“Sure.”
“Can you do a little bit of a background on Daryl Everly?Hayes checked his record and it’s squeaky, but something is… off about everything he told us.”
“Off how?”
“His nephew didn’t draw those threats.Maybe he’s protecting someone and throwing the nephew under the bus—apparently there’s no love lost there.Maybe… hell, he’s been nothing but nice to me my whole life, but those drawings meansomething.”
“I’ll see what I can dig up on him beyond a normal police background check.See if it leads us anywhere.”
“Thanks.We’ve probably got five hours at least before we’re back.I know you and Sam are licensed to kill and everything, but I don’t think I should stay with you until we have a better understanding of what’s going down.”
Nate bit back an oath, wondering why he was surrounded by so many damn stubborn people.“Cal—”
“Just… I won’t be back until late.I’ll just stay at the apartment tonight and we’ll go over it all in the morning, but if there’s anything you can dig into about Everly before then, I’d appreciate it.”
There was no point arguing with his brother over the phone.And his phone beeped to signal another call coming in.He glanced at the screen, more than a little concerned it was Sam calling him.Usually she’d just text—especially knowing he was on a surveillance.
“Okay, I’ll talk to you when you get back,” Nate said to Cal, then clicked over to Sam.
If Cal was going to be stubborn about staying in the office, Nate would just stay with him.In fact, Sam would too.They’d both be waiting at Honor’s Edge when Cal got back, he decided.
“Hey, what’s up?”he answered.
There was a long pause that had all his thoughts about Cal and Everly and what to do next coming to a complete stop.He could hear voices in the background, the rustle of something… like the wind.
“Hi,” Sam finally said.Then nothing else, just a sharp inhale of breath.
He heard it immediately.The weird tenor to her voice.None of her usual calm control.“What’s wrong?”
“Um, can you come get me?”
“Did you have an accident?”He was already turning the ignition in his truck.“Are you okay?”
“I’m okay.Just… come to the address I text you once I get off the phone.I’ll explain everything when you get here.”
“Sam.”He pulled out onto the street even though he didn’t know what direction to go yet.His heart was beating triple time.
“I’m okay.Really.”She sounded more sure of herself this time.“Far as I know, everyone we know is okay.I just…” She blew out a shaky breath.“I need you here.”
She said that weirdly… like someone theydidn’tknowwasn’tokay, but she was also admitting sheneededhim and that was terrifying on a lot of levels.
“Text me the address,” he told her.“I’ll be there.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The Bennet Ranch
“It isn’t meddlingto just go up there with some brownies and offer an ear,” Aly said, wrapping the baked goods she’d made late last night when she hadn’t been able to sleep.“It isn’t like Jill to cut off communication this completely and for this long.I’m worried.”
Landon stood in between the mudroom and the kitchen wearing a winter coat, his boots, and a disapproving scowl.She’d kind of hoped to be out of the house before he got back from his first round of morning chores.
He was early, like he knew what she was up to.Which might have been sweet if she weren’t currently being thwarted.Except she refused to be thwarted.
So Aly didn’t look at him, because she wasn’t going to be talked out of this, so his disapproval didn’t matter.
“It’s not even six in the morning.”
“Yes,” Aly agreed.
