Page 233 of Rangers Mountain Rescue

Silence fills the room.

Thick. Heavy.

No one moves.

No one agrees.

I tilt my head slightly.

“Will you?” I say.

His smile doesn’t change.

But something in his eyes hardens.

“This is now a federal matter.”

Behind me, I feel Aspen go still.

I don’t look at her.

Can’t.

Not right now.

Because this?

This just got complicated.

“You’re late,” I say instead.

The room tightens.

Briggs shifts slightly beside me.

The agent’s gaze sharpens.

“We got here as fast as we could.”

“Yeah?” I reply. “Because it looks like we handled it just fine without you.”

A flicker of irritation.

There it is.

Good.

Now we’re talking.

His eyes sweep the room again.

“Not all of it,” he says.

My jaw tightens.

“Meaning?”

He steps closer.