Page 27 of Montana Manhunt

“Maddox out.” The boss ended the call.

“What was that?” Freeman demanded of his partner. “How do we know that was legit? That guy might have been another friend who did Mann a favor.”

“It wasn’t. I know of Brent Maddox. Mann and the rest were in Mexico, like they claimed.”

“And you know this how?”

“Brent Maddox saved my brother’s life years ago when Harry was in the military. Believe me, I never forgot his name. If he says Ms. Trevelyan and her friends were in Mexico, then they were.”

“Well, nice to know we don’t have to do our jobs because the almighty Brent Maddox has done it for us,” Freeman said.

“Back on topic,” Noah reminded the detectives. “Clock’s ticking.”

“Got somewhere to be, Mann?”

“Yes. Get on with the questions, or I’ll assume you’re finished.”

“So, Ms. Trevelyan, you were in Mexico for the past week,” Ellis said.

“Please, call me Violet.”

“Violet, then. Your sister called you twice, but you didn’t answer the phone.”

Guilt and grief filled her eyes.

“Did she leave you a message?”

“She asked me to call her as soon as I could. She said she had something important to discuss with me.”

“Do you still have her messages?”

A slight nod from the medic.

“Play them for us, please.”

“I’m going to reach for my phone in my cargo pocket.”

Ellis nodded. “Go ahead.”

Like Noah, she laid her phone on the scarred wooden table and played the first of the messages.

A voice hauntingly similar to Violet’s said, “Vi, call me as soon as you can. I learned something I wanted to run by you. It’s not an emergency, okay? Be safe, whatever you’re doing. I love you.”

A tear streaked down Violet’s cheek. She brushed it away and played the second message. “You must be working. You should have told me you would be out of pocket, sis. Anyway, when you get a chance, please call me. I have to talk to you. Things are getting weird around here and I don’t know what to do. Wherever you are, please be careful. Remember that I love you, Violet.”

As her sister’s messages played, Violet covered her face with her hands.

Noah turned her into his embrace and held her while she cried.

Grant helped Rayne to her feet. He looked at the detectives. “Let’s give Noah and Violet a couple of minutes.”

In seconds, the room was empty except for Noah and Violet. He anchored her to him with one arm wrapped around her waist. His free hand cupped the back of her head, surrounding her with his body as much as possible.

Not knowing what else to do to help, Noah simply held her while she cried. He’d expected her to break at some point. Knowing his woman, though, she’d be aggravated about breaking down in front of the two detectives.

Minutes later, Violet sighed. “Sorry,” she said, voice raspy.

“Don’t. You’re allowed to grieve, sweetheart.”

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