Page 49 of Rescued Faith

Jude stood with a sigh. “Let’s get this inspection over with. I’m going to loop in the police chief, though, so we have backup ready if needed.”

She popped up off her seat. “Sure thing, boss.”

Finally, something to get her blood pumping.

She rode with Jude out to Prescot’s property. A gate barred access with a mounted camera and speaker.

A crackly voice blared through the speaker. “If you don’t know the code, you’re in the wrong place.”

Jude held up his badge and ID to the camera. “This is Jude Brooks with the ATF. Just doing a routine inspection of the shooting range, making sure your paperwork is in order.”

“We weren’t given notice of no inspection.”

“Don’t need to. By law, as an ATF officer I can inspect without a warrant.”

“You should call first or come back when we’re not so busy.”

“Are you refusing this inspection? Your permits won’t be renewed if you are.”

After a long pause, the speaker crackled again. “Wait there.”

“Think they’re hiding everything?” Penny kept her voice low.

“Most likely.”

It took a good ten minutes for a faded red truck to meet them at the gate. The man that came out from behind the wheel wore a brown cowboy hat and a shoulder holster with a Beretta 92. With his average height and lean frame, he was pretty much the opposite of Big Bobby in build. His weathered face was wrinkled, the mustache and beard all gray.

“Don’t know why you gotta bother honest folks out here just tryin’ to run a business. How long is this gonna take?”

“Are you Conway Prescot?” Jude asked.

“I am the owner of this property.” He stood, hands on hips, boot-clad feet spread wide.

“Good. Then as soon as you open up the gate, we can get on with this, and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Let’s see that identification again.”

Jude pulled it out and showed the man. He studied every part of the badge and card. Silent seconds ticked by. Total power-play move. She had to give it to Jude. He started whistling and smiled like he had all the time in the world. All Penny could think about were the places Emma Kemper or her boyfriend might be hiding.

With a big sigh, Conway finally released the gate. “Follow me.”

The dirt road in was bumpy and dry. The cloud of dust kicked up by the truck made it impossible to see much. They pulled into the heart of the compound, which Penny had scouted last night. Dogs—some kind of heelers or pointers—left the front porch of the big log ranch house and rushed toward them.

“Down, boys.” Prescot shooed them away.

Penny’d had to wait until the dogs were penned up last night before she could sneak into the buildings. Today at least five vehicles were parked in front of the barn. A handful of men milled around. All obviously armed. Penny smiled at them, hoping to find the weakest link. No one smiled back. Thankfully, Bobby Prescot was nowhere to be seen. But neither was Emma.

That was probably just as well. If they realized who they were, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill her and Jude and bury them out in the back forty.

Conway led them to the shooting range, showed Jude his store where he sold ammunition, and retrieved the one short-barreled rifle he had the permit for. While Jude waited for the paperwork, Penny milled through the little store. Through the window, she watched a couple men in camo and dirty blue jeansscramble around the corner of the barn after another drove a skid loader. What was going on out there?

“So, are we done here?” Prescot said from the counter.

Penny whipped around. They’d better not be.

“I’ll need to see the rest of the premises. Where you receive deliveries and store overstock. And I’d like to see the shooting range.” Jude paused. “I might even join.”

Penny almost laughed at that.

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