Chapter Twenty-Seven

A week later, the morning started like any other morning with Marshal leaving his bed before dawn.

"I have a meeting. I'll call you when it's finished. I want to take you someplace later." The words had been murmured against his mouth after Marshal had showered and returned to the bed for a goodbye kiss.

Smiling, Ryker touched his lips and rolled from his king-sized bed. Within an hour, he was showered, dressed, and walking along the downstairs hallway.

Ahead of him, Bishop and Alex came out of the FBI room. Hitch held a black bag and hefted the strap over his shoulder.

"What are you up to?" Ryker asked, drawing closer.

"We are out here," Alex murmured, gazing at his phone.

"So, you found the threat." Ryker returned Hitch's smile and glanced at Bishop.

Bishop nodded and headed toward Tanner, who waited in the distance.

Something felt odd, but he chalked it up to the team having to move on. Oh well, it would be nice not having a leash on his movements or someone monitoring his whereabouts twenty-four-seven.

"See ya." Hitch gave him a fist bump and headed down the hall after Alex.

Ryker stood in the hallway next to the stairs until he heard someone approaching.

Real came down the hallway.

"Are you leaving too?"

The man's head tipped slightly. "No. I'll be around for a while longer."

"Cool."

He was so relieved that Real was staying and he smiled when the man briefly placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Sweetie?"

At his mother's voice, he glanced over and found her hovering in the hallway behind him. Her face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed.

"What's wrong?" He pulled away from Real and stepped close enough to take his mother's hands.

"Your dad needs us in his office."

Ryker's heart thumped hard. Did his father know he'd gone through the safe? Not likely. And so what if he knew? It wasn't like he found anything or took anything from it.

"I'll be right back," Ryker told Real.

Real nodded and continued on his way down the hallway.

Ushering his mother into his father's office, Ryker also found Syn along with his father and his father's lawyer, Mr. Bradford.

It wasn't to his father that he looked, but rather to Syn. If his best friend was here, something was definitely wrong. Had Winchester Armani found where Aspen was hiding? And why was his father's lawyer here?

"What's going on—"

"Did you go through my safe?" His father cut him off.

"I did."

His father slowly closed his eyes and when they opened, they were filled with a fierce light. "Give me the flash drive."

"I didn't take your flash drive. I was looking for company documents."

Shit. In hindsight, he should have taken the flash drive. Was that where his father kept the company information?

"Several flash drives are missing," Robert growled, his fists clenched.

"Was there anyone else with you?" Syn asked.

"Yeah, Marshal."

"Fucking great!" Robert snarled, thrusting fingers through his hair, leaving a trail of messy strands behind.

"Marshal wouldn't take anything from the safe without telling me." Ryker squinted at his dad.

What the hell was going on? He turned on Syn. "Why are you here?"

"I got wind of an arrest warrant issued today."

"Who is being arrested?"

"Your family."

Shock caught him up, making him jerk involuntarily.

"Why?" He gaped at his friend.

"Money laundering, suspected of covering up a crime, and multiple counts of exploitation of children."

"What?" Ryker gaped at Syn. "There's got to be a mistake."

"Maybe. Your dad says he had proof he wasn't involved in any of it," Syn spoke softly.

"Where's the proof?" Ryker turned on his dad.

"The flash drive Marshal stole," Robert snapped.

"Federal Agents!" The shout came from the hallway along with a few screams from the staff.

"Listen." Syn stepped closer and gripped his hands. "You're going to be arrested. I'll get you out."

"Don't any of you say a word," his father's lawyer said. "Not one word and ask for a lawyer right away."

The door slammed open, his mother fainted, and before Ryker could get to her side, he was converged upon and cuffed with his hands behind his back.

They yanked him out into the hallway, searching him as they went. He craned his head, but only caught a glimpse of his father's back as the man was handcuffed.

Real stood just beyond the entrance to his father's office and just the sight of the man gave him comfort. Real would be able to get word to Marshal.

And once Marshal came for him, everything would be okay.

A hand pushed the top of his head down and he was tucked into a black SUV that was soon barreling through the streets.

He could barely breathe. Shit was coming at him too fast.

And all he could focus on was…

Where was Marshal?

The cell they tossed him into was cold and he couldn't stop shaking even in his suit jacket.

When the doors clanged open, Syn and his brother Brick stepped through the door. The desk sergeant gave the two powerful men a brief nod and then closed the door.

Syn hurried to the cell and gripped Ryker's hands through the bars.

"Did you find out any more information?" He squeezed Syn's hands, trying to get a bit of warmth into his icy fingers.

"Not a lot of it." Syn paused and rubbed at his forehead. "But I do know that Marshal is involved."

"How?"

"He called in the arrest warrant. Or rather, his team did."

"Team?" Ryker echoed, feeling like he was thinking through mud.

"Marshal is part of an undercover covert operation to take down a child pornography ring."

"Let me get this straight. They think that my dad is involved in child pornography?" Ryker yanked his hands away. "Don't you think I would know?" he spat.

"Your dad is suspected of working for the man who runs the ring and is in charge of keeping the man's books."

"For who? Who is he supposedly working for?"

"Kenneth Cramer."

That gave Ryker pause and he rubbed at his mouth with a trembling hand.

"I've met that guy. He comes to my dad's office every other month."

And ever since Cramer had shown up years ago, the man had given him the fucking creeps. Ryker was very careful to make sure he was never caught alone with the fucker. He could totally see Cramer being a sexual predator, but his father? No way.

He shook his head. "My dad is not involved in any of that."

"Listen. There's more we don't know," Syn said, and Brick laid a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"We need to leave if we're going to catch the judge before his next session," Brick said, giving Ryker a sympathetic look.

"Find Marshal. I have a feeling he has answers. He took the proof my dad has that proves his innocence," Ryker hissed hurriedly.

"I'll keep trying," Syn whispered as he reached for and squeezed his hands again before turning away.

Ryker stayed standing with his hands gripped around the bars.

He feared falling if he let go.