“Howdy, Sheriff. What can we do for you this afternoon?”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTd9nfOhB1T
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCAshgJpgt
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.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwxzwPgFoO
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwyR3blzx6
He nodded at the gates. “We’d like to speak with Martha.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMn2BdByWiJ
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPhjhxLDwH
“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.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQd7C50dvo
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9vpP5NgXr
Meditation, his ass. He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s important.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAndqPfGv44
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDhQpVrJAO
“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.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNSo60lPoa
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3DXVRXlll
Of course.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzu53bkO8Mw
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DgLwAM8f5
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.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDc5PuOdDBN
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNu5Dx1LZVy
Holy hell, what if Julie is right?108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8loUFQ2z0A
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgZAuo0enJ
He leaned against the cruiser, putting every effort into appearing relaxed and unconcerned. “You know Neveah Smith?”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5ycDUEYhl
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfK6Sgah1ON
Joseph shrugged. “Sure. She’s been up a few times.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7feh83tsrl
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcoVye2YuU
He blinked. He hadn’t expected the man to admit it.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ20glqLYGs
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZodyCo3Ymx
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.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yrIiNpeDh
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjc6ntichF
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?”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgbMXNegph
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA75NTwtowu
“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.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNx0RH0KXw7
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnZxsY8vm0
He was fucking with Zach.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXFzgiacug
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgyzMuREydB
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.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQsomfhVoA
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpj4lofT6cu
This was serious. Or it would be if the girl was actually missing.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmF9QGdzjSB
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cgGdOLNP1
But he wasn’t getting anything from the Elysians today. He pushed off the cruiser. “You call me if she comes around.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAr0Ly2w3c
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtp5s7FNXhV
“You have no jurisdiction here.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcog5iRzRsT
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2feUqL2sm
“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.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUGQ9euyAx
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MebRjnZFE
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.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzfNNOiKSC
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvvKysSUdK
Zach headed for the passenger seat. “Don’t cross me, Joseph. If she shows up, I expect a call.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyrTHmR8Gf
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZ4wVwYjBN
“I’m scared. Really, I am.” Joseph pointed at himself. “This is me, shaking in my boots.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqPq1WiPhX
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvd2sIIuYY4
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.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauBdA0KVvC
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjf6i0KauPf
“Sooner than you think.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QLvk9bjEI
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyJ1dx19fX
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.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqKiXgugCG
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlqltEzoy2
“Seems like it.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wNhALxtos
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQKnsgHH8g
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 . . .108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4ccGPoJQg
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJl7qr1jZo
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.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOzEM94L2L
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtxdi8pBVl
For her to refuse to see him and close the gates . . .108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmEvp4F66J
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmo0CnygTK
Yeah, something was up.108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YVzf0AK9G
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGKEeRmLh8
The radio crackled, Chase Moudy’s voice cutting through the cruiser. “Zach? Zach, where the hell are you?”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjv2QienD29
108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrML4s0Qixc
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.”108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpjoKxcW0d
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
