"I can do that. Keep him safe until you move in."
"If Shaw shows up—or anyone connected to her—we take them down. Clean and by the book. No cowboy stuff."
"Understood." Keller stood, extending his hand. "Thank you, Chief. For trusting me with this."
Sam shook it. "Don't make me regret it."
After Keller left, Sam sat in silence for a long moment. Lucy rose and padded over, resting her head on his knee.
They were committed now. The pieces were in motion.
Tonight, they'd find out who was really pulling the strings.
At four o'clock,Sam called a brief meeting in his office—just the core team, door closed. He told them about hsis meeting with Keller and how Keller had volunteered as backup.
"Final positions," he said, spreading a hand-drawn map of the mill property across his desk. "Kevin, you're here." He tapped a spot on the south side. "Good sight line to the main entrance, easy access to the road if someone tries to run."
Kevin nodded. "Got it."
"Jo, you're on the north approach with me and Lucy. We'll have eyes on both the front and back of the building." Sam looked at Wyatt. "You go in through the main door. Stop in the center of the floor—there's good acoustics there, the wire will pick up everything. Don't go deeper into the building unless you have to."
Wyatt's jaw tightened. "And Keller?"
"He'll be positioned between you and the north exit. Close enough to intervene, far enough back to stay hidden. We don'tmove until we have something on tape. A threat, an admission, something we can use. Wyatt, your job is to keep them talking."
"I can do that."
"I know you can." Sam held his gaze. "One more thing. If things go sideways—if you feel like you're in immediate danger—you say the word and we come in hot. Don't try to be a hero."
Wyatt nodded slowly. "What's the word?"
Sam almost smiled. "Lucy."
Despite everything, Wyatt let out a small huff of laughter. "Of course it is."
The meeting broke up. Jo lingered at the door, watching Sam roll up the map and slide it into his desk drawer.
"Hey," she said quietly. "You okay?"
Sam looked up. For just a moment, she saw the exhaustion underneath—the weight of command, the fear of sending his people into danger.
"Ask me tomorrow," he said.
Jo nodded. "Tomorrow, then."
The hours crawled toward midnight.
Jo went home to change—dark clothes, practical boots, her service weapon cleaned and loaded. Bridget was waiting in the kitchen, Pickles curled in her lap, her face pale but determined.
"Promise me," Bridget said as Jo headed for the door.
Jo paused, hand on the knob. "Promise you what?"
"That you'll bring everyone home."
Jo turned back. Her sister looked so small in the dim kitchen light, surrounded by the quiet comfort of the cottage she'd made her home. This was what they were fighting for. This fragile peace. This hard-won second chance.
"I promise," Jo said.