The Devil's Daughter (Hidden Sins #1)(13)

Did you extend that same charm and easy smile to Elouise Perkins? Coming from the life she had, she was ripe pickings for the likes of Lee and the Elysians. They prided themselves on scooping up lost sheep and offering them a safe home, something Elouise desperately needed.

But then, for all intents and purposes, it looked like Elouise had planned on attending college. He’d have to have that verified. He called Chase as he headed back to town.

“Sheriff?”

“I need you to call Montana State and see if they have any record of Elouise Perkins signing up for classes, going through registration, anything that would set up a timeline for when she was last seen.” If they could confirm she’d been down there, he might have to send someone to talk to anyone who might have seen her. The last week of August was registration week, and it was a nightmare with so many people coming and going, though, so it was going to be something like searching for a needle in a haystack.

“What about her parents?”

Thinking about them was enough to have him tightening his grip on the steering wheel. “They haven’t seen her in at least a couple days, if not a week, which means we can’t rely on them to pinpoint the day she was taken. We need to know exactly who saw her last.”

“Roger that. It’s pretty early, so I should be able to get ahold of someone in their registrar’s office.”

“I’m headed back to the station now. See you in a few.” He hung up; the sheer number of unanswered questions he had staggered him. As much as he wanted to pin all the blame on Michael Perkins—and he would pursue that avenue without fail—it was starting to look more and more like someone up at Elysia was involved.

And it was equally likely they’d keep stonewalling him until kingdom come. He might not have started any problems with Martha, but that didn’t mean she was going to bend over backward to be helpful. If she or one of her people was involved, she’d do everything in her considerable power to keep it from him.

Zach cursed. Really, there was only one avenue open to him, as much as he didn’t like it. He pulled the cruiser over to the side of the road and dug out Eden Collins’s card. It took twenty minutes to get ahold of someone over at Quantico to confirm she actually was an FBI agent, and then another ten to get in contact with the director of her branch of the BAU, Britton Washburne.

“Washburne.” The deep tones of the voice that came on the phone soothed him almost instantly—and Zach had no doubt the man on the other end used that as a tool at his disposal when it suited him.

“Zach Owens here. I’m sheriff of Clear Springs, Montana, and I have one of your agents here in town.”

“Eden Collins.”

He didn’t have to ask how the man knew whom he was talking about. Not much got past the FBI when it came to their own people, he imagined. “She says she’s here unofficially.”

“She’s on her own time, yes.”

Which wasn’t the same thing at all. Zach narrowed his eyes. “Just how much do you know about where Eden comes from?”

“I know enough. I’m sure you’re not calling and wasting my time to gossip about family connections she left in the past nearly a decade ago.”

He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, hating that he felt like a kid tattling to the principal. “You trust her?”

“You are wasting my time, Sheriff.” Washburne sighed. “I trust her with my life—several times over. She’s been above reproach from the time she went through the academy. Is there a reason for your call? Or are you on a fishing expedition?”

He was beginning to feel like the latter. “Thank you for your time.”

“Have a good rest of your day.” Washburne hung up.

He didn’t think that was likely. In fact, his day was going to hell in a handbasket faster than he could say, Fuck this. Zach dialed the number on the card Eden had given him.

“Hello?”

There was no point in beating around the bush. “Are you still in town?”

She hesitated. “For the time being.”

“I’ve reconsidered your offer. Can you meet me in Augusta in an hour? There’s a little coffee shop just outside town on 435.”

“I know it.” Another hesitation. “I’ll see you there.”

She didn’t sound happy about it, but he couldn’t really blame her. There wasn’t a single thing about their current situation that inspired happiness . . . and he was about to go and shit all over her day.





CHAPTER SIX


Eden arrived early and took a table in the back corner where she could see the entirety of the coffee shop from her seat. Why do people always meet in coffee shops? This is a conversation better suited to a bar—or at least somewhere that serves alcohol. Zach Owens was going to ask her for help. There was no other reason he’d be calling her. Something had happened that had pushed him over the edge if he was truly considering her as a resource.

She wanted to get up, to climb into her rental car and start driving. The desire had only been building since last night, getting harder to resist with each minute that passed. If her flight hadn’t been canceled, she’d be gone, away from here and her mother and Elysia and Zach Owens.

Speak of the devil.

He walked into the coffee shop, paused, and started forward when his gaze lit on her. His faded jeans showcased a truly impressive set of thighs, and a Carhartt jacket that just screamed low-key man. It was worn and a little dirty—the clothing of a man who spent his life out in the world. It all added up to the same thing she’d found the last time they talked. Zach Owens was most likely a good man who worked hard, enjoyed living in his little town, and, what was more, he fit here.