Personal background indicated he’d been divorced and signed off on parental rights for three kids to avoid paying child support. His parents and two brothers hadn’t seen him in two decades. No current girlfriend or significant other listed. Now he fled the FBI and dodged local law enforcement.

Mike arrived at straight-up 7:00. By 7:05, we were heading east to Sharp’s Creek. “We’ll catch coffee and breakfast on the way at a McDonald’s drive-through.”

We’d shared plenty of breakfasts en route to running down bad guys and interviews. At least it wasn’t a no-name convenience store without a microwave.

“I have an update on Eli Chandler.” I revealed what I’d learned. “He’s working for someone. The kingpin wouldn’t expose himself and do the grunt work.”

“Makes sense that he’d been hired to eliminate Shelby. If only we knew who the boss is and his motive.” He glanced at me. “Your face looks worse than last night.”

“Thanks. At least I still have hair.”

Mike chuckled. “Bald is beautiful. Except your white hair makes you look older than me. What are you now? Forty-two?”

“Forty.”

“You’ll grow into your white hair.”

My turn to chuckle.

“How has Shelby changed?”

Caution rang out an alert when it came to her. “Rehabilitated.”

“I’ve read her prison file. Hope she makes it.”

“My bet’s on her.”

“From the tone of your voice, I’d say she’s more than a friend.”

“Ridiculous.” I shook my head. “She learned her lesson and paid her debt.”

“Has the cute, innocent-looking kid grown into a beautiful woman, or has prison life hardened her?”

“Haven’t paid much attention.”

“Liar.” Mike smirked.

My phone alerted me to a call. “Hold on, this is Shelby.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

I ignored him and answered the call. “Can you talk?” she said.

“Sure. My former partner and I are driving to Sharp’s Creek. What’s up?”

“Two shooters found me and Isaac last evening. One man’s dead. Isaac’s wounded but okay.”

“Mind if I put this on speaker?”

“Go ahead.”

I pressed Speaker and placed the phone on the console. “Where were you when this happened?”

“At the hotel . . .”

I listened, while my gut seared with the idea of Aaron and Isaac paying a price in this mess. “Have the shooters been identified?”

“Yes, the man in custody is Nick Hanson, and the dead man is Stan Watkins.”

“Okay. And Isaac’s not in the hospital?”

“He’s in the hospital all right. Sitting by Aaron’s bed with a bandage wrapped around his knee. I’m at another hotel.”

“Address?” I jotted down the location. “Check in with me every hour. A text will do.”

“What’s going on in Sharp’s Creek?”

“A conversation with your dad.”

“I’ll keep my word to check in if you’ll tell me later why you and another agent are paying my dad a visit.”

“All right. Will fill you in later.”

“Is the agent Mike Kruse, your old partner?”

I glanced at him and he nodded. “Yes.”

“The past weaves us all back together, doesn’t it? Denton, how’s talking to my dad going to figure out anything?”