Page 89 of When It Reins
“I’m not seeing him on city cameras,” Cheat says, and no one questions how he can get into city cameras that quickly. Acton sure as hell doesn’t have them, except the one traffic camera on the one traffic light we have in the whole town. Fall Springs, where we are right now, has even less than that.
“So he didn’t go into the bigger city, which just means he’s sticking to rural areas,” Atlas says, in a questioning manner.
“Why isn’t he just leaving? He did what he came to do and failed.” Loki growls the words, obviously frustrated with the situation.
He has no fucking idea.
I am ready to go find this motherfucker and lay him in the ground for what he did. Juniper’s worried expression flashes through my mind, and I double down on that feeling. I never want to see that look on her face again.
“He’s not leaving because he’s broke,” Mick says, crossing his arms over his chest. “He’s desperate, so that means he’s probably not fucking done trying to make a mess.”
I have a weird urge to text my brother and whip out my phone, pulling up Logan’s contact.
Everything okay?
I wait a few seconds, and he must be by his phone because his text comes through moments later.
All good here, bro.
I breathe out a breath of relief and refocus on the situation. “So where would he go?”
“Back to The Lodge?” Cheat asks, rubbing his chin.
“Can you check their records, see if he checked in or out?” Loki asks, and I shake my head.
“I don’t think he’ll go back to where he was staying before, plus he has no money. He’s either at a motel, or he’s sleeping in his car.”
“Check just in case,” Mick says to Cheat. “But you’re probably right.” He turns to me. “It’s pretty likely he’s not going to be ableto afford it, and he’s not completely stupid. He’ll have to know that we’re looking for him.”
Where would he go next? I ask the question silently, thinking through all the possibilities. The girls shut down the bar for the day, not only because they need the break, but to keep it from being an open vulnerability for themselves. Annmarie was heading to Logan’s for the day, so she and Shelly weren’t on their own and to visit Juniper.
The only other place they went was…“The ranch.”
Mick looks at me, frowning. “Three Rivers?”
I nod grimly. “He knows I work there. He knows that’s where our family spends time.”
“Call CT,” Mick demands, and I grab my phone again, dialing him.
Voicemail.
I hang up and try Dani. “Voicemail,” I growl.
Then I call Jax again. Nothing.
Finally, I dial Felicity, and she answers. “Hey, Mitch! How are you guys doing? Is Juniper feeling better?”
“Felicity, where’s Jax?”
She pauses for a moment, surprised by my question. “He’s at the ranch. Why?”
“Try calling him. I think there might be trouble heading that way.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“I’ll explain as soon as I can. Just call him, please?”
I hang up and start out the door. All the guys file out behind me and head for their own bikes. I don’t question it, but I am surprised they’re willing to come. This is out of our territory. It is the ranch, meaning it is the cowboys’ area.
