Page 43 of Distress Signal

“Great,” Lane said. “How long do you think it’ll take to go through it all?”

“Well, like I just told Finn and West, they’re not organized in any way that makes sense beyond having the year on them. So first, I’m going to have to digitize them, then spend some timecompiling everything chronologically. Could be a few weeks, could be a few months.”

“Months?” Lane asked, incredulous, and I had to admit, I was in agreement. “In months, Lainey Lindsey could bedead, Trey.”

“I’m going to work as fast as I can, you prick. That’s the best I can do.”

“Hand it all over, and I’ll send it up to Boise.”

“We could do that,” Trey conceded, “but that’s not going to make the process go any faster,andyou wouldn’t be the first in line for information if anything pops. You know bringing the FBI in, even if it’s only Addie, makes it look like you can’t handle shit on your own.”

Lane growled in frustration, but only because he knew our big brother was right.

Letting Trey handle this was truly the best and fastest course of action.

“I don’t like this.”

“None of us do,” I piped in. “A woman is missing, and someone inourtown is responsible.”

I fucking hated that revelation, knowing that, once again, a woman had come here and been targeted. Aspen had survived, thanks in no small part to Crew, but Lainey was still out there somewhere—likely alive and being held against her will if Reagan’s gut feeling was anything to go on. Though we weren’t law enforcement, wewerethe best chance she had at breaking free without the loss of her life.

The upside was that Trey, West, and I could operate outside the constraints of the law. Crew too, if he wanted to help. Knowing him, he’d be all in. That same strong desire to serve and protect the rest of us had also lived in him.

And I doubted we’d get Crew on board without Aspen offering to help as well, which wasn’t a bad thing, either.

“What did you and West dig up?” Lane asked me.

“Rusty, Jim, and Dodger recognized the photo. Couldn’t say much beyond confirming they saw her that night. Said she sat in the corner for a few hours, nursed a couple beers, played on her phone, but that was it. Sounds to me like she was waiting for someone or something.”

“Hopefully this footage,” Trey said, tapping the top of the box, sending dust flying, “will shed some light on that.”

“Hopefully,” Lane sighed, not sounding the least bit hopeful.

I didn’t envy him, being the one burdened when bad things happened to good people in his jurisdiction.

“We’ll find her,” I said. No,promised.

“Yeah,” Lane replied, seemingly unconvinced. “Well, keep me posted.”

He didn’t wait for a response before he hung up.

West and I said our goodbyes to Trey and made for my truck, heading back to the ranch. I dropped him off at his before heading home, unsurprised to find Aria in my living room, watching some reality TV show on my massive flat screen.

I changed into comfier clothes before joining her.

“Rough night?” she asked when I’d thrown myself onto the couch at her side, head tipping against the back.

“Not really,” I admitted. “Just been a long week. I can’t stop thinking about this missing woman.”

“Is it her…or her sister?”

I snorted. Truthfully, I was pretty fucking transparent when it came to Reagan Lindsey. Leave it to Aria to hone right in on the real issue.

“Both,” I said honestly. “I can’t imagine being in Reagan’s position, and…I care about her. Doesn’t make a lot of sense since I’ve never spent a full day with the woman, but I do. I’d do anything to make this right for her.”

Aria scooted closer and tucked herself into my side.

“You will, Finny.”