Free Bounty (Walk the Right Road) by Lorhainne Eckhart

“Zac, I don’t think I have the strength to walk into these communities, to go back there. I’m not the same person. I can’t go back there, yet that’s exactly what you’re suggesting.”
    “You’re the best person to go in. Think about it. You know these people, how they think,” Zac said.
    Diane pushed back her plate. “I do know, Zac. I also know that no one’s going to talk. You saw the note. You know what it means. There’s one thing you’re taught as a small child in those communities: You don’t talk to outsiders, ever. They’re very good at hiding, covering up the truth. If they know that someone in the community is a weak link, that person won’t be around for questioning, because you’re only going to see what they want you to. We won’t even know who’s missing, because they don’t keep public records of births and deaths. Keep in mind that sometimes the surrounding communities don’t want their dirty laundry aired, either, and they too will protect these people’s secrets. This is going to be damn hard.”
    “Sure is. It’s going to be almost impossible for anyone except you.”
    Diane had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Zac, I don’t know if I can do this.” She looked up at him, her hands sweating already as she just thought of making that first call, opening up that can of worms. She couldn’t fathom even stepping one foot back in that community, not the one she was from, seeing the people she’d thought were her family. “Look, let’s just start around here. What the hell was the girl doing here? There’re no polygs around here.”
    “You sure about that?” Zac said as he slid back his chair. “Time for work. Do you want me to drive you in?”
    “No, I need my wheels. Besides, can you imagine the talk if you drove me in?” She felt somewhat better after eating as she scraped back her chair.
    “Since I’m pretty sure you’re not dating anyone, they’d probably leap to the conclusion that you were seeking out expertise to help solve this murder.”
    Diane frowned as she really looked at him.
    “One of my studies in the military was on different cultures,” he began. “Did you know polygamy is far more common than most understand? In modern Islamic areas, it’s very much in operation, like in Afghanistan and Indonesia. Some areas have rules, like in Pakistan, where Muslim men are only allowed four wives. In New Zealand, polygamy is allowed as long as the marriage takes place outside the country. Do you want me to go on?”
    She stared at this wealth of information standing before her. She didn’t know what she had assumed before being so caught up in her fears, so it took her a moment to realize what he was saying. “So I’m consulting you for your expertise because of your extensive knowledge of the culture, and you’re going to work with me on this case because you’re providing insight into polygamists and their communities?”
    “Now you’re getting it.” He matched her smile, flashing a set of white teeth.
    “Does this mean that when I have to visit these communities, start knocking on doors, you’re going with me?” She really hoped he wasn’t going to dump her now. It was hard enough looking at any part of this case, but working with a partner who didn’t know her past…well, it would be hell, because they’d start questioning her bizarre behavior and wondering how she knew so much about the community. Diane was enough of a realist to admit that ‘calm’ was not a word that would describe her while she was on this case.
    “Exactly,” he said, and for the first time in over twenty-four hours, Diane smiled.

Chapter 11
    Diane was behind her desk, searching all the links Zac had sent. She’d circulated the girl’s photo to all neighboring states, the sheriff’s department, Interpol, and the local RCMP across the Canadian border, but no one had emailed or called back yet with reports of a missing girl. Nothing had been filed. No