Page 129 of The Deadly Shallows

“I had appetizers with Roger, and he was very helpful. He said he’d heard rumors about the group that had Leroy—the owner of the tat shop—design the brand.”

Gabby scooched forward on the couch, resting her elbows on her knees. “What kind of rumors?”

Noah gave her a look.

“I know. Nothing leaves this room,” she reassured him. She’d been extremely helpful, and he honestly didn’t mind having her stay. She often offered a fresh perspective.

“Roger said the man who ordered the brand had Leroy design it,” Emmy said. “But instead of the group members coming in to have Leroy do the branding, the man just picked it up and said they’d be branding themselves.”

Austin’s mouth slackened. “Ouch!”

Emmy nodded. “Yeah, and it gets worse. The guy who bought it is rumored to be part of an extreme patriotic group that functions much as a paramilitary operation.”

“Former military?” Rissi asked.

“That’s the feel Roger got from the guy who bought the brand. Oh, and that guy just happens to match Dwayne’s sketch.”

Noah shook his head. Who was Dwayne to Scott Mirch—friend, fellow soldier, relative? And how did it all fit together?

“Roger said he’s heard speculation that the group is living and training out on some farm outside of town.”

The hairs on the nape of Noah’s neck stood on end. “Training for what?”

Em pressed her lips together and shrugged. “He didn’t know, but he reiterated that he thinks the group of them are former military. To use his words, they are ‘not the sort to mess with.’”

“Well, that’s frightening,” Rissi said. “Especially considering the theft of plans for the final laser component.” She crossed her legs. “Do you suppose Lieutenant Caldwell is helping build one for the group? She has the expertise and was in the photograph with Scott Mirch, Dwayne, and whoever Gator is. And now she’s in the wind.”

Adrenaline coursed through Noah’s limbs. “Do we even want to consider what they plan to do with the weapon if they get a functioning one finished?”

Everyone sat silently, the intent expressions on their faces said they were all pondering the magnitude of that question.

He checked the clock. They had to get moving. His team needed rest, though he had a feeling at least a few wouldn’t take it. “Em, you and Logan start digging to see if you can find anything on this group and isolated farms. I’d guess they’d have a large parcel of land and no neighbors for miles.”

“On it,” Em said, “and the contents of the box you found at the Strasburg Hotel fit perfectly with the type of group you’re describing. I’d say that’s even more evidence that it belonged to Dwayne.”

“Okay.” Noah nodded, wondering just how big this group was and how far out there they were. “You and Logan keep on Dwayne and the farm.”

“Yes, sir,” Em said, and Logan nodded his agreement.

“Finn, can you update us about anything you found at Malone’s?” Noah asked, shifting to yet another branch of their investigation.

“Absolutely.” Finn stepped to the whiteboard and hung up a series of photos. “Malone’s suicide looked clean at first,” he said. “But I found something on his wrists. I ran tests, and it’s duct tape residue.”

“So someone restrained his hands?”

“Yes,” Finn confirmed.

“Good work,” Noah said. “Hadley’s autopsy findings agree—Lieutenant Malone did not commit suicide. He was murdered.” Noah kicked one foot over the other, grimacing at the twinge in his thigh. He cleared his throat and continued, “For those of you who haven’t heard, Malone had the same branding mark as our mass shooters.”

“So we can assume he was part of the shooting plot?” Caleb asked.

“The branding mark associates him with the shooters, so my inclination is to say affirmative,” Noah said. “Not to mention the .40 caliber bullet pulled out of Connor Andrews is the standard Coast Guard–issued service weapon—the Sig Sauer P229.”

“During my interview with him,” Mason said, “Malone told me he was the first guardsman on scene, but no one remembers seeing him there until after the paramedics arrived, so he very well could have been out of sight, monitoring the shooters to make sure none surrendered.”

“And when Connor Andrews did, Malone took him out,” Noah said.

“But how does Malone tie to the group? To Mirch?” Rissi asked.