“No messages left,” Grant reported.
“He was waiting for me.” Bree shook her head. “Not a good feeling.” She forced half a smile. “Ready to rendezvous with Agent Bradley and the sheriff?”
“We’ll go in my car,” Grant said.
Avery got there first, opened the driver’s side back door and motioned for Bree to get in. “You first and scoot across. I’m riding back here with you.”
Bree folded herself into the back seat and slid across.
Without saying a word, Grant waited for Avery to get into the back seat. Once she was settled and had her seatbelt buckled, he handed her the gun.
Avery nodded. It made more sense for her to hold it on their prisoner so Grant’s hands would be free to drive.
Bree secured her seatbelt and placed her hands on her thighs, her gaze following Grant as he slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
After Grant pulled out onto the street, Bree turned to Avery. “How old are you, Agent Hart?”
Avery frowned. “None of your business. Besides, why would you care?”
“I’m thirty-four years old,” Bree said.
Avery’s frown deepened. “So?”
“Never mind,” Bree said and stared straight ahead. “I’ll save it for our meeting with Agent Bradley and the sheriff.”
“What does my age have to do with you?” Avery demanded, holding the gun steady.
Bree’s lips pressed together. “It’ll wait.”
“Damn right, it’ll wait.”
Grant drove to TJ’s Bar & Grill and parked in the lot. He got out, opened Avery’s door and took the gun.
Before Avery exited the vehicle, Melissa Bradley drove up in her SUV and got out. She crossed to stand in front of Grant. “Mr. Hayes, what’s going on?”
“Where’s Sheriff Taylor?” Grant asked.
“He should be here about...” Melissa glanced down at her watch and turned toward the street. “Now.”
The sheriff pulled into the parking lot and parked next to Grant’s truck.
He got out, wearing the uniform he’d worn all day. His hair was rumpled, and he looked like he’d aged ten years since that morning. “What’s happening? What’s the emergency?”
Melissa shrugged. “I don’t know. Mr. Hayes asked us to meet here ASAP. I assume it has something to do with the case.”
“It does,” Avery said as she got out of the car and scraped the hat off her head, letting her hair fall down around her shoulders. “I’m Agent Avery Hart.”
Melissa Bradley frowned. “I know that.”
“So do I.” Sheriff Taylor crossed his arms over his chest. “Why do you think it’s necessary to introduce yourself again?”
“Because I just got to Shadow Valley this morning,” Avery said.
Melissa’s frown deepened. “How can that be right when you’ve been here three days, working alongside both of us?”
“Because I haven’t been here.” She leaned down and said to the woman in the back seat. “Ms. Lansing, you’ve got some explaining to do.”
Avery stood back as Bree Lansing climbed out of the back seat and turned toward Melissa and Sheriff Taylor.
