“Howdy, Sheriff. What can we do for you this afternoon?”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHzXrzS0VN
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BLoe06bT2
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.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhMFQfFBTD
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxQKf84bO8
He nodded at the gates. “We’d like to speak with Martha.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyLeAd5bXL
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTRQXZ4JNL
“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.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPY2g7oeM20
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMX0eL5nSiv
Meditation, his ass. He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s important.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BTlZ8ZANy
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vN2bYH5BG
“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.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7t9e4OLNhL
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvt5mLUBR80
Of course.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4MKjVQ8ns
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZ2tvRc13w
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.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuzvhFK4vw
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8EtPaAfZO
Holy hell, what if Julie is right?202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDEgTZPK6F
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoHNl6zpF1
He leaned against the cruiser, putting every effort into appearing relaxed and unconcerned. “You know Neveah Smith?”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUFVVqncwF
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBXfsfBKnm
Joseph shrugged. “Sure. She’s been up a few times.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOoAu6OBgO
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQlyQ1eJbd
He blinked. He hadn’t expected the man to admit it.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfBN0WN7uc
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8y7u5wZEi7
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.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaq67Z9YDk
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxYVW5eSJZ
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?”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oVZ6s6GOe
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpmbt2OwE1
“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.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroJ2MgtisG
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvpRlSiIaW
He was fucking with Zach.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAo8cavHvM
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1kbQyCjVv
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.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Noi87Ww9W
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXaxZAhAzY
This was serious. Or it would be if the girl was actually missing.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3jCcPw3Im
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBXuQydOQd
But he wasn’t getting anything from the Elysians today. He pushed off the cruiser. “You call me if she comes around.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzoKsTOrAV
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8PZE0JBIY
“You have no jurisdiction here.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruOJTIVHLc
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhul0ranwD
“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.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1x9hthbiu
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpz06rbPPwj
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.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzF5Kaoohj
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvC4OgPVu9
Zach headed for the passenger seat. “Don’t cross me, Joseph. If she shows up, I expect a call.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2xjWexIcq
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtxkJcoRIh
“I’m scared. Really, I am.” Joseph pointed at himself. “This is me, shaking in my boots.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYypUm1XK2
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9jF3f2XCY
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.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrLs4vOARa
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtf7cy7Gqv
“Sooner than you think.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgdFLlVuZ9
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKzdFsqaZo
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.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3p8ZpbjqF0
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSdo80sKXH
“Seems like it.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUqrhlV6Qe
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJuEHvjibw
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 . . .202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOqhTgHmQZ
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCM5nqCEi8y
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.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ScYvJeaA5
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBiEZ1IS8c
For her to refuse to see him and close the gates . . .202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJU3OMQMM0
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYXyBmWNpt
Yeah, something was up.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFQlgpkq91
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VdGAl5y6C
The radio crackled, Chase Moudy’s voice cutting through the cruiser. “Zach? Zach, where the hell are you?”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwn5jaU6pt
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumfdJuwRt7
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.”202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFDNxJOJcO
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
