Chapter 29

29

Ethan

S earching the streets of Long Pine got us nowhere. No one has seen Miller or his car.

“He was smart, and he was careful,” Colton says as we meet outside the sheriff’s office. “Figured out how to avoid any traffic cameras.”

“Chances are he took her out of Long Pine,” I reply. “What did the sheriff want?”

It’s dark, now. The night is deep and black above, while the town is bathed in the golden glow of streetlamps. I would’ve considered it beautiful, even worthy of a midnight stroll with Melissa hanging from my arm—but given the circumstances, everything feels bleak and ominous.

“Our Ranger buddy came through,” Colton says. “They’ve got Laurel upstairs in one of their interview rooms. I was thinking we might talk to her, see what she knows. The deputies are still out there, patrolling and working their way out of Long Pine. It’s all they can do without any reports or tips coming in.”

“They’ve got Melissa’s and Jake’s photo posted everywhere. Someone will spot them eventually,” I exhale deeply. “Yeah, let’s see what Laurel can tell us.”

I check my phone. Darla and Sammy have yet to call us from the ranch, but my guess is there’s nothing new going on over there either. Melissa’s in the wind, and every second that goes by without us knowing where or how she is feels like fucking torture.

We head upstairs and find Kavanaugh standing outside the interview room waiting for us. The station is close to empty, with every man searching for Melissa and Jake. It feels odd. Eerie, even, to see this place so wide open, not a uniform in sight. But it feels good to see Laurel sitting at that table, fear imprinted on her tired face. There’s a ketchup stain on her diner uniform. The mark of a hard day at work that just went from bad to worse.

“Has she said anything?” Colton asks the sheriff.

“Nope. She wants a lawyer. I figured I’d let you have a crack at her as civilians before I inform her she’s not under arrest,” Kavanaugh replies. “Might as well play the card without breaking the law.”

“Smart thinking.” My brother smiles. “Though I’m surprised Laurel didn’t realize she’s not under arrest.”

Kavanaugh chuckles. “A girl with her background? Yeah, I agree. She’s been Mirandized plenty of times before. You’d think she’d know the drill by now.” He glances around and takes a deep breath. “I’m gonna go get myself a cup of coffee from the kitchen. That should give you five, maybe ten minutes to get something out of her.”

“What about the DEA?”

“Oh, I’ve rung the alarm. They’re sending more agents and a SWAT team to assist us. I’m probably gonna have to hand over Melissa’s case to them when they arrive, but we still have a few hours to ourselves here.”

“We’ll put said hours to good use,” I assure Kavanaugh and make my way into the interview room. As soon as I walk in, Laurel looks up. “Good evening, Miss Buchanan.”

“My name’s not—”

“Cut the crap, Laurel,” I cut her off. “We know who you are.”

I take a seat across the table from her, while Colton slowly closes the door and remains standing, hands behind his back as he watches me work. There’s no time, so there’s no point in going too easy on this wretched creature.

“I don’t understand,” she mumbles. “What am I doing here? I didn’t do anything.”

“Melissa’s missing. Jake took her. We assume it has something to do with the Esparza cartel and the drug money they’re owed. Drugs Jake lost. You know what I’m talking about. The drugs you helped him pin on Melissa.”

Laurel freezes in her seat, slowly shaking her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Perjury is a serious crime, but lying to the cartel is even worse. Imagine what’s going to happen when they hear you lied about the whole thing. That they’re two million dollars short because of a scheme Jake Miller fumbled,” I say, following her every micro-expression, watching as the fear and the despair gradually set in. I can almost hear the wheels turning in her head. The stupidity evaporating as the truth comes to light.

“The Esparza cartel,” she mumbles.

“Oh, yeah. You see, Melissa works for us at our ranch. Part of a prison program meant to help her and others like her start new lives once they get out,” I say. “I’m Ethan. That’s Colton over there.”

Laurel glances at him, then looks at me again. “Okay. What does that have to do with me?”

“It’s got everything to do with you, Laurel. We know Melissa is innocent. She’s serving five years for a crime Jake Miller committed. And you helped him destroy her.”

“I told the truth—”

“I will smack you if you try to lie to me again. Don’t think for a second I give a shit that you’re a woman,” I snap. It’s a lie. I won’t hit her, but she doesn’t need to know that. “Melissa is in danger, and trust me, if anything happens to her, if you don’t help us set things right, I swear I’ll deliver you to the cartel myself and tell them what you did.”

Laurel gasps. “I didn’t do anything!”

“Had you told the truth in court, we wouldn’t be in this position,” I remind her.

Laurel takes another deep breath and steals a glance at my brother. “What do you want from me?”

