Page 10

Ten

Cadee sat in the cheap lawn chair by the firepit, drinking a strawberry soda.

Waiting for Rio.

She’d been determined to go to the building the DEA was borrowing in Copper Mountain to find out what was happening with Vince after those guys had arrested him, but Skye had said that her husband was on his way.

Her hands curled into fists on the armrests—an attempt to contain her frustration. She knew Vince well enough to know that those handcuffs, the DEA jerks themselves, should never have been here. He was innocent, and anyone could see that.

She wished she could snap her fingers and Rio would materialize though. She’d been waiting forty-five—no, forty-seven—minutes for him. She’d been sitting here so long that everyone else had gone to the mess hall to eat while they tried to figure out what was going on.

Cadee wasn’t hungry.

Dust flew up from the dirt road as Rio pulled up in an old rusty Jeep. He bumped the curb in the parking lot and drove over, parking in front of the firepit between the cabins. The Jeep gave just a shade of a shudder as he turned it off. He jumped out, and the door squealed as he shut it.

Cadee got up and walked over to him, standing at the firepit. “Rio,” she said.

“Cadee.” Rio shuffled from foot to foot, then stood tall. “I don’t think I can do anything to help him.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Really? This is Vince we’re talking about.”

He tilted his head. “This is the DEA we’re talking about.”

“Exactly.”

His voice flattened. “They don’t just make up fake charges, Cadee.”

“Before he became a smokejumper, they did. Cleared him. But his coworkers just couldn’t stop believing the charges, so he quit that job. And I’m glad he did.” She folded her arms across her chest.

“They found new evidence.”

“What they found is bull,” she yelled. “This is Vince we’re talking about. Vince .” She paced around the firepit. How was she going to talk him into doing anything? “Obviously someone planted that evidence.”

Rio just calmly leaned against his Jeep, his hands resting in the back pockets of his jeans. “How would they do that? It isn’t like people walk onto the jump base off the street. This place is off the beaten path.”

She took a deep breath, stopped pacing the firepit, leaned up against the Jeep next to him. “Sorry.”

He gave her a gentle smile. “I know.” His toe kicked at the dirt. “I know it’s Vince. But the DEA has to look at the new evidence, at the new charges. I can’t take over a DEA case even if I wanted to—or wasn’t in the middle of my own investigation. These militia guys need to be stopped. I need to track down the people who downed your plane and tried to kill you. And more importantly, figure out why.”

“I know.” She stretched her neck side to side. A breeze gently rustled through the birch trees on the jump base property.

Rio opened his car door, paused, clicked his tongue. “I can tell you I’ll do everything I can for him. Promise.” He slid into the car with a wave.

The breeze shifted, and Cadee’s eyes automatically scanned the horizon for any smoke. She was glad there wasn’t any, because she wanted Vince to get the legal help he needed, deserved. But how was she supposed to do that? She didn’t know any lawyers.

Did he have someone there to advocate for him?

Maybe his DEA agent friend was still in town, and he could help.

She wandered to the edge of the property, watching Rio drive away. Trying to figure out how to pray for Vince. She barely knew where to start.

A red sedan headed up the road to the base, kicking up dust behind it. She wandered over to the driver’s side, and the guy rolled his window down.

“Nick? Vince’s partner, before?”

He smiled. “You must be Cadee—his current partner?”

Had God actually answered her prayer before she’d even figured out what to ask for? “I’m so glad you’re here. The DEA just arrested Vince.” Saying it aloud brought tears to her eyes.

He gaped. “They did? I was going to say goodbye one more time before I head out.”

“Do you know how we can help him?” She prayed he would know what to do.

“Hop in.” Nick motioned to his passenger side. “I’m headed to Copper Mountain, so I can drop you off at the DEA office. We can check in on Vince before I go pack up my hotel room.”

“Great. That’ll save me the gas since you’re going that way. I appreciate it, Nick. He’ll be glad to see you, I’m sure. Um, just a second.” She took out her phone and thumbed a quick text to Jade. She smiled at Nick. “I’m sure my friend will give me a ride home. So yes. I accept.”

Cadee slid into the passenger seat. “This is a sharp-looking car. Such soft leather too.” She couldn’t help saying it. “Good thing I’m not filthy from fighting wildfires.” She spent most of her life covered in ash and dirt.

The way it should be.

The way Vince wanted to live his life as well—if she could get him out of this mess.

He laughed, dramatically spread his hands in front of him. “Patagonia red, the agent said when I rented it.” He turned the car around on the road. “After driving this rental, I think I’ll look into a Mercedes like this when my car lease is up.”

