Page 18 of Cash’s Trouble

I stay still beside her. “There. No hand on her. No gun drawn. No locked door and six deputies inside our gates. She still said no.”

Corbin’s jaw works once. “Cuff him.”

The deputy takes another step, reaching for the restraints on his belt. Kane finally speaks.

“You should ask your chief deputy why Doran knew Lilly-Rose’s routine.”

Corbin looks toward him. “The club’s allegations have no bearing on a lawful warrant. Continue.”

Kane’s voice remains flat. “Doran used your name while he was trying to put her in that vehicle. He knew the sheriff had reopened old cases, knew the heat was closing in and knew exactly where to grab the sheriff’s daughter.”

“According to a woman who has spent three days inside your compound.”

“According to the woman you came to recover,” I say. “Funny how she becomes unreliable only when she points the finger in your direction.”

Corbin points at me. “That man assaulted Doran and his associate, forced Miss Miller onto a motorcycle and brought her here. They gave sworn statements describing the attack.”

“They gave you the statement you asked them to because you’re dirty, Corbin,” Kane says.

The deputies are no longer watching only the brothers. Their attention shifts between Kane and the man who ordered them here.

Corbin gives a short laugh. “Is this the plan? Accuse a decorated law-enforcement officer and hope the warrant disappears?”

“No,” Kane answers. “I’m telling you my father bought you with cold, hard money.”

The yard goes silent. Corbin’s face doesn’t change quickly enough to look innocent. I see the calculation before he settles on disbelief.

“King is dead,” he says. “He can’t confirm whatever fantasy you’ve built to protect your man.”

“He doesn’t need to.”

“If you had evidence against me, you would’ve handed it to the sheriff already.”

Kane says nothing. He only smiles and shakes his head.

Corbin mistakes the silence for a bluff and turns toward his deputies with some of his confidence returning. “You’re watching criminals manufacture an accusation because they know the warrant is valid. There’s no evidence and they are fucking liars and they know it.”

I let my expression remain easy. “You sound very certain about there being no paper trail.”

“I know how investigations work.”

“You also know Doran carried payments for men like you who didn’t want their names attached.”

His eyes flick to me. Small, fast and enough.

I continue before he can recover. “He was useful that way. Money, favors, property changing hands. The kind of man who could collect from King and pass it to a badge to take the heat away.”

“That is speculation from a career criminal.”

“I’m the man who untangled King’s accounts after he died, and I know how he filed the insurance he kept on everybody he bought, including you, Wade.”

Corbin’s mouth curves, but there’s no amusement in it. He looks toward the deputy still waiting to cuff me. “Execute the warrant.”

The deputy doesn’t move immediately. “Chief, Miss Miller has clearly stated she’s here voluntarily.”

“And I’ve explained why that statement cannot be treated as voluntary. Arrest Cash and remove her.”

Lilly-Rose’s anger breaks through. “You don’t get to ignore me. I’m not going anywhere.”