Page 94 of Christmas with Three Cowboys

I check my phone. Darla and Sammy have yet to call us from the ranch, but my guess is there’s nothing new going on over there either. Melissa’s in the wind, and every second that goes by without us knowing where or how she is feels like fucking torture.

We head upstairs and find Kavanaugh standing outside the interview room waiting for us. The station is close to empty, with every man searching for Melissa and Jake. It feels odd. Eerie, even, to see this place so wide open, not a uniform in sight. But it feels good to see Laurel sitting at that table, fear imprinted on her tired face. There’s a ketchup stain on her diner uniform. The mark of a hard day at work that just went from bad to worse.

“Has she said anything?” Colton asks the sheriff.

“Nope. She wants a lawyer. I figured I’d let you have a crack at her as civilians before I inform her she’s not under arrest,” Kavanaugh replies. “Might as well play the card without breaking the law.”

“Smart thinking.” My brother smiles. “Though I’m surprised Laurel didn’t realize she’s not under arrest.”

Kavanaugh chuckles. “A girl with her background? Yeah, I agree. She’s been Mirandized plenty of times before. You’d think she’d know the drill by now.” He glances around and takes a deep breath. “I’m gonna go get myself a cup of coffee from the kitchen. That should give you five, maybe ten minutes to get something out of her.”

“What about the DEA?”

“Oh, I’ve rung the alarm. They’re sending more agents and a SWAT team to assist us. I’m probably gonna have to hand over Melissa’s case to them when they arrive, but we still have a few hours to ourselves here.”

“We’ll put said hours to good use,” I assure Kavanaugh and make my way into the interview room. As soon as I walk in, Laurel looks up. “Good evening, Miss Buchanan.”

“My name’s not—”

“Cut the crap, Laurel,” I cut her off. “We know who you are.”

I take a seat across the table from her, while Colton slowly closes the door and remains standing, hands behind his back as he watches me work. There’s no time, so there’s no point in going too easy on this wretched creature.

“I don’t understand,” she mumbles. “What am I doing here? I didn’t do anything.”

“Melissa’s missing. Jake took her. We assume it has something to do with the Esparza cartel and the drug money they’re owed. Drugs Jake lost. You know what I’m talking about. The drugs you helped him pin on Melissa.”

Laurel freezes in her seat, slowly shaking her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Perjury is a serious crime, but lying to the cartel is even worse. Imagine what’s going to happen when they hear you lied about the whole thing. That they’re two million dollars short because of a scheme Jake Miller fumbled,” I say, following her every micro-expression, watching as the fear and the despair gradually set in. I can almost hear the wheels turning in her head. The stupidity evaporating as the truth comes to light.

“The Esparza cartel,” she mumbles.

“Oh, yeah. You see, Melissa works for us at our ranch. Part of a prison program meant to help her and others like her start new lives once they get out,” I say. “I’m Ethan. That’s Colton over there.”

Laurel glances at him, then looks at me again. “Okay. What does that have to do with me?”

“It’s got everything to do with you, Laurel. We know Melissa is innocent. She’s serving five years for a crime Jake Miller committed. And you helped him destroy her.”

“I told the truth—”

“I will smack you if you try to lie to me again. Don’t think for a second I give a shit that you’re a woman,” I snap. It’s a lie. I won’t hit her, but she doesn’t need to know that. “Melissa is in danger, and trust me, if anything happens to her, if you don’t help us set things right, I swear I’ll deliver you to the cartel myself and tell them what you did.”

Laurel gasps. “I didn’t do anything!”

“Had you told the truth in court, we wouldn’t be in this position,” I remind her.

Laurel takes another deep breath and steals a glance at my brother. “What do you want from me?”

“I spoke to the sheriff, and he’s willing to help you out. Confess. Tell the authorities about the perjury, give them all the information you have on Jake Miller and his movements, his cartel associations, everything.” I lean closer. “Laurel, I meaneverything. Because a judge will need to believe you after you tell him you lied. You get me?”

She nods slowly. “What then?”

“They’ll provide you with protection.”

“For how long?”

“Throughout the trial, for sure. And then you’ll probably go into WitSec,” I say, though I’m not sure they can arrange that for her unless the information she provides is essential. “It depends on how good your intel is. Either way, if you don’t cooperate, you’re fucked because Melissa is missing, and we want her back.”

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