After passing through the outer gate, we continued up the long snow-covered driveway, passing a half mile of low wood fence before it turned into paved road that was freshly plowed. Coming over a low hill, we saw the house, tennis courts, stables, and a lot of expensive glittering cars dusted in white. It looked like Jenner had company.
We had left only Officer Lautner back at the station—Kershaw would meet him there—so that meant Holley, Gilman, Breen, Colby, and Fann accompanied me and Ian to the Jenner home. Not that I was worried. Ian and I could have gone alone, but Holley was afraid there would be trouble. I tried to tell him that Ian ate trouble, but he wouldn’t hear it.
As soon as we parked and got out of the car, six men came walking out the front door of the enormous two-story log cabin with a wraparound porch. They lined the porch as the final man stepped out and came down the stairs toward us. No one moved but him.
“Chief,” he addressed him. “Something you need?”
“I need Drake Ford, Mr. Jenner,” Holley said quickly. “Now.”
“He’s not here,” Jenner said, glancing at me and Ian and then back to Holley.
“Well, we need to take a look around to confirm that.”
“You don’t have a warrant to do that,” Jenner stated, stopping in front of Ian and me.
“I do.” I interrupted their exchange, stepping forward, pulling my ID out for the man. “I’m a US marshal. Drake Ford is a federal witness and as such I have the authority to search your home for him.”
“You—”
“There are exigent circumstances here, sir, as I have no idea what shape my witness is in. I suggest you step aside and let me conduct my search.”
“I need to see badges!”
I turned and lifted my sweater, and Ian moved his coat so the man could spot the silver stars on both of us. “It would be better if you simply brought him out here to us, because it’s getting late and I’m feeling hesitant to do this alone.”
“Which means,” Ian explained, taking over from me, “that you will sit out here, on your knees in handcuffs until either the state police or marshals from the field office in West Virginia respond, whoever makes it here first.”
Jenner had a fox’s face, the vulpine features made even more noticeable by a widow’s peak and the small eyes. If his son was at all pretty, he owed that to his mother.
Turning, he called to one of his men to bring up Drake.
“Up?” Ian asked.
“From the wine cellar.”
It could not have been good.
“I need to see your son as well,” I added.
“Oh no,” Jenner barked, spinning around to face me, closing the gap between us fast and shoving me backward.
Or, more precisely, trying to shove me backward. I didn’t move an iota.
“You don’t get to see my son!” Jenner shouted in my face. “I know my rights!”
“If you did,” I said casually, grabbing his wrist, twisting it up sharply so that he gasped in surprise and pain as I put him on the ground on his knees. “You would not have assaulted a federal marshal.”
“What?” Jenner choked out as Ian wrenched his other arm behind him, then took the one I held and cuffed him. “You can’t do this!”
“Oh, I can,” I informed him, noting that not one of the men who had come out of the house with Jenner rushed over to help their boss. It was probably the whole US marshal thing that held them in check. “And I will.”
“Bring both boys out now!” Ian yelled toward the house. “Or you’ll all be placed under arrest for obstruction.”
No one moved.
“That’s it,” Ian said flatly, looking up at me. “Call our boss and tell him we need the state police out here or more marshals, whoever.”
I pulled out my phone and held it to my ear.
“Franklin,” Holley uttered the richest man in town’s first name.
“Bring both boys out!” Jenner shouted at his men.
They moved, so I ended the call which I was thankful for. It was a pain in the ass when the state police got involved. Herding cats was easier than coordinating large numbers of troopers who weren’t sure who they were supposed to be listening to. Kage was good at it, but Ian had too short a fuse, and I would rather do everything myself. I had always thought directing people was easy, that being in charge was merely an opportunity to be lazy, until I actually took a stab at supervising our department baseball team. I had tried to be everyone’s friend, to be understanding of schedules and times, and practice ended up being at ten at night on a Thursday because that was the most convenient time for everyone. It was ridiculous.
Being in charge meant you were not beloved, but feared, a little, and respected a lot. That was how Kage was. He wasn’t my favorite person. I could never see myself sitting on his couch with his family. But he would get us our backup, and when he arrived—and he would arrive, bringing hell with him—everyone would be really sorry they questioned either Ian’s or my authority.