“Howdy, Sheriff. What can we do for you this afternoon?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9KAbd5Fw2
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWQuXEP7W6
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdnU8Wugmk
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEZ3TZ1EnG
He nodded at the gates. “We’d like to speak with Martha.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaxRt83Zwo
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5Mul4A06E
“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.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKM0CvVxGMa
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNeDadAz6s
Meditation, his ass. He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s important.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLfhY2WYeJ
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKKvM7hCSZ
“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.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wt5Xkwonn
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIelzbFwbHz
Of course.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhKM35NVyn
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMA3udqjo8K
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwW0nRtvmah
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4ovd6Gnud
Holy hell, what if Julie is right?204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRTxgSqib9
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkfCVdemqT
He leaned against the cruiser, putting every effort into appearing relaxed and unconcerned. “You know Neveah Smith?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3KgsnXh3S
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOC1n6nDid4
Joseph shrugged. “Sure. She’s been up a few times.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGiJxisK9z
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhC0rnY3D7
He blinked. He hadn’t expected the man to admit it.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7axj2IGrmX
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCBqDJmevi
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.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRX05wYyKMz
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2kkQFC1E0
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?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5OZggeofL
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qPjtUg4Zg
“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.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvfVYHmDgy
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGy3u4udPs
He was fucking with Zach.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPXT7kRS7O
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjq025OfWCG
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfC6SVcgXeg
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4holCWg3Gk
This was serious. Or it would be if the girl was actually missing.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH36X7UgfwN
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42EWy02PiF
But he wasn’t getting anything from the Elysians today. He pushed off the cruiser. “You call me if she comes around.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6ZaRKiFal
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIorYg2iIc
“You have no jurisdiction here.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVZOZLFxBZ
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsVkYSGrpn
“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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsiLynDXWW
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aUHoBmbAw
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSeMnrFyDw
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEznLErjkHp
Zach headed for the passenger seat. “Don’t cross me, Joseph. If she shows up, I expect a call.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZVJbhUy2G
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnJRYjV1en
“I’m scared. Really, I am.” Joseph pointed at himself. “This is me, shaking in my boots.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gwbNJtllp
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qroYd6eGi
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.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡii6RjWDcCo
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaF0aOnwhqp
“Sooner than you think.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CBB4nHOE8
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcGnGJ2bcR
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.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXK0o7uCOI
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwuNZeE7gP
“Seems like it.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGDgRh0Lnh
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYp96RP8Dxr
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 . . .204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlYFo08RDr
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMByZEo4HNG
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZPyZyAB3p
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6o0K4LM8A
For her to refuse to see him and close the gates . . .204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiIsQY3IPs
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnr3JIw4Sh
Yeah, something was up.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZWMjkC5gj
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRflvvkN0v
The radio crackled, Chase Moudy’s voice cutting through the cruiser. “Zach? Zach, where the hell are you?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5A0tfRDcTD
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNxwMQ9BkQ
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.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡji50givXoe
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