“I spoke to the sheriff, and he’s willing to help you out. Confess. Tell the authorities about the perjury, give them all the information you have on Jake Miller and his movements, his cartel associations, everything.” I lean closer. “Laurel, I mean everything . Because a judge will need to believe you after you tell him you lied. You get me?”

She nods slowly. “What then?”

“They’ll provide you with protection.”

“For how long?”

“Throughout the trial, for sure. And then you’ll probably go into WitSec,” I say, though I’m not sure they can arrange that for her unless the information she provides is essential. “It depends on how good your intel is. Either way, if you don’t cooperate, you’re fucked because Melissa is missing, and we want her back.”

“Fucking Melissa,” Laurel sighs, lowering her gaze. “I knew this was gonna come back to haunt me someday.”

“Whose fault is it, though?” I ask Laurel. “You’re the one who placed a hand on the bible and lied your ass off.”

“It wouldn’t have been my first choice, in hindsight.”

“But it was a choice you made, nonetheless. What are you going to do about it now? Because you know you’re not walking out of here until you start telling the truth,” I reply. “It’s not about five years in prison for Melissa anymore. It’s about her life, and you don’t want that on your conscience. If you think the cartel is scary, wait until I have to cope with losing her. Nobody’s going to save you from my wrath.”

She’s perfectly aware. It’s written all over my face. It’s embedded in the tone of my voice. She understands the repercussions. And I certainly am not joking, nor am I trying to scare her. I have every intention of making her life miserable if she doesn’t come through for Melissa.

“We’re tired of fending off cartel drug lords,” Colton politely chimes in. “And Melissa feels the same way. Whatever issue you had with her, it cannot be worth putting her through this hell, especially when there are consequences to your actions. As you can see, the past is now catching up with you. Sooner or later, we will get enough evidence to bury you and Jake Miller—if the cartel doesn’t bury you first, just to cover their asses. We’re pretty sure they already did away with that Bruce fella.”

The blood drains from her face. “Bruce?”

“The other false witness,” Colton says. “Surely you remember him.”

She nods silently.

“He’s nowhere to be found. And trust me, we dug deep. We have connections throughout the government. A man who vanishes like Bruce did is not breathing anymore. So do yourself a favor. Help us, and we’ll help you.”

“These are your only options,” I add.

“Dammit, fine,” Laurel replies, resting her face in her bare hands. “I’ll write a statement, whatever.”

“Excellent,” Colton replies. “We’ll get the sheriff in here to do a proper recording of your statement. And any information you have that can back up your new testimony will come in handy. I’ll personally make sure you’re safe until the federal authorities take you into custody and move you into WitSec.”

Laurel gives him a hard look. “Wasn’t Melissa under your care when she was taken?”

I ignore her jab as I get up and join my brother outside. We leave Laurel behind and in Kavanaugh’s custody. He goes in and takes over the conversation. He knows what to do next, and we know we’re one step closer to clearing Melissa’s name. If only we could also find her before it’s too late...

“It’s better than nothing,” Colton says.

“I agree. I just—”

His phone rings. I notice Sammy’s name on the Caller ID. Colton answers, a stern look casting a deep shadow over his eyes.

“What is it? Wait… What?” He looks at me. I see a whole new kind of horror in his gaze, his lips slowly parting. Dread. Devastation. My stomach drops and my insides tighten as I hold my breath, as I expect to hear the worst possible news. I’m not ready to lose this fight, dammit. I’m not ready to give up on Melissa and our babies. Our future. Our life together. No. “Okay, Sammy. We’ll be there soon.”

“What’s wrong?” I ask as he hangs up.

“The cartel is at the ranch”

We drive back to the ranch in the dead of night, darkness swallowing the snowy hills around us. The moon hides behind thick clouds, nary a star in the sky. I suppose it’s befitting how we feel, how this entire situation is unraveling in darkness and endless fear.

Any moment, now, we could either win or lose.

Melissa could survive or we might have to bury her. And our unborn children.

“I don’t like this,” I tell Colton as we pull up outside the house. “We should’ve told Kavanaugh.”

“He’s getting us a location for Jake,” my brother replies. “We need him focused on that. Besides, if the cartel is here tonight, what does that tell you?”

It hits me harder than the icy, midnight air as we get out of his truck and count four silver Escalades parked right in front of the porch.

“What did Sammy tell you?” I ask.

“That the cartel is here, and they want Melissa or the money.”

“Shit,” I say. That’s the suspicion I’ve been nursing on the way here. “They don’t know what Jake did today.”

“Nope.”

“You lead. I follow,” I tell my brother.

