Page 29 of Lone Star Wanted
Beside him, Cassidy shifted. Her voice came low, barely more than a whisper. “I don’t see how I can keep working for him after this.”
Kincade agreed. Even if Moran wasn’t part of the murders or the cover-up, he’d made it clear he was more than willing to carry water for the mayor. That made him dangerous or at the very least compromised.
“Moran didn’t even flinch when Vance accused us of hiding Travis,” she added. “He just let it happen.”
Kincade glanced at her, his voice equally quiet. “You’ve got options.”
She gave him a questioning look.
“Maverick Ops is always hiring. Or the county could use a deputy with a spine.” He paused, letting the edge in his voice soften. “Or you could just become my full-time lover. Take the stress out of it.”
Cassidy looked at him, a breath catching in her throat. Then she smiled. But it didn’t reach her eyes.
Because the truth was still hanging between them.
Her brother was still missing.
And they were still standing in the middle of a storm that hadn’t fully broken yet.
Cassidy’s smile faltered completely, her gaze shifting toward the hallway again. Then her eyes widened slightly.
She turned toward him, her voice barely louder than a breath. “Your backpack. Is there anything in it they shouldn’t find?”
Kincade’s heart gave a single hard beat before he shook his head. “Nothing illegal.”
She gave him a look, not buying the full answer.
He leaned closer, keeping his tone low. “There’s a fake passport in one of the inner compartments. Just in case. But the pack’s got a built-in lock, and the material can’t be cut with a regular knife.”
Cassidy’s expression tightened. “If they try to seize it?”
“I’ll tell them they need a warrant. And I’ll call Ruby while I’m at it.”
She nodded, still on edge, but some of the panic in her eyes eased.
They both knew the backpack was standard for Maverick Ops operatives. It had supplies, tools, and backup IDs. Things that no civilian was supposed to carry. But none of it was something he couldn’t explain. At least not without legal pushback.
He glanced down the hallway again. Moran and Vance were still out of sight. And every second they lingered made this feel less like a search and more like an intimidation play.
Kincade heard the creak of Cassidy’s bedroom door swinging shut, then the quiet shuffle of boots across hardwood. Sheriff Moran and Vance finally reappeared, both men empty-handed. Moran’s face was tight with something unreadable, but Vance looked outright irritated.
Not a surprise. Vance had wanted to find Travis hiding here.
The mayor glanced around one last time, his jaw ticking when he spotted Cassidy and Kincade still standing side by side. His eyes narrowed.
“Two beds unmade,” Vance said, lips curling. “Guess the whole lovers story was just a cover after all.”
Kincade didn’t blink. “We’re adventurous like that. Guess you’re not if you didn’t think of that right off.”
Vance’s expression snapped tight. His nostrils flared, color rushing into his face. For a heartbeat, it looked as if he might actually say something worth hearing instead of his usual bullshit.
Instead, he turned on his heel and stalked toward the front door.
“I’m watching you,” he tossed over his shoulder. “You break the law, you so much as breathe the wrong way, I’ll make damn sure you both get hauled in.”
He yanked the door open and disappeared outside. Moran lingered a second longer, looking as if he’d rather be anywhere else. His shoulders sagged just slightly as he faced them.
“He means it,” he said quietly. “If you know where Travis is… you need to tell me. Now.”