Nick left the parking lot and drove to the jump base entry.

She started to text Vince. Grrr. Her phone died. His arrest was on her brain, not charging, well, anything.

“You’re quite the texter,” Nick said.

She dropped her phone into her lap. She’d have to finish the text to Vince later. Didn’t know what to say anyway, or when he’d get to read it. “So, what are you doing up here in Alaska, Nick?”

“A client of mine wants an Alaskan fishing property. He’s not the best fisherman, but he does love it, and I can’t blame him. This place is full of all kinds of beauty.” He glanced at her for a second. He chuckled, then he gestured to her phone sitting in her lap, gave a whistle. “That’s an awesome phone. Wish I could afford a swank cell like that…” His voice trailed off, green-eyed in tone.

Why would a guy driving a car like this be jealous of her phone?

She grabbed her water bottle and took a long drink. She wasn’t wealthy. She’d bought the phone with her savings, instead of buying a much-needed computer, after she’d accidentally lost her old phone in her attempt to save Cap. Raine had grabbed her legs from behind, taking her down to the ground just as she’d reached the fire. The phone had flown out of her pocket and burned up in the fire. Instead of her.

She hadn’t been thinking fire at that moment. Only Cap.

But truth was, that fire had been so hot, so strong, that it was a good thing Raine had caught her, or Cadee would likely be dead too.

Nick’s gaze slid over to her. “What are the charges against Vince? I haven’t heard. Obviously.”

Cadee scoffed. “Money laundering. To start with.” She shook her head. “I don’t buy it. Vince was your DEA partner. You don’t believe what they’re accusing him of, do you?”

Nick lifted one shoulder, blew out a long, soft breath, grabbed a pack of gum and put a piece in his mouth. He held out the pack to offer her one.

She shook her head.

“This money-laundering thing has taken me by surprise, but I guess in a way I should’ve seen it coming. Vince’s father was on the board of Northern Lights Higher Education Foundation, so…” Nick’s voice faded. “And I guess you know, but…” He sighed. “Vince’s mom was arrested for embezzlement.”

That wasn’t good. Jamie must have seen the same thing. The DEA had found a bankbook among Vince’s things—transactions for the foundation? Who knew what they’d found? How could a former DEA agent even consider Vince’s mother’s crime to be evidence against Vince? She didn’t get it. “I don’t see how that means Vince is guilty.”

Something just felt off about Nick. Especially when he said, “Maybe the apple didn’t fall too far from that tree after all.”

Now Cadee wished she hadn’t taken a ride with him, but she’d just hear what else he had to say. So she changed the topic. “How do you know Tristan?”

“Who?” Nick glanced at her, then back at the road.

“The guy from Ingriq. You were talking to him.”

“Yeah. He’s an old California acquaintance. Tristan was an informant for Vince and me during our partner days.”

“Oh.” Vince had never told her that. Tristan either, though she didn’t know him well past the fact he was Jamie’s brother. Surely one of them would’ve acted like they knew each other. Like they’d met before Logan had found Jamie in that militia camp.

Was Nick lying?

Cadee had to say something. “Hate to tell you, but there was a wildfire yesterday. We found him in a burning cabin, and we rescued him.”

Nick’s head jerked back in surprise. “Oh no. He’s still alive?”

“Yes. Your friend is at Providence Hospital in Anchorage. You should make some time to go see him.”

She looked over and saw Nick’s jaw working. Cadee grabbed her water bottle and sipped at it.

“Was it arson?” Nick asked.

Now Cadee was surprised. Why would that be his first question? But she should keep it simple. “It was. In the middle of a wildfire, someone tried to cover their tracks. Can you believe it?” Far better to sound like a ditzy female than someone quickly figuring out this man was no friend of Vince’s.

“Are they looking at Vince for arson? Attempted murder?”

She glugged the rest of her water bottle and stuck the empty in the car’s cup holder next to her in the center console. She couldn’t just let that go. “Why would you ask that?”

“Vince just seemed to be obsessed with matches and cigarettes…” Again with the voice fade. “Back when we were partners. Though I don’t want to speak badly about a man I consider my friend.”

“But he doesn’t smoke, and he’s a firefighter.”

“I know.” He focused on twisting his steel mug in the cup holder and looking out the front window.

This seemed off.

Cadee jiggled her phone in her hand, played with the pop socket.

Vince just seemed to be obsessed with matches and cigarettes.

Yeah, no. She’d never seen them in his possession. Not when they’d been hotshots, nor in smokejumper training. Not on any of their dates. Not fighting fires together with the Midnight Sun crew—even if they did fight each other a lot.

How did Nick even know to mention matches and cigarettes?

