could be taken too far. Religion came to his mind and he shuddered again.
He’d just be happy to have a family that didn’t scare him so much that he didn’t dare leave them out of his sight. And he owed Stanley Coopersmith for getting him out of his abysmal situation and helping him take his GED. Without him and Kurt Rogers, Axel didn’t know where he might be now.
Axel was pleased to find Stanley’s oldest son, Edward Coopersmith, minding the gate when he roared up. He and Eddie had enlisted in the army together and the two had been friends up until a year ago when his father had shut the family up on their land.
By the time Axel had left his sheriff’s unit, the dust he’d raised was falling about them in a fine mist, settling on his hat and the hood of his car. Here, beneath the cover of trees, the drizzle had not succeeded in reaching.
He and his former comrade stood on opposite sides of a closed metal gate.
“Where is she, Eddie?”
“Who?”
“The homeland security agent your family is detaining.”
Eddie could not meet his gaze.
“No concern of yours, I reckon.”
“Eddie!”
His friend gripped the shoulder strap of the rifle slung over his shoulder so tightly his knuckles went bloodless.
“She’s up at the farm,” Eddie admitted.
“Under duress?”
“Not that I could see. But they was armed. So was she, come to that.”
“Trespassing?”
“Well, she was.”
“Eddie, she’s a federal agent. You do not want her harmed.”
His friend offered no reassurance.
“Bring me up.”
“No outsiders.”
“I’m not an outsider. I’ve eaten at your table. Your ma taught me algebra.”
“Still...she ain’t your concern.”
Axel imagined the news crews and federal helicopters circling the compound. He had to stop this right now. Looking back, he didn’t know why he did it. Perhaps because it was the only idea that popped into his head.
“She’s my girl,” said Axel.
“She’s what now?” Eddie cocked his head.
Axel doubled down. “That’s why she’s up here, berry picking.”
“With binoculars?”
“She’s my fiancée and I won’t have her touched.”
“If she’s your girl, why she up here alone?”
“Rylee is deciding if she wants to live up this way. I imagine she got...confused. Turned around.”
“She was armed.”
“Everyone up here is armed. We got bear and moose and elk.” And survivalists with semi-automatic assault rifles, he finished silently.
Eddie released his grip on the rifle strap to scratch under his jaw at the coarse black beard. He looked so much different than from just a few years back when he was muscular and fit. Now his body looked undernourished and his face gaunt.
Axel watched Eddie as the man considered his options in silence.
After a long silent stretch, Axel had had about enough. “Open the gate or I’m ramming it.”
“You can’t do that.” Their eyes met.
“I’m getting my girl so open up or stand aside.”
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