Trace leaned back, trying to wrap his mind around what Sev was saying. If Rios was gone, did that mean Kip had nothing to worry about anymore? That would be the best Christmas gift he could give her. His relief was short-lived when Sev kept talking.
“The man who made Rios disappear calls himself Mr. Zeus. He has a team set up on the old nuclear missile site near Vindicator Ridge. Word is he already has someone feeding him information from inside Wilder, besides Wesley Zhou, who has also gone silent. My team hasn’t yet identified who the other informant is. But we will.
The temperature in the room dropped twenty degrees. Trace felt the words like a blade sliding between his ribs. Someone in Wilder was watching for the right moment to hurt his woman, butwho? Did he know them? He’d have to. Strangers stood out in a small town like Wilder.
“There’s more,” Trace said, following his gut. “I want everything out on the table.”
Sev’s gaze flicked to the window where Kip was laughing and building snowmen with the other girls. It lingered a heartbeat too long, then returned to Trace.
“Zeus isn’t a street name,” Sev began. “It’s a title. The Triad gives it to the one they send when they want a region broken and rebuilt in their image. We haven’t been able to learn Mr. Zeus’s real name, but we know him. He took over the Triad’s northern district six years ago, starting in Vancouver, Washington. You can imagine I have a personal interest. I think they are the ones sheltering my father. I’ve heard talk on the street he’s cut some kind of deal with them to regain the power I stripped from him when I took over the family business a year ago. We’ve managed to stay out of each other’s way so far, but I know it’s a matter of time before that changes. Word is they are expanding east. Cells in Idaho and Montana were already known, but I didn’t know he’d made it to Wyoming until Boone called.”
Trace didn’t need to sit through a history lesson of the problems Sev had with the guy. He had more immediate things he needed to know. “Why the hell is he after Kip?”
Sev’s jaw worked. “I don’t know. It’s not his style. Not the Triads.” Sev’s gaze drifted back to the window. Kenzie was walking from snowman to snowman, critiquing each one if the pen and clipboard she was carrying were any indication. Turning back to the conversation, he said, “I need to keep digging. But if Zeus is here, I want to be here to keep everyone safe.”
Rage boiled in Trace’s throat, hot and metallic, but he swallowed it. “He won’t get within a hundred miles of Foxy or any of the other girls.”
Sev nodded once. “He doesn’t have to. That’s why we need tofind the spy. It’s someone local who can give him information about anything and everything. Things like ranch schedules, who comes and goes, where the cameras are, and when the hands rotate, you get the idea. It’s someone who knows you, your family, and now her.”
Boone spoke, his voice like gravel. “I’ll get Griff, and my men started on background checks. We’ll recheck every new hire in the last two years. If that doesn’t get us what we want, we’ll expand it to everyone from delivery drivers to meter readers.”
Sev nodded. “It could be anyone… a lady from church, the kid who bags your groceries, or loads your feed trucks. Zeus likes to recruit the girl next door and all-American boy types.”
Trace’s mind raced through names, faces, every interaction from the past six months. His free hand drifted to the pistol on his hip without conscious thought. His blood ran cold.
“We’ll change up our routines,” Chance said, “and keep the same safety protocols we’ve already put in place. No one rides alone. The women don’t leave the ranch without one of us as a bodyguard.”
Sev’s mouth twitched. “I figured that last part would be in there somewhere.”
Boone pushed off the table. “I’ll talk to Sam. Quietly. We’ll need the sheriff’s department in on this.”
Trace nodded. “Cameras on every gate. Motion sensors around the lodge and barns. Tanner should be finishing the new system today.”
“Already done,” Tanner said.
Sev straightened. “I brought six drones with thermal sensors with me. I’ll run night sweeps. If anyone is moving after midnight, we’ll catch them.”
Three light taps on the front door interrupted their conversation. Junie Morgan stood in the doorway with an apologetic smile. “Morning,” she said, eyes flicking to each of the men in theroom, but paused on Tanner. “Just came for my pans from yesterday.”
Trace stepped aside and motioned her into the kitchen. He called to the girl as well, “Come in, girls. Time to warm up.”
Junie hesitated before crossing the threshold. Tanner moved across the room to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Hey there, Junebug,” Tanner said, voice unexpectedly too bright. “Your pans are in the kitchen. Have a seat. I’ll grab them and make you a cinnamon hot chocolate.”
Junie’s smile went shy. “Thanks, Tanner.”
Tanner returned with three Pyrex dishes, fingers brushing Junie’s when he handed her a steaming hug of cocoa. She blushed crimson. A few minutes later, Junie stood. “I have to get back to the bakery.”
“I’ll help you to your car,” Tanner said.
“I’m parked right out front.”
“I’ll walk you anyway.” On the porch, Tanner loaded her tote, brushed snow from her hair, kissed her, soft, quick, definite. Junie’s eyes went huge. Tanner looked like he’d been struck by lightning.
Trace’s gaze followed his brother out, and that’s when he saw her. Kip stood just inside the room, white as a sheet and trembling.
Well, shit.
CHAPTER 22
