“I can’t. I know that better than anyone. I’m telling you the truth I wish someone had told me a long time ago. God put a good woman who cares in front of you. Don’t push her away. You can thank me later.”
Zach scoffed, but the sound died in his throat. Everything Gage said had the same ring of truth as Lauren’s words. There was a desperation behind them that had the hairs on the back of Zach’s neck standing on end.
He leaned both hands on the counter and stared at the busted-up linoleum. “She knows everything. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be around her?”
Gage chuckled. “I’ve known Lauren for a while. She’s even smarter than you know, and the best thing you can do for yourself is accept it.”
“I’m starting to think you’re right. I don’twantyou to be right, but…”
“But you’ve got a chance here. The Bensons genuinely care about people, and Lauren does too. Isn’t this better than chasing something that’s always trying to kill you?”
Zach shrugged. “I don’t know. These hours are crap, and I smell like a barn after work every day.”
Gage’s shoulders loosened, and he leaned against the counter beside Zach. “It’s peaceful here, and I’ll do anything to hold on to it. Do you understand?”
It wasn’t a threat. There were few things in the world worth fighting for, and Gage and Lauren had something Zach didn’t. “I’m starting to.”
Gage’s hand landed heavy on Zach’s shoulder. “Let’s finish this up. Matt and Tammy want this place fixed up as soon as possible.”
The rest of the day passed quickly. Gage talked about the people he’d met since leaving his family behind, and many of the names overlapped with ones he’d heard Lauren talk about. It was like Blackwater had a good-guys club, and they were letting Zach peek inside every once in a while. He didn’t belong, but it was interesting to see how the other side worked.
At the end of the day, they’d torn out the cabinets, counters, and door facings. The place looked even better without the old trimmings, and Zach had already put the place back together in his head. Working for Lauren these last few weeks had rewired his brain.
Zach’s phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out. A message from an unknown number lit up the screen.
Unknown: 137
The drop was crossing the county line. He shoved the phone back in his pocket and backed toward the door. “I have to head out.”
Gage tipped his chin. “See you tomorrow.”
Everything about working at the ranch was mundane. The physical labor was a welcome rest from the logistics of his other job. Four barrels of scopeswould arrive at the warehouse in less than an hour, and it was his job to make sure they were transferred to wooden crates and loaded into a different vehicle within the hour. From there, they’d meet up with their other parts somewhere west of Boise and become the rifles they were meant to be.
The sky was inky dark when Zach pulled up at the warehouse half an hour later. A rusty pickup was already parked by the side entrance.
Nick. He wasn’t in charge anymore, and he needed to take a hint. Zach couldn’t trust him as far as he could throw him, and that wasn’t a partnership that interested him.
What did interest Zach was how Nick knew about the drop. Justin was second-in-command, and he was the only one who’d be sitting in on the meet-up tonight.
The lights were on inside, and rustling from the back room led Zach straight to Nick, who was bent over a crate with his hands inside it.
“Find what you’re looking for?” Zach asked.
Nick’s chin lifted, revealing the look that said it all. He’d been busted. Recovering quickly, he stood and lifted his shoulders. “Just checking the crates.”
Zach leaned his elbows on an empty crate. “Checking them for what? Rats? Bugs?”
Eyes narrowed and chest puffed out, Nick took a step forward. “If you’ve got something to say, spit it out.”
“I said what I said.” Zach raised to his full height—a good three inches on Nick. “Whatever I find when I search those crates is going in your body bag.”
Nick took another step, and Zach held his ground, waiting for the idiot to make the first move so he could go all out.
“Evenin’, fellas.”
Nick stopped as Justin moved behind Zach. His footfalls echoed in the small room.
“We were just having a chat about Nick’s quality of life.” Zach winked at Nick. “You better get home before Mommy calls looking for you.”
