still be able to work for Henry’s store at the three-way.”
Cin shrugged and held the boutique door open for Lanie. “That’s more than fair.”
Four hours later, Cin and Lanie were unloading the car and carrying the bags into the cabin while Bob watched with an irritated look on his face. Cin set Lanie’s bags in front of her bedroom door and put the rest in the kitchen.
After another hour of putting everything away, Cin was kicked back in his recliner while Lanie curled up in the corner of the couch opposite Bob. The cat looked like he would swat the hell out of Lanie instead of the fluffy toy Lanie jerked in front of him with a stick.
Cin answered his phone within seconds of his nanites, notifying him of an incoming call from the sheriff.
“Robbie?” Cin already knew why the sheriff called. “Someone just filed a missing person’s report on Jason McMaster, didn’t they?”
“You creep me out sometimes. You know that, Son?” Robbie’s voice trembled a little. “Yeah, not only do I have a potentially kidnapped woman, seen shopping with you in town today but now her ex-boyfriend is missing. His powerful Senator Aunt has just informed me that she is coming with some people to crawl up my asshole. Is this your idea of having things under control? Because this sounds more like a shit show!”
Cin chuckled. “I can’t help it if people get lost hiking in the forest and run afoul of our beautiful but dangerous wildlife. It’s not like there aren’t dozens of signs pointing out the dangers to the tourists.”
Robbie muttered a string of curses. “Son, how the hell am I supposed to play this?”
“You do what you normally would as the Sheriff,” Cin said with a chuckle. “You initiate a search, find the animal tracks, the remains, and send the family on their way with whatever might be left of the body.”
“What about the missing girl?” Robbie asked, already knowing the answer.
“She was never here. Hell, you probably didn’t even know McMaster was in town until the family called you looking for him,” Cin suggested, giving the sheriff plausible deniability.
“Keep that girl out of town until that damn family leaves,” Robbie warned before he hung up the phone.
“Are they here?” Lanie looked terrified all over again.
Cin went into the kitchen, pulled the rising crust pizza from the fridge, and preheated the oven. “We knew the family would come. It’ll be all right. They aren’t going to be thinking of you for much longer. There is a much larger plan in play here, and I need you to trust me.”
“Yeah, right,” Lanie said with a disgusted snort. “I spent eleven years waiting for them to put an end to Jason’s relentless stalking of me, and all they did was give him more money and resources. They’ll come after me.”
“The family won’t be around long enough to come after you,” Cin stated evenly.
He planned on killing all but the children in Jason’s family and was already tracking their progress to Laurel Springs and reviewing their rental vehicle and lodging reservations.
“I think you’re a lot more optimistic than I am.” Lanie came into the kitchen and rummaged around in the cabinets until she found a pizza pan.
“I have a lot more experience in these matters than you do. Trust me.” Cin chuckled and unwrapped the pizza.
Lanie was silent while she rinsed the pan and dried it. “How is it that you have that experience? Who are you? Why would you risk so much to help me? Seriously, what kind of person kills someone for a total stranger?”
Cin took the pan from her and put the pizza on it before sliding it into the oven to bake. “I’m a soldier. I was literally born and bred to be a soldier. Until I found out, there was a hidden group behind the ills of this world. A group that is known only as the elite.”
Lanie looked at him in surprise and sat back down at the bar. “You know about that? Everyone swears it’s just a conspiracy theory, but I’ve seen it in action. Those people are as real as we are. What else do you know?”
“I know the elite’s minions are the public face of those who are truly pulling the strings. Jason and his family are minions,” Cin admitted, seeing no reason to lie to her.
Lanie gasped. “How did you find out? I still can’t understand why anyone would give someone like Jason’s family any kind of power.