I always let him lead in situations like this. Frankly, I’m better with the physical side of things. If he needs me to scare the shit out of someone, push someone into submission or needs me to hurt or kill, I’m his guy. In this case, however, a different approach is necessary. I am always the last resort. Clearly, we’re not there yet.

“Alright,” Colton says. “We keep calm and—” His voice ends as he walks through the front door. “No…”

“Don’t move,” a man says.

I hear the guns clicking before I see them, but the two bodies on the floor capture my full attention. My heart is breaking. Bile rushes up to my throat.

“Kyle… Jason,” I whisper.

Darla is in the armchair, sobbing and afraid to even react at the sight of us. Sammy is on the sofa, seething and wiping tears with the back of his sweater sleeve.

Six men are present, making the living room look a whole lot smaller than it actually is. I spot the leader quickly—his demeanor makes him easily recognizable. He’s dressed well, in neutral tones of beige and cream, his hair combed, and his eyes filled with confidence as he looks at us.

“Gentlemen, glad you could join us,” he says.

The other five are goons: big and burly, clad in mostly black and carrying semi-automatic weapons. The smell of gunpowder and fresh blood invades my nostrils as I give Kyle and Jason another glance. They were shot dead and judging by the crimson pools in which they lay, by the warm color of their cheeks, it didn’t happen too long ago.

“You didn’t have to do this,” I say, cold-burning hatred dripping from my voice.

“I think I did because you fellas didn’t take us seriously,” the leader says. “It’s regrettable, and I cannot say I enjoyed it, but it had to be done.”

“Darla, Sammy, are you okay?” Colton asks. I can feel his rage blazing underneath that calm demeanor.

“Yeah… but Colt… Kyle… Jason…” Darla mumbles, then bursts into another wave of tears.

“We’re fine for now,” Sammy says, giving Darla a long, worried look. “We’re fine. We’re gonna be fine, honey.”

I notice Sammy lean toward a still-sobbing Darla. “Baby,” he whispers, “I swear, if we make it out of this alive, I’m gonna make an honest woman out of you.”

“You mean it?” she sniffs.

“Ring and everything, darlin’, I promise. Fresh start. Just take a deep breath for me, I don’t want you getting sick or passing out. Please.”

“He gets through to her, and I can almost feel Darla’s relief subtly flowing through her as she inhales deeply, then slowly lets the air out.

“Who the fuck are you?” Colton asks the leader.

“Ramon Esparza,” the leader replies. “I’m sorry we’re having to meet under these circumstances. But my patience has run thin.”

Ramon Esparza. I remember the name. The entire cartel is named after him and his brothers.

“You want Melissa,” Colton says, “or the market value of the drugs you claim she lost.”

“I’m not claiming anything. She did lose it. To the police,” Ramon replies. “You know, I met her. Sweet girl. I swear I hate having to do this.”

“Wait, what?” I blurt out. Ice fills my veins as he flashes a smile.

“Melissa. I met her in town not that long ago. I wanted to see what she was like. Jake didn’t have any kind words to say about her, but I could see it in her eyes. The ability to deceive, to lie in order to cover her ass. Sweet girl, like I said, yet capable of bending truths and hiding secrets. So, how good does that make a person?”

“This is your ultimatum, then,” Colton replies. “You come into our home. You kill two of our own. This is it? The finish line?”

“I have to finish what Melissa started,” Ramon says. “I could’ve dropped her when I met her, you know? But I decided to give her a chance, to give Jake a chance to come through. Yet here I am, with no money and no Melissa, long after I explained the terms and conditions. I assume either Jake is being inefficient or you fellas don’t understand the gravity of the situation.”

“Oh, we understood,” Colton sighs. “But you have a problem, Ramon.”

“What’s that?”

“Jake lied to you,” Colton says. “About the drugs, about who stole them.”

“I suspected as much from the beginning, but he made a compelling case. Plus, there were witnesses. I was at the trial, discreetly hiding in the back, watching everything, and making sure I had the right culprit,” Ramon replies with a wry smirk.

“Except those witnesses committed perjury,” my brother insists. “We couldn’t get a hold of Bruce, but we found Laurel. She’s with the sheriff and the DEA as we speak, recanting her testimony.”

Esparza lifts an eyebrow. “What does Laurel have to say?”

“You’ll read about it in the news,” my brother replies, layers of confidence added to his voice as he picks up on the same body language cues coming from Esparza. His goons don’t move an inch, but I can tell they’re just as confused by this conversation. “If you’d come to us peacefully, without your guns and threats, we might’ve spared you the trouble. Jake lied to you. He planned the theft. He wanted Melissa to take the fall for it because he was able to easily frame her. Some evidence planted here, a false witness there.

