by C. M. Sutter
I’d finally made it to flat ground where I could pick up my pace, but I needed to watch for fences. The ranch lights guided me in the right direction, and if anyone was looking for me out in that wide-open field, I would see them coming by the headlights of their four-wheelers or the beams of their flashlights. Keeping low, I headed toward the first large building then slowed to a walk about five hundred feet out. I had to keep a watchful eye on my surroundings, plus I needed to quiet my breathing. What I wouldn’t have given for a drink of water right then.
I stepped between the barbed wire of two fences, making sure not to snag myself, before I reached the nearest building. As I craned my neck in every direction, looking for movement, I saw that in the distance along the mountain ridge, headlights were bouncing up and down as help closed in. They needed to kill those lights, or they would be seen as soon as they rounded the next bend. I had to find the guys before all hell broke loose.
Chapter 59
If only I’d had a light to guide my way. I couldn’t risk draining my phone’s battery by using the flashlight.
As quietly as possible, I pushed on the creaky old barn door and squeezed through the foot-wide opening. Inside were shadows of what I assumed was farm equipment. I continued on but minded every step to avoid tripping over something and raising an alarm. I recalled the layout of the buildings as Cassie had drawn them and wondered whether she’d placed them in their true locations. If she had, that meant I was definitely in the machine barn, as she called it. That also meant the next building was the cattle barn, and that was where Bart had told his men to tie up Renz, Burke, and Knight. I hoped that was where they were and that all the available men on the ranch were out looking for me. It wouldn’t be hard for law enforcement to overtake Bart if he was alone.
A sliver of light came through the far barn doors, and I avoided that end of the building. If I stepped into any light, I could easily be seen and shot. I headed to my right, and a big rig was parked against the wall. It had to be the semi that the kids and cattle were hauled away in. I walked along its side, and even though it was too dark to read anything, I knew where most semis had their company name and logo—on the driver’s door. I reached that spot, pulled out my phone, and snapped several pictures of the door. I looked at the pictures on my phone and was able to read the letters FCE, which were centered inside two circles. That had to stand for Full Circle Enterprises. No city or state was noted.
Clever, real clever, asshole.
I returned to the door I’d entered through and made a left. If the drawings were accurate, the building I was walking toward was the cattle barn, and by the smell, I was sure it was. I sucked in a deep breath. The guys could be in there somewhere with who knew how many steer, somebody could be in there and watching over them, or they might not be in there at all. I was going in blind. I had to find an opening that wouldn’t make noise. Any sound coming from a door would give away my presence if the guys weren’t alone.
The east side of the building was wide-open, more like a shelter-from-the-storm area than an enclosed barn. I headed that way, avoiding lights. After crawling under the gate, I moved among the cattle inside, and doing that hid me pretty well. I imagined the majority of those beasts spent their days and nights out on the range. I stopped and cocked my ear toward what I thought were whispers. I inched closer. At any moment, law enforcement would spring into action, and my gut said that would put Renz and the others at greater risk.
My cell vibrated, nearly sending me over backward. I had been so focused on finding them that the vibration took me by surprise and scared me half to death. I quickly checked the message—help was coming in on foot, and they had already cornered one man on the ridge and had him in custody.
One down and who knows how many more to go.
I fired back a text that said I was in the cattle barn—second building to the last on the far west side of the compound. I was looking for my colleagues inside and had already cleared the last building. I clicked off and continued on, heading toward the whispers I’d heard minutes earlier.
Gunfire cracked and sent me scrambling to the floor. It sounded too close for comfort. I didn’t have much time. The voices I’d heard before were talking frantically. I recognized Renz’s voice and whistled.
A return whistle came. Renz had realized it was me.
I whistled one more time to acknowledge him.
“Jade, it’s clear. There’s nobody in here except us for the moment. Hurry and cut us loose.”
