Page 79 of Montana Silence

Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. She clearly needed a hospital, besides the fact that she washereand not in Garnet Bend.

“I’m here with Neil.”

My body shook, barely able to focus on her when my instincts were screaming so loudly I could hear them. “I don’t know who that is.”

Brynn winced. “He’s the leader of The Family.”

Pure, icy dread poured down my spine. “What did you just say?”

“It never stopped,” she said. “Not for one second. It only ever went underground. For years. They were banking on Malcolm getting out and killing him so the ties would finally be broken and no one would know. But that changed when they realized Mara would speak up at the hearing. And even after the first session, they knew it would be enough to keep him in there. Exactly what they’re announcing right now. But he won’t survive the night in prison.”

“How the fuck do you know that?Why are you here?” My voice thundered across the parking lot, drawing looks from everyone, including Dave. To her credit, Brynn didn’t flinch.

“Neil took power, and he wants Mara. He was a little older than her when The Family was raided, and he wants to continue The Family’s work with her. I’m here because he promised me—” Her voice broke. “He promised me I’d be with him too. Totally equal status with her. And I believed him. He was so perfect. You don’t understand, he was the perfect man. And it was a lie. Once he had Mara, he was always going to kill me.” She sobbed. “And now that he has her, he tried. I just managed to get away and come here. I needed to warn you. Last night, I was here when they sabotaged the car. They hoped it would work this way.”

But my brain was no longer working. “What do you mean?”

“He tried to kill me. I—”

I stepped into her space. “What do you mean, now that hehas Mara?”

She went pale. “He has her. By now, he does. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have touched me. He needed me to watch her. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”

“Brynn.” I needed her to focus. “Mara is at the courthouse right now. With her lawyer. You’re telling me the man abducted her from the courthouse?”

“No,” she whispered. “I’m saying she never made it to the courthouse.”

Chapter25

Mara

I didn’t like driving awayfrom Liam. We hadn’t been apart for so long now, it felt unnatural. The only times we’d been separated from each other were when I stayed with Lena at Deja Brew. I’d become accustomed to him being the warm presence at my side.

But I would be okay. I knew I would. After yesterday, my confidence was higher than my nerves, but just barely. Still, I could do it. It was only listening to people, no words needed. All by itself, it was better.

Besides, maybe it was good I did this by myself. Then I knew Icoulddo it by myself. I would be able to look back and say I stood on my own two feet, in the same room as Malcolm, and came out on the other side. Alive, healthy, and happy.

Claire was speaking, but I hadn’t been listening, thinking about Liam. It was better he’d stayed behind so we could go home. I smiled to myself. This was what being in love was. We’d only been apart a few minutes, and I missed him.

On the way home, I wanted to plan moving my things to his house. Would Daniel be okay with it? I didn’t pay rent for the cabin, as it was a perk of the job, but I hoped he wouldn’t be offended I was leaving. I was still going to work at the ranch. It was my home, and that wasn’t changing.

We whizzed past a stoplight I vaguely recognized. The courthouse was on our left, and we were driving right past it. The parking lot for it was around the corner, but we passed the entrance for it too.

I cleared my throat. “Sorry, Claire, I wasn’t paying attention. Is everything okay?”

She glanced over at me from the driver’s seat. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“The courthouse?” I asked. “You drove past it.”

Laughing, she smiled. “You weren’t paying attention. I said it was a good thing you called me, because I was about to call you and tell you the hearing had been moved to a different building. So it all worked out in the end.”

“Oh.” I blew out a breath. “Right. Why did they move it?”

“Full docket. Since this is just a notification of their decision, we got bumped for a case that needed the courtroom space more than we did. Nothing to worry about.”

I wasn’t worried exactly, but the unknown did make me nervous. Especially when it came to Malcolm Novic. “Do we know how big the room is going to be? I just want to be prepared in case it’s small and I have to be near him.”

“I don’t, sorry.”

---