Page 35 of Vanish From Sight (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #2)

H ours, minutes, seconds, it all came down to a matter of timing.

Although Thomas had offered up multiple locations for a so-called “trap house” where drug users, dealers and criminals on the run could hide out, they’d been able to verify fast that the place wasn’t being used to harbor the assholes.

They were smarter than that. It was the reason they were able to stay one step ahead.

Instead, the most concrete tip came simply by way of Thomas’ cousin, who gave them what they wanted. Dogs.

As no one knew Thomas was in jail, Noah figured the best way to catch a mouse was to put out some bait.

Noah had Thomas call his cousin Jethro Ford to set up a time to meet. He said he’d obtained two French bulldogs, a Labrador retriever and a poodle, but that he’d swung by the farm and no one was there .

From there it was just a matter of following him.

As the U.S. Marshals had been chasing leads and tracking down every possible clue to the whereabouts of Teresa Barkley, it was only fitting they would take the lead.

More often than not marshals would conduct raids at dawn as it gave them the element of surprise when apprehending criminals who might be armed and ready to resist arrest.

Safety was a huge factor. Daylight hours posed a greater risk because it was easier for targets to see them approaching.

Of course, who could forget the one organization that cops hated almost as much as criminals — the media.

Drawing the attention of media occurred far more in the hours they were active than at dawn, and with all the heat that the case had already drawn, the fear was Teresa would leave the county or state, if she hadn’t already.

“I hope you are right about this,” Rivera said as she picked up the phone to call the marshals and make the arrangements. While she did that, Noah stepped out to take a call from his sister.

“How did it go?” he asked, holding a finger up to his ear.

The office that morning was buzzing with activity, deputies coming and going, phones ringing off the hook and radios crackling.

Murmuring voices talked about the case, from the raid on the farm through to what was now being put in motion.

The sound of footsteps echoed, along with the occasional shout or whistle from a supervisor trying to get someone’s attention.

“Noah, he got himself in a whole world of trouble. If I hadn’t shown up when I did, who knows what would have happened.”

“Did they accept it?”

“Of course. They want it by the end of today. Except it’s going to cost an extra $50,000.”

“Seriously?”

“It’s interest. ”

“And if not?”

“You do the math. They’re too smart to say anything in front of an attorney and legally they have grounds to collect.

How they do that without taking a pound of flesh is what concerns me.

I didn’t get the impression that they were the type to put this kind of debt into collections, at least not the ones that phone you day and night or try to garnish wages. ” She paused. “Have you told dad?”

“Are you kidding? He would fly off the handle. Besides, Ray already hit him up for money. He’s already paying him back.”

“Which makes trying to pay this—”

“Impossible,” Noah said. He ran a hand around the back of his neck. Callie and McKenzie were observing him from across the room. “Look, is he safe?”

“Define safe?”

“Maddie.”

“He will be but you need to sign off. I’ve sent a copy over to your email. Digitally sign it. Send it back. The transfer needs to go through today.”

“Fuck them. They can’t hold him.”

She went quiet.

“Maddie.”

He heard her draw a breath. “The Ruger being held to the back of his head would say different.”

“What?”

“Just sign it, Noah. I get a sense they’ve done this before and they know how to cover their tracks.”

Thoughts of what Alicia had told him about the region, the bad element that had moved in, came to mind. It was true but how deep did it go?

“Put Ironwood on the phone.”

Noah heard Maddie say, “He wants to speak to you.” There was a muffled sound, followed by a sudden shift in background noise. It was clear that Maddie had just passed the phone to someone else.

He strained to hear the conversation as a new voice came into focus.

“Mr. Sutherland. I have to admit, I never expected you to step up to the plate. That’s very generous.”

“Look, asshole. You touch them and I will burn everything you have to the ground.”

Ironwood chuckled. “I don’t doubt it. The reputation of your family precedes you.

Except that was from a different era. A time when the Sutherlands were in a unique position.

Hugh was different. A reasonable man. He understood business and how things must operate.

That’s changed. Ray? Well, let’s just say that our employer was more than reasonable with him. He chose the wrong option.”

“So, you want to take a life for $400,000?”

