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She dove for the ground.
Judge pulled the trigger. Several bangs sounded, echoing off the mountain.
Augustus jerked one way and then the other, the file buried in his eye. Then he fell to the ground and twitched several times before going still.
Utah, Murdock, Drake and Cassie emerged from the trees surrounding the clearing.
Cassie held up her badge and called out, “You’re all under arrest.” She handed zip ties to Judge and his team. They quickly secured the remaining TCW men and had them sit on the ground. Cassie keyed her mic and reported to dispatch. “We’ll need transport for six prisoners and an ambulance for two to go to the medical examiner.” She told them the location and clipped her radio on her shoulder. Then she held open her arms. “I almost lost my shit when you stepped out in the clearing,” she said, wrapping PJ in a hug so tight that she lifted her off the ground.
Judge frowned. “They know each other?”
Drake chuckled. “They do. Not only did you find Liza’s PJ, but you also found the missing Penny Baker.”
When the women broke apart, their faces were tear-soaked but happy.
“Your parents are at Hank Patterson’s place,” Drake said. “Utah and I left shortly after you and Judge bugged out. When we got to the address you wrote on the whiteboard and found the parents of Cassie’s missing friend, I knew Cassie had to be here.”
Cassie punched Drake’s arm. “You knew?”
He gave her a twisted smile. “I was ninety-nine percent sure. When you hugged her, you nudged it up to one hundred.”
“I’ll forgive you this time,” Cassie said and kissed him full on the lips. “I can’t be mad when my best friend is back, alive and well. I can’t wait to tell Dezi, Molly and Gabbie. They’ll be beside themselves.”
Judge stepped up beside PJ. “Penny, huh?”
She nodded, her lips twisting. “Not a very kickass name.”
He pulled her into his arms. “It’s a beautiful name for a beautiful, brave woman who almost gave me a string of heart attacks.” He held her close. “Why did you throw the knife?”
“He was going to shoot you.” She slid her hands around to the back of his neck. “I couldn’t let him do that. We had a deal. I wasn’t going to let you back out with some lame excuse of being shot.”
“I’m not gonna lie,” Judge said. “I didn’t think you were going to hold your end of the bargain.”
“I had him right where I wanted him,” she said.
“With an arm around your throat?” Judge sighed. “That was one of the heart attacks you almost gave me.”
“I got out of it, didn’t I?”
“You did,” he said and kissed the end of her nose. “The file in the eye was brilliant.”
“Had my eye twitching,” Utah called out.
Cassie crossed to where Augustus lay. In the fading light, she counted out loud. “One, two, three, four… Jesus, how many times did you shoot him?”
“Once,” Judge said.
Cassie turned to the others. “Who else shot him?”
Drake raised his hand. “Me.”
Murdock spoke at the same time, “Me.”
Utah grimaced and raised a hand. “Me.”
Grimm joined them in the clearing, carrying his specialized sniper rifle with its attached scope. “And me.”
“That bastard wasn’t getting away,” Drake said.
