Page 124 of Traces Of You

“I want to see what we are dealing with and who. I’m not assuming anything. I’ve got people scanning the cameras in town looking for her or the guy that’s with her for any facial recognition or vehicle tags.”

“I figured,” Clay said. “You do things your way, and I’ll do them mine.”

His brother was walking to his room, Ford on his heels. The closet door opened, clothes were pushed aside and a safe was revealed he hadn’t known existed.

The number of guns coming out didn’t shock him. He was saddened more than anything his brother felt the need to have them.

“You’re not going in there without me and without backup.”

Clay turned. “I’ll only wait so long but know if anyone can get her out, it’s me. Remember that.”

That was Clay’s former life.

Extraction.

His brother could do it alone, he was positive.

But that wasn’t how he operated.

It was not how he could or would in his job.

“We follow my lead first. You’d want to know what you were up against, right?”

“Not anyone around here can hold me back,” Clay said.

He didn’t doubt it and the look in his brother’s eyes said anyone who stood in his way might not walk away breathing.

His brother was changing into all black, boots on his feet, knife and gun on his ankles, another at his waist, the sniper rifle grabbed out.

He’d have some explaining to do if it came down to it, but he knew telling Clay not to bring any of it wouldn’t fly either.

“You’re getting a badge,” he told his brother.

“I don’t do well with rules.”

When Clay returned from the service, he made him go through the vetting process to be deputized. The skills his brother carried would always come in handy and it was how he would follow the law. He never thought there would be a day he’d need his brother’s tracking skills, but was glad to have him.

“It will cover us both,” he said.

“I’m texting you what I found on the security cameras here.”

Clay jumped in his truck without answering and followed Ford to the sheriff’s station to reconvene and get a plan in action.

“I heard.” Deputy Dugen came rushing into his office. “Tell me what you need. I know this has to do with me pulling her over.”

“Don’t blame yourself. It’s not the time. This is my brother, Clay.” He opened a drawer and grabbed a badge. “Put it on. You’re one of us today.”

Clay grabbed the badge and clipped it to his belt next to his gun.

Ford refused to think they wouldn’t get her back. He didn’t need Clay’s head nod to tell him Reenie would be in his arms soon.

The question was what condition she’d be in.

34

HER ONLY HOPE

“Wakey, wakey.”