Page 58 of Outlawed

“Funny, I asked the same thing. The lead marshal deflected and started talking about the abundance of missing men in our town and surrounding areas.”

“Are they serious?”

“They seem to be, though I have no idea what they think I’m doing with them all.”

“They clearly haven’t looked into the men either, or they wouldn’t be so worried,” she mutters, making me snort, though I get where she’s coming from.

“A person’s character has no impact on whether they are a victim of a crime or not,” the agent with me states.

“Sure, but if a serial killer and his victim were dying side by side, and you could only save one, you’d save the victim, right?” Belle asks

The guy hesitates before choosing not to answer, which is an answer in itself.

“So a person’s character does play a part. Anyway, my point is, when I was younger, a girl in our neighborhood went missing. She was a really nice girl, from a good family, a straight-A student, and she babysat all the local kids, including me. One night after babysitting, she never made it home. Cops waited forty-eight hours to look for her, and when they couldn’t find anything a week later, they ruled her a runaway as her parents were getting divorced or something equally as dumb. They basically stopped looking. Nobody ever found her. Zero sightings. Her poor mother was a walking ghost. Now you have a marshal here looking for deadbeat dads, wife beaters, cheaters, and fraudsters?” She shakes her head in disgust.

“You seem to know an awful lot about the victims, miss.”

“I take it you’re not from a small town.”

He looks confused, but she rolls her eyes. “Nothing stays a secret in a small town. And I’m a transplant here, still mostly considered an outsider. So if I knew, you can guarantee everyone else knew too.”

The guy says nothing for a moment. When he does open his mouth to speak, the back door opens, and the man in charge storms out with an amused-looking Jen behind him.

“Everything okay?” I ask her.

“Seems the marshal here is a little clumsy.”

I frown in confusion until I realize the house is projecting smugness. “Oh no, what happened?”

“Nothing,” the marshal snaps, his eyes darting around as more of his people file out.

“We’ll search out here while the rest of the team finishes up. I’ll also be confiscating any computer equipment⁠—”

“No, you won’t,” Jen tells him, her voice sharp. “And it’s not covered in the warrant either. I know, I checked. Even if it were, you’d only be able to collect electronics from Mr. Porter and Mr. Martin, so I suggest you head to Mr. Porter’s property for those. You will not be taking my client’s computer. A computer that was purchased by me after Calliope left prison, after whatever events in the investigation you’re conducting started, and after the people you are looking for were evicted. If you want Calliope’s computer, you’ll have to get another warrant for that. Somehow, I don’t think you’ll find that as easy as you’d hoped.”

They stare at each other in a silent standoff for a moment before the marshal breaks first, stomping away as he heads toward the pastures.

“Why does it feel like that man has an agenda?”

“Because he does. A bust like this could have been career-making. He’s too fucking proud to realize it’s over, so instead of walking away, he’s going to fuck up and then end up losing his position anyway. So what is the damn point?” Jen argues, frustrated.

The agent looks uncomfortable as fuck, which amuses me to no end. Turning to the house when I feel it stir, I’m not surprised in the slightest to find Shepard and Austin barreling toward me. I am amazed, though, that Riggs isn’t with them.

“What the fuck is going on?” Shepard snarls.

Jen fills him in as I focus on Austin. “Where’s Riggs?”

“There are agents in town asking questions about you. He stayed to keep an ear on what’s happening and an eye on Hannah. Plus, I don’t think he trusted himself not to rip off this fucktard’s head.”

“And yet you came?”

“Difference is, I don’t give a fuck about ripping his head off. It would be worth it.”

“Right. Silly me. Do me a favor, stay with Shepard.” We both look over at Shepard, who is arguing with the agent. “Maybe I should just lock you both in the barn.”

He wraps his arm around me and laughs. “You worry too much.”

“I have the US marshals tearing my home apart. I think I’m pretty fucking chilled, considering.”