Cody, standing across the street, leaning against a storefront like he’s been waiting for me. When our eyes meet, he lifts his hand in a wave, and the smile on his face is anything but friendly.
A chill runs down my spine, ice-cold fear flooding my veins. I force myself to walk to my SUV with steady steps, not letting him see how much he’s rattled me. My hands shake as I unlock the door and slide inside, immediately locking it behind me.
He’s still watching as I pull out of the parking spot, that same unsettling smile on his face.
And I know, with a sick certainty, that this is far from over.
Chapter 19
Levi
We’ve been waiting for two weeks to hear from Randy and his crew. Today, Dakota and I decided to come into the office to do some paperwork. Which is why I’m surprised when I feel my phone buzzing with a text from Randy.
“Look at this,” I tell him, holding up the phone for Dakota to read.
He comes over, and I can feel him tense.
R: You boys ready to prove you know how to hunt? Got something set up for this afternoon. Be at Freedom Farms within the next two hours.
I glance at Dakota, who’s already reading the message over my shoulder. “Well, fuck,” I mutter.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “That was fast.”
I text back as Tim.
T: We’ll be there.
Randy: Good. Don’t fuck this up.
My fingers move quickly, sending messages to both Director Drake and Dakota, even though he’s sitting right next to me. We need the official record.
But this feels much bigger, and more dangerous than anything else we’ve done for this. Which makes sense since we’re starting to get into the nitty gritty of it all.
My last text goes to Magnolia.
L: Gonna probably be late tonight. Don’t wait up for me unless you want to. Be safe, and lock the door. Have a really good pop-up event.
Her response comes almost immediately.
M: I know you can’t tell me what this is about, but I can guess. You be careful. You’ve got me waiting at home for you. BTW, it was a really good pop-up event. I’m heading to Shelby’s right now.
I stare at those words longer than I should, my chest tight. When did this woman become someone I text before heading into a potentially dangerous situation? When did she become the person I think about when I’m wondering if I’ll make it home? Not before I picked her up off that table, even though I’d always had a fucking crush on her.
This has moved fast, and although every other woman who tried to move fast with me, I’ve pushed away. I want to pull Magnolia closer, and never let her go.
“You good?” Dakota asks, his voice steady, but at the same time worried.
“Yeah.” I pocket my phone. “Let’s get ready.”
We head to our respective residences to change into hunting gear. When Dakota picks me up an hour later, we’re both silent, the weight of what we’re about to do settling over us heavy as fuck.
The drive to Freedom Farms feels longer than it should. My mind keeps circling back to what Director Drake briefed us on; the illegal breeding operation, the white-tail deer, the questions about what else might be happening on that property. This is what I need to focus on, not what might happen when we get there.
Knowing that the men with us will be armed is enough to make my stomach churn. But this is what I’ve trained for. This is what my family has done for generations.
When we pull up to the property, there’s already a group of men waiting. All of them are dressed in hunting gear, faces already covered with camo face paint and masks. Dakota and I exchange a look before doing the same, pulling our buffs up over our noses and mouths.
We get out of the truck, and immediately I can feel eyes on us. They are assessing us and measuring whatever they see as trustworthy. If sitting duck was a feeling, this is fuckin’ it. My training kicks in. I stand tall, shoulders back, fake a confident stride, and meet eyes without challenge.