“It was all fine and dandy. She got arrested and the merch was confiscated. All Jake had to do was play the innocent with you and with law enforcement, which he did. He played his cards right; I’ll give him that. Only, he was supposed to get the drugs out of lockup with the help of an inside guy, a dirty cop. Said cop died in an accident, and Jake was hung out to dry.”

“He needed the drug money to get out of the country,” I add. “He had no intention of giving the drugs or the money back. That was the point of the whole shtick. Steal your product, have Melissa go to jail for it, sneak the product out of evidence lockup, give the crooked cop his cut, sell the rest, and move to another country. Disappear without a trace.”

Darla gasps, her eyes widening as she looks at us. “Poor Melissa.”

“That’s right,” Colton replies, taking advantage of Esparza’s stunned silence. The man’s ego is about to explode, so my brother needs to drive his point home quickly and effectively before it blows up in our faces. “Melissa had absolutely nothing to do with your drugs. She was always innocent. And if you want to ask why Jake went to such great lengths to hide the truth, think about it this way: My two close friends are dead on the floor. He knew what he was doing and how he was going to do it in order to avoid a similar fate. Jake wanted the money and the freedom, and he knew he’d never get both while transporting drugs for you.”

Esparza looks at my brother, then looks at me. The silence that fills the house is tomb-like, cold, and heavy, pressing down on my shoulders and making my stomach feel like it’s packed with lead. Every second we spend here trying to convince the head of a deadly cartel that Melissa is innocent is a second we’re not looking for her and getting her as far away from this fucking hell as possible.

“Jake’s been playing you and your people for complete idiots.”

“How trustworthy is that Laurel woman?” Esparza asks, his gaze on me.

“I made it clear that I will not rest until she pays if anything happens to Melissa. Let’s just say Laurel is motivated to survive at this point,” I say.

“Ah, so you’re the scary one.”

Mitch’s voice comes through from the kitchen. “We’re all scary ones.”

By the time Esparza’s goons realize he’s here, it’s too late. His sniper rifle is pointed at their boss’s head. It’s a semi-automatic, too. They’re not going to take him down before he kills Esparza.

“Well, then,” Esparza sighs and slowly lifts his hands in the air. “I guess I underestimated you. But none of you will live if anything happens to me.”

“I’m not here to kill you,” Mitch says. “I’m here to make sure nobody else dies tonight because of Jake Miller’s bullshit. That, and I want my woman back.”

Esparza smiles, looking at each of us with newfound interest. “You’re Special Forces. I see it, now. The grit, the self-righteousness… any other man would’ve come in, guns blazing and shooting everything in sight.”

“Army Rangers,” I reply. “And we deliver on our promises.”

“We’re at an impasse, but I’m willing to mend this fence and offer a solution that satisfies each of our needs,” Colton politely says.

“A solution, you say?” Esparza is curious.

As if summoned by the heavens themselves, my phone pings. It’s a text from Kavanaugh, with the information we’ve been waiting for. I give Colton a subtle nod. He knows what to do next.

“Yes,” he tells Esparza. “We’ll take you to Jake Miller. Work your shit out with him and leave us out of it. Leave Melissa out of it.”

“You know where he is.”

“His little side piece in Long Pine finally gave him up,” I say, glancing briefly at Sammy. “We know where he took Melissa. We just need to get her out of there. Safely.”

“And if you’re lying? If this is all a ruse? No Laurel, just bullshit to keep me away from my retribution?” Esparza asks, raising an eyebrow.

“You know where to find us,” Mitch says. “We’ll always be here. Always ready.”

“And fearless, I see,” Esparza chuckles.

“Determined,” Colton says. “But my brother is right. We’re here. We’re not going anywhere because we’ve got nothing to hide. Neither does Melissa.”

It’s a gamble, but Esparza doesn’t strike me as a fool. Jake did spin quite the web for the cartel to believe him regarding the drugs and Melissa’s arrest. His most recent actions have raised a red flag with these people. Esparza wants his money, and he wants to protect his reputation. The only way that’s going to happen is if the responsible thief is punished. The real thief.

“I don’t think you want word to get out that Jake Miller bamboozled you and your associates,” Colton adds. “Because if you let that fucker walk, if you go after Melissa, that’s what’s going to happen. Jake will figure a way out of this state and out of the country, and the world will know what went down here tonight. You’ll be the stooge.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Esparza bluntly replies.

We’re playing with fire.

We might get burned. But from the moment we got Sammy’s call, we knew it would get to this. There’s no other way.