Page 94 of Bronco

Amber yawns. “He’s such a sweet looking menace.”

I chuckle. “He sometimes remembers his job, even though he spends most of his day upside down, dreaming of pork tenderloin and unlimited belly rubs.”

She kisses my chest, making a humming sound. “I feel safe with you.”

That’s music to my ears, and as I glance down, I see her eyes squeezed tightly shut. “I’ll never let anything bad happen to you,” I say. “Or Olive.”

“Mmmhmm.” She’s falling asleep, and I take it as a compliment that she feels secure enough to do that when I’m around. That’s my job, regardless of oursituationship.

“Always,” I whisper into the dark. “I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.”

“The Kingdom of Faith?” I balk. “What in the actual fuck?”

“Yeah, well don’t go tellin’ Star I told you,” Rock says. “I’ll be wearin’ my balls for earrings.”

“I won’t. Just need to make sure Amber isn’t in any danger.”

“I get that. With her sister-in-law missin’, it makes sense to check it out, but these fuckers have means and ways of staying hidden. Not like they’re gonna have a website; I already checked.”

Yeah, that will be an issue, but surely somehow I can find out more intel. “Fuck. So what do we know about this fuckin’ Vince dickhead?”

“Well, from what Amber told Star, and the little I’ve found online, he started this church twenty-something years ago, and in the last decade — that’s when Steven joined — they’ve added over a hundred new members.”

“And it’s still in Illinois?”

“Looks like they haven’t spread their wings that far out of their own nest.”

I run both hands through my hair. Amber will be here soon for work, and we’ll be talking to Cash about what’s going on, justso he’s in the loop. “Probably content corruptin’ the minds of the innocent people within their reach,” I mutter. “I’d like for him to be within my reach.”

Rock looks up from the screen. “Damn right. How do all of these cults mass manipulate that many people?”

“Amber was a kid when her brother joined, she didn’t have a choice.”

His face sobers. “That sucks.”

At least I have a name now, and I can do my own investigating. I give him a chin lift. “Got anythin’ else?”

“I’m just workin’ on security cameras. Star is doin’ all the heavy liftin’.”

“Speakin’ of which, we’re gonna need to get cameras around Amber’s house. Last night Titan was on edge, and I know someone was out there.”

“Got it. Tag and Harlem can set it up with Jett this weekend.”

“That’d be great, thanks.”

“You think it’s somethin’ to do with this dude? Or Steven?”

“I don’t know, my gut tells me they’re not done, but I don’t see them leavin’ Illinois all this time later to chase their wives. It still doesn’t explain Erica.”

“That’s a dead end right now,” he says. “But like I say, Star is workin’ on the case, she’ll have more information than I do.”

I figured as much, but Star is a professional, and as much as I’d love to go barging in there demanding to know what she’s found out, she’ll only tell me to get the hell out. “Got it.”

That uneasy feeling washes over me. If Erica was snatched, or worse, I don’t know how Amber will take that news.

I thumb over my shoulder. “Gotta talk to Cash.”

“I’ll let you know if anything newsworthy comes up,” Rock says.

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