Page 51 of Wyoming Cowboy Undercover

Chapter Thirteen

“I demand to see Mercy McCoy,” Rocco said to the guard at the front gate. “I’m not leaving until I do.”

Nash flashed his badge. “Special Agent Garner and this is Special Agent Hammond,” he said, gesturing to her in the back seat. “None of us are leaving until we know Ms. McCoy is all right.”

The guy stepped into the guardhouse, picked up the phone and made a call. He turned his back to them as he spoke on the phone. A minute later he opened the gate and came back up to Nash’s car. “You’re all free to go.”

Nash drove up the hill to Light House, which glittered and sparkled in the sunlight. A beautiful facade hiding all of Marshall McCoy’s ugly secrets.

Armed guards met them as they parked.

Getting out of the truck, Rocco noticed that his Bronco had been pulled up near the front of the house. Like they had been expecting him.

“You can go on up,” Shawn said.

They ascended the steps to the front door, where Alex was waiting with a big, goading smile that made Rocco ache to punch him in the face.

“Empyrean is eager to speak with you.” Alex opened the door, letting them in. “Please remove your shoes.”

Rocco was already doing so in the foyer. Nash looked uncertain, but he complied as did Becca.

Alex led the way to the office with his hand on the hilt of his gun holstered on his hip.

The door was wide-open.

Mercy was inside, sitting on a sofa in the back of the office. She looked up, a grim expression on her face as she met his gaze with solemn eyes, but she didn’t get up when they entered the room.

“Welcome.” Marshall approached them with his arms open in greeting. “I’m Empyrean.”

“Special Agent Nash Garner.”

“Special Agent Becca Hammond.”

Recognition flashed in Marshall’s eyes. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you, Agent Hammond. Your reputation precedes you.”

Becca schooled her features, not giving anything away with her face, but she put a protective hand on her belly that spoke volumes.

“Please have a seat.” Marshall gestured to the chairs.

“I’ll stand,” Rocco said, and Alex came up alongside him. He glanced at Mercy again, wondering if she was okay, but she lowered her head.

Nash and Becca took seats in the chairs that faced the desk where Marshall sat.

“My daughter has relayed troubling things to me. I’m glad you’re all here so that we can clear things up. It’s my understanding that you, Agent Kekoa, had an informant give you a disturbing message before dying in your arms. Is that correct?”

Had Mercy told him everything?

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Would you mind repeating that exact message for all of us?” Marshall asked. “For the sake of clarity so that we might be on the same page.”

“He said that on September nineteenth something big, something horrible was going to happen and that McCoy had planned it all.”

“Ah.” Marshall tipped his back as though struck with a revelation. “Naturally, you assumed your informant was referring to me.”

Rocco’s blood turned to ice. “Yes, he was spying on you.”

“May I venture to guess that your informant was Dr. Percy Tiggs? I read about his passing in the news. His son is one of my flock and Dr. Tiggs didn’t exactly celebrate the fact.”

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