Page 62 of Burning Secrets

Please, God.He couldn’t get out anything more than that.

Maybe it was enough.

He strode across the tarmac as Hammer and Vince caught up to him. “We’re going with you.”

He rounded. “And get killed? Because you do know these guys aren’t jerking around. They are murderers and thieves, most of them criminals, well-funded, and off their heads. And you guys fight fire.”

They were unmoving, expressions dark.

“Right?”

“Yeah, not so much,” Vince said. “Let’s call it a second job.”

Oh.

On the tarmac, the chopper fired up.

“The other SJs are heading back to base,” Hammer said. “They’ll fill in the team.”

So, that would be an interesting conversation.

“Wouldn’t be the first time this summer we’ve tangled with these guys,” Vince said.

The chopper lifted off, dust scattering.

“Yeah, I know. Because last time, yourplane was shot down.”

“Sheesh. Thanks for that,” Hammer said. “Talk about salt.”

“Right?” Vince said. “My mentor at the DEA betrayed me, and he’s part of all this somehow.” He headed for the administrative building, where Rio was already inside, hopefully calling the sheriff’s office.

Yes. Because a truck pulled up as Crew walked in from the tarmac. A woman opened the door, hopped out. “Hey, Shasta,” Rio said.

“Rio. Guys, get in the back.”

They piled in, Rio in the passenger seat, and she drove them the short distance to town. Crew jumped out, strode up to Rio. “Keys.”

Rio pocketed them. “Not yet.”

He opened his mouth, closed it. Stared at him. “You want her to get beaten. Raped. Tortured?—”

“That’s enough, Crew.”

“You don’t know these guys like I do.”

“I know exactly who these guys are! I lived with them in prison. And where do you think I got my undercover experience? This isnotmy first carnival.” He blew out a breath, his eyes hot. “Yes, we will go in and get her. I swear to you, we will. But we do this wrong, we have to start all over again. They’ll vanish into the woods, and if we really screw up, they’ll take her with them.”

Ice blew into his soul.

“So, step. back. Let’s go talk to Deke, and let me get authorization.”

Authorization. He fisted his hands, shook them in front of him, then exhaled hard and followed Rio inside, Vince and Hammer behind him.

Deke stepped out of his office. “Rio, what’s going on?”

“SOR attacked a small farm outside town. Doused them. We had to burn the crops. We’ll need to get ahold of the Anchorage office and get some folks up there to test the soil and the cattle. But we have a bigger problem.”

Another man had come out of the conference room, holding a cup of coffee. A bigger man, maybe in his fifties, brawny, although it could be partly from the nearby bakery.

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