I ran in the direction of Renz’s voice until I nearly tripped over them. They were tied to wooden support beams, several feet from each other. I was thankful that they were tied with rope rather than secured with zip ties. Rope was far easier to unknot. I quickly freed Renz, and together, we untied Burke and Knight.
“We’ve got one gun between us,” I said. “Not the best odds.” I handed the rifle to Burke since I knew Renz couldn’t shoot it, and I was a better shot at close range with a pistol. Burke had mentioned how he enjoyed hunting when he had the time, so I knew he was comfortable with rifles. “We’ve got to find other things to defend ourselves with—hammers, shovels, pitchforks, whatever—but first, we have to let law enforcement know that you guys are free.”
“Let me take care of that,” Renz said. “Who is actually here?”
“The last text came in from an agent, Drew Gray from the FBI office in Great Falls. It was the closest of the three in Montana. He and his team came in on a chopper and met with the deputies who were available in White Sulphur Springs. They enlisted the help of the Park County Sheriff’s Office too. I guess they’re all here. Just send a return text to the last one I got and make sure they know our location. We don’t want to get shot by friendly fire.” I handed my phone to Renz, and he returned a text.
We inched closer to the next building, which was where the kids allegedly were held. I stopped the others before we made entry. “There’s nothing we can do for them until the scene is secure. We can’t have kids running around outside. Renz, find out exactly where everyone is right this minute. We can move in on the main house or the bunkhouse if we know where the other teams are positioned.”
When more gunfire was exchanged, we crouched behind the second outbuilding. I heard the ear-piercing sound of flashbangs right in front of us. The troops were moving in on that building.
“Come on!” Burke yelled. “We have to get away from the bunkhouse before we’re hit!” We raced to the back of the main house, the only building with a few lights on.
I peeked through a window in a rear door, and some men, including Bart, were several rooms away in what looked to be a rustic family room. They were pacing and armed with long guns. The windows on that side of the house were shuttered.
“Renz,” I whispered, “we need one of the teams to head back here with more weapons. We can take out Bart and those other men from where we are.”
“I can take at least one of them out right now,” Burke said.
Renz raised his hand. “Hold up for a second. Let’s get some friendlies back here to pitch in. We’ve only got one gun.”
Renz called Agent Gray and gave him our location. We were told to stay put and that two deputies would join us in less than a minute. They were about to breach the front door. We heard the door crash inward then the pop of another flash grenade as the team stormed the house.
I looked through the door’s window again, and three men barreled down the hallway. “Look out! Bart and his men are headed this way!”
We backed away just as they burst through the door and tumbled out onto the ground. Burke took his position with the rifle and was immediately shot in the leg, sending him to the dirt. Bart kicked the rifle away but was met with a gun to his back. Four law enforcement officers showed up just in time—two deputies from Meagher County and two from Park County.
“Drop your guns, or you’ll be taking your last breath in less than a second!” Deputy Smythe yelled.
“Damn,” Knight sai
d, “you’re a sight for sore eyes, but we need ambulances out here immediately.”
“They’re already on the way.” Smythe pushed Bart forward and jerked his head toward the door. “Get inside, all of you, so we can see who we’re dealing with.”
Bart and two of his minions were cuffed and led inside. Agent Gray said that one other man was down and one was in custody, yet nobody knew how many individuals were still out there. Three deputies were searching the property.
“Cover all the exits!” Gray yelled. “Teller, tighten your belt around the sheriff’s leg and find something to stop the bleeding with until the EMTs arrive. Agent Monroe and Deputy Knight, go ahead and clear the house.” Gray handed me one of the guns they’d just secured from Bart and his men. “Agent DeLeon, I can really use extra eyes right here at my side.”
I knew he was cutting Renz some slack since after that blow from Bart, Renz’s shoulder had begun bleeding again.