“Is that what he said he owed?” Ironwood laughed. “I should have expected that. Oh, you have a lot to learn about your brother. You have been gone a long time, Noah. Still, your sister strikes me as a smart woman. She’s confident that this can be cleared up today. It can be cleared up today, yes?”

“What’s to stop me from raiding your casino right now and arresting you?”

He replied confidently. “Nothing. By all means if you think that’s the way to handle this, do so. But have a conversation with your father first and see what happened to those who tried in the past.”

Noah’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“If it’s paid, this is over and they walk?”

“You have my word.”

“So operating outside of the law is what I can expect from you? ”

Ironwood snorted. “Your father knew where to draw the thin blue line. Do you?”

The thin blue line represented the police as a line that kept society from descending into violent chaos. He’d never regarded it as something that could be moved but an immovable wall that chaos bashed up against. He couldn’t help but wonder how different Hugh was from the previous sheriff.

“I look forward to receiving that payment,” Ironwood said before hanging up.

Noah stood there with one hand balled tightly, his jaw clenched.

It wasn’t just the nerve of this man but it was what he hadn’t been told by Hugh that disturbed him.

He checked his phone and found the email from Maddie.

He digitally signed it and returned it, then stepped out of the office to make a call to have the funds from his bank sent over.

Whatever hope he had of purchasing the land from Alicia and building a home was gone.

“Noah. Hey!”

He cast a glance over his shoulder to see Callie gesturing for him to gear up.

“We’re a go.”

From one thing to the next. Life in the Adirondacks was giving him whiplash.

It was a far cry from what he had to deal with in Peekskill.

Now he was beginning to regret returning.

Still, if there was one thing that mattered more than anything right now, it was nailing the bastards who had taken Lena’s life.

With the confirmation of the whereabouts of Teresa Barkley, the marshals immediately began preparing for the raid. They gathered their equipment, briefed the team on the plan and coordinated with local, county, and state law enforcement to ensure the safety of the surrounding community .

Despite the theory that Teresa and her pals had left the county, that wasn’t the case. They’d simply gone east to Elizabethtown.

McKenzie was already there, huddled behind a garage near the apartment block along with a slew of county deputies. Marshals were down the road, ready to move in. Over the comms he heard McKenzie as he eyed them approaching at a crouch.

“You know you can’t get good partners anymore,” McKenzie said.

“I’m not your partner,” Noah replied.

“And just when I thought we were warming up to each other.”

“Glad you could join us,” a deputy said, jogging toward them.

They’d brought Thomas Green with them. Originally they were going to get dogs from a local breeder, but with the danger involved, no breeder would let them take their animals.

Instead, Thomas was wired and was to meet his cousin at the door and arrange for them to collect the dogs from his van.

Drawing them out, away from the house, would make it safer for everyone.

There was no telling what kind of arsenal they had inside.

“I still think it’s a crazy move to send him in,” McKenzie said.

“Marshals cleared it,” Noah replied. “Stoltz, Palmer, take Davis around the rear. McKenzie is backing me.”

“Backing you? You must have not gotten the memo. You’re watching my six.”

“Not today, pal,” Noah replied. “You’re at the side window by the bushes. Avery thinks you’re too trigger-happy.”

He clenched his hand. “Sonofabitch.”

Callie grinned, knowing that Noah had made that up.

“All right. Get into position. Let’s roll,” Noah said over the comms .

Thomas Green looked as nervous as hell as he tucked in his shirt and strolled toward the lower apartment door. “Can you hear me?” he muttered.

“Loud and clear,” Noah replied.

His heart must have been pounding in his chest as Thomas made his approach.

He’d been chosen as bait to lure them out, and a large part of the success of the operation depended on him.

While McKenzie had every right to be suspicious and nervous about him, they’d made it clear that if he cooperated, it would all be taken into consideration by the judge to ensure a lighter sentence.

Noah watched Thomas wipe his sweaty palms on his pants and took a deep breath as he knocked on the door.

As seconds rolled by, Noah wondered if those inside had seen anyone or been tipped off. What if they saw through his ruse and decided to stay inside? He could feel a bead of sweat trickling down his back. He reached up and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

Finally, there was movement behind the curtains. He held his breath as the door cracked open, and a pair of suspicious eyes peered out at him.