Cadee stared at her phone as she silently fidgeted with it.

Wish I could afford a swank cell like that.

This was hardly high value, even if she’d sprung for a non-cheapie phone. Besides, Vince had said Nick was a real-estate agent who traveled through the United States on behalf of wealthy clients—as well as a consultant for the DEA. This was not exactly a guy who couldn’t afford an expensive phone.

Tristan was an informant for Vince and me during our partner days.

Vince had been sincere when he’d said it looked like Nick was talking to Tristan during the Ingriq evacuation. Then he’d appraised Nick hard, arms crossed tight. Suspicious. A hundred percent.

Even if he had been his partner.

Vince’s mom was arrested for embezzlement.

No way that woman had taught her son how to commit financial crime before her arrest. Nick hadn’t said it exactly. But he was former DEA—he knew better.

And no way had Vince skimmed money off the top of the education fund. Hidden the money somehow.

She knew Vince. It wasn’t possible.

Every single thing Nick had said kept running through her brain. It all seemed to say one thing…and the way Nick’s voice consistently trailed off…

He had to be leading her to think Vince was guilty. But she knew Vince.

Nick was Vince’s former DEA partner, yes, but his friend? She wasn’t so sure Nick wasn’t right in the middle of all this. How, she had no idea. But she couldn’t shake the feeling.

What was she doing in the car with him?

She looked over at Nick, drinking coffee from his travel mug. He drove along like normal, weaving to avoid the dirt road’s potholes. Nothing suspicious. Except that he’d lied.

Maybe she was wrong and he was just worried about his buddy. Not making sense.

He slipped his mug into the cup holder in front of her empty water bottle. As she studied him, he twisted it around as he drove, one hand on the steering wheel.

Normal guy, right?

Then she saw the highway up ahead. With the turn onto the paved road coming up, Nick touched the brakes, fiddled with the turn signal, flipped it to the left.

Why was he turning toward Ingriq instead of toward Copper Mountain?

He steered the car over, getting ready to make a left turn.

She needed to get out of this car before he hit the road that led to the highway. She wasn’t getting on the highway with this guy.

God!

Suddenly her gut knew exactly what to do.

Cadee pointed out his side of the car, shrieked. “Watch out!”

He glanced out the window, decelerating hard.

Perfect. She grabbed the steering wheel. Tried to steer the car off the road.

“What are you doing?” he screamed, pulling the steering wheel the other way.

They fought over control of the steering wheel. The car kicked up dust and swerved side to side across the road.

“What are you doing?” he yelled again.

She twisted and reached her right hand over to the steering wheel. With her left, she knocked his right hand off the wheel. She pulled hard with her left hand as his foot stayed on the brake, and the car rolled into the ditch.

Cadee shoved the door open and jumped out. She ran up the embankment, scrambling to the top so she could race into the trees and lose him.

Gunshots whizzed past her.

She sprinted across the road and jumped over the ditch, diving into the mass of salmonberry bushes beside the ditch.

Again.

How was she going to help Vince now?

Vince sat at the counter-height table in the Copper Mountain meeting room being used by the DEA. Davis and Smith stood across the table from him, took turns throwing questions at him. Ones that he refused to answer. He wasn’t just sitting there quietly. He was sitting there in passive-aggressive silence. This was nuts. These two men were nuts.

Skye’s husband Rio threw open the door. A DEA no-name spun and blocked him from coming in. “Who are you?” he demanded.

“Rio Parker, FBI.” He showed his badge as he surveyed the DEA guy’s badge. “Hello, Smith. How are you gentlemen today?”

Davis turned to face Rio. “We’ll be done with Mr. Ramos in a while.”

Rio pushed past Smith, slid into the seat next to Vince. “I don’t take cases away from a friendly federal agency, but I decided I couldn’t ignore this interesting case,” he said. He thumped Vince’s shoulder. “If that’s okay with you?”

Vince smiled, gave him a nod. About time someone was on his side.

Rio held out his hand to the DEA creeps. “May I please see the warrant?”

Davis rolled his eyes, handed him the paperwork. “Professional courtesy,” he mumbled.

Rio scanned over the document. “Embezzlement from Northern Lights Higher Education Foundation.”

“We’re turning it over to the Secret Service. Ramos is facing one to three years,” Davis said with a smirk. “Unless he wants to help us take down the militia. We found anhydrous ammonia and a case of cough syrup among Mr. Ramos’s things in the Midnight Sun men’s cabin.”

Rio looked up. “You want to add charges on the chemical processing.”

