“Howdy, Sheriff. What can we do for you this afternoon?”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83EPZUx6tn
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYat5oT5Jt
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPamUOBy0L4
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOArKgiQJ6G
He nodded at the gates. “We’d like to speak with Martha.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYuEdb9yDJ
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Bx2XRZ8W9
“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.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zVKbSC8QY
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAlDHPxaz7
Meditation, his ass. He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s important.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPv1sP8ZYH
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIs97BZl4vb
“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.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEsAAu4m6I
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oDGsGdqcu
Of course.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr23ISlmvta
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHTwJTxuS8
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89nFSfj7Cc
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qYTwYZtJ0
Holy hell, what if Julie is right?193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2pv0S20iD
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNZkahruNt
He leaned against the cruiser, putting every effort into appearing relaxed and unconcerned. “You know Neveah Smith?”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnBYPkczRP
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRP6J16HtSE
Joseph shrugged. “Sure. She’s been up a few times.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTIyWfNKK0
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QMb40Vx4A
He blinked. He hadn’t expected the man to admit it.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBRWnhjicx
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlw07IPUIxN
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.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaUnayT0DD
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HIjV28FyD
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?”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gkBDxjbsp
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLuS1c0Rbd
“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.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiyHZ0Ud3X
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB120nwvPNp
He was fucking with Zach.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAZFNbACOj
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtjsZ6gEjy
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpt3RGumZf
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡya5AA2xloa
This was serious. Or it would be if the girl was actually missing.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDAnZ162O9
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzA2U6RetEg
But he wasn’t getting anything from the Elysians today. He pushed off the cruiser. “You call me if she comes around.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJX9AwuPfz
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5Bzuc3c5u
“You have no jurisdiction here.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgLnPnK5M1
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLbZy2N5Up
“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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeFooGD3Ij
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbEKZfBfUP
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUiEohnkKw3
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOte4p0WMv
Zach headed for the passenger seat. “Don’t cross me, Joseph. If she shows up, I expect a call.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuM0G3pwbu
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQhC2ZZpbl
“I’m scared. Really, I am.” Joseph pointed at himself. “This is me, shaking in my boots.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJjBiH4KGG
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpajNtd1h2
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.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53x98dYgrs
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zfEE9tUOO
“Sooner than you think.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfZZUDaTLH
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwb3cf0z6B6
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.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMTzWtqWAq
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPC4rF5euM
“Seems like it.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJ5w3cHnOq
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlp9grJfMl
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 . . .193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCztjHZ4ZB
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstJfW5J2qa
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.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThCWxl28ZA
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdfv4RK1Yc
For her to refuse to see him and close the gates . . .193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLOqXVi6KF
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHQyMcMqcM
Yeah, something was up.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sJMHBVAlX
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtn4G1m97j
The radio crackled, Chase Moudy’s voice cutting through the cruiser. “Zach? Zach, where the hell are you?”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZY4Z5Dvzk
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcPcJ4bAXO
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.”193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbgAMMmF8R
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
