“Howdy, Sheriff. What can we do for you this afternoon?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRv7ELnoF5O
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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.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrHNWCQeYr
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He nodded at the gates. “We’d like to speak with Martha.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡid1D18D9pP
207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCraYEQchZP
“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.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQ1dpOKT3A
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Meditation, his ass. He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s important.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcc5rgprpQN
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“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.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWAMZQ1UtK
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Of course.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3T3RieA1J
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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.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpm9hZWs914
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Holy hell, what if Julie is right?207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZBleBsc0z
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He leaned against the cruiser, putting every effort into appearing relaxed and unconcerned. “You know Neveah Smith?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpTLQPujqi
207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4lWaCEPa4
Joseph shrugged. “Sure. She’s been up a few times.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHj6onBd3AK
207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWfun3sgBx
He blinked. He hadn’t expected the man to admit it.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYiNqOQ3CR
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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.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJNRSuPZMn
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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?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVAzhshQO7
207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInUpRMmeaZ
“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.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5V5kWMhwG
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He was fucking with Zach.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRYhjHk2Co
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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.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuw0wR2Tc6H
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This was serious. Or it would be if the girl was actually missing.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNba78PVRN1
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But he wasn’t getting anything from the Elysians today. He pushed off the cruiser. “You call me if she comes around.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3A6rp7mzk
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“You have no jurisdiction here.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8AH2G56PV
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“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.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpgsAoaHAk
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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.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKaIsHdo8l
207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPd12ziJUR
Zach headed for the passenger seat. “Don’t cross me, Joseph. If she shows up, I expect a call.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlK0KtwxcG
207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbnwlw47Mn
“I’m scared. Really, I am.” Joseph pointed at himself. “This is me, shaking in my boots.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJe7RVLw4GU
207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmY8ab6EZZ
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.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9sKy25H7Y
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“Sooner than you think.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhY4kLjh1x
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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.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDR2zeB246
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“Seems like it.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjq55kCxpR
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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 . . .207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz994S3qHy5
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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.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fhmT4OBGa
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For her to refuse to see him and close the gates . . .207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFburjQJmY6
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Yeah, something was up.207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeL9J5O4VEn
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The radio crackled, Chase Moudy’s voice cutting through the cruiser. “Zach? Zach, where the hell are you?”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm14irLopoz
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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.”207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtIhszjatc
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