Page 89 of Montana Mystery

Simon crouched down in front of the cage. “I’ll give you some time to think about what kind of cooperation you want to give me. But one way or another, you are wiping this slate clean. I don’t care if you’re bloody and screaming to do it. Understand?”

I nodded. I did understand. I understood that he was a psychopath. But I had the sense not to say that out loud.

“Good.”

He stood and walked toward the room with the drugs. “Tell them to go take care of the ranch. Whoever’s there. No loose ends.”

Slumping against the bars of the cage, I met the eyes of the girl in the prison next to mine. There was no more hope in her eyes. Like she’d been here long enough that she’d died inside.

I didn’t think I’d live long enough for that to be me.

Chapter 28

Noah

Everyone was on their way. Even Harlan, who we’d pulled from the ranch for this. He was riding with Grant on the way back from dropping off the dog. We wanted all hands on deck. There was no way to know what the hell we were walking into.

I was driving again because I needed the focus. The feeling that I was doing something, because sitting and thinking about what was happening to Kate or if she was already—

No. Wasn’t going there.

Daniel’s phone rang. “Yeah?” I’d never seen Daniel gray in the way he was right now. Ashen. Now I understood the meaning of the expression. “When?” Pause. “Call the fire department. Right now. Do what you can and keep yourself safe. We’re on our way.”

He ended the call. “Pull over.”

“What happened?” I guided the truck to the side of the road, Lucas following in the truck behind.

“The gate was rammed at the ranch. The lodge is on fire. The stables too. Evelyn and Grace are there, but no one else.”

“Fuck,” I said. “Fuck.”

We didn’t like to split up. Not when we were handling situations like this. Split, and you were weaker. But this was our home. We couldn’t let it burn.

Liam was at the window, fury growing on his face with the information.

Daniel turned to me. “I’m not going to ask you not to go, but you can’t go alone.”

“I’ll go with him,” Liam said. “We need information anyway. Eyes on what we’re dealing with. Call Harlan and Grant and get back to the ranch and deal with things. Just get to us when you can.”

There was a pause as Daniel considered. Every second right now was precious. For Kate. And for the ranch. Liam wasn’t normally the one to charge in and give orders, but he was right. Finally, Daniel pushed open the door. “Stay in contact,” he said as Liam switched places with him. “And please be careful.”

“Will do,” I said, and gunned it. I would make up the time we’d just lost.

Liam cursed. “What the hell is happening right now?”

I pressed my lips together. I didn’t know, but I also knew things that looked like coincidences rarely were. All I knew was Kate was in front of me, and my home was burning behind me, and I was stuck in the middle.

“We sure this is the right place?”

We parked. The large house on the property was just visible over the crest of a hill. From a distance, it looked abandoned. We knew better than to assume that. “Jenna is rarely wrong.”

“Time to be sneaky,” Liam said with a grin that didn’t reach his eyes.

We were armed. Bulletproof vests in place. Binoculars, so we didn’t have to get too close to know what was happening.

The sun was starting to set, but it wasn’t full dark yet. There were fences and trees between us and them. It was enough cover for us to move without risking being seen. That was good, at least.

The closer we got, the less abandoned it looked. A low hill adjoined the back of the place, and Liam and I crept to the top of it, looking down. Several sheds and outbuildings were scattered behind the big house. Some looked newly constructed. It was also clear the house had been hollowed out, much like the barns they’d used before. A single tall door stood open with nothing but blackness beyond.