Page 87 of Mountain Refuge

A very quiet, very serious Taya returned to the Jeep. If not for the determined glint in her eyes, Ryan might have thought she’d given up. “Find out what you needed?”

“More than I needed, actually.” She turned slightly in her seat to face him. “I just found out that my friend and former leader of the ops group is not dead. In fact, he’s very much alive and the leader of this trafficking ring. Which means, Tracy isn’t the only one who can identify him. I can, too. Tracy doesn’t have to be anywhere near this now.”

“You’re sending me away?” Tracy leaned over the seat. “To where? I’m not going.”

“Nobody is going anywhere, right?” He gripped the steering wheel. “We’re in this together.”

“I don’t know where I’d send her anyway. Let’s head to the sheriff’s office. If the FBI has arrived, then I can give them my assessment and see whether they have a safe house for Tracy and someone to watch her.”

“I’m not going!” She reached for her door.

Ryan hit the lock button.

“I’ll run away. I promise.” Tears ran down her cheeks. “You can’t leave me again, Taya.”

“No one is leaving anyone.” Ryan turned the Jeep around, coming to a halt as two cowboys on horseback crossed the lot entrance.

“Who are they?” Tracy’s tears dried in a heartbeat.

“They’re helping the sheriff monitor the town.”

“I’ve never seen anyone more handsome.” She pressed her face to the side window. “I’m going to marry a cowboy someday.”

Taya’s eyes widened. She covered her mouth to hide her grin. “That was a fast switchover.”

Ryan shrugged. “Guess all it takes to make her happy is a man on a horse.”

“Isn’t that the way with most women?” Taya’s grin widened.

Relieved some of the tension had been erased, he drove to the sheriff’s office. The parking lot was a beehive of activity as men in black raced in the front door.

“Something happened.” Ryan shoved his door open. His heart shot to his throat.

“A girl was taken. Either that or they’ve located the ring. Those are the only two things I can think of that would generate this response.” Taya exited the Jeep, grabbing a large bag as she did, and then opened the back door for Tracy. “Looks like groceries will have to wait a bit longer.”

They followed the FBI into the building.

Sheriff Westbrook turned from the front desk. “Ryan, Taya, come with me.”

Tracy plopped onto a chair, Betty lying at her feet, while Ryan and Taya followed the sheriff.

“Have a seat.” The sheriff motioned to a couple of empty chairs at the conference table. “This is Special Agents Snow and Larson. Needless to say, they arrived in the middle of chaos.”

“Who was taken?” Taya leaned forward. “Someone from Misty Hollow?”

He nodded. “You were right. The ring hit here this morning. It’s too early to know for sure, but a teenage girl didn’t make it to school today. There’s no record of her having gotten on the bus. Her parents say she’s never skipped school before, so we need to assume the worse. At our last calculations, there are five girls missing.”

“You have something for us?” Agent Larson arched a brow at Taya.

“More than I thought.” Taya pulled the map from the large purse she carried with her. “Center of operations. But, this isn’t all.” She reached over and gripped Ryan’s hand under the table.

“Mason Rogers isn’t dead.”

“And he is?” Larson pursed his lips.

“My former special ops partner. I met with a couple of my old group this morning and found out he faked his death. They believe he is the leader of this ring. They also believe he’s in Misty Hollow.”

“Since the campground is empty,” Sheriff Westbrook said. “It’s safe to assume the ring is here and right under our noses.”