Page 31 of Montana Freedom

“Take us to the cabin.”

“She will come back,” I told them. “She was locked in a fucking cage. Let her answer your questions on familiar territory, and you will get a lot further.”

“Do you know when she’ll be here?”

“No.”

Agent Phillips shook his head. “Then we don’t have time to wait. Take us there.”

“Or you’ll arrest me?” I made sure he heard the sarcasm in my tone.

“You got it.”

Sighing, I looked at Liam. “Okay to take your truck? Mine is still at the house.”

“Of course.”

He tossed me the keys, and I looked over my shoulder. “I’ll pull around.”

Lucas followed me outside onto the porch and walked with me. “Did you have any idea?”

“No,” I said, and I wasn’t really in a place to think it all through. On the one hand, I wished she’d been up front about who she was. No one here wished her harm or had been given the impression she was anything but a victim in more than unfortunate circumstances.

But at the same time, I understood why she hadn’t said anything. Being that monster’s daughter? Unthinkable. Especially if she’d told the truth about the way Simon was going to kill her.

She didn’t have any reason to lie about it. Once she knew we weren’t involved with Simon at all, she had no reason to deceive us or trick us. Unless she was part of his revenge.

I shook my head. No, that didn’t make sense. Even Simon couldn’t have known to put her in a cage purely to engender sympathy. She was his prisoner—I didn’t doubt it.

“What are you going to do about it?”

“What can I do?” I asked, circling the truck. “If I were in her position, I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same.”

He placed a hand on the hood. “Keep an eye out. There’s something off here.”

“Like Phillips being a jackass? I agree.”

Lucas chuckled. “Don’t get yourself arrested before you get back, okay?”

“I’ll do my best.”

The special agents were already in their vehicle, and they followed me down the ranch drive. I didn’t feel good about this, but they were forcing my hand. Hopefully Emma would forgive me for it.

I realized with a start that was the thing I was most concerned about. Not her actual connection to Simon, though it was concerning, but whether she’d still look at me the same after I brought two FBI agents storming into her life.

Once on the mountainside, I stopped a little way away from where she’d parked the truck. She already had a tendency to run, and I didn’t want her to think Simon’s men had finally found her. She was much better, but still not quite fully healed.

They met me between the trucks. “That cabin. She isn’t a threat, but she is skittish. I can announce myself, and she’ll be less likely to run.”

“No, thank you,” Agent Phillips said. “We’ll take it from here.”

I waited for them to pass me before I pressed the heels of my palms to my eyes. “Fuck.”

When I turned, my stomach dropped for the second time this morning. They were approaching the cabin with their guns drawn. Damn it, I’d told them she wasn’t a threat.

If calling out to them wouldn’t put her in more danger right now, I would do it. So, I followed a distance behind. If this was going to happen, I wanted Emma to see me as soon as possible, so she knew everything was going to be all right.

I realized I was more than merely protective of Emma. She was young, but she was intelligent and kind. She was funny and beautiful, and the way my entire body was tensed at the thought of her being afraid or harmed told me I’d already gotten myself in too deep.

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