Deadly Silence (Blood Brothers #1)(105)

Heath nodded and pushed away.

“Care to share?” Matt asked, jogging closer.

Ryker shook his head.

Heath snarled. “Sheriff Cobb is a sadistic bastard who tortured us as kids. He and Dr. Madison would get it on whenever she visited. He’s been, ah, searching for us since we escaped the boys home because of a little fire we may have started.”

Ryker glanced at the two men now putting their lives on the line for Zara and Greg. “After we killed the proprietor—another sadistic bastard and the sheriff’s brother.”

Neither Matt nor Jory blinked. Finally, Matt glanced at the line of trees. “Dr. Madison will want plenty of time to question Zara. We’ll have her tonight long before Madison runs out of questions.”

Ryker nodded, his mind turning over events, his hands shaking. “Zara doesn’t know much that Madison probably isn’t already aware of.”

Matt paused. “Nothing? She doesn’t have anything to share?”

“Not really.” Ryker flicked snow out of his eyes.

Matt eyed Jory. “If she doesn’t have any information for Madison, then Madison will move on to something or somebody else. We’d better hurry.” He turned and shoved between two trees, scattering snow.

Ryker charged after him. He’d just wanted to protect Zara from his past and start anew. The pain of those times didn’t need to be a burden on anybody but him. He and Zara had known each other pretty intimately, so there had to be plenty to dissect. His ears rang. “But Madison will want to talk about us, right?”

Matt turned back. “Yes, but what does Zara know?”

Nothing. She’d met Heath and Denver only recently, and he’d given her only a brief glimpse into his odd abilities. “Not enough,” Ryker said grimly. “I’ve tried to protect her from all that.”

Jory jogged by his side. “That probably isn’t good. How do you know she loves you if she doesn’t even know you?”

Ryker cut him a look. “What are you, Dr. Phil?”

Without losing a step, Jory bent and drew a wicked-looking knife from his boot. “I’m just saying if you want to keep a woman, you have to let her know all of you. Even the bad shit.” He stopped and held up a hand until everyone halted. “Right through that group of trees is the lodge.”

Ryker pivoted to the north. “Jory and Heath, take the front door. Denver and Matt, take the side. I’m going in the back.”

Matt leaned in. “I’ll go in the back—you and Denver go in the side. There should be less resistance there so you can find Zara. Remember that we’ve been trained since birth. This is the best plan.”

Ryker rolled his shoulder. “I don’t like you going in alone.”

Matt snorted. “I’ll be fine.” He paused. “How good is your hearing?”

Heath reached for a gun stuck in the back of his waistband. “We all have abnormally good senses, but Ryker’s is over the top. Is that genetic, too?”

“Yep,” Matt said. “Make sure you all tune in while we’re inside. Could save our asses.”

Ryker nodded. “Let’s go—infiltrate in exactly one minute.” He turned and ducked low, then ran through the trees and zigzagged through the darkness and falling snow until he reached the side entrance.

Denver leaned against the wall next to him. “The security here isn’t very good,” he whispered.

Maybe the Protect group didn’t have the resources they had feared, and perhaps Madison didn’t have many soldiers she’d raised. Ryker nodded, counting down in his head for the right moment. “You ready?”

“Affirmative,” Denver said, his light eyes cutting through the night. “You sure you’re okay after being shot the other day?”

“Fine. Just a scratch,” Ryker said, not feeling any pain.

“Good. Zara will be okay.”

God, Ryker hoped so.

“So will Greg,” Denver added.

“Yeah.” Ryker checked his weapon. “Let’s go.” He pivoted and gingerly tugged the door. Locked. He’d figured. Giving Denver a nod, he slid to the side and covered the area.

Denver removed a small tool set from his back pocket, leaned down, and had the door unlocked within seconds.

Ryker frowned. “That was shockingly easy.”

“They’re not expecting company.” Denver straightened and shoved the tools back into his pocket.

True. Zara had been brilliant hiding the phone down her nightgown. Ryker waited until Denver opened the door, and then he glided into a mudroom with laundry facilities, his gun at the ready. He waited until Denver had joined him before crossing the room and opening another door to reveal a hallway lined with oil paintings.

The coziness of the place caught him unawares. He moved into the hall, following it to a large gathering room with a huge stone fireplace. He scouted the area and reached stairs leading up and down just as the other men did. Jory and Heath headed up, he and Denver moved down, and Matt stayed central to cover the stairs.

Ryker’s heart pounded, and he took several breaths to calm himself and focus. The place was way too quiet. He crept down the stairs and turned right at the bottom. A small conference room sat empty at the side while a hallway containing several doorways extended to the north. He hustled past the large table and reached the first door, nudging it open to an office smelling of cigar smoke and bourbon. Maps covered the far wall with pins stuck in different places.