Knight and I cleared the first floor then took the stairs to the second level. Just as Knight reached the landing, he was struck from the side with the butt of a gun. He went tumbling down the stairs, sending me down with him. I covered my head as more gunfire played out only feet away. Gray was hit in the chest numerous times. I was sure he was vested, but the blow sent him flying back. The man, one I didn’t recognize, continued down the stairs and fired at the men watching the exits. I pretended to be unconscious. I needed to weigh my options but quickly. The man ripped through Gray’s pockets, snatched up the keys for the cuffs, and released Bart.
It took only a second for me to see an opportunity. I leapt to my feet, grabbed the fireplace poker, swung, and caught Bart right in the head. The man turned to shoot me, and Renz fired. He put the man down cold using his left hand. I dropped the tool and ran to Renz’s side.
“You good, partner?”
“I’m good,” he said. “Check on Drew.”
Agent Gray needed a few minutes to catch his breath. I looked from side to side and made sure only friendlies were in the room, and then I heard sirens in the distance. We had multiple people injured, and the EMTs couldn’t get there fast enough. I returned to the second floor and made sure the house was clear.
After the deputies and agents outside had rounded up the remaining men in Bart’s crew, I went back inside. “Thanks, Renz. Once again, you saved my life.”
He grinned. “Left-handed shot too.”
I rolled my eyes and walked over to Knight, who was just coming around. He had a significant blow to the head. I helped him take a seat on the stairs. Bart looked dead, so I knelt to check for a pulse. Unfortunately, he was still breathing. I checked his sidekick, and he was stone-cold dead. I pushed off my knee and stood then kicked the poker aside. “What the hell?” I picked it up and gave it a long look. “I don’t believe this shit.”
“What’s wrong?” Renz asked.
I shook my head. “Not a damn thing. We have all the proof we’ll ever need to send Bart to death row, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving.” I turned the poker end toward Renz and let him have a look. What I’d thought was a fireplace poker wasn’t that at all—it was the brand with the double zeros on it. I turned around and looked at two more zeros—Bart and his buddy.
Minutes later, EMTs filled the room. “You going to be okay, sir?” one of them asked.
Gray coughed a few times and moaned as he gradually rose to a standing position. “Yeah, I’ll be fine, but damn that shit hurts.”
Renz stood, and I held up my hand. “You aren’t going anywhere until the EMTs clear you. Your shoulder is bleeding pretty bad again.” I turned to Gray. “Come on. Let’s go get those kids.”
Chapter 60
The lights in the kids’ barn were already on when we went outside. Three deputies were doing a head count and making sure the kids were okay. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a dozen youths ranging from around ten to their mid-teens and all looking scared to death. The young ones were crying, and the older ones were comforting them.
“What’s going to happen to them, Drew? They’ve all likely been here for years.”
He sighed. “The Department of Justice will take over. The young ones will be placed in foster care, and maybe we can relocate the older ones to a group home where they can stay together until all of this is sorted out.” He frowned. “There’s no missing children reports on anyone in the area?”
“Nope, we’ve already looked. My guess is that they were given up by drug-addicted parents and went through illegal adoptions. Whoever had the most money got the kids. Ranch slaves. That’s all they were, and when they were old enough to fight back, I imagine that’s when Bart killed them and dumped them along the interstates like yesterday’s trash. They had no value to him anymore. They were combative or defiant and had grown big enough to defend themselves so he needed to get rid of them.”
Agent Gray nodded. “And he did.”
I sighed. “There’s a few good things that’ll come out of this.”
He rubbed his brow. “Yeah, what’s that?”
“We have his minion, Donny, in custody. We’ll get the real story about Bart out of him, or he’ll be sitting on death row too.”
“And the other good thing?”
I smiled. “The kids will eventually be okay, and the good guys all lived to tell another tale.” I patted Gray on the shoulder. “Let’s see how our buddies are doing.”
