Chapter 63
MASON
We put the photo Emma gave us in the bedroom. Seeing it, seeing everything I’m feeling so tangibly, all I want to do is haul Lily to my bed, but there are logistics to take care of first, so I take her hand and lead her to the main house.
The kitchen in the main house is warm and bright, a stark contrast to the cold darkness outside.
Emma's at the stove, something that smells like beef stew simmering in a pot.
Jake stands by the counter, arms crossed, his expression serious.
Luke leans against the doorframe, seemingly casual but I can see him assessing Lily.
Jake gestures to the table. “Let’s talk strategy.”
I pull out a chair for Lily and take the one beside her. My hand finds her hand again, holding it on my thigh. Luke sees it and smirks as he sits across from me. I’d flip him off if Lily and Emma weren’t here.
“Kelly's the priority,” Jake says, moving to the head of the table, Emma sitting beside him. “We need him alive.”
Next to me, Lily tenses. I squeeze her fingers, knowing that’s not what she wants to hear.
Luke nods. “Agreed. He knows the supply chain, the movement corridors, the safe houses. We need to get the logistics from him before we put him down.”
“Exactly,” Jake confirms. “Turner's operation is bigger than just Kelly. If we can flip him or extract information, we dismantle the whole network faster.”
Lily’s displeasure radiates off her. I know what she's thinking—Kelly killed her sister and she wants to avenge her death. The urge to let her execute him is strong, but Jake's right. One man's death doesn't save the others still trapped in Turner's pipeline.
“We take him clean,” I say quietly. “No permanent damage. We need him coherent enough to be useful.”
“Agreed,” Jake says. He pulls out a map of Turner's ranch, spreading it across the table. “We have three entry points, two extraction routes. The challenge is timing—we need to move fast enough that Kelly doesn't have time to relocate or destroy evidence.”
Luke shifts his weight. “And Turner?”
Jake's jaw tightens the way it always does when Turner’s name comes up. “He’s gone dark, but maybe this will flush him out.”
“Ooo.” Luke leans forward, the grin that earned him the nickname Riot curving his lips. “Does this mean I get to blow up his ranch?”
I feel Lily's fingers twitch. I rub my thumb over her knuckles, hopefully offering some comfort.
Jake gives Luke a flat stare. Then he looks around the table at all of us. “We proceed with the Kelly extraction. We get him, we get information, and we use that to track Turner. He can't hide forever.”
“When?” I ask.
“Saturday night,” Jakes says. “According to our surveillance, they have fewer hands around on the weekend. It’ll be a cleaner extraction.”
Emma raises her hand. “Tomorrow night Lily and I are meeting Harper for pre-baby-shower baby shower. We're going to the Rusty Spur around eight.”
Jake's head snaps toward her. “Em—”
“It's normal,” she says firmly. “If we change our patterns, Turner knows we're onto him. And if I cancel, Harper will bring the party here. You don’t want Harper around when you’re dealing with Turner, right? She’s the deputy sheriff.”
Luke, Jake, and I exchange a brief look. Emma doesn’t know that her friend Harper pretty much sanctioned us to handle Cole Turner, because she said the law—namely the sheriff, her father—wasn’t going to. And by Jake’s expression, today isn’t the day Emma will find that out.
“Only if we come with you,” Jake says.
“Deal.” Emma grins. “Maybe I’ll even dress up for you.”
He locks on to his woman, something low and possessive rumbling out of him like a warning growl.
Luke clears his throat. “Not in front of the children, please.”
Taking a deep breath, Jake shakes off whatever he was picturing and comes back to the matter at hand. He spreads his hands on the table. “Then we move on Kelly Saturday night.”
I tap the map. “He was at the Rusty Spur last Friday. If he goes out again tomorrow night, might be better to pick him up on his way back to the ranch.”
“I’m down to pick him up tomorrow night.” Luke leans forward on his forearms. “If he shows up, I’ll follow him out and bring him in for a conversation if I get the chance.”
Jake begins to fold up the map. “If that doesn’t pan out, we’ll strike on Saturday. We’ll need to be in position by twenty-two hundred hours. Ace, you're on overwatch. Riot, you're ground assault. I'll coordinate from the command center.”
“Lily stays here,” I say.
She sits up, frowning. “No.”
“Yes.” I stare at her. I’ll tie her up before I let her come in with us. “We’re detaining him. You’ll get time with him if that’s what you want, but it’ll be in a controlled setting. I promise,” I say, seeing what she’s thinking.
She relaxes a little. “Okay.”
I feel the tension in Lily's shoulders ease slightly. She doesn't like being benched, but she understands the tactical reality. If something goes wrong, if Turner's waiting for us, I need to know she's safe behind the ranch's defenses.
“We move fast, we move clean, and we don't give Turner time to react,” Jake summarizes.
Luke nods. “Agreed.”
“Agreed,” I say.
The plan is solid. In the scheme of what we’ve done in the past, it’s a piece of cake. But there's an edge to it now that wasn't there in anything else I’ve ever done: Lily is involved.
That changes everything.
Emma sets a bowl of stew in front of me, and I realize I'm starving. I haven't eaten since this morning. I pull Lily's bowl closer to her, watching to make sure she eats. She's been running on adrenaline and fear for hours.
“One more thing,” Luke says, his voice careful. “If Turner knows Lily escaped his ring, we need to account for him to move on her directly. He knows she's in Iron Ridge. He knows who she is. Emma’s photos are great, but Lily is the only eyewitness to his crimes.”
The words hit like a physical blow. I feel my hand tighten on Lily's.
“Which is why she doesn't leave the ranch,” I say flatly.
“Agreed,” Jake says.
“Not agreed.” Lily sits up, glaring at us. “I have a job and appointments tomorrow. I can’t just fall off the grid.”
I lower my voice, putting every bit of persuasion I have into it. “Give us this weekend to get a hold of the situation. That’s just one day of work you’re missing, but think of all the benefit you’ll reap.”
Obviously frustrated, she sighs loudly. “Fine. Till Monday morning.”
Emma reaches over and squeezes Lily's hand. “It's temporary. Once they bring in Kelly, things will change.”
Luke grins crookedly. “Look at that. You used your words so good, Ace.”
I flip him off without looking.