“Boss, remember when I made that crack about Gold Star and China?”

“Jax,” Deke readjusted his earpiece, “no jokes. We’re ready to head over to Harwood’s.” A contingent of SONR and Steeles geared up all around the fountain located in the park where he and Evie’d stumbled upon Gracie Gilbert.

“You’d be nicer to me if you knew what montage of happiness I’m about to spin your way.”

“Jax—”

“Fine. Call me just the facts Jax.” A maelstrom of typing echoed through his earpiece. “Once I got us back online, Taj tapped into Harwood’s trucking schedule. Every month, our little wildlife trafficker’s company makes a trip to Wilmington.”

“You’ve got my attention. Go on.”

“Wilmington has an international seaport. So many ships come and go from these ports that it’s impossible for Service agents to inspect every shipload.”

“Interesting, but?”

“Next to each of Harwood’s Wilmington entries is a ‘GS’ designation.”

“Gold Star,” he murmured. “Harwood’s entered the illegal wildlife trafficking arena on a global scale.”

“Ding, ding, ding. I’m placing my bet on China.”

His phone vibrated.

Vasquez.

“Good job. Let me know if anything else pops up.” He peered down at his phone’s display again. “Any more leads on Harwood’s mole?”

“I came across an ID number—70821. Need your permission to bust into the Service’s HRIS system.”

His phone stilled. “In and out, Jax. I don’t want your digital footprint on anyone’s personnel file, except 70821. Understood?” The display on his phone lit again—Vasquez.

“You wound me, boss.”

“Kick in the nitro, nerd.”

“Will do. Jax out.”

Deke hit the Answer button. “Conrad.”

“What the hell are you doing, Deke?” Director Vasquez said by way of greeting. “My analyst tells me that you’re still investigating your brother’s case.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Want to explain why you disobeyed an order?”

“Because Gold Star and my brother’s case are linked.”

“Where’d you get that intel?”

“Couple different places.”

“Where?”

Deke rubbed his eyes. “My brother—”

“For the love of God, Conrad. What are you thinking—?”

“Harwood has a mole inside the Service,” Deke interrupted.

“What? How do you know?”

“While my brother sat in a filthy, animal crate for five days, without food or water, Harwood bragged about his spy embedded in the Service.” Maybe even a SONR agent. “He knows all about our team.”

Silence.

“Who has ID number 70821?”

Paper shuffling scratched through the speaker.

“Colin Fisher,” Vasquez said.

He took a precious second to whisper a silent thank-you. Although he’d already bet his career on the leak not being a SONR team member, the fact remained that he’d had no way of knowing with absolute certainty, until this moment.

“You’re not suggesting Colin’s a spy.”

“That’s where the trail has led us.”

“He’s one of my best analysts.”

“Did you order someone to shut down our communications?”

“You would’ve been the first to know, if I had.”

“Thought so. Find out who has the power or authority to make us go black, and you’ll have your mole.”

“I’ll get you up and running ASAP.”

“Jax already took care of it.”

“What if I’d ordered the shut down? Would Jax have reversed it?”

“Since you didn’t, let’s concentrate on who did.”

“I want regular updates, from this point forward. That’s an order.”

“Yes, sir.” He pocketed his phone.

“Everything okay?” Britt asked.

He lifted his booted foot to the fountain’s ledge. “I’m going to enjoy stripping Harwood of everything he owns.”

“I had a similar feeling last year when dealing with those trophy hunters.”

“Thanks for coming when I called.”

Britt slapped his back. “Glad I could return the favor.”

“You just let them take my boy?” a new voice demanded.

Deke jerked his pant leg down to cover the sheathed knife before lowering his foot to the ground. Pivoting, he faced his father. The old man’s eyes appeared hard and unbending, even in the darkness. His chest heaved and his beer gut stood out beneath his light flannel shirt. As per usual, Iris Conrad stood several feet behind her husband, though this time she held her chin up, her shoulders squared.

