“Shut up.” Jesse pulled him inside, and Zane followed. When another deputy came out of a hallway, Jesse handed the guy over. Then he moved to the door of an office before turning to Zane. “In.”
Zane stepped inside but didn’t sit. He couldn’t. He needed to pace. To move. To breathe without feeling caged.
The door clicked shut behind Jesse. “I’m gonna be honest, Zane. I’ve had a bad fucking day. My town is under threat. My family is out there doing a job that’s not theirs to do. One dead and two arrested means if all those convicts came our way, I still have another six on the loose.” He stepped around his desk looking pissed. “So I need you to tell me what the hell that guy was talking about—and do it fast.”
“Monty Cruz is one of the felons. He’s that guy who tried to get away with murder in Billings. He’s my cousin. And I’m the reason he was found guilty.”
“This is about you?” Jesse asked, disbelief in his tone.
“Yeah. I didn’t need confirmation from that guy to know that. These other convicts are just distractions. A means to keep you and your deputies busy.”
Jesse laughed but there was no humor behind the sound. “They’re doing that.”
“Cruz has money, and he uses that money to buy the help he needs. I’m sure that’s how the guy breached the shelter today and knew his wife and kid were there.”
“I’ve got all the bios and mug shots, so knowing that this Cruz guy is the ringleader will help.”
“I need to know the second you have information on him.” Zane stepped closer. “And I’m going to scour this town until I find him. I’m not leaving a stone unturned. I need you to keep me in the loop. I need this to be over.”
“You and me both.” Jesse’s jaw clenched. “I’ll keep you in the loop. But you need to do the same for me. Keeping this town safe is my responsibility and my priority.”
“I know. We’ll get things back to how it’s supposed to be.”
“Of course we will.”
Zane nodded and turned toward the door.
“Zane.”
He stopped, hand on the knob, before looking over his shoulder at Jesse. “Yeah?”
“Watch your back.”
“You too. Monty’s smart. And he doesn’t fight fair.”
In the parking lot, Zane headed straight toward Ethan, who was leaning against his truck.
“Ready?”
“Let’s go.” Zane slid into the passenger seat.
Ethan pulled out of the parking lot. “I’ve booked a cabin under another name. We’ll head there. Make a list of places he could be staying.”
“He could be anywhere.”
“Yeah, but we’re better than him. He can’t hide from us for long.”
Theywerebetter. But Monty had time on his side. He’d no doubt been planning this since the judge passed down his sentence.
Ethan shot him a look. “Bonnie’s with her brother?”
Her name, the sheer fucking sound of it, made his lungs restrict. “Yes.”
“You know he probably already knows about her.”
“Yeah, but I’m hoping I’m at the top of his hit list and she’s safe with her family.”
Ethan nodded. “We’re gonna find him, Zane. And when we do—”
