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“I’m not going anywhere.”
He kissed her again, and then followed Sebastian out.
“Tucker McGraw,” Sebastiansaid. “Confirmed sightings in three of the counties having trouble with poaching.” He sat on the edge of the desk at the station, Johnny and Ron listening in. “Same MO, shacks up with a woman, works out of her place, moves on when the heat turns up.”
“Which means he’ll be moving on soon,” Johnny said.
Killian was across the room, leaning against the wall. “What I don’t get is the bear. He’s been doing this and getting away with it, so why make a mistake like that?”
“Getting greedy?” Ron said.
“Or…” Killian said, moving from his place. “It wasn’t him.”
Sebastian’s head jerked to Killian. “I’m not following you?”
“The night with the gun, was she trying to distract me or get my attention?”
“Still not following,” Sebastian said.
“I let her go with a warning.”
Johnny caught on when he pointed at Killian. “And you followed up, going to her place. Something anyone, who knows you, knows you’d do.”
“Exactly, a place where Tucker was keeping animal parts. Monica is a pain in the ass, but she loves animals. Knowing someone was doing what Tucker was doing, she wouldn’t be okay with that.”
Sebastian was pacing now. “And dropped the heart and stomach in the dumpster, knowing it would be found. Likely, even started the conversation with Cedar, so she’d recall her being there.”
“Exactly,” Killian said.
“Which means if Tucker gets wise to what she’s doing—”
Killian was already on the move. “We need to bring him in.”
They arrived toscreaming. Killian and Sebastian took the front, Johnny and Ron moved around back, in case he tried to slip out a window.
“Sheriff’s department,” Killian called.
Silence fell; Killian eyed Sebastian, signaled he was going in. He reached for the door, met Sebastian’s stare, then pulled the door open. Killian went high; Sebastian went low.
They both heard the cocking of the shotgun at the same time. Killian got Tucker in the shoulder; Sebastian got him in the leg. Sebastian moved to Monica, while Killian turned Tucker and cuffed him.
“I need a fucking hospital,” Tucker shouted.
“Shut the fuck up,” Killian said. “Or I’ll leave your heart and stomach in a fucking dumpster.”
Johnny appeared. “Call for an ambulance. You ride with him. You stay with him,” Killian ordered.
“You got it, Boss.”
Killian turned to Monica. She was beaten, but she’d be okay. “I didn’t know,” she said, “And when I did, he threatened to do to me what he was doing to those animals.”
“She needs to see a doctor. Get Dr. Grant out here. She doesn’t need to ride with that animal,” Killian added, then looked back at Monica. “You did good, Monica.” He looked around. “Ron, search the place, bag and tag and get photos.”
“On it.”
He studied the beer cans in the sink, the drug paraphilia just lying out, but one thing was noticeably absent. He turned back to Monica. “Does Tucker smoke?”
She laughed, looking around at the signs of excess. “No, becausethatwas bad for him.”
