point. For a man in his early thirties, if he hasn’t learned by now, he won’t ever get there.”

As if on cue, the band stopped playing and announced they would take a five minute break. Someone over by the jukebox kicked it on to fill the void for the next few minutes while Felicity, back from her smoke break, brought them refreshments. A couple of the guys hurried off to the bathroom, while the others remained on stage, and Devon made his way to the bar.

I would’ve seen myself out, but with Ty nearby, I figured I was safe enough.

“Devon, what the fuck did you do today?” his father asked.

Looking at me, Devon scoffed and asked, “You told him?”

“Why the fuck wouldn’t she?” Ty rebutted, redirecting his attention by snapping his fingers in front of his face. “You look at me, not her. I don’t know how many time we gotta tell you this, son, but you fucked up for the last time. And you’re damn lucky she didn’t press charges. If I were her, I would’ve.”

Because you’re a man, I thought. And they would’ve believed you.

Even with witnesses, Fitz would’ve let him off easy. He and the judge were in cahoots. It wouldn’t have mattered that Ty was the one who defended me and would have testified on my behalf. That’s just the way things were around here.

“Dad, she knows I love her,” Devon said, “and I’ll take care of her. I mean, who else is gonna want her? She’ll be back.”

The words punched me in the gut. He spoke about me like I wasn’t standing right here, and for the first time, I saw fire in my eyes. He was lucky I didn’t have my damn gun. However easy it would’ve been to run out to my truck and get it, he wasn’t worth a lifetime in prison. Leaving him provided me the freedom I never knew I needed or wanted, and why would I jeopardize that?

Ty grabbed his son’s collar from across the counter and pulled him in, the sudden action making me jump back a half a foot. “Boy, you’d better listen here: You go near her again and you’re no longer welcome in this bar. I don’t care if you’re my blood. It’s time you got your shit together, and I won’t have you abusing women just because you’re mad at your mother for leaving.”

Armchair psychology, but probably the truth.

While he spoke, Justin came out from inside the kitchen holding a cleaver. “Everything good, little brother?” he asked Ty while gripping the instrument so hard, his knuckles turned white.

“It will be, big brother,” he answered. “Just reminding your nephew how to treat a woman.”

I glanced around the room. The bar was packed tonight, almost every soul from the area inside or out with a few exceptions. Even Lexie Jones, who sat on Rocky Beckman’s lap, looked quite cozy with him. I’d never known Lexie to be involved with anyone other than Devon, or me from that one time we fucked, but I noted the smile on her face as she spoke to Rocky; the glimmer in her eyes as she stared at him. It was the same look my parents used to give each other; the same look Papa and Memaw still gave one another.

She’d found happiness and security with someone who would make her feel cherished. Rocky Beckman was an upstanding guy. He worked at the ranch, never missed a day, and always ran around like a chicken with its head cut off to ensure things got done. Moreover, he’d always been respectful to everyone he knew. The look on his face suggested he felt the same as Lexie, both of them blushing as they whispered in each other’s ears.

No wonder Devon was fighting so hard to get me back. He couldn’t have Lexie as a backup anymore.

I figured the only way to get Devon to stop was to make a public scene, since we’d kept most things under wraps. He’d probably run around town telling people it was only a matter of time before I returned. And even with his shit reputation around town, people probably believed him because, where I was concerned, it was either him, or be single for the rest of my life. Or get the fuck out of Treasure Falls.

He had another thing coming if he thought I’d choose Option A.

“Let him go, Ty,” I said. “I got a better idea.” Patting his shoulder, I headed out from behind the counter and untied my apron as the rest of the band made their way back to the stage from the bathroom. I tossed my apron at Carly on the way and got the attention of Devon’s bandmates. “Hey fellas! Mind doing me a favor? There’s a free round in it for you if you do.”

The lead guitarist, Mike, said, “Anything for you, Ells.”

“Even at the expense of embarrassing your lead singer?” I asked, raising a brow with my hands slid in my back jeans pockets.

They all chuckled, and the drummer, Jake, said, “Especially for that.”

Mike offered his hand and pulled me up on stage while Devon came rushing forward. “What the fuck are you doing, woman?” he asked, keeping his voice as low as he could over the music playing on the jukebox, but still showed how frantic he was. His eyes had widened, and it looked like a little color already drained from them.

I’d make sure he was ghostly white by the end of it.

Readjusting the mic stand to my height, I covered the grill and said, “What I shoulda done ages ago.” Removing my hand, I leaned over to Mike and whispered what song I needed them to play in his ear, then turned back to the mic and said, “Excuse me, everyone. Can we turn that jukebox off, Maverick?” The closest person to the machine, whom I’d addressed, obliged, and soon the bar was quiet with all eyes on me.

“Ella!” Devon said, still keeping a quiet voice. “Don’t do anything stupid!” He slammed his hands on the stage like a child throwing a tantrum.

Ignoring him, I addressed the crowd. “It’s come to my attention that a certain someone thinks I have no choices in life outside of him. Well, I want him to know how serious I am about him being wrong.”

With a nod over my shoulder at Mike, he strummed the first notes while the other members snapped their fingers. My eyes returned to the crowd, noting Felicity in particular who rushed to the stage and pulled herself up, joining the bassist, Eddie, at his mic just as I began singing.

“The more I needed, the less you gave

I guess you thought that it worked that way

And now that I’m leaving

You’re not believing

A word I say

If you think I won’t go

Watch me

Oh, just watch me prove you wrong today

You don’t even know you’ve lost me

You think I’ll always stay

Oh, just watch me walk away”

By the chorus, Devon looked like he’d wanted to retreat into a shell. The patrons, however, got into the performance, clapping their hands and snapping their fingers, helping me with backup vocals which filled the establishment. A few even got up and danced, including Lexie and Rocky.

I hadn’t performed in a long time. Singing wasn’t a passion of mine, simply something fun I could do, and did in my youth. It felt appropriate to dust off my pipes to tell my ex to publicly shove it, and filled me with an adrenaline that helped calm my nerves and pushed me through the rest of the song as I removed the mic from its stand and moved around the stage, having fun with the guys and Felicity, and Mike especially during his guitar solo.

