Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 63763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
The first pass across Pritchard’s burner found the exported image of the addendum and the message delivering it to Pike. Pike’s damaged phone held the photograph confirming Nina at the residence, Jeff’s payment notification, and a message promising that the east-side unit would be occupied by a rollover long enough to give him a response window. Stowe’s laptop still carried cached authentication history, the deleted audit event, and fragments of the commands used to erase Nina’s call and create the false incident.
Judge stood beside me, reading the recovered headers. “Raines’s warrants already produced the matching provider and banking records. These devices’ll give him the local copies and the direct connection between all three.”
Pike groaned from the dirt and tried to push himself onto his uninjured knee. “Stowe’s covering his own fucking ass. I just ran lawful locates.”
Hawkeye put him down again with a boot between the shoulder blades. “Yeah, cause nothing says lawful like burning phones in an abandoned pit.”
Stowe twisted against Ghost’s hold. “I only ever touched the computer. Pike and Pritchard dealt with the people.”
I crossed to him and caught the front of his shirt, wrenching him away from the van before Ghost released just enough pressure to let me turn him. “Nina bled while your fake call sent help six miles away. You don’t get distance because you watched it happen through a screen.”
I slammed him face-first across the hood, caught his right hand, and bent his wrist backward until it broke. His scream sharpened when I slammed his other hand so hard against the van that at least three bones snapped. Satisfaction moved cleanly through me as the fingers he had used to erase frightened people’s calls gave beneath my grip. When I released him, Ghost hauled him upright, letting him sag against the van with both injured hands cradled against his chest.
Judge looked from Stowe’s crushed hands to Pritchard’s broken nose and Pike’s ruined knee. “Raines can explain injuries after three armed suspects resisted arrest. Three bodies will make him considerably less cooperative.”
“Always about the fucking paperwork,” Hawkeye muttered.
“Didn’t hear you complaining when my paperwork kept you from being forced to perjure yourself last month,” Judge returned.
Hawkeye shrugged but didn’t deny it.
“Just make sure they’re still breathing when the police arrive,” Judge grunted.
I made no promises.
Pritchard received several more reasons to remember that selling information from his own department had been a poor retirement strategy, while Pike learned the broken knee was not the only joint Hawkeye could reach. They looked relieved by the time Judge stepped away and called Raines directly. He reported three suspects contained, active evidence destruction, two drawn weapons, and several injuries sustained when the men failed to follow instructions.
Raines was already on his way there, so it was a good thing our punishment had been administered quickly. He arrived shortly with four deputies, an evidence technician, and two ambulances. His gaze traveled over the battered and bruised men, the weapons lying nearby, and the half-burned electronics arranged beside the barrel. Then his attention settled on me.
“They appear to have resisted enthusiastically,” he observed.
“None of them understood the word stop.”
Raines stared for a moment before turning toward the scorched laptop. “I have guns, accelerant, attempted destruction of evidence, and three suspects who fled with devices already covered by pending warrants. I can find more productive questions.”
The deputies restrained each man while the medics stabilized their injuries, and the evidence technician began cataloging the phones, drives, cash, documents, and maintenance laptop. Raines confirmed that Pritchard, Pike, Stowe, and Jeff would face state and county charges for conspiracy, unauthorized access, evidence tampering, stalking, burglary support, obstruction, and every assault the records could tie to the six jobs. Federal charges were likely once the provider data and interstate financial activity landed with the right office, but I cared more that none of them would touch another person before a cell door closed.
I rode straight to the sheriff’s department after the ambulances and transport vehicles left the pit. The dispatch floor remained active behind reinforced glass, but Bex saw me through it before I reached the controlled entrance. She abandoned her chair, crossed the room at a run, and reached me the second Wraith opened the door.
I caught her beneath the arms and lifted her against my chest without caring that dispatchers, deputies, and her father’s office surrounded us. Her legs wrapped around my hips, both arms locked around my neck, and the first full breath I’d taken all night was all Bex. I pressed my face into her hair and held her until the cold pressure driving me since Nomad’s call finally released.
“All three are in custody,” I told her when she pulled back enough to search my face. “The devices are secured and the operation is finished.”
Her hands moved over my jaw, shoulders, and knuckles, checking every visible inch before her eyes narrowed at the blood dried near one cuff. “Are you hurt?”