“Howdy, Sheriff. What can we do for you this afternoon?”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA7YPXgCWc
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvrbiJFSiH
He’d never liked Joseph. The man was as pretty as he was false, and he had a nasty habit of whisking through Clear Springs and paying too much attention to the married women for anyone’s peace of mind. As far as Zach knew, no one had crossed any lines there—and even if they had, it was hardly his jurisdiction to police cheating spouses—but it didn’t sit well with him. He’d always thought the only reason Martha kept the little shit around was because he could have passed for an Abercrombie model, right down to the short blond hair and chiseled jawline. But then, that might be Zach’s personal dislike for the man showing through.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MnrBoSZ0C
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHEvbNjuod
He nodded at the gates. “We’d like to speak with Martha.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsa11Jn59S
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xdl69Dmo6
“Sorry, but that’s not possible.” Joseph’s brown eyes flicked to the police cruiser behind him and then back, the only part of him he didn’t bother to lie with. He might appear relaxed and easygoing, but he’d categorized everything about the situation the second Zach pulled up. “She’s deep in meditation.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NMfSQJKE6
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsK6sH99w1X
Meditation, his ass. He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s important.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKHnDKMivT
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWoJLVUhiqy
“Not going to happen.” Joseph’s smile widened. “But I’m more than happy to deal with whatever brought you all the way out here. As a courtesy in the name of cooperation, of course.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4tVf1Kc5P
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvdz8wdvRr
Of course.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsec1IxwEyG
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHZYrsDYNA
Zach exchanged a look with Henry. They were hiding something. That wasn’t new, but usually Martha and her inner circle fell over themselves to let him wander around in an effort to prove that they weren’t, in fact, a cult. He couldn’t remember the last time the gates were closed to him. He was pretty sure they never had been.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7c5z6YLlg7
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5HOASOBmk
Holy hell, what if Julie is right?138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPq4aD5Wnx
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzsgoTjoh0
He leaned against the cruiser, putting every effort into appearing relaxed and unconcerned. “You know Neveah Smith?”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcjd7FUxeG
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGKbb3pZpx
Joseph shrugged. “Sure. She’s been up a few times.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQ3LBXOICt
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7IOLImafI
He blinked. He hadn’t expected the man to admit it.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDimO4XJJjE
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5PgWw5DmN
And, damn it, Joseph knew it. He laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with letting the kid attend a few services. If she’s not supposed to be here, take that up with her and her parents. We haven’t violated any rules.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnqK3oNELb
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOn3YRJtCF7
They knew something. He was sure of it. There was no other reason for them to close him and Henry out. “You seen her around lately?”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0xJ19rwQV
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNF1OwIs6yn
“Not in a couple weeks.” Joseph flashed a grin again. “Apparently we weren’t exciting enough for her tastes. She was expecting crazy orgies and drugged-out parties.” Joseph leaned in and held a hand to the side of his mouth. “We don’t start that sort of thing until they turn eighteen.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwlLBCTfGN
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwe6tqFEANi
He was fucking with Zach.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwCG724Ap4
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0g7HQmlHm5
Zach knew it, but it didn’t stop his blood pressure from rising. He’d rather deal with just about anyone other than Joseph, if only because the idiot liked to make a joke of everything.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxEDVJjevz
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMz3R67Zuum
This was serious. Or it would be if the girl was actually missing.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyg8rzLapby
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvToo87AHa
But he wasn’t getting anything from the Elysians today. He pushed off the cruiser. “You call me if she comes around.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMmoQpPv4t
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlvdTEpEc6
“You have no jurisdiction here.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xOooloaOH
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGlepgl51R
“That’s where you’re wrong.” As much as some of them liked to pretend otherwise, they weren’t an independent state. As far as he knew, Martha didn’t even preach that sort of nonsense. But the Elysians were an insular sort, and they didn’t take too kindly to what they viewed as civilians telling them how to live their lives.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYdXjm07BA
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUFGthu00x
Too damn bad. He didn’t make a habit of meddling in their business as long as they didn’t break any laws, but that didn’t mean he’d look the other way if they did.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEtK531YW3
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvamX8zfYw
Zach headed for the passenger seat. “Don’t cross me, Joseph. If she shows up, I expect a call.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwfFQ4KlBX
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrJScQ83w0
“I’m scared. Really, I am.” Joseph pointed at himself. “This is me, shaking in my boots.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SSTFPdWxO
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtlKtXxfPS
There was a time when Zach used to solve his problems with his fists. He’d never thought he’d miss it until this moment. Punching in that smug bastard’s face sounded brilliant—except he was an officer of the law, and sheriffs weren’t allowed to go around assaulting people who made them angry. “See you around.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4RYYXbPa0
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“Sooner than you think.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiUUFxKB9w
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8w3yDpAAdO
Once they were back in the cruiser, Henry backed away, but Zach kept his gaze on the two men the entire time. “They’re up to something.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGuTvD3ANs
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMozYnxjtNX
“Seems like it.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbD6GjvDnw
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WzRUWsLvq
But what? On the grand scale of things, Elysia might irritate the hell out of him, but they hadn’t set a foot outside the law since they’d bought the hundred acres out here. And if one of Martha’s flock stepped out of line . . .138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4LsBgwJPb
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSFfuIVLLK
He shook his head. When he’d been maybe sixteen, he remembered her hauling in her own daughter to the police station to report that the kid had stolen a violin. That was the only time she’d ever been in the station, and the only time she’d asked for outside help. She’d always gone above and beyond the call of duty to present the facade that Elysia was really just a harmless commune.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaF5Xaa7FOS
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For her to refuse to see him and close the gates . . .138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cHFdxCEJY
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Yeah, something was up.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTpnCR8VlH
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wllmOn5Wx
The radio crackled, Chase Moudy’s voice cutting through the cruiser. “Zach? Zach, where the hell are you?”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1jTJcQS0X
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgY7YAqAEo6
He exchanged a baffled look with Henry. What now? The other deputy sounded like he’d seen a ghost. Zach picked up the radio. “I’m here.”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6GYo6kDlS
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