“Howdy, Sheriff. What can we do for you this afternoon?”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuKNpGPab3
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGaOrW6HFnT
He’d never liked Joseph. The man was as pretty as he was false, and he had a nasty habit of whisking through Clear Springs and paying too much attention to the married women for anyone’s peace of mind. As far as Zach knew, no one had crossed any lines there—and even if they had, it was hardly his jurisdiction to police cheating spouses—but it didn’t sit well with him. He’d always thought the only reason Martha kept the little shit around was because he could have passed for an Abercrombie model, right down to the short blond hair and chiseled jawline. But then, that might be Zach’s personal dislike for the man showing through.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcglWPo0Uk
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWg4PU9A2Vi
He nodded at the gates. “We’d like to speak with Martha.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7VCkfdqA9
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtCAbkCcMY
“Sorry, but that’s not possible.” Joseph’s brown eyes flicked to the police cruiser behind him and then back, the only part of him he didn’t bother to lie with. He might appear relaxed and easygoing, but he’d categorized everything about the situation the second Zach pulled up. “She’s deep in meditation.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYsLFSEARG
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtdDWfqM2E
Meditation, his ass. He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s important.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPG6INJfQ8D
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t1Q4fzn6y
“Not going to happen.” Joseph’s smile widened. “But I’m more than happy to deal with whatever brought you all the way out here. As a courtesy in the name of cooperation, of course.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ccaxrPaMd
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvup6z23Bdn
Of course.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaHMFRUmU4
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJUD0PkTch
Zach exchanged a look with Henry. They were hiding something. That wasn’t new, but usually Martha and her inner circle fell over themselves to let him wander around in an effort to prove that they weren’t, in fact, a cult. He couldn’t remember the last time the gates were closed to him. He was pretty sure they never had been.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6P1r2cmiv
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjim4525ID
Holy hell, what if Julie is right?194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6C2czicla
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAT3oVQFUMa
He leaned against the cruiser, putting every effort into appearing relaxed and unconcerned. “You know Neveah Smith?”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTmJSVoqWw
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuC9SJo8oa
Joseph shrugged. “Sure. She’s been up a few times.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCu0SoYC24G
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrHbWGMnnU
He blinked. He hadn’t expected the man to admit it.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8jGPChbQX
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnkD3EpVNI
And, damn it, Joseph knew it. He laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with letting the kid attend a few services. If she’s not supposed to be here, take that up with her and her parents. We haven’t violated any rules.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITLnSYH9c0
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmWGV6ptq6
They knew something. He was sure of it. There was no other reason for them to close him and Henry out. “You seen her around lately?”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjb6HtFtOKN
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVk2zLiznL
“Not in a couple weeks.” Joseph flashed a grin again. “Apparently we weren’t exciting enough for her tastes. She was expecting crazy orgies and drugged-out parties.” Joseph leaned in and held a hand to the side of his mouth. “We don’t start that sort of thing until they turn eighteen.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uJw6uvB5q
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsVEyb6eUp
He was fucking with Zach.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqYZtsmkIa
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3uIaEGt3J
Zach knew it, but it didn’t stop his blood pressure from rising. He’d rather deal with just about anyone other than Joseph, if only because the idiot liked to make a joke of everything.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JmWGdMx1G
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynAukGdTH5
This was serious. Or it would be if the girl was actually missing.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6o3GGfy62
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1aF9sVWVg
But he wasn’t getting anything from the Elysians today. He pushed off the cruiser. “You call me if she comes around.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSE8Mx7qMU
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVIEGo1qyB
“You have no jurisdiction here.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAV2lOZx8d
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUjDgnENa0
“That’s where you’re wrong.” As much as some of them liked to pretend otherwise, they weren’t an independent state. As far as he knew, Martha didn’t even preach that sort of nonsense. But the Elysians were an insular sort, and they didn’t take too kindly to what they viewed as civilians telling them how to live their lives.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL25dX7oFaY
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9fE3iklYl
Too damn bad. He didn’t make a habit of meddling in their business as long as they didn’t break any laws, but that didn’t mean he’d look the other way if they did.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Az2610BM8
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4yAtkNQkN
Zach headed for the passenger seat. “Don’t cross me, Joseph. If she shows up, I expect a call.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQRM25Mkyy
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg20NqnsnrA
“I’m scared. Really, I am.” Joseph pointed at himself. “This is me, shaking in my boots.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUhQUicbcs
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRqymGHK6O
There was a time when Zach used to solve his problems with his fists. He’d never thought he’d miss it until this moment. Punching in that smug bastard’s face sounded brilliant—except he was an officer of the law, and sheriffs weren’t allowed to go around assaulting people who made them angry. “See you around.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtteniABTi
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyx0sdsF6XA
“Sooner than you think.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOICxs6bnX
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTdHmDoYI6
Once they were back in the cruiser, Henry backed away, but Zach kept his gaze on the two men the entire time. “They’re up to something.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8n6Dzr6sV
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFiUY8Z20m
“Seems like it.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhYK3haY3p
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSlrUqlnHb
But what? On the grand scale of things, Elysia might irritate the hell out of him, but they hadn’t set a foot outside the law since they’d bought the hundred acres out here. And if one of Martha’s flock stepped out of line . . .194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGPYIQd3t4
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCqgmE0lxu
He shook his head. When he’d been maybe sixteen, he remembered her hauling in her own daughter to the police station to report that the kid had stolen a violin. That was the only time she’d ever been in the station, and the only time she’d asked for outside help. She’d always gone above and beyond the call of duty to present the facade that Elysia was really just a harmless commune.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmCkshMkQK
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRq374sDjcO
For her to refuse to see him and close the gates . . .194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6VT8oTE99
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauc0lD9vpO
Yeah, something was up.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1Cy12V5uJ
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKoXcvmOLS
The radio crackled, Chase Moudy’s voice cutting through the cruiser. “Zach? Zach, where the hell are you?”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOmiwXXZUw
194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFVWHVfc6m
He exchanged a baffled look with Henry. What now? The other deputy sounded like he’d seen a ghost. Zach picked up the radio. “I’m here.”194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlCrHaHygT
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
