Sierra pushed her way in between them to see what they were looking at. “That large wooden box against the back corner of the house?”
“It’s not a box,” Beau said. “It’s a lean-to, more or less, covering a compost barrel. I never come to the back of the house down there, forgot it was even there. It came with the house, but I’m not into composting. You can see the deep footprints beside it, right at the house’s foundation.”
“They jumped,” Collier said. “And ran off into the woods on that side of the cabin. Gutsy.”
“Reckless and stupid,” Beau said. “If they hadn’t landed just right they’d have pitched over the side of the mountain.” He met Sierra’s troubled dark brown gaze. “I’m guessing they were worried about all the noise they’d made and whether someone, if not us, would call the police.”
“Speaking of police,” Collier said, “sounds like a couple of ours are on the way up the mountain.”
Sure enough, muted sirens sounded in the distance, signaling the impending arrival of one or more of Beau’s former employees.
“I can’t be seen by the cops.” Sierra hurried into the family room.
“Um, hello. I’m a police officer and have already seen you,” Collier called out behind Beau as they followed her inside. “Have you done something illegal I need to know about? I mean, other than being a Covington, of course.”
She glared at him. “Being a Covington doesn’t mean I’m a criminal.”
“The sawed-off shotgun kind of ruins your point,” Beau said drily.
“I should take that.” Collier reached for it, and she jerked it away, bringing it up toward him instead.
Beau yanked it out of her hand. “Point that at him or any of my officers again and this alleged partnership you want is over before it really begins. Hell, I’ll be the one to haul you to jail, regardless of my current law enforcement status.”
Her chin tilted up in defiance. But she didn’t try to grab the gun again.
Beau handed it to Collier.
She put her hands on her hips. “I need that. Those guys are getting away. I need to catch up to them, see them withouttheir masks so I know who I’m dealing with. They could be the ones behind my brother’s death. I can’t go unarmed. I need protection.”
“I’m your protection,” Beau practically growled. “We do this my way or not at all.”
“Who made you the boss?” she demanded.
“You did, when you came here asking me for help.”
The sirens were getting louder now, closer.
Beau glanced toward the front windows or what was left of them. “The police will be at the house soon. You want to follow the trail, Sierra. So do I. But we do it together, as a team, or we stay here and you get to explain why you’re in Mystic Lake with an illegal firearm. Choose.”
“Chief,” Collier said. “You both need to stay so we can straighten this out. I’m not going to lie about what happened or cover up who she is.”
“That’s it. Give me my gun.” Sierra narrowed her eyes.
Beau arched a brow. “Collier, do what you have to do.”
Collier expertly snapped a handcuff on her wrist then swung her around to cuff the other one before she realized what was happening.
“What are you doing?” She twisted and jerked her arms, trying to pull her wrists out of the cuffs. “I haven’t done anything wrong. Beau. Help me. Wait, where are you going?”
“Chief?” Collier echoed. “Don’t. Please.”
Beau stopped at the front door. “I have bad guys to catch.” He ignored both of their pleas as he ran out of the cabin and sprinted off in the direction where the gunmen had disappeared.
Chapter Seven
It had been at least half an hour since the four gunmen had fled Beau’s home. They’d had an excellent head start and should have been long gone by the time he tracked them through the woods. And yet, here they were, about thirty feet away, lounging around as if they had all the time in the world. What were they up to? And what were they waiting for?
Careful to be as quiet as possible and avoid stepping on twigs or anything else that might make a sound and alert them to his presence, Beau edged closer. At twenty feet away, he was as close as he dared, concealed within a thick group of bushes. As long as he didn’t move or make a noise, they shouldn’t see him even if they walked right past him. Or so he hoped.
