Page 61 of Twilight Tactics

“I’m not saying you’re wrong,” Maya said, “but since we don’t know, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Which means stop trying to talk yourself into running.”

Gideon snagged a handful of carrots. “What she said. Stayput. I’m going to stay in the back of the cabin. So far all is quiet.”

“I pray they’re okay,” Elena whispered. She checked her phone. Nothing. No messages, no calls.

“I’m praying too.” Gideon returned to his post, and Elena resumed her pacing.

Ollie sat up and rubbed her eyes, then disappeared down the hall to the bathroom without a word to anyone. Piper’s gaze followed her and lingered, but she sighed and went back to her window watching.

Minutes later, the sound of the truck halted Elena mid-step and she hurried to the door to look outside. Gideon was right beside her while Piper headed toward Ollie’s room. Maya turned the stove off and crossed her arms in front of her waist.

“It’s them,” Elena said.

“Thank you, Jesus,” Maya muttered.

“They have someone with them.”

“Who?”

“Um ... hold on. They’re just getting out. David and Sully and ... another guy.” The men climbed out. “And the dude they have with them has his hands cuffed behind his back.”

“The shooter?” Piper murmured, stepping back into the den area.

“Probably.” She’d love to go give him a shake—okay, a shake hard enough to loosen some teeth—and demand answers. But she had a feeling Sully had already done something similar. She’d have to be patient. Something she’d never loved practicing but had mastered as a child out of necessity. She’d wait.

They approached, with Sully’s hand clamped on the arm of the probable shooter and head on a swivel. She stepped out onto the porch, and his eyes connected with her. “The sheriff on the way?” he asked.

“I don’t know.”

“I texted and asked you to call him. That we had the shooter in custody. Guess I should have called.”

She pulled her phone from her back pocket and held it up. “No text.”

He frowned and looked at his device. “That’s because mine didn’t go through.”

He walked the young man who’d yet to lift his chin from his chest up the steps of the porch and settled him into a chair. “Sit there, Spencer, and don’t move. Please.”

He did so.

Elena returned her attention to her phone. “I have no service,” she said. “No bars.”

Sully pulled his phone out again and checked. “Mine shows the same.” He tapped at his screen. “I just sent you another text. You get it?”

She waited. Watched the screen. Then shook her head. “Nothing. Something’s interfering with the signal.”

“This isn’t a coincidence.” Sully shoved his phone back in his pocket.

Elena frowned. “No. And I don’t like it.”

Sully turned to David. “Can you call me?”

David frowned and tapped his screen. They waited. “Not going through.”

Sully walked up to the prisoner sitting subdued and quiet in the chair. “What’s going on? Do the preppers have something to do with loss of cell use?”

Spencer looked up. “Probably.”

“Who or what are they after?”