Betrayal burned in his veins. Why had she brought Mitch Conrad here? Now? When he needed to concentrate on locating Evie.

This was all his damn fault. Not wanting his mom to hear of Dylan’s incarceration through the normal gossip mill, he’d called to give her a heads-up. He’d also assured her that Dylan would be safer behind bars. What he hadn’t told her was that Dylan had agreed to do what he could to keep the police busy while he dealt with the Harwoods.

“For now,” he said. “It’s the best place for him.”

“You’re deciding now what’s best for my son?”

“I don’t have time for your false bluster. I’ll take care of this.”

“Don’t even think about bringing the feds into family business.”

“I’ll bring in the city, county, state, whatever it takes. There’s a lot you don’t understand, and I don’t have the time—or desire—to explain it to you.”

“How the hell is a newsletter writer going to stop a cold-blooded killer?”

“With friends.” Britt and Reid moved to his side.

“Lots of them.” Reid, Keone, Wes, Rae, and Matteo flanked him, creating a semicircle of protection. Each shoved a piece of clothing aside to reveal a weapon.

His dad eyed the row of men and women. “Y’all are here to help my boy?”

“Yes, sir,” Keone said. “Deke won’t let anything happen to Dylan—” he slid a glance toward the Steele brothers, “—or Evie.”

“How’re you gonna find this devil?”

“That’s why we’re here,” he said. “To go over what we know and set up a search.”

“Sounds like a tail chaser. Don’t you have any leads?”

“Yes, we have a lead. A solid one.”

“Then what’re doing here?”

“Daddy, please. Leave us to it.”

He picked up movement out of the corner of his eye. Three figures huddled together at the edge of the fountain’s courtyard.

“Amy, Noah,” he said, confused by their appearance. Did the whole damn town know they were here? “It’s awful late for a walk in the park.”

Neither said a word, though Amy’s anxious gaze settled on his mom.

“Is everything okay?” he asked. “Are you looking for someone?”

“I asked her to come.” Iris Conrad stepped out of the shadow of her husband and strode to Amy’s side.

“What’re you talking about, Iris?” his dad asked. “What’s going on?”

“When I found out that Dylan was in jail, I called Chief Middleton. It took some doing, but I finally got Charlie to tell me about Eli Harwood and that poor nurse.” Iris put her arm around Amy. “Amy’s been helping me with my computer skills at the library.” She drew in a deep breath. “We’ve been confiding in each other about…different things.”

“You never told me about these meetings,” Mitch accused.

“For good reason.”

“Why do you need to learn how to use the computer?”

“So I can get a job.”

“You don’t need one. There’s plenty to do around the house.”

“I’m not arguing with you about this, Mitch. My mind’s made up.”

“Who’s going to hire a fifty-three-year-old housewife with no skills?”

“Enough.” Deke stepped between his parents. “Daddy, go home. You’ve become a distraction at a time when we need to focus all our energy on saving Dylan and Evie.”

“A distraction.” Mitch’s flat tone carried an undercurrent of danger. “Fine. Come on, Iris.”

“No,” his mom said.

“So it’s that way now, is it?” Mitch glared at his wife. “If you don’t come with me now, don’t bother coming later.”

His mom’s determination wavered under her husband’s ultimatum. Deke resisted telling his dad to stick his offer up his ass. In order for his mom to break free of her husband’s oppression, she would have to make the decision to go.

“Goodbye, Mitch.”

His dad’s eyes widened before narrowing into vengeful slits. “You’ll be getting nothing. Everything in that house belongs to me, bought and paid for.”

“I’m not interested in your junk, anyway.”

Mitch snarled, “Junk—”

“Time to go.” Keone and Britt moved to escort Mitch Conrad away.

The moment his dad cleared the area, the cloud of tension hovering over them dissipated.

Deke rested a hand on his mom’s shoulder. “You okay?”