And just before the end, Devon tucked tail and ran out of the bar, his face red with embarrassment, which he tried hiding by flipping the lapels on his jacket up. I waved bye-bye to him on his way out while everyone cheered. Good riddance. Now everyone knew I’d never take him back, and he couldn’t go around spreading lies.

Finishing up, I found the two faces in the crowd I wanted to see most. On one end of the bar, Fletch. On the other, Cade. Both wore similar expressions of desire, which I hoped was a good thing. Fletch’s eyes mirrored the way mine had devoured him only minutes before. Cade, with his mouth gaped open a little, locked his eyes on me with the most adorable puppy dog look.

Even if I couldn’t have them, I could at least be satisfied that I’d been able to seduce them.

That was good enough for me.

CHAPTER SEVEN

FLETCH

I jerked off in the bathroom as soon as we made it back to the motel. The whole night revolved around her, and made me so fucking hard, more than enough to give into the temptation, even if I had to take care of business myself. I did my best to be quiet, not wanting Cade to hear what I was doing after I stepped in the shower and let the mildly warm water hit my back while using my free hand to lean against the wall.

The way she moved on the stage, the sound of her voice, and the look in her eyes. Fuck, she was a siren calling to me. I hadn’t wanted someone this badly since Tamika, and it made me feel guilty, even near the end before I spent myself, hand wrapped tightly around my length, and got out every damn drop, watching it mix with the water at my feet and follow the path down the drain.

I fell forward, letting my forehead rest against the shower wall, both palms on either side of my head as I breathed slowly to come down from the high of my orgasm. What an unexpected turn of events. She still annoyed me. Her propensity for contradicting everything I said should’ve been a bigger factor in my feelings toward her. And while I only fantasized about knowing her carnally, that still wasn’t a good thing.

Jesus Christ, I’d just given Cade a speech this morning!

Finishing up in the shower minutes later, I exited the bathroom and found Cade already asleep with his earphones on. His arms were wrapped around one of our extra pillows, and one of his feet stuck out of the blanket, half hanging off the bed.

Why did I find it adorable?

Shaking my head, I put my things back near my bag and slid into bed beside him, a line of pillows still providing a barrier between us. And while I wanted to go to sleep, all I could do was stare at him again. The unexpected urge to reach out and touch him took me by surprise, and I fought against it. What the hell did that even mean? What was going on with me?

And why did my heart rate speed up at the thought of stroking his cheek while he slept?

It didn’t matter, because I knew whatever was going on with me had to be because of Ella. She played games with my mind, and I started seeing my subordinate through lenses I shouldn’t have. Perhaps the proximity made him an easier target, but I’d never felt that way about Cade before. While I knew Cade was bisexual, I wasn’t.

Or, at least I didn’t think I was.

Honestly, who was I kidding? How could I know when I spent so much of my life with one person, my eyes only ever on them? I’d never experimented in college because I had Tamika. The thought of men never crossed my mind, not that way.

Not until now. And only because I needed a better outlet than jerking myself off in the shower while a little bit drunk. Plus, I felt like I might be taking advantage of him since he’d clearly gotten a hold of some weed.

By morning, I got up for my run, powered by only two hours of sleep and without a hangover, miraculously, and returned just in time to find Cade freshly showered and dressed. I freshened up before we sat down to check our emails and touched base with the tech team after reading their latest report. The sender was definitely in Treasure Falls, and they’d narrowed it down as far as they could to the area around the Burke Ranch.

Not entirely surprising, given what we knew about the alleged last location of Jewel Johnson.

What made things more difficult was the times the messages came in. They were sporadic, some coming in throughout the day, and a few at night. Given how much property Zip owned, it could’ve been anybody who worked for him and stayed late to help wrap things up. Bring the horses and cattle in, get them fed, etc.

And he employed hundreds of people.

It might’ve narrowed down our list of suspects, but not as much as we would’ve liked.

“We still need to return to the Morgans house,” Cade reminded me. “Plus, we need to get started as soon as possible on questioning people at the Ranch again. I wonder if Zip would be willing to share his security footage. Maybe try to catch someone on their phone around the times the messages were sent.”

Nodding, I said, “Yeah. Otherwise, we might need a warrant. We have a lot of ground to cover today, and I think we should split up. I’ll drop you off at the Morgans, then head out to the ranch.”

Cade agreed with the plan, the two of us wrapping things up inside the room before loading into the SUV and heading to the diner for food. We ate quickly before I took him to the Morgans house. He insisted if he finished up early he could walk back since it wasn’t far, and daylight outside. I hoped I wouldn’t be too long, but I could leave and get him if needed.

Leaving Cade at the Morgans door, watching him step inside while Amanda Morgan waved at me, I backed out and sped off for the ranch. Within minutes, I arrived and found Laura Burke first as she stood at the steps with a young woman around Ella’s age. I exited and approached her.

“Agent Williams,” she greeted, extending her hand as soon as we were close enough. I accepted as she asked, “What brings you back?”

“I’m hoping to speak to your father-in-law,” I said. “He mentioned security cameras, and we hoped we could get access to the footage if it’s not been erased.”

“Where is your partner?” Laura asked, glancing over my shoulder for Cade.

Letting go of her hand, I said, “On another part of the case. He may be joining us later, but definitely tomorrow.”

Nodding, Laura said, “Well I’ll see if I can find Zip.” She turned slightly to the young woman at her side. “This is my third child, Jessa. She wasn’t here the other day when you first dropped in.”

Ella’s sister. I could see the similar facial features, but I hadn’t wanted to assume because of her blonde hair. Ella’s brown locks flashed in my mind, and I told myself to cut it out as I shook hands with Jessa.

Minutes later, Zip and a couple others came walking up from the barn. We shook hands before he asked, “What can I do for ya, son?”

“You mentioned security cameras,” I started. “We were hoping you’d be willing to share the footage with us. Our tech experts narrowed down the location of the sender’s messages to somewhere on your ranch, but that’s as far as we’ve been able to get.”

Zip nodded thoughtfully. “And you’re hoping to catch someone on their phone when all those messages were sent.”

