Mason grabbed the couple as Owen dragged the suspect down the fire escape and out of the building. “If you think about calling out to your buddies,” he warned. “I’ll have to use my weapon.”
Forty minutes later, the trucks sped off and headed toward the mountain.
“Where do we take them?” Mason asked, glancing in the backseat at one of the suspects.
“We’ll take them to a place where no one will find them,” he said, letting the threat linger in the air. When they reached the mountain, he slowed to give Gunny and Jake time to catch up before making a hard left. The overgrown road, hidden along the back of the mountain, led to a cave they used to play in as boys.
Pulling the truck beside the entrance, they gathered the suspects and led them to the dark space. Dillon carried duct tape and a toolbox for intimidation. Lining the men in a row, Owen glared at them.
“You have two minutes to give me a reason not to shoot you,” he growled.
“You can’t hurt us. People will be searching for us,” the first suspect spat angrily.
“Really? Do you think they plan to keep you alive when they find you? They won’t know what you told us. Unfortunately, you’ll most likely disappear, and they’ll find your bodies in the Arizona desert,” Cade said, his voice sounding deadly. “I see it all the time.”
“We don’t know anything,” The second man replied. “We only take orders.”
“From who?” Owen demanded.
The third man stayed silent and shook his head.
“Fine,” Owen said. “This cave holds a slightlyoverweight bear and her two cubs. Since you don’t want to talk, we’ll leave you here to think about it.”
“I don’t want to get mauled by a bear,” the first man pleaded.
“Then start talking. We don’t have the manpower to keep someone here to guard you,” Owen said, letting the man come to his own conclusion.
“I want to make a deal,” he burst out.
“Shut up,” the first man seethed.
“You have to get me out of here. I want witness protection,” he pleaded.
Owen laughed and shook his head. “I don’t have any authority to grant you witness protection.”
Gunny eyed them. “Why don’t you think about it awhile? We have some witnesses claiming you threatened them. We’ll see if they want us to take them to the authorities.”
They walked outside the cave, listening to the man scream bloody murder.
“What do you want to do with them?” Mason asked.
“Max, why don’t you guard the cave?” Owen asked. “I’ll feel better if we can get those security cameras finished. I have no idea who to trust here.”
“If we brought bigger vehicles, I’d suggest taking them back with me. I have a friend in the FBI,” Gunny said thoughtfully.
“We still have the rental car until tomorrow. We can let one of them drive it, and they can return itnear them,” Mason suggested. “I can have Elias change the reservation. I’m worried if you tried to turn them in here, they may end up dead.”
“I agree,” Gunny said. “Max and Jake can take it, and the girls and I can drive the other vehicles back.”
“It sounds like a plan,” Owen said, turning to Max. “I’ll have someone bring you some drinks and a snack. I don’t know how long this will take.”
“Whenever you get it here, it will be fine. It’s not like they’re going anywhere. I think I’ll keep myself entertained by making bear sounds. It’ll scare the shit out of them,” he laughed.
“Let’s find out what Charlotte and her friends discovered,” Owen said, heading to the trucks.
They made the short journey back, and Owen saw Leslie sigh with relief at seeing him.
Dillon helped Charlotte and her friends from the truck as Jake and Gunny guarded the house, giving them time to talk.
