Page 59 of Beehives and Broken Heroes

“Does this fall under ‘secrets of the job’?” Cash asked.

Andy nodded. “Sure does.”

“Andy, he’s our local,” Brandon said.

Andy eyed Cash up and down. “Can he keep a secret?”

“You could ask him,” Brandon suggested.

“Right here, guys.” Cash raised a hand. “Right here.”

“We need help,” Brandon said, “but what we’re about to ask for is strictly confidential. Meaning you can tell no one, not even Jo.”

Cash chuckled. “How very James Bond. Okay, I promise.”

Brandon unfolded the map. “Are there any roads, buildings, or hideouts that aren’t on this map?”

Moving around to the back of the truck, Cash grabbed their red marker and took a look. After a few minutes, he’d circled a handful of spots. “There are roads here, here, and here. An abandoned cabin here, a cave here, and an old utility building for the power company here. Want me to take you to them?”

Andy grinned. “We’ll take my truck.”

* * *

The cabin and cave showed no signs of recent use. Brandon was disappointed—until they reached the utility building. Not only had the dead bolt been cut on the fence surrounding the building, but the door had been opened as well. Brandon and Andy went in, leaving an irritated Cash in the truck, but the less he knew, the better.

They found two cots, two sleeping bags, and two bug-out bags.

“Looks like Tobias brought a friend,” Andy said.

That made Brandon all kinds of nervous. It had to be whoever had gotten rid of the evidence that had nearly lost them the case against Tobias. The man didn’t have many friends, and as far as Brandon had heard, he hadn’t made any in prison either—which meant it had to be his accomplice. This changed things dramatically. They’d have to go at this from a completely different angle.

“Let’s get out of here and regroup.” Brandon headed for the door.

“My thoughts exactly.” Andy followed him.

They left, making sure to leave no sign they’d ever been there, and headed back to the house. They were either going to need to call in Alana or the local authorities. Alana would no doubt bring dozens of men, probably scare Grant away, but the local authorities, they’d do.

He pulled out his phone and tried Harvest Ranch Sheriff Department, but he had no service out here. They have to head back to his place. They jumped in Andy’s truck.

“Find anything?” Cash asked.

“Oh yeah,” Andy said.

And they drove off.

* * *

“Well, now what?” Jo leaned against her truck, fiddling with the navy-blue bandanna she had wrapped around her wrist as they looked over Brandon’s property.

Allie frowned. He wasn’t there. He wasn’t anywhere. They’d been all over town, to the Westbrooks’, and now all over the property. Brandon wasn’t in the corral, or on any of the trails, or down at the dock, or at the guest house. The women had searched high and low. The house didn’t look like anyone had been in it for days. Panic threatened to take over, but Allie held it back with deep breaths. He hadn’t abandoned her. He wouldn’t.

Allie kicked at a pebble under her shoe and thought. His truck was still here. He couldn’t rightly go anywhere without his truck.

Jo tugged at the bright pink shirt she wore that read:After this, we’re getting tacos.“What do you want to do now?”

Allie pulled out her phone and considered calling him, but she didn’t want to do that. Not yet, at least. She didn’t want to have this conversation over the phone. Plus, he hadn’t once tried to call her since their fight. Not that she was sure she totally blamed him at this point.

She shot off a text to Brandon, then turned to her sister. “No point hanging out here. Let’s go. I’ll try again later.”

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