“Exactly,” I said.

“Well, I have no issue with it,” he said, which made me relax. “I’ll warn you, though we only keep footage for six months, then it auto-deletes unless we downloaded it. If you need to get further back, you’ll probably have to get in touch with the company behind the cloud server. Or at least that’s what Jessa says. She’s the one who knows all about the tech stuff.”

I figured we’d be working within a small time frame, but six months was more than most people kept footage. We could work with that while requesting that the company hosting their cloud services retrieve things further back. I’d been on enough cases to have decent relationships with a majority of those companies.

“Appreciate it, Zip,” I said.

To his granddaughter, he asked, “Could you help Agent Williams out with whatever he needs?”

Jessa smiled. “Sure. Do you need to download it to a thumbdrive or something?”

“If it can be downloaded and emailed to us, that would be preferable,” I said. “We don’t have enough storage on our thumbdrives for six months worth of footage.” Plus most people didn’t have computers with disc drives or floppy drives anymore, so what little equipment we’d brought wouldn’t suffice.

“Sure thing,” Jessa said. She took her phone out and I gave her the email address. Their program allowed things to be emailed directly from the server, so all we needed to do was wait for everything to come in.

While Jessa hurried inside, I asked Zip if I could go around and question folks again. He gave me free rein of the place, and I made my rounds again over the course of the next couple hours. Cade checked in and said he was still with the Morgans, having caught both Carly and Carter by some miracle, and would likely be wrapping up soon.

I told him I was almost finished as well, unless I found more people making their way in from the fields, then I’d be delayed further. Even so, I could still go get him, then we could cut down on our time interrogating people here. Until then, I had to make do as a solo act.

Somehow, I found myself wandering off and ended up at an old barn surrounded by old farm equipment. Ella’s truck was outside along with a half-empty (or half-full) hay trailer. Of course my instincts would’ve brought me to her somehow since I hadn’t found her anywhere else. Given everything that had happened the night before, and despite the constant reminders that I needed to be professional at all times, the universe seemed to think finding her was a good idea.

Ella appeared at the open barn door, no hay bale in hand, which led me to believe she was unloading instead of loading. She stopped short when she saw me, her gloved hands resting at her hips as our eyes locked.

“Boy Scout,” she said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” She sounded a bit winded, which I chalked up to her manual labor.

“Our suspect list got a little smaller,” I answered honestly. “Someone’s been sending messages on your family’s ranch during the day to our missing girl.”

She laughed, letting her arms drop, and made her way to the trailer. “Sure. If you say so.” She grabbed another bale and turned back to the barn.

Following her, I said, “It’s the truth whether you want to believe it or not. Someone around here knows something about Jewel, and I’d bet anything they also know something about Lindsey.”

Ella climbed the stairs with the bale up into the loft where a large collection of hay took up residence. I continued following her, against my better judgement, as she said, “They questioned everyone around here when Lindsey disappeared. No one knew a thing. And they damn sure weren’t throwing around baseless accusations.”

“So you think our tech people are lying?” I asked, almost offended.

“Or they made a mistake,” she said, reaching the top.

“When we make mistakes in our profession, people either die or they get off scot-free,” I rebutted. “Which is why we do our damnedest to not make mistakes.”

Ella threw the bale down and turned to face me. “Then maybe they should’ve tried harder to find Lindsey the first time. Because if it was someone around here, they made the mistake of missing the signs.”

“We’re not the agents from Billings,” I said. “I don’t know what that office does, but my office makes damn sure we’ve covered all our bases and looked at every possibility. But I know now why you’re so defensive about Lindsey. Amanda Morgan said her daughter wished you were her mother; that the two of you were very close, and how she felt like you were the only person she could confide in. So you must know more than you’re letting on.”

With incredulous eyes, Ella scoffed. “Are you fucking serious? I told them everything I knew about Lindsey! Yes, we were close. I used to babysit her and the twins when they were small. I’ve known them since they were babies so I knew quite a bit about her. She was like another sister to me. That’s why I get the way I do about her. However she felt about me is irrelevant. She didn’t come running to me for help anyway. Instead she trusted some stranger on the internet and hasn’t been heard from since!”

I saw her eyes gloss over as she spoke, but she kept it together well enough to not allow any tears to fall. Despite her voice cracking in some areas, Ella proved to be a lot tougher than I imagined. I didn’t get the sense that she was lying. People who were animated during an interrogation could come out looking like one of two ways, and to me, she was an innocent bystander in Lindsey’s life.

Still. Somehow I couldn’t help pushing back.

“And that stranger has been somewhere on your ranch,” I said, stepping closer to her. “Someone who’s been sending messages to underaged girls during the work week; during business hours. This is someone you know.”

“You want to pin this on someone so desperately,” Ella fought back, ripping her gloves off and throwing them down.

I shook my head. “No, I want to find the person who did this. All the evidence leads here so far. And the more you fight back, the more it looks like you’re hiding something.”

Pointing a finger in my face, she said, “Fuck you, Boy Scout. I’m not hiding shit, and if I knew anything more, I’d make damn sure to bring justice for Lindsey. Why the fuck would you think I wouldn’t?”

“Because you seem so hell bent on going against everything I say,” I said as I grabbed her wrist, lowering her hand. Touching her wasn’t a good idea. Her skin was smooth, despite her day job, and my heart skipped a beat for a moment, wanting to melt into her.

When she tried to yank away, I tightened my grip and pulled her closer. Her scent wafted its way into my nostrils, creating more of an aphrodisiac. “Let go of me,” she growled through clenched teeth.

“Not until you stop being adversarial toward me,” I demanded, keeping a low tone. “From the first minute, you’ve done nothing but contradict me and antagonize me. I won’t let you stand in my way when I have a job to do.”

Ella scoffed a laugh. “You’re perfectly free to do your job, Boy Scout. I’m not standing in the way of anything.”

“Oh, but you are, Sweetheart,” I said, my heart attempting to pound its way out from my chest. “You’re there. All the fucking time. You and that mouth of yours.”