Davis kept talking. “What we find is what we find. We were trying to take down this militia after meth dealing led us to them. Turns out we found chemical processing instead. We were looking into their financials when we found they were skimming from the Northern Lights Higher Education Foundation. Since Vince’s dad was on the board, we wanted to talk to Vince himself. He wouldn’t respond to our messages.”

Rio’s eye twitched. “What do you mean?”

Clearly proud of himself, Davis reached for a tablet, made a few clicks, slid it across the table. “These are copies of Vince’s bankbook and property paperwork. The total of that missing money from NLHE Foundation is exactly what was spent on the real estate he bought in the areas the militia were operating in. Clearly worthy of the warrant.”

Rio scanned through the documents in the silence that settled. Then he tilted his head. “So an informant led you to the NLHE Foundation and the money laundering?”

“No. We don’t have an informant involved.” Davis opened his mouth, then shut it. He looked out the window for a long moment.

“Well?” Rio asked.

Davis’s hyper-confidence fell a couple percent. “Yesterday morning, the physical bankbook and property paperwork were dropped off at our office. Anonymously.”

Rio said, “So you have no idea where they came from or if they’re legit.”

Davis cleared his throat, straightened in his seat. “If Ramos cooperates with us, we’ll drop the chem charge and the money-laundering charges. But we can’t drop the forfeiture of his property.”

“What property do I even have?” Vince said under his breath.

Davis kept going. “Or the attempted murder charges we will be filing for events that have recently come to our attention.”

Rio’s eyes closed.

A drip of cold sweat snaked down Vince’s spine.

Rio calmly set the tablet aside. “Explain that, Davis.”

“Nick Atwood, former DEA agent, told us last night he was shot at. Vince’s gun is the same caliber. Clearly they had a beef, and Vince took the opportunity to try and kill his former partner.”

Rio glanced at Vince.

Vince just shook his head. He could have anyone at the jump base verify he’d been there last night, not out in the backcountry trying to kill Nick. “I have a forty-five that belonged to my father. It’s in the gun safe in Hammer’s room, which these guys didn’t touch. That is the only gun I know of.”

Rio said, “And which they won’t be getting a warrant for.”

Davis didn’t seem to care much about the particulars. He continued, “Now we have the additional arson charge we can add to the attempted murder charge.”

“That won’t stick,” Rio said. “On a guy who doesn’t smoke? What is ‘Vince’s brand’ anyway?” He finger-quoted the words.

Still, the truth sank into Vince. This was all about Jamie’s brother.

What had Tristan been doing talking to Nick in Ingriq during the evacuation? Surely Rio knew what connected Tristan to the militia. Vince just needed to get the guy alone.

Rio tapped on the tablet, then leaned forward, slid the tablet back across the table. “Emailed myself the copies of the documents. I’m sure you got a picture of the anonymous person who delivered the evidence. Show me.”

Davis pulled up the picture and gave back the tablet. Rio tilted it so Vince could see.

Landon. Vince’s eyes widened, and Rio gave him a nod. “This man is under arrest, connected to the militia.”

Finally, they were getting somewhere.

Rio slid the tablet back to Davis. “Thanks, I emailed that image to myself as well. Anyway, I took a look into Mr. Ramos’s financials, along with a consultant of mine, and we have proof he is not connected to the California real-estate purchase. In fact, his only crime is having an account at the same bank.” He glanced at Vince. “Seriously, their rates are criminal. There are better banks in Alaska.”

Vince tried not to laugh. But couldn’t help it.

Rio winked at him, then speared Davis with his gaze. “This is neither his habit nor his personality. Nor is murder. This is not going to work for you.”

Davis tapped his chin for a second, then signaled to his colleague. The two of them whispered to each other for a good couple of minutes.

Vince’s stomach twisted even further as they waited.

Davis finally nodded, turned to Rio. “So you’re here to work with us, Parker?” Davis asked Rio. “We could use the FBI’s support on this. We’ve been wanting to take down this militia for a few months. You can talk Ramos here into cooperating.”

“Good luck with that.” Vince folded his arms.

After they’d pulled this stunt? No way was he gonna help them.

“Tell you what,” Rio said, turning on the charm he’d been famous for as an undercover. “Vince might be a former DEA agent, but he’s choosing not to talk to you. I have a relationship with the Midnight Sun firefighters. He’ll talk to me. If you want him to talk at all, you better let me do it.”

Vince kept his humor to himself. Rio certainly knew how these guys operated—he’d pegged them perfectly.

Davis stepped back, leaned against the opposite wall next to his colleague.

Rio’s fingers tapped the table as he looked between the two.

Davis rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine.” He pushed up from the wall, and the two DEA agents walked out. Left the door open.

