Page 28 of The Texas Murders

“To find out if there’s any link between the victims, for one,” I say. “And to look for other connections. Other clues. You said so yourself that no one linked the blue panel van until the task force had an idea of what it was looking for.”

As I speak, I can hear my voice getting more and more heated, fueled by the unconvinced expression glued to Ryan’s face. I can’t help myself—I’m getting pissed.

Ryan looks back and forth between Carlos and me.

“I’m swamped planning for this raid,” he says. “I’ve got all my troops focused on that right now. If you two want to look into this with Robin Hood out there, you’re welcome to, but I can’t spare another person.”

As Carlos and I rise to leave, I know I shouldn’t say anything, but I can’t help myself.

“Ryan,” I say, “if you drag your feet on this and it turns out we could have saved Fiona Martinez and didn’t, that’s going to be on your conscience.”

Ryan, suddenly as angry as I am, jerks his feet off the desk and jumps to his feet.

“Listen here, Rory,” he snaps. “I’m juggling teams in five different states. You can’t even fathom the responsibilities I have. I don’t take the lives of the women who are missing lightly. I intend to save as many of them as I can. And the ones we can’t save, I intend to get justice for them by arresting those responsible. So don’t come in here riding your fucking high horse about how you think I should be doing my job. You’re welcome to head on back to Waco any time you’d like. We were getting along just fine without you.”

Ryan and I stare each other down. The camaraderie we shared on the gun range seems a million years ago. We were competitors then, and we acted like friends. Now we’re supposed to be working together, and it feels like we’re adversaries.

“I’ll stay,” I say. “And if you were getting along so fine, then why’d you miss these eagle feathers?”

“Whatever,” he says, and flicks his wrist to dismiss us from his office.

Out in the hall, Ava Cruz is waiting for us. As we walk to the elevator, Carlos says to her, “Did you hear any of that?”

“All of it,” she says as we step into the elevator.

She looks up at me and gives me a nod, as if to say thanks for standing up to the FBI.

It seems I’ve gained the respect of Ava Cruz, even if I’ve lost it from Ryan Logan.

I decide I’m happy with the trade.

CHAPTER 22

AS THE ELEVATOR descends, Carlos says, “It’s five o’clock. Y’all want to go get a drink?”

“I know the perfect place,” I say.

We agree to meet at the Outpost in an hour. I drop Ava back at her station, and then Carlos and I head back to our hotel. We change into jeans and collared shirts that aren’t quite as dressy as our work shirts. Then we head over to the bar.

“Well, what’s this?” Carlos says as we pull into the lot.

The marquee over the door reads:

PERFORMING LIVE

ONE NIGHT ONLY

RORY YATES

“What on earth?” I say.

As we enter the bar, Megan spots us right away and laughs as she approaches.

“Don’t be mad,” she says. “I meant it as a joke. You don’t have to play if you don’t want.”

“Oh, he’s ready,” Carlos says, bumping his shoulder against mine. “He’s got his guitar in the truck. Rory never leaves home without it.”

It’s not lost on me that he’s repeating the same words I used when I picked him up in Austin. He gives me his roguish grin.

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