I realized, perhaps too late, that I’d left no space between Ella and me. Our bodies were pressed together, my mouth only centimeters from hers. She trembled beneath my touch, and I swore I heard a whimper leave her gaped lips as she stared into my eyes. The gorgeous brown eyes she used to seduce me at the bar, devouring me with every look.

My cock grew stiff beneath my pants. Nerves flooded my body. I couldn’t be here. I couldn’t do what I wanted to do.

Yet … I did.

I kissed her.

Our lips met, hers unsure at first before reciprocating in another, her free hand flying up to my face, cupping my cheek. I let go of her wrist, losing myself in the storm of kisses that followed, one hand on her back, and the other under her thigh as I lifted her leg off the ground. Having started, I couldn’t stop. My lips moved to her neck, behind her ear, and down to the tiny area of her shoulder I could access beneath her flannel button-up.

Ella grinded her hips into me, making my dick harder, while she whimpered and moaned from my work. To my surprise, I stumbled forward as she brought me back with her while falling onto the hay bales behind her, our lips reconnecting. Her legs entwined with mine and she tore my jacket off before ripping my dress shirt open, my white tank top exposed to her briefly as I sat up, reached behind and pulled it over my head.

I watched her sit up enough to plant her lips on my chest, her kisses making my skin tingle along her path. My tastebuds began craving something I’d never tasted before: her. I needed her more than anything, the feeling so strong I didn’t think I could hold out any longer.

When she brought her lips back to mine, we fell back again, and my hand traveled down her body, stopping between her legs. It might’ve been over her jeans, but I could sense how wet she was. The area felt different than it should have, and I suspected she wanted this as much as I did.

“Are you wet for me, Sweetheart?” I asked, purring against her lips.

“Yes,” she breathed. “Please, Fletch, I want you to feel how wet I am.”

Fuck, that was the hottest thing a woman had ever said to me. My late wife had never spoken words like that. Her seduction methods were different, and maybe she didn’t have to try as hard because she knew how much of a sucker I was for her. Her Puppy. The man who just needed her to look at him in order to melt for her.

But I wasn’t Tamika’s Puppy anymore. I was Ella’s Boy Scout.

I ripped her flannel open, finding a white spaghetti-strap tank beneath it while the lace from her black bra peeked out. Leaving one hand in place between her legs, continuing to tease her over the denim, I pulled her tank and bra down, her tits already pebbled with want. Bending down, I took one in my mouth, her whimper filling the barn as she continued grinding against my hand.

“Oh, Fletch,” she moaned as my tongue vibrated against her nipple. “Fuck, don’t stop.”

I switched to her other breast while her leg tightened around mine. The way she tasted made me crave more, knowing her pussy would end me once I found myself down there. I wanted to devour her while suffocating between her legs, making her scream my name as I gave her an orgasm. I needed to slide my dick inside her and fuck her on these hay bales until the hay stuck to both of our bodies.

I needed to … and then I remembered who I was and what I was doing here.

My work came to an abrupt end as I stopped all movement, realizing I’d crossed a boundary no agent ever should’ve crossed. And if anyone ever found out? I’d be screwed. Ethics investigations, probation, and no transfer opportunity. A whole new set of nerves gripped me in the worst way.

“Fletch?” Ella asked, though I barely heard her through the ringing that started in my ears.

“I’m sorry,” I said before sitting up. “I … I shouldn’t have …” My head darted around, searching for my clothes, finding them on the wooden panels beneath us. I grabbed them and said, “I’m sorry, Ella,” hardly looking at her or making eye contact before standing up and heading for the stairs.

“Fletch!” Ella called. “What the fuck? Are you serious?”

Slipping my tank back on while making my way out, I said, “I can’t. This is wrong. I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I never should have done that.”

By the time I exited the barn, my button up was back in place, though a couple buttons were gone, probably scattered somewhere in the loft and lost to time. It was my own fault for giving in to temptation. Ella was off limits. I still didn’t even like her very much, but my craving for her overpowered every other ounce of sense I possessed for a couple minutes. Had those senses not returned when they did, I might’ve crossed more lines. I might actually have eaten her pussy, fucked her raw in the hopes that she was on birth control because I sure as fuck didn’t have a condom, and let her ride me until she couldn’t anymore, which I suspected was longer than I imagined.

I still wanted to. God damn did I want to.

But I couldn’t. And as I returned to the main homestead and got in my rental, I gripped the steering wheel and closed my eyes tight. Anger arose within me, and I beat the wheel with open palms four times before letting tears fall from my eyes. The anger stemmed from disappointment: a disappointment in myself for violating a set of ethics that had never been tested as harshly as they were being tested now.

I might’ve fucked everything I’d been working towards up, and I didn’t know how to process it.

---

CADE

“Thank you for seeing us again,” I said as I stepped past Amanda Morgan, entering her home just after one o’clock in the afternoon. “I’m afraid it’ll just be me, though. My partner is working on another part of our case.” I turned to face her as she waved to Fletch, then closed the door.

Amanda smiled. “Oh, it’s no trouble, Agent Robbins. I’m sure the both of you are very busy. Though I heard Agent Williams was quite impressive when it came to playing pool last night.”

She must’ve heard from Carly, who worked as a waitress at Pepper’s, and I’d made note of her presence after I re-entered the building following my one-on-one with Felicity. Where I’d come back in search of the wedges she promised – and later made good on – I, instead, found Ella on stage performing Lorrie Morgan’s “Watch Me,” which I assumed was directed at her abusive ex.

Watching him leave in disgrace brought me joy. I still wanted to punch him in the face, but it seemed like Ella had done so in a more painful way. All the while, she successfully captivated my soul. I could’ve listened to her sing all night. She almost had to since the band lost their lead singer, but a woman named Georgie took Ella’s place and performed with the band later.

I hadn’t spoken a word to Ella following the event, fearing if I attempted to, I’d make a fool of myself. Plus, I was a little high at the time, so focusing on my food seemed like the better path. Frankly, the most surprising thing of the night was Fletch not saying anything about me smelling of pot when we got in the car. I figured he was too drunk to do so, and neither of us should’ve driven back to the motel, but better me taking the wheel than him.