Rio chuckled, got up and closed the door behind them. “Those guys are a piece of work.”

“Listen, Rio?—”

Rio held up his hand. “Hold up and let me go first. I need to apologize. Skye tried to get me to come. Cadee too. Skye’s mad enough I may have to sleep on the couch tonight. That’s okay. I explained to both of them—specifically Cadee—why I couldn’t be here to help you. This is a DEA job, and I’ve not been assigned to work with them on it.”

“You said that to her?” He couldn’t imagine how Cadee had responded to that.

“By the time I got home from the jump base and made myself a sandwich for lunch, I’d had some thinking time. I knew I should be here. So, sorry.”

Vince gulped. “Thanks.”

“Problem is,” Rio said, “no matter how well we know someone, they might be guilty.” He pointed at the tablet. “The bankbook and property documents are what gave them the warrant.” He waved his hands in the air. “They obviously found other evidence. So I want to hear you out.” He stepped into Vince’s space. “Everything. Got it?”

He’d seen Rio at almost all the Midnight Sun picnics. Skye’s husband. Good guy. Detective skills. If he was going to talk to anyone, this was who he’d pick.

He took a second to sort through everything in his head. “That guy in the picture? That’s Landon. He shot at Cadee and me, but he missed. We used a shortcut and surprised him, caught him. The Ingriq AST department took him into custody.”

“I’d love to hear that full story sometime.” Rio made a note on a paper. “I’ll follow up on that.”

Vince’s smile lasted half a second. “I’ll tell you at the next Midnight Sun picnic. Anyway, we zip-tied him and walked him into Ingriq Village. Cadee’s…” He couldn’t say ex. Just couldn’t. “Cadee’s buddy, Jared Jensen, is a trooper. He recognized Landon as part of the militia, took him into custody.”

“I’ll get in touch with him.”

“My guess is Landon was with the rest of the militia that shot at us earlier.”

“Huh.” Rio was scribbling notes.

“I carried that brand of cigarettes. Once. In a DEA undercover thing. I do not smoke.”

Rio’s lips twisted. “All right, then.” He chuckled. “I didn’t think you did.”

“All I can say about the chem processing is that I never purchased either ammonia or cough syrup. Maybe one bottle of cough syrup last year. Don’t remember what brand.” The fact he even had to say that, to fight for his innocence, was enough to make him go crazy.

Rio rubbed his chin in thought.

“And that bankbook, the foundation ledger. It looks like it’s from my bank, but I use the Bankbook Online app. That way I can check my account, pay my bills and whatever, even at the jump base.”

“Kids have fake social accounts all the time so their parents can’t see what they’re doing. Do you have an online bank account that looks good, and a physical ledger to keep track of what you’re really doing?”

“No.”

“Wire transfers, property money laundering, chemical processing. Clearly, the DEA believes you are in deep with the militia, and they aren’t going to let that idea go easily. The attempts on Winters and Atwood…” He scratched the back of his head. “To stop them from tattling, maybe.”

The muscles in the back of Vince’s neck were so taut that a headache took over. “That only means they’re connected, not me.”

Rio leaned forward into his space. “How do you know Tristan Winters?”

“I don’t. He’s Jamie’s brother, so Logan knows him.” The guy had been on the plane with them when it crashed. Why did that seem like so long ago when it was only yesterday? “I saw him talking to Nick when Cadee and I were in the village helping with the evacuation. I didn’t even talk to him then.”

Rio narrowed his eyes.

“And I don’t have a gun except my father’s.”

Rio shrugged. “You could’ve used someone else’s gun. Maybe Winters was one of your informants from your DEA time.”

“Pretty sure I would’ve remembered the guy if he was.”

“Here’s what I need to know.” He pointed straight at Vince’s heart. “Why did you try to kill Winters? And Atwood?”

Vince felt the blood rush from his face. “You know me better than that, Rio. I have zero reason to do it, and others can corroborate my whereabouts at the time of the supposed shooting.”

“And what about the Higher Ed money? Are you on the board?”

“No. My dad was. They’ve asked me—that’s all. I have no idea what that is about.”

“Okay.” Rio tilted his head to the left, then straightened the papers on the table into a perfect rectangle. “All right, I believe you, Vince. So you’ve convinced at least me. I just have one thing to say…this is all kinds of coincidental.”

If he had Rio on his side, it was only a matter of time before he convinced everyone else. “I have no idea what’s happening here.”

“Whatever it is, you’re in the middle of it.” Rio stood. “I’ll talk to the DEA. Hopefully I can get you released so you can get back to work. And hire yourself an attorney.”