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By the time the ambulance arrived and the victims were loaded, she’d become convinced everything she knew and everything she cared about was about to blow up.
Holt stepped up beside her as the second ambulance took off. “You okay?”
“No.” She couldn’t even travel to the hospital with the Noonans. Not really.
Deputy Carver had acted exactly as Holt predicted. The deputy clearly assumed the Noonans had been loaded into normal medical transport. After all, the ambulance looked legitimate. But no. Holt arranged for something else.
He had ambulances on his payroll, or Corcoran’s, that would take the couple somewhere safe. That meant she’d hear any new information relayed through Holt. While she hated losing control, under the current circumstances, she needed the help.
She rubbed her hands over her arms, but what she really wanted was him holding her. “I need to go home and pretend this day never happened.”
He nodded without looking at her. “I agree.”
That was a surprise. “No speech about how everything is going to be okay.”
“I’ll give that once I find the missing body.”
The comment hit her like one more body blow. “What?”
“The attacker I shot? Gone.”
She heard his anger, but the words got muffled. She turned them over in her head, trying to make sense of them. “Not possible.”
“Looks like whatever militia Simon Falls is building is coming after us.” Holt finally looked at her. “Good news is I like our chances.”
That made one of them.
Chapter Eleven
Simon stood with Deputy Carver near the main gate of New Foundations. A high fence outlined a portion of the hundreds of acres owned by them. The rest was set off with a shorter electrified fence, along with motion sensors and warning signs that promised a bullet for trespassing.
Guards watched the front, and people mingled inside the walls. No one knew about the danger lurking just outside. They’d heard about Grant and assumed a vagrant shot him. For now, Simon was content to let that story stand to all but the elite staff members who answered only to him and shared his vision.
Simon had listened to Frank Jr. talk about the attacks on a couple he described as random. Heard all about Lindsey and Hank being found there with the Noonans.
The job of framing Lindsey Pike just got easier and easier.
Simon moved in for the kill. “You no longer have a choice but to do something about her.”
“I don’t have any forensic evidence linking Lindsey to any crime.” The deputy waved to a couple walking nearby. They didn’t respond with anything other than by looking away. “I think it’s more likely that Hank guy. He comes to Justice and people start dying.”
“Interesting theory, but he’s been up here with us.” And getting Hank arrested didn’t serve any real purpose for Simon. If anything, finding another man with those skills and that temperament would take forever. So, no, he’d need to remain free. “Lindsey is the one you need to bring in.”
“Possibly.”
Simon decided to let it lie there. For now. He would push later. Bring up some information Frank Jr. either didn’t know or did a good job of hiding. Simon would be more impressed if the case were the latter, but he suspected the former.
Buying his father off had been easy. A beloved sheriff with a small pension and a big heart condition. Simon stuck to Frank Sr.’s practical side and got a mountain of assistance in return. No interference at the camp and a free flow of information.
Now it was Frank Jr.’s turn, though he didn’t seem to realize it yet. But soon he would.
“What’s the plan now?” Simon asked, trying to keep the disgust out of his voice.
“Collect more evidence.”
A response Simon couldn’t control, which made it his least favorite option. “What can I do for you?”
“I need everything you have on Hank.”
Now Simon had a problem. He wanted to make a scene and bring the deputy in line right now, but there were too many people around. And some things needed to be handled in privacy. That gave Frank Jr. a reprieve for now. “I’ll send it over.”
“Appreciate it.” The deputy nodded, then walked away. Right past the guard and through the gate. Out into a world where he could do nothing but cause trouble.
Todd appeared at Simon’s side. He stood there but wisely did not say a word.
Simon wanted to break the man in two.
“Maybe you would like to tell me why you suddenly can’t handle a simple job.” Simon smiled and waved at the people he saw, but inside he seethed.