Once we’d made it back, I didn’t remember falling asleep. Suddenly, I’d woken up and Fletch was out on his run. And him still not saying anything upon his return shocked me. Instead, after he cleaned up, we jumped into work like nothing had happened.

Offering Amanda a small smile, I said, “That he was.”

“Well, you’re in luck,” she said, “because Carter came down with food poisoning, so he’s here. Recovering, of course, but I asked him if he’d be willing to speak with you, and he said as long as you didn’t mind him possibly running to the bathroom at inopportune moments, he’s more than happy to do so.”

I chuckled and said, “Not a problem at all. What of Carly?”

“Awake. She’s just gotten out of the shower, though, so I’ll fetch Carter first.”

Nodding, I said, “Thank you.”

Amanda offered me a seat in the living room while she retrieved her son, refreshments already laid out on the coffee table. I quickly switched my phone over to vibrate before sliding it back in my jacket pocket. Within two minutes, Amanda returned with a young man who looked just like her, wearing a blue robe and black pajama bottoms with a white shirt peeking out.

“Agent Robbins, this is my son, Carter,” she introduced as I stood up and offered my hand. “Carter, this is Agent Robbins with the FBI.”

The young man accepted my greeting, shaking firmly. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

“Cade, please,” I said. “No need to be formal.” Besides, this kid wasn’t much younger than me. Hell, he wasn’t even a kid. Twenty-one was legally old enough to drink.

Carter nodded as we released hands, then sat down in the rocker where his mother sat the day before. Amanda told us she’d be out front tending to her garden, but if we needed anything to just holler. I thanked her before watching her exit through the front door.

Turning to Carter, I said, “Thank you for speaking with me. My partner and I have taken an interest in your sister’s case, and we’re trying to get a sense of who Lindsey was, and see if those closest to her can offer information that our colleagues in Billings might’ve neglected to gather the first time.”

Grabbing a glass of water off the table, Carter took a drink while I spoke and nodded several times while in the middle of his gulps. As he lowered the glass, he said, “Mom says you think it’s possibly connected to the case that brought you out here, and you suspect Lindsey of being abused.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’ll be completely honest with you, Cade,” he said, returning the glass to the table. “Lindsey and I weren’t very close. We were treated very differently in this house because of our genders. Yet all three of us were mentally tortured by our parents. The Bible was a must-read, must-memorize book when we were children. As soon as we could read, we were expected to begin studying it. Our Bible lessons were always more important than math, science, English, and especially history. I nearly failed a class in junior high because I’d forgotten a particular passage. Ephesians 6:11. They made me re-read the entire book of Ephesians and recite it, staying up all night until I was able to do so.”

Christ.

“‘Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes,’” I quoted. My family was never particularly religious, but I’d memorized the Bible since it often came in handy with this job.

Carter nodded. “I won’t ever forget it now. But it made me resent them. Hate them, if I’m being honest. We all did everything we could to avoid them by hanging out at the ranch as much as possible during non-school hours. And in the summer? We practically lived there. Our parents would demand that we come home most nights, but they never beat us for staying out too late. We’d have to quote a random verse of their choosing, and if we got it right, they let us off the hook. No corporal punishments ever, except a spanking here and there as small children, and never anything that left a red mark on our asses. Though I’m sure physical pain wouldn’t have left as big of scars on us as the mental exercises did. So if you want to know if Lindsey was being abused? Yes. Just not in the way you think.”

They were lucky. They had no idea how lucky they were in regards to not having hands laid on them. Combined with psychological trauma, me even being a functional adult was nothing short of a miracle.

Mental abuse was still abuse when it came down to it. I suspected all three Morgan kids needed a good therapist if they didn’t already have one. Considering the lack of resources around here, unless they were having online sessions like me, they likely hadn’t started working through their trauma.

“How did things change when your parents got divorced?” I asked, wondering how such a change impacted their way of life.

Specifically, had it lessened the abuse?

Carter, placing a hand over his stomach, answered, “It was the first time we got any relief. The day they told us they were going to live apart was the day they stopped making us recite Bible verses. They were more focused on making arrangements than anything. Still, even with the small blessing it afforded us, we …” He paused. “Well, I suppose I can’t speak for Lindsey. Certainly Carly and me, though, we felt we hadn’t done enough. Like we hadn’t memorized our verses enough; like our failure had somehow torn our parents apart. Even if they’d insisted when they sat us down that they’d simply grown apart and God told them it was okay to separate, it’s hard not to feel like we’d failed them.”

He had no idea how much I related to him in that regard. Our circumstances differed greatly, but I understood more than most how it felt to be a child who believed they’d failed as a son or daughter, even when the onus was on the parent.

“Have you ever sought professional help for those feelings?” I asked, curious to know how they handled it.

Nodding, Carter said, “Yeah. We didn’t at first, but after Lindsey disappeared, since we were both eighteen at the time, Carly and I got therapists. We teleconference with them since they’re in Billings, and driving six hours each week just for a one hour session is a waste of money that we don’t have. And I think we’re both in better places now than we were. The trauma remains, and I don’t think it will ever go away, but I’ve learned to handle it better.”

Though I didn’t like to get too personal with people I questioned, I felt the need to with Carter. “I can tell you from experience that it never goes away. Not fully. As long as you have a way to cope? It makes life a little more bearable.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Carter said, his lips curling into a small smile.

Before anything else could be said, Carly entered the living room. She wore her wet hair up in a high bun, fully dressed for the day. My attention moved to her, standing up and offering my hand as she got closer. “Ms. Morgan. Cade Robbins, FBI.”

“Nice to meet you, Agent,” she returned, accepting my hand. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I also wasn’t sure if you wanted to speak to us together or separately.”

“I imagine you’re close, being twins and all,” I said as the handshake ended.

Crossing her arms and sharing glances with her brother, she said, “You could say that. Built in best friends. Isn’t that what they say?” Carly returned her attention to me, a small smile on her lips.

“I think they say that about siblings in general, though it doesn’t always work out that way.” Of course, I didn’t have any siblings. My cousins were the closest thing I had resembling friends for a while, but we weren’t close anymore.