“I will be.” She gathered herself, shucking off Iris the wife and drawing forth Iris the mom. “Enough about me. Let’s find your Evie and free my boy.”

The guys began shuffling around behind him, as if his mother’s command released them from the horror of watching his family’s drama play out.

“Why’d you ask Amy and Noah to come?” he asked.

“Because she can help you locate Eli.”

“How?”

“I might know where he’s hiding,” Amy said. “Might.”

“Might is more than we have.”

“There’s an old, dilapidated barn on my father-in-law’s property.” Amy peered down at her son. “Eli’s been seen coming and going from the building, but it appears empty.”

“Sounds like we have ourselves a secret room,” Wes said.

He crouched to speak with Noah. He nodded to the small boy clutching Amy’s leg. “Who’s your friend?”

“My brother Tobias.”

“He has a bear claw like yours.”

Noah’s face scrunched into anger, though he said nothing.

Amy caught Deke’s gaze. “His granddad—”

“Step-granddad,” Noah corrected.

“Mr. Harwood gave the claw to Tobias.”

“Rrrow!” Tobias smiled, nearly taking out Deke’s eye before his mother caught his arm.

Deke waggled his fingers against Tobias’s ribs, causing the boy to giggle. Then he turned to Noah and whispered in the boy’s ear. “Don’t worry about the claw. Many believe it’s bad luck to carry one.” Not a complete lie. Several native tribes saw the claw as a symbol of strength and courage. He’d never seen any mention of luck.

To Amy, he asked, “Mind if I speak to Noah about the barn?”

Amy cast a worried look between her boys. “I’d rather you not in front of Tobias.”

“How about I give the cub a ride on my shoulders?” Matteo offered and waited for Amy’s nod. “Hello, Tobias. I’m Matteo. Do you want to go for a ride? You can see for miles up here.”

Tobias raised his hands in the air. “Yes!”

“Let’s leave this—” Matteo tugged the claw from the boy’s grip, “—with your mama so you can hang on.” He made a big show of scooping the boy up onto his shoulders before disappearing into the park.

“Noah, what can you tell us about your Uncle Eli and the barn?” he asked.

The boy shrugged. “He spends a lot of time there.”

“Does he have a special place in the barn?”

“Dunno. I’ve seen him walk inside, then he vanishes.”

“Ever see him carry anything in or out of the barn?”

“A few times. I think he goes there mostly at night.”

“Can you describe what he’s carried inside?”

Another shrug. “Blankets, grocery bags, jugs of liquid.”

Amy caught his eye before addressing her son. “Noah, why don’t you go find your brother.” She pointed into the dark. “I hear him over there.”

“I’m headed that way myself,” Wes said. “Mind if I walk with you?”

“No, sir.”

“Got any good fishing holes around here?” Wes asked, as the two wandered off.

“What’d you have?” he asked.

“My mother-in-law missed fixing the evening meal.”

“Why is that significant?”

“She never has before.” Amy’s attention fixed on her clasped hands. “Caleb and my father-in-law found her a few hours ago.”

“Where?”

“Just inside the abandoned barn.” She swallowed. “The dogs found her body. She’d been stabbed dozens of times.”

“Eli?” Rae asked.

“No way to tell, but Eli’s not answering his phone. Caleb’s searching for his brother now.”

“Do you think Eli’s capable of killing his own mom?” he asked.

“Eli’s always been odd. It’s difficult to explain—”

“Don’t worry about it. We understand.”

“Tell my son about the incident a couple weeks ago,” Iris said, giving Amy an encouraging squeeze.

“I walked into the living room to wake my mother-in-law from her nap and found Eli standing over her. Just standing there, staring at his mother.”

He shared a look with the Steele brothers.

“The dude’s snapped,” Reid said.

“Get everyone together.” He prayed Evie didn’t do anything to set off Eli again. If he could kill his mom, he wouldn’t think twice about murdering the woman who kicked his ass out the window. “We’ll target the barn.”