Page 90 of Cold Light of Day

The way Brown emphasized Knap’s name—as if mocking it—confirmed to Grier it wasn’t the man’s name, after all.

“No. I...almost drowned once. I’m not staying here to watch.”

Knap took a step toward Brown, who pulled out his gun and shot the man, point-blank, in the chest. Knap’s cold eyes widened as he glanced down at the red bloom spreading across his shirt, then he collapsed.

Anguish twisting inside, Grier focused on one point on the wall.

“Even if I tell you what you want to know, you’re just going to kill me like you shot your partners. Knap wouldn’t be the first, would he? You’ve sold your soul, Brown.” Grier, Charlotte, and Krueger had learned the hard way that Cyrus Brown was out for himself and could not be trusted.

As the men prepped to waterboard him, Grier wasn’t at all certain why he was holding out, but he’d better find his why—his reason—and fast. He would need it to survive this.

Did doing good mean keeping the illicit money from the bad guys, no matter the cost? The two men tilted his chair back. Then placed a towel over his face and poured water over his mouth, creating the sensation that he was drowning. The pain, the torture, engulfed him.

Would crush him. Then it suddenly stopped—before he drowned due to lack of oxygen—only to be started again.

Grier was subjected to the water in his airways. Over and over.

Until he wished he would just die.

A purpose greater than your own.

A purpose greater than your own.

A purpose greater than your own.

God, just let me die...

He would never give them what they wanted.

The men pushed the chair so all four legs were flat againstthe floor again, and Grier leaned forward, coughing up water. He would have collapsed onto the floor, but they’d tied him to the chair.

Brown crouched to eye level. “I know someone who will make you talk. I heard you have a soft spot for a certain police chief.”

Grier squeezed his eyes shut.God, please, no.

THIRTY-SEVEN

Grandpa Ike had delivered her home, and she stood in the living room spilling the news to Nolan and her father, who was in his recliner.

“At least one of the so-called men who arrested Grier is impersonating a federal agent.”

Both stared at her with wide eyes. Nolan shook his head, and Dad’s expression paled.

“When I saw Mateo’s image in that box, it jogged my memory that I’d seen Agent Knap’s picture before—he’s a wanted fugitive and not a federal agent at all. But I can’t get access to the system. They changed my login. Craig locked me out—must have been the first thing he did when he took over.” She fisted her hands. “Of all the low-down things to do.”

Actually, she was surprised Craig hadn’t arrested her for partnering with a fugitive. That might be in her near future.

“Autumn.” Nolan ground out the words. “This isn’t the time or place. Dad’s recovering.”

“Yes. I know.” Maybe she shouldn’t dump it on him, at least not so quickly. “I’m sorry, Dad. I’m glad you’re home.” Autumn rushed forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Nolan’s right. You need to rest, and I’m not helping you with that. Can...canI make your favorite dinner?” Lame. She was so lame. Autumn should have made Dad’s homecoming special, but someone she cared deeply about was in danger.

“I don’t need coddling,” Dad growled. “And Nolan, enough of this. Both of you—Grier Brenner is in trouble. That man has saved lives in this town, mine included. He saved your sister. Now”—Dad began hacking—“it’s time to savehim.”

Autumn watched Nolan, willing him to finally look her way. When he did, he subtly nodded. “Dad, are you sure?”

“I’ll be fine as long as I know you two are working to help someone in need. He’s one of our own, a resident of Shadow Gap.”

Autumn found herself smiling at that slight untruth, because surely, over the past few short months, it had become the truth. Even though he was an outsider, Grier had made a place for himself in her small town. Although she suspected that even if she cleared his name, he would go back to his world when this nightmare was all over.

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