“Depends on the family, I guess,” Carly commented.

Inviting her to sit, Carly made herself comfortable on the arm of the recliner her brother occupied, wrapping an arm around his neck for support. Not an ideal position to interview someone in, but being in their home, I supposed I was at their mercy.

“Do either of you have any clue who might’ve been abusing Lindsey otherwise?” I asked as I retook my seat. “While I don’t want to downplay the mental abuse you received from your parents, based on the reports we read from the initial investigation, it seemed like someone was physically abusing Lindsey.”

Both shook their heads while Carly also responded verbally. “Any physical abuse she might’ve received must’ve happened outside this house. I knew something was wrong, but she never told me specifically what, even when I tried to press her on it.”

“When did she start acting differently?” I asked.

Carly pursed her lips together while in thought, Carter squeezing the hand she let hang over his shoulder. “Mmmm. I think maybe around the time she turned thirteen. Or just a little after? It wasn’t too different. It’s just … sometimes when we’d go to the ranch, she’d get clammy in certain instances.”

As I wrung my hands together, making mental notes and quickly bringing theories to the forefront, the only possible explanation was she saw somebody who’d done something to her, or said inappropriate things. “Do you happen to know if these instances happened around someone in particular?”

Shaking her head, Carly said, “There’s always so many people on the ranch, I wasn’t even paying attention.”

Even if she couldn’t give me a name, it at least helped to know this person spent time there. Likely an employee of the Burke family. And we knew someone was sending the messages from their ranch, so the idea of her acting weird on the ranch around this particular person? It tracked.

Hopefully Fletch was successful in getting the security footage from Zip.

“Excuse me,” Carter said, looking a little green. “Nature calls.” He stood up and rushed out of the room while Carly took occupancy in the recliner, pulling her legs up criss-cross style.

After the transition, I continued speaking to Carly about her life. She gave the same sentiments her twin had, assuring me that other than a few light spankings, their parents never abused them. Their favorite form of torment seemed to be the Bible verses. And we couldn’t pursue any form of child abuse or neglect on that basis, as it would’ve been seen as persecuting their religious beliefs. Plus, the state of the house was pristine. I would’ve been more alarmed if clutter took up every inch of space and it smelled rank, but with the faint scent of lavender in the air, I knew we didn’t have much to go on.

The notes Fletch and I read from the first investigation seemed to confirm the house had always been this way. Agents found plenty of food in the fridge and pantry, no locks on the outside of doors except one closet full of knives, bows and arrows, firearms and a gun safe inside Amanda’s room. The kids attended school every single day during the school year, and they had regular checkups with their doctor.

We’d seen worse cases. This case wouldn’t even fall into the list of child neglect.

Again, they were lucky.

Carter didn’t return for several minutes, which gave me time to continue speaking to Carly. During my conversation with her, I quickly texted Fletch to give him an update, and get one from him. It seemed like things were going well on the ranch, and it would allow me to remain with the Morgans until I deemed the information I got to be sufficient.

By the end, however, minutes after Carter had returned, Carly said, “I know my sister isn’t alive anymore. You don’t disappear for three years and stay alive. Not unless you get extremely lucky. She was fifteen, and there’s no way she could’ve survived out there on her own.” She sounded like she’d made peace with the situation, though her tone suggested she could burst into tears at any moment. A light quiver of her lip confirmed it for me. “I don’t know what you’ll find, Agent Robbins, but know that all we want is closure. At least knowing without a shadow of a doubt that my sister is with the Lord, I will find comfort in that.”

Carter, who stood behind the recliner nodded in agreement.

I felt for them. I really did. Knowing I would bring them awful news by the end didn’t make me feel any better about the case. Bad outcomes were inevitable in our line of work. Not every case could end happily, and I’d come to terms with that years ago. Still, this one hit me particularly hard, especially knowing how much I shared in common with them.

“My partner and I will do our best to resolve this,” I said. “We can’t promise satisfactory answers, but we will make sure Lindsay’s case doesn’t go cold again.”

“Thank you, Agent,” Carter said. “That’s all we can ask for.”

I said my goodbyes minutes later, stopping to chat with Amanda on my way out, and decided to walk back to the motel as planned. Bothering Fletch wouldn’t do me any good. If he was making progress at the ranch, I didn’t want to disrupt that. Plus, getting back to the motel would allow me to get my notes down about the conversation I had with the Morgan twins.

Half way there, I noticed a large blue truck headed toward me. I stopped as it did, Ella’s passenger’s side window rolled down so I could see her as she leaned over the center console. “Hey, Cade. You got a couple minutes?”

---

ELLA

For a brief moment, I thought my fantasy would come true. At least part of it.

If Fletch hadn’t freaked out on me, I would’ve ridden him raw on the hay bales until my legs gave out. Being kissed by him came as a shock, but of course I wasn’t going to deny him the thing I wanted too. Hell, I didn’t think he even liked me enough to do so, but perhaps I’d seduced him enough to where he could no longer resist.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.

I melted as soon as I saw him shirtless. The man clearly worked out, his muscles larger than I would’ve guessed under his clothes, and his abs rock hard. His chest hair? Fuck, it made me wetter than I’d ever been, and even after he left, I became determined to still get my orgasm. I also realized how starved I’d been in the intimacy department. Being touched and teased by him ignited a fire in me, and I refused to let it burn out.

After not finding Cade on the ranch, I figured I’d try the Morgans house, and I luckily found him walking back to the motel from that very direction. If I couldn’t fuck my Boy Scout, I’d try with the other object of my fantasies.

“Yeah, sure,” Cade said after I’d pulled over and asked him if he had a minute. “I was just heading back to the motel to get some notes into our report. Fletch was at the ranch. Did you see him?”

“Nope,” I lied confidently. “I must’ve missed him. But I was in the old barn working for a while.”

He nodded, placing his hands on his hips. “So what’s up?”

“Actually, could you get in the back? It’s … Well, it’s not something I want to talk about through a window.”

Surprise and confusion occupied his face, but he said, “Sure.”