Hours later, the kids were taken to White Sulphur Springs, where the Red Cross had set up a temporary holding area in the community center with an exam room, a makeshift cafeteria, and sleeping quarters for them. The Justice Department and social workers would oversee placement for them in the next few days. The wounded were taken to Mountainview Medical Center, where they would undergo surgery if needed. Bart’s head wound would be addressed while armed guards were stationed at his door twenty-four seven. I thought the head wound was more than fitting since that was the same type of injury Cassie had endured.
I wanted to rush into her and Tara’s room and tell them the good news, but since it was the middle of the night, that would have to wait until tomorrow.
Renz and I thanked the Great Falls FBI team that had come to our aid along with the Park County Sheriff’s Office deputies. We would likely see the FBI agents again before we headed back to Milwaukee. We checked on Burke and Knight before we left for the hotel, and according to the doctors, Burke would be spending a few days in the hospital, and Knight would be there until tomorrow morning for observation.
The next day or two would consist of going through everything at the ranch, seeing if Donny could offer us anything worthwhile, then wrapping up our part of the case. Before leaving for home, I would introduce Cassie to Sheriff Burke and the deputies. They needed to meet the brave young lady who’d broken wide-open the slave labor ring Bart had been running.
We returned to the hotel, and I said good night to Renz. I couldn’t wait to go to bed, but even more, I couldn’t wait for morning.
The last thing I pictured before drifting off was the genuine smile on Tara’s face that morning when I wheeled Cassie into her room. I closed my eyes and went to sleep.
When my phone alarm went off the next morning, I leapt from bed. I wanted to get the day started. Once the coffeemaker was going, I headed to the bathroom and showered.
We needed to get the sheriff’s office, agents from the FBI, and the county forensics department working on the tedious process of going through everything at the ranch. I also wanted to see that branding iron again, take pictures of it, and have it admitted into evidence. If anything, that was likely the most important piece of evidence anyone would find at the ranch unless they discovered what vile agency had sold those kids to Bart.
Renz and I enjoyed breakfast and waited for our replacement rental car to arrive before heading out. We met up with three deputies, Drew, and two other agents at the ranch. Drew said there were more agents en route, and they would take the lead over the county since it was a cross-cou
ntry case. I was pretty sure that since Sheriff Burke was laid up and Meagher County was shorthanded, they wouldn’t object. Smythe said he would drive Burke’s SUV, although somewhat damaged, back to town.
In the daylight, we saw the real expanse of the ranch. It was enormous, and hundreds of cattle were in the fields as well as the barn.
Smythe approached us. “We found two fresh graves out in the pasture. They’ll have to be dug up and checked out. Could be animals.”
“Or human,” Renz said.
“Geez.” I looked around. “There’s probably other graves out there that’ll never be discovered.” That image alone was enough to make my head explode as I thought of Jolie. I looked at the cattle grazing out in the fields and pointed. “What’s going to happen to them?”
Smythe tipped his head. “We’ve already called some of the local ranchers. They’ll feed them every day and make sure they’re taken care of until an auction service can come out here and sell off the livestock.”
I shook my head. “If that isn’t the true definition of full circle, I don’t know what is.” I crossed the dirt driveway, walked into the house with Renz, and stared at the devastation that had taken place there last night. Bullet holes peppered the walls, blood stained the floor, and furniture had been toppled over. Several people had lost their lives that night, but again, I was thankful it wasn’t anyone in law enforcement. With gloved hands, I picked up the branding iron, set it on the table, and took a half dozen pictures of it. My thoughts were all over the place. I knew evil people walked our planet because I’d met many, but Bart was especially evil. If anyone deserved death, he did. I called Gray over. “This branding iron is the entire case. Make sure it goes into evidence and doesn’t get lost.”
“You bet. I’ll take care of it myself.”
“Okay. It was good to meet you and your team.” Renz and I gave Drew a hearty handshake. “We’re headed back to White Sulphur Springs for the rest of the day. We need to interview the guy we have in lockup again, squeeze everything we can out of him, and then we’ll forward his statement to you. We’ll be heading back to Milwaukee tomorrow morning.”