Page 28 of Montana Freedom

Liam gave me an exasperated look. “Yeah, it’s why we’ve been calling you. Two special agents are here, demanding to see who’s in charge and also asking where Emma Derine is.”

For the second time this morning, I cursed. “All right. Give me five minutes to put on some clothes.”

I would rather have had more time to put my head on straight, but the FBI didn’t always take kindly to waiting. If I took too much time, they might assume we had something to hide, and that wasn’t the way to start off a potential working relationship.

Hell of a morning for me to sleep in.

Fresh jeans and one of my nicer long-sleeved T-shirts later, I rinsed my mouth with mouthwash, shoved my feet in my boots, and hopped in Liam’s truck.

“Emma Derine?” I asked.

“That’s what they said.”

It was news to me. Emma hadn’t volunteered her surname, and because we were originally under the impression she’d lost her memory, I hadn’t asked.

“How did they even know she was here?”

Liam snorted inelegantly. “It’s the FBI, Daniel. They haven’t been forthcoming. Maybe you can get them to talk, but they’re cagey. And one of them is a real asshole.”

“Great.”

“I’m surprised Lucas hasn’t taken a solid swing yet.”

It was a good thing Lucas was dealing with them, then. The man could get hot under the collar when it was necessary, but he was also one of the most patient of our team. It was why he worked on the troubled animal cases that came to us.

“Park behind the lodge,” I told him.

“Really?”

I nodded. “I don’t want us to come spinning around the corner and give them the impression we’re rushing to do their bidding. If they’re already trying to exert pressure, we need to try to keep it even.”

This wasn’t a game. Whatever it was, a woman’s life hung in the balance, and I wasn’t going to play fast and loose with it. But in order for us—for me—to have any leverage and keep Emma safe, none of us could look weak.

Liam pulled the truck up to the back stairs of the wraparound porch, and I hopped out. “Sorry if I made y’all panic.”

“No.” He laughed once. “I mean, you’re usually up earlier, but it’s not like I’m going to complain about you taking a rest once in a while. Have you taken a vacation since we started this place?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” I clapped him on the shoulder as we climbed the steps. “We live in one of the most beautiful places, doing what we love. Every day is a vacation.”

“Sure. That’s not a cop-out,” he said quietly, and I laughed again. I had a feeling I’d been giving Liam less credit than he was due since I hadn’t gotten to know him the way I should have. I was glad that was changing.

As promised, two men in sharp, dark suits stood on the porch, facing across from Lucas. “They didn’t want to go inside?” I asked quietly.

“Nope.” Liam popped thepin the word intentionally.

They were both looking at me as I approached. “Gentlemen. My apologies for keeping you waiting. I’m Daniel Clark, and I manage Resting Warrior. How can I help you?”

“You could have helped us already by being readily available during business hours.”

So he was the one Liam pegged as an asshole. A whole straitlaced package. Trimmed hair and beard in the classic FBI way. I didn’t doubt being on the ranch was about as alien as coloring outside the lines. He gave off the air of loving the city and feeling out of place here in nature.

“As I said, sorry for the wait. If you’d told us you were coming, we could have made sure things were available to you. Now, can I see some ID?”

The one who’d already spoken pulled out his badge first. “Special Agent Cole Phillips. This is my partner, Eric Jones.” The other man held out his badge as well. “We’re here looking for Emma Derine.”

“May I ask why?”

“No, you may not.”

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