I threw the truck in park and rolled the window back up, locking the door as soon as he got in the back of the cab. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I maneuvered my way to the back, Cade helping me, and I ‘stumbled’ into his lap.

“Oh, are you okay?” Cade asked, concerned over my fake tripping, and I assumed I’d made it very convincing.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I assured him. “Sorry. But I have to be honest with you, I didn’t want to talk to you. In fact, talking isn’t why you’re here.” I ran my hands up his chest, staring into his gorgeous blue eyes. Beneath my touch, I felt his heartbeat shift rhythms.

Cade, his mouth gaped open just a bit, said, “Ella … What is this?” He sounded both terrified and unsure, but he didn’t push me away. While his hands rested on the seat, mine found their way to the middle of his chest, running a finger down the exposed skin.

“Do you want me, Cade?” I asked. “Because I want you, and I’m tired of keeping it to myself.” While he seemed like he’d give me a different flavor of desire from what Fletch gave off, I could work with both speeds. All I needed was to fuck a man and feel alive again.

“Ella,” he breathed. “Are you … seducing me?”

“Do you not want me to?”

Shaking his head, Cade replied, “No, it’s not that. I just … Ella, I’m working. I’m working on a case in your town. This … this is inappropriate, no matter how drawn I am to you.”

Good. At least I’d gotten that little bit of information out of him. I suspected he was more than ‘drawn’ to me, but wanted to be respectful. Unfortunately, the light bulge in his pants beneath me told a different story, and I became more determined to succeed.

“Just give me fifteen minutes,” I said, still stroking his chest with a single finger. “You can clock out for that long, can’t you?” My tone, innocent enough, remained low and as sultry as I could make it without the possibility of scaring him away.

Cade swallowed hard, his chest heaving. “Ella, you and I both know it won’t only be fifteen minutes.”

A smirk crossed my lips as I leaned in close, hovering over his. “I’ll have you for as long as you need me, Lover Boy.” With our lips brushing against one another, I felt his hot breath and heard the small gasp he let escape, all while his dick grew harder beneath his pants. Subtle movements of my hips over him helped me get what I needed out of him.

Our lips parted and locked, a slow kiss proceeding the action, excitement flooding through me. Somehow, within the span of an hour, I’d kissed both men I’d been dreaming about, and while one chickened out on me because of his pride, or whatever, I’d do whatever I needed to so Cade would stay.

And once the kiss ended, we immediately launched into more. Cade’s hands flew to my hips, his nails digging in hard as I clasped his face beneath mine. I ran my fingertips through his hair as they wrapped around the back, our tongues tangling as the kisses grew more intense and my grinding continued, hoping to get him hard enough that he’d beg to let me take out his dick.

To my relief, I didn’t have to wait long. Cade tore at my clothes, and I reciprocated, ensuring that if he removed an item from me, I removed one from him before he could blink. While I never would’ve imagined Cade to be as built as Fletch, he compared fairly well. Fletch clearly had him beat, but Cade surely hit the gym as much as his partner.

I felt subconscious when Cade pulled my flannel off, my arms exposed to him where dry red patches covered the skin. He stopped, examining them, and for a moment, my heart dropped into my stomach. He was the third person outside of my family to ever see them, the first being Devon, and the second being Lexie.

“Psoriasis?” he asked.

Biting my bottom lip with worry, I nodded.

Cade cupped my cheek with one hand, gently rubbing one of my patches with his thumb. “Do they hurt?”

I shook my head. “Not right now. And … they’re everywhere.”

“That doesn’t matter to me, Pretty Girl,” he said. “You’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”

Pretty Girl. I liked that. Between that and Sweetheart, which Fletch had obviously used ironically at the start, my fantasies would become more and more wild with each passing dream. At least I could fulfill one now, as Cade hadn’t freaked out or recoiled when he saw the state of my skin.

And as more clothes left my body, Cade handling me with so much care, the nerves flared up, only to be brought down when he kissed the areas most afflicted by the condition. I found myself on my back with him between my legs, me fully naked, and him in his boxer briefs, leaving kisses as he made his way down to my center. I sat up enough to give him a better position to lay, gripping the grab handle above me as his tongue grazed my pussy.

A small whimper left me, watching him spread my lips and claim everything, his tongue flat against the most sensitive part of my flesh. It made me jerk as pleasure began building, amazed how he’d suctioned his mouth over my cunt and worked exclusively with his tongue, which I found out was a fucking magic wand. Moans and cries left my body, unable to contain them as the appendage vibrated over my clit better than any toy I could ever use. And when he added his middle finger? I was a fucking goner. My free hand flew to his head, tugging his hair while he ate me out like a damn pro.

“Fuck, Cade, don’t stop,” I begged. “Please make me come.”

He obeyed, keeping up his actions for an uncertain amount of time before my hips bucked as the orgasm hit.

“Cade!” I cried out, fluid spraying his face as he continued, not deterred by my ending or what he’d helped produce. I’d never squirted before during sex. No one had ever tried to make it happen. Cade, a complete stranger, got me to do something new and exciting. It turned me on more than I could imagine. A strange feeling overtook me, one I couldn’t describe except that it made me feel amazing.

Leaving my clit after one last kiss there, Cade worshipped my body as he made his way up, kissing every inch he could, even the small patches on my abdomen, and running his tongue from my belly button to my shoulder. As soon as I could reach, I cupped his cock over his briefs, the fabric a little wet from the precum oozing out of him. Cade continued caressing my skin, burying his face in my neck while his fingers played with my clit, teasing me with slow circles.

“Please, Lover Boy,” I begged, breathless as the fire began building again, “let me have you.” I needed him inside me. I needed his hard cock filling me up.

“Do you have a condom?” he asked as he made his way to my ear, gently biting the corner of my lobe.

“Center console,” I said. Knowing my plan, I’d stopped back at the house and grabbed one from Jess’s room, hoping it would do the job.

Leaving me briefly after a quick kiss, Cade reached to the front and popped the top off the center box. He pulled the foil package out and ripped it open with his teeth, allowing me to pull his last remaining garment down, his dick right in my face. And with no self-control, I licked the slit, taking the tip into my mouth, tasting the glorious substance his body produced.

