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“Tell me which seals matter.”

I do. He moves flat and fast and comes back with the case, my tablet, and the certificate envelope tucked under his shirt. Every seal is intact.

The duty officer is still saying my name through the phone speaker. Cole takes the phone out of my hand.

“Hey.”

He ends the call. He powers the phone off and slides it into his front pocket.

“The shooter heard enough to know that call connected,” he says. “Your truck is exposed, the road may be watched, and someone just tried to destroy your evidence. You’re leaving with me.”

“You can give that back while we discuss your theory of hospitality.”

“When we’re behind cover.”

I reach for it. His hand closes around my wrist, firm and brief, and lets go the instant I stop.

“Dr. Rios,” he says, still quiet, “I’ll argue with you somewhere a rifle can’t settle it.”

I believe him about the rifle. The rest is open for debate.

Then the sun clears the brush and strikes the trailer seal lying in the mud beside the broken water line. I photographed it ten minutes ago without reading the fine print under the barcode.

Now I can.

VHRS-7. Vale Herd and Reproduction Services.

Warren Vale’s clinic code is stamped on the trailer that carried a forged certificate with my name on it.

Chapter 2

Cole

The shooter hit the tank before the veterinarian. That tells me the water matters more to somebody than she does.

The second round through her truck says the difference may be temporary.

I stay low beside the treatment trailer and count what can still move. Sofia on both knees with the blue case clamped against her chest. Luis with blood running from a cut above one eyebrow. Nate behind an engine block. Hector easing four frightened cows away from the bent north panel.

My handset buzzes against my belt.

A priority message on the old family channel, the one Calvin built after a theft crew cut our fences eleven years ago. The sender key is Russell McCall’s.

FALSE VET CERT IS PART OF COORDINATED ATTACK ON REOPENING. CONTAIN RIOS, PAPER, AND SAMPLES UNTIL GARRETT VERIFIES. NO OUTSIDE CALLS. USE LINE CAMP.

Russell shouldn’t know her name yet.

I read it twice because that fact deserves more attention than I can give it with a rifle out in the brush.

“I need my phone,” Sofia says.

“No.”

“That call reached the state. If I don’t reconnect, they’ll send law enforcement.”

“Good.”

“Then give me the phone.”