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“I do,” Brett said, s he didn’t “Is he okay? I haven’t heard from him in a while”

There was silence for a moment as more footsteps made their way onto the porch

“What was your name, sir?” the man said

“Brett Brett Mooney,” he said “Excuse me, do you have a warrant?”

“We don’t need one, Mr Mooney,” the man said “Search his cabin”

“Hey, you can’t do that!” Brett shouted as footsteps thundered over us

I could just make out Desiree’s silhouette as she clasped her hands over herbut doing a good job of not letting out any noise The pressure and weight of the revolver on my hip was at the forefront of my mind If the door above us opened while they were there, I would have no choice but to start firing We’d be a fish in a barrel, but I’d take at least one of the bastards doith me

“We can do ant,” the man said, and I heard him shove Brett out of the way Gone was the pretend niceties and atteit

Above us, and all around us, I could hear doors being opened, cabinets sla for us, but all I could think of in this very moment was about the extra toiletries we had packed away under the sink in the bathroom My neatness had been in full force with the extra anxiety, and I hadDesiree and I used was routinely packed and put away until we needed it again If they went into the guest bathroo to find extra toothbrushes and sha around unless they searched the closet and saw them on the second to top shelf, conveniently beside a stack of towels and washcloths

“I don’t know anybody else around here,” Brett said “I live here alone What are you looking for?”

“You know Aiden Beckett, so he ht have come here when he was in trouble If he’s here, I need to know,” the man said

“He isn’t I told you, I haven’t heard from him in a while Probably teeks Maybesometimes”