“Christ, Ella,” he cursed. “You can’t do that to me.” He gasped, pulling my hair out of the way and bunching it up at the back. “Oh, that’s good.”

I took him further, letting the tip hit my uvula after a slow entrance. My left hand wrapped around the base with my right stroking his balls, forcing his free hand to hit the top of the cab. I peered up at him, watching as his head dropped back and he panted. His grip on my hair grew tighter, and I found I liked the pain when he caused it. Devon, not so much, but I’d never touch any part of his body again with mine.

For now, I belonged to Cade. At least for however long we could remain in the back of my cab.

“Fuck, Pretty Girl,” he cried out. “Oh, fuck!”

As much as I wanted him to come down my throat and let me swallow him, I needed him elsewhere. Slowly, I released him, meeting his lips again while keeping a light hold around his length. He tasted like me, and I surely tasted like him, and I loved it. I loved it a lot. He was perfect in every way, and it killed me that I couldn’t have him long term.

After all, I needed a partner who would be tender with me, yet still give me the thrill I desired.

I took the condom from him, sliding it down his hard cock, and pushing him back onto the seat. Straddling him, I lowered myself, bringing us together, gasps leaving us from deep in our throats. He slid into me so nicely, filling my core with what I needed most, and after a brief adjustment, I began riding him, keeping a slow speed to start so as not to overwhelm him.

Cade cupped my head, his fingers lacing through my hair yet again, and his other hand gripped my ass. I kissed him deeply, gradually picking up speed with my movements and dug my nails into his shoulder before switching to the seat backing. Pleasure built within me, the slow moving fire returning as I worked on him, our bodies perspiring despite the air conditioning being on full blast and hitting my lower back from the secondary vents.

“Ride me, Pretty Girl,” Cade said, our mouths hovering over one another. “Take everything you want. Make me come.”

I kissed him hard, shoving my tongue in his mouth, accelerating to full-throttle with my hips. Gasps, moans, and grunts emerged from him, filling my ears with the best sound. He wrapped his arms around my back, pulling me as close to him as we could be, my breasts pushed into his chest.

Breaking our deepest kiss yet, I continued bouncing on him, so close to my second climax as my body began jerking with little spurts of pleasure. “I’m gonna come for you again, Lover Boy. I’m gonna come all over your cock.”

Wrapped by a condom or not, I wanted him to feel my muscles clench when I came with him inside me.

“Come for me, baby,” he begged. “Come for me, then I’ll fuck you the way you deserve.”

That did it for me. No one had ever said something so incredibly sexy to me. It pushed me over the edge, my movements ceasing as I came, squeezing his dick hard, and both of us gasping. My head fell back and my nails ran down his body, scratching him enough to break the skin.

He sucked in a breath through clenched teeth. “Fuck, that’s it. Mark me, Pretty Girl. Make me yours.”

I’d never seen such desire in a man’s eyes. The way he stared at me could make me come undone over and over again. I never knew he possessed this side of him, the side I assumed I would’ve gotten from Fletch if he’d followed through in the barn.

But if Cade wanted me to mark him, I would oblige, and then some.

Grabbing his chin, I forced his head to the side, proceeding to claim his neck. I sucked at the flesh with everything I had, feeling him grind beneath me, his length still deep in my cunt. He moaned before it turned into a loud cry as soon as I released after holding as long as I could. And pulling away, I’d successfully laid my claim on him, a pool of red having formed where my mouth had just been.

Before I could do anything else, Cade flipped me onto my back, our lips reconnecting in a blaze of kisses. Several in, he slid his length back inside me, a cry emitting from my throat while our lips remained locked together. My Lover Boy thrusted hard, my vocal affirmations filling the air nearly every second, finding his pace and power to be more than satisfactory. I’d wanted this from Fletch, but was glad I got it from Cade instead.

“Jesus Christ, you feel so good,” he said, holding the back of the seat for support as he fucked me. “You’re perfection, Ella. The very definition of the word.”

Well fuck me, he had a way with words. If he kept it up, I’d come a third time, and I didn’t know if my pussy could handle three orgasms.

“You like fucking my perfect pussy?” I asked, whimpering as he rubbed my clit with his free hand. “Are you gonna come inside me, Lover Boy?”

Please condom, don’t break. Let me have this.

“I’ll come inside you as many times as you want, baby,” he purred. He grunted, gasped, and choked out, “Fuck, I’m gonna come. Fuck, I don’t want this to end.”

Maybe it doesn’t have to…

Oh, who the fuck was I kidding? Our little hookup was about to come to its conclusion, and I needed to be grateful for the time I’d gotten with him. He could’ve easily said no and made the quickest exit from my truck in history, but he stayed. Cade wanted this as much as I had, and the sex was so good, it would never be able to measure up to any experience I had in the future.

Because, let’s face it, I would never get the opportunity to fuck his partner. Fletch running away proved that.

“Give it to me, baby,” I begged. “I want your cum.”

And he gave it to me several deep thrusts later. He stopped, letting his body do what it needed to do before pulling out and collapsing on me. I wrapped my arms around his head while it laid on my chest, my heart racing faster than ever, the same speed as his, damn near trying to escape our respective bodies.

“That was perfect, Cade,” I said through laboured breaths as I came back down to reality, stroking his hair. “You are perfect. My Lover Boy.”

“If I’m perfect, that makes you … well, frankly, I’m at a loss for words,” he said. “And I know every word in the dictionary.”

A deep-throated giggle made its way out of me. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Cade sat up, meeting my eyes. “You should. Everything I said about you is true. The first time I saw you, something struck me. We were meant to meet. This was meant to happen. And I don’t know what happens next, but I want to stay in this truck for as long as I can get away with it.”

At least then he wouldn’t have to find out what happened next. Neither would I.

Surely we’d have to go on pretending it never happened. He wouldn’t tell Fletch, and I wouldn’t tell him about Fletch. Despite how much I still wanted him, at least I knew Cade desired me enough to follow through with his actions.

“How long can you get away with it?” I asked.

“Depends on how long it takes Fletch to call,” he replied.

And I hoped Fletch wouldn’t call him for hours.