“Howdy, Sheriff. What can we do for you this afternoon?”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQCNvA89NA
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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.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yc7yHRMUr
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He nodded at the gates. “We’d like to speak with Martha.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheb2tugLuo
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“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.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrRyDRNzhk
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Meditation, his ass. He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s important.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7C2RD8yvF
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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.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9P0H4G3jgt
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Of course.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6rUCMws7e
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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.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTbF4qHT7c
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Holy hell, what if Julie is right?192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahNuvWZaDd
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He leaned against the cruiser, putting every effort into appearing relaxed and unconcerned. “You know Neveah Smith?”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTkmVIpiXy
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Joseph shrugged. “Sure. She’s been up a few times.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBFGA8e3Jk
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He blinked. He hadn’t expected the man to admit it.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvWws6spuu
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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.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPy7YtAYVb
192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMC67JKt5l
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?”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKwMx5wuCl
192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcZ0F3PfAF
“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.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0jrvO7inR
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He was fucking with Zach.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbccpmBhQsV
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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.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInDZTjqnmB
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This was serious. Or it would be if the girl was actually missing.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFMP8HT5EI
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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.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF73uUyAd9v
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“You have no jurisdiction here.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZ8ZdXw3rA
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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.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpESihzp7Uw
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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.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTE1bsRrZc
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Zach headed for the passenger seat. “Don’t cross me, Joseph. If she shows up, I expect a call.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGBUd4Eh5w
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“I’m scared. Really, I am.” Joseph pointed at himself. “This is me, shaking in my boots.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tEl6jBXyH
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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.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAP7xjCAArf
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“Sooner than you think.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9lW6UKfT4
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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.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70uiBURbT5
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“Seems like it.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgjPl783pE
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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 . . .192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ0ykhVu18
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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.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJKVfLSgb8
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For her to refuse to see him and close the gates . . .192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjQYHh5Cz9
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Yeah, something was up.192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxoqo5cBCT
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The radio crackled, Chase Moudy’s voice cutting through the cruiser. “Zach? Zach, where the hell are you?”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTeEDu9UteR
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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.”192Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDE3bsij2ZC
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