Page 91 of Refuge for Flora

“Oh! Yeah! Hey, Conor! I wondered if I’d hear from you.”

“Yeah, I thought about it all night and I want in. I think I could make some money and help you out at the same time. So is there a time when I could come and look around? See some of the animals or something?”

“Sure. We can come and get you.”

“I can drive there. No big deal.”

“We’d really rather pick you up and bring you out. We’re trying to cut down on the number of people traipsing in and out of here, if’n you know what I mean.”

Conor didn’t like it. Not one bit. And he was pretty sure they were going to pat him down. They might even take his phone. He wasn’t sure what to do, but going there was the only way they’d get any evidence, and it might be the only way they’d find Flora. “Okay. Where and when?”

“Noon. At the gas station in LaCenter.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Good. See you then.” And the phone went dead.

Conor thought about it for a minute or two, but he was coming up with nothing. “Can you think of a way I could wear a wire that they’d never catch?”

“If we can get a dot, we can glue that to your scalp. They probably wouldn’t find that. Or to the inside of the elastic on your underwear. Let’s talk to Frankie and see if he has any ideas. And we’re going to need him to run interference for us with the Ballard County Sheriff’s Department.”

“True. Good ideas.”

Three hours later, Conor had a microphone the size of a pencil eraser glued to his scalp under his hair at the top where it was longer. They would have to run their fingers through his hair to find it, and everyone sincerely doubted that would happen. If it did, he had a lot more problems than alligators. As soon as he was ready, he gave Barrett what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “We’ll find her. Just have faith.”

“I’m too scared to have faith. I just want her back in my arms.”

“I get it. I know exactly how that feels. And we’ll do it. It’ll be fine. Guess I’d better go.”

Frankie stood to the side, his arms folded across his chest. “I don’t like this.”

“I don’t like it either, but looks like there’s no alternative.” Conor pulled his keys from his jeans pocket. “Y’all wish me luck.”

“Good luck. The Ballard County Sheriff’s Department will pick up when I call them. I’m giving you ten minutes and they’ll have an unmarked sitting where they can see you.” Kirby sighed. “Just be careful. These guys are dangerous.”

“I get it. I do. See y’all in a bit, maybe even with guns blazing!” Conor gave a little chuckle, but inside, he knew what he was doing was extremely dangerous. Those guys were ruthless, and one misstep could cost him everything.

As he drove, he laid his phone on the car seat, hit a contact, and put it on speaker. A female voice answered. “Hi, babe!”

“Hi to you! Whatcha doin’?”

“Reading a magazine. Thinking about work. Gotta get dressed in a little while. Your mom invited me for lunch.”

“Good! Take her up on it. If she’ll cook, you should eat!”

“No kidding! I miss you.”

“I miss you too. With any luck, I’ll be home by the first of the week. Probably have to come back here to testify, but at least I won’t be staying here.”

“Cracking the case?”

“Yeah, and hopefully in less than an hour. I’ll call you later. Love you, angel.”

“Love you too. Bye.”

That girl put a spring in his step every time! Conor pulled into the little gas station and parked in front of the building. He went in, got a soft drink and some chips, and went back to the car to wait. In a few minutes, a truck pulled up, and when he turned to look, Bradley was sitting in the passenger side.

Conor got out, locked the doors on the ancient beast, and ambled over to the truck with his drink and chips. “Hey, guys.”

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