The Belial Stone (The Belial Series #1)(57)

Laney looked away, her heart pounding. Definitely not the time for this.

Laney and Jake gathered their stuff and disembarked from the plane without a word. She got her first glimpse of Yoni Benjamin as Jake wrapped him in a hug at the bottom of the plane’s steps. The man didn’t even reach Jake’s shoulder. Laney, who at 5’4” was no giant, was still a couple inches taller than him.

But what he lacked in height, he made up for in muscle. He was built like a tank. His biceps were the size of Laney’s head and his arms couldn't rest flat against his sides.

When Jake released him, Yoni turned his large brown eyes on Laney. Eyes too small for his face, a giant nose that looked like it had been broken multiple times, and not a drop of hair on his head. Yoni Benjamin would not be anyone’s idea of handsome. But when he smiled, his whole face lit up and you couldn't help but smile back. He grabbed her in a crushing hug, lifting her off her feet.

She let out a laugh. Yoni was one of those people whom you felt like you’d known all your life.

“Hey Laney. Great to meet you,” he said. Laney was surprised to hear an Israeli accent.

Jake put a hand on Yoni’s shoulder. “Yoni, put her down.”

“Oh right. Sorry there.” Yoni set her gently on the ground. “It’s good to finally meet Jake’s girl.”

“Um, I’m not. I mean, we’re not,” Laney stuttered, staring over Yoni’s shoulder, feeling her cheeks begin to burn.

“Yoni,” Jake dragged out the name. “This is Dr. Laney McPhearson. She’s consulting with Chandler.”

“Yeah, Henry told me. But when I saw the way you two were trying not to look at each other, I figured there was something going on.”

Laney’s face flamed even hotter. “Uh, no. We're just co-workers.”

Yoni grinned. “Yeah, that's how my wife and I started, too.”

“How is Julie?” Jake asked, and Laney felt profound relief at the topic change.

“She’s great. Did you know we’re expecting?” He reached into his front jean pockets and then his back, finally pulling out a picture. “Look, there’s my little man.”

Laney looked at the picture and smiled. How could you not love a man who carried around a sonogram picture of his child?

“He’s got my chin, you see?”

Jake slapped him on the shoulder. “Congratulations, man. That’s great.”

“Yeah, it really is.” Yoni put the picture back in his pocket. He grabbed Laney’s bag and started heading for the parking lot. “I’ve got us set up in a house in Beaver Creek. It’s about a fifteen minute drive from here.”

Jake hiked up his bag. “Have you had any time to do any intel gathering?”

Yoni looked back over his shoulder and grinned. “Sure have. And I think I know where they’re keeping your missing men.”





CHAPTER 50



Beaver Creek, MT



Yoni drove Laney and Jake to a restaurant called The Firehouse in the downtown area of Beaver Creek. On the car ride over, they explained what they’d learned so far, including the nature of Paul. Yoni seemed to take the information in stride.

“So, to kill him, we completely obliterate the heart.” He nodded, his expression thoughtful. “I’m pretty sure suffocating would work and dismembering would work pretty well, too. It’ll at least take awhile to grow back some arms.”

Laney had stared at him, amazed. Apparently, Yoni wasn’t fazed by much.

Stopping for lunch, they’d gotten a booth in the back corner where they had a complete view of the Firehouse Saloon. And saloon was apt, with its poker tables for dining, long wooden bar along one wall, and spittoon by the front door. The waitress mentioned they’d missed the lunch crowd by about an hour. Though from what little traffic there’d been in town, Laney couldn’t imagine it had been much of a crowd.

After everyone put in their order for burgers and fries, Yoni explained that the ranch Senator Kensington had purchased had formerly been owned by a man named Kenny Coleman. His daughter had been the one who’d sold the property to Kensington.

When Yoni had gotten in last night, he’d tracked down Kenny Coleman’s daughter, Kelly Nickels. She worked at Wal-Mart during the day and she waitressed at a bar called the Rusty Nail a couple of nights a week. She was a single mom with two kids. She’d really been struggling to make ends meet since her Dad passed away two years ago.

Jake took a handful of peanuts from the bucket on the table. “What’d he die of?”

“Three bullets to the chest.”

Laney choked on her water and Yoni whacked her on the back.

“Oh my God,” she said when she could finally talk. “Every time I think this can’t get any worse, it does.”

“Well, apparently it gets a little worse than that. The police believe he was shot on his ranch. Then the body was moved. They were never able to find the original crime scene. And the ranch is 300 acres, so that’s pretty understandable. Whoever killed him, carried him back to the house and dumped him on the porch. And then killed Coleman’s dog.”

“His dog?” Jake asked.

“Yeah. Coleman must have left the dog in the house when the murderer showed up. The dog apparently ripped the door to shreds trying to get to him. Guy shot him right through the door. Then he grabbed Coleman’s computer and camera.”