Sheriff

He scowled, crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

“The information I’m about to tell you is classified, understand?” Max said. Brody nodded his agreement, so he continued, “We’re part of the FBI Tactical K-9 Unit, working a case related to one of our agents, Jake Morrow, who went missing several weeks ago.”

“Missing?” He frowned. How often did FBI agents, especially those in some sort of secret elite team, go missing? “That’s strange.”

“I don’t disagree. We’re here because we received an anonymous tip via a disposable cell phone, one that we were unable to trace, that Jake is being held in a secluded cabin in the area,” Julianne explained. “We’re not sure who our informant is, but we’re determined to check out each clue no matter how improbable, so if you don’t mind, we need to get back to work.”

“I’m afraid I do mind,” Brody drawled.

She ignored him, looking at her superior. “What did you find at your cabin?”

“Opal didn’t alert on anything. It’s deserted and looks as if it’s been that way for a long time.”

“Okay, then that leaves the cabin here as the primary search zone.” Julianne pulled some sort of computer-engineered map out of her pocket.

“What’s that?” Brody asked, stepping closer to get a better look.

“A map put together by Dylan O’Leary, our team’s technical expert. He’s located back at headquarters, helping to coordinate our activities. Here.” She tapped the map, glancing up at Max. “This is where I veered off track. We need to head due north.”

“Maybe you didn’t understand what I meant,” Brody interjected. “I’m going with you.”

She frowned. “Thanks, but that’s not necessary. We can take it from here.”

“This may be your jurisdiction, Agent Martinez.” He emphasized her formal title with a hint of sarcasm. “But this is my county, and I’m going with you. Whether y’all like it or not.”

She stared at him for several long moments. “What about the crime scene here?”

“My deputies will be here any moment—they’ll take care of things.”

He wasn’t going to let anything change his mind. Whatever Julianne and Max were doing was just as important as searching for Nate Otwell.

Now that Julianne had reappeared in his life, there was no way she was going anywhere without him.

* * *

“I see you’re just as stubborn as ever, Brody.” There was no time to waste, so Julianne didn’t bother trying to talk him out of joining them.

She hadn’t been able to convince him to believe in her, to come with her to join the FBI academy six years ago, either. The man could teach stubborn to an ox.

“Are you sure you want to keep going?” Max asked for the third time. “I can take over.”

“Yes, I’m sure. Stop asking already.” She was annoyed at the way her boss was treating her, as if she were some helpless damsel in distress who couldn’t hold her own.

She was a trained FBI agent. Getting shot at came with the territory.

And if she were honest, she’d admit that seeing Brody again, hearing her name spoken in his familiar southern drawl, had shaken her up more than any gunman. Especially since it looked as if her ex wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon.

Ignoring the four deputies who’d just arrived at the crime scene, she retraced her steps, looking for the evidence bag she’d dropped in her mad rush to stop the prison break. Fifty yards back, she found the sack containing an old shirt belonging to Jake Morrow. Kneeling on the ground, she opened the bag and encouraged Thunder to take a deep sniff.

Thunder buried his nose in the bag for several long seconds.

“Find, Thunder.” She pointed north in the direction where the cabin was located. “Find Jake.”

Thunder’s tail wagged, then his nose went to the ground. He walked in a few circles, then trotted north. Julianne followed, trying to ignore Brody dogging her heels.

As they made their way through the woods, the brush grew more and more dense. Twice Thunder made a few circles, as if he’d caught a whiff of something important, but he never alerted.

The trees offered significant shade from the hot May sun, but that didn’t mean it was cool. Sweat beaded along Julianne’s scalp, rolling down her temples.

“Do you know the people responsible for Agent Morrow’s disappearance?” Brody asked.

Julianne glanced at him. If in fact Angus Dupree had a cabin in the area, Brody deserved to know. “We have reason to believe that Jake was captured by a highly organized crime family headed up by Reginald Dupree. We raided a warehouse owned by the Duprees, capturing the head of the family, Reginald, but his second-in-command, Angus, got away. Angus is running the show now. Upon further investigation we found evidence that Jake had been there. Unfortunately he’s been missing ever since.”

“How long ago?”

“Too long.” Julianne’s voice was curt. “But I’m convinced that with Thunder’s help, we’ll find him.”

“Are you sure your dog knows where he’s going?” Brody asked as they wedged their way through a particularly dense thicket. “I can’t believe there’s a cabin anywhere in this mess.”

“He knows,” she said in a terse tone. “Besides, I have a map.”

“I’d like to see it.”

Julianne shook her head, there wasn’t time, besides, they’d already told Brody more information than they should considering the confidential nature of their team. Keeping her gaze trained on Thunder, she noticed her partner was slowing down thanks to the denseness of the woods and she wondered how much farther they’d be able to go. By her estimation, the cabin was still a good mile away.

A mile that may as well be twenty based on the difficult terrain.

“I should have brought a machete,” she grumbled as she forced her way through another bush.

“Wouldn’t help.” Brody was so close she was surrounded by the spicy scent of his aftershave intermixed with his unique male essence. Breathing through her mouth to avoid his intoxicating scent, she tried her best to fight the memories.

Both the good and the bad.

Don’t, she warned herself. Don’t go there.

Abruptly, Thunder veered right, heading straight for a large tree. Julianne held her breath, closely watching her partner.

Thunder sniffed along the base of the tree, then jerked his head back to the right side of the tree. Then he scratched at the spot and plopped down on his butt, staring at the ground as if there was something to see.

“What in the world?” Brody sounded incredulous.

Julianne glanced at Brody. Max and Opal were bringing up the rear. Opal was a bomb-sniffing dog, so Max had given Julianne and Thunder the lead in attempting to pick up the trail.

“Thunder alerted on Jake’s scent. He was here, Max. Jake Morrow was here.”

“I see that, but where’s the cabin?” her captain asked.

Good question. She joined Thunder. “Good boy,” she praised him. “Good boy. You found Jake.”