Coming Home to You

I groan, reaching for my pants haphazardly when I hear my phone ring. Matt grunts, looking up at me sleepily from his side of the bed. We chose to sleep in this morning, since there are more than enough people to take the load up themselves.

"Hello?"

"Morning, sunshine."

I sigh, not wanting Zacky's voice to be the first one I heard this morning. "What, babe?" I forget that Matt's right behind me. He smacks me right across my head. "Ow! What was that for?! I'm sorry!" I turn back to the phone. "Sorry, Zack. You've been replaced."

"I can deal," he grumbles. "Anything new?"

"No."

"Tell me, is there something wrong when I start expecting that to be the answer?"

"Don't get sarcastic with me."

"He loves it when you get all sarcastic," Matt jokes from behind me.

"Sh!" I swat him away. "Look, I promise I'll snoop around today. I'll get back to you with something by the end of it."

"Okay, sure."

He hangs up before I can get another word in and I sigh. This case is putting too much stress on our work relationship and our friendship. I've known him ever since I moved out to Cali, and I'm not about to lose him over something stupid, like being lazy.

"You okay?" Matt asks, worry underlying his voice.

"Yeah. I just... I need to start working on the case. Like, big time. If I don't get something soon, the director is going to start questioning, and Zacky's busting ass to keep her from doing just that right now."

Matt nods, looking down at my shoulder. I know what he's thinking. The faster I get this case done, the faster I'm out of here and out of his life again.

"Matt, come on, look-"

"I think I have something for you."

"What do you mean?" I shift over onto my other side to face him.

"Joe was talking to me the other day. He warned me about siding with you. He knows you're here for something more than to just help out at the ranch."

I run my hands through my hair, shocked. "Fuck Matt, why didn't you tell me this sooner? Shit... Fuck! I don't know what else to say... How much does he know?"

Matt shakes his head. "I don't know. Honestly."

I shake my head, getting out of bed. "Perfect, just perfect," I mutter.

"Wait, where are you going?" Matt whines.

"To get to them before they get to us," I say, pulling on some clothes.

"I thought we were-"

"Do you think I can really do that when your life is at stake? When everyone's lives are at stake here, Matt? These guys are good, and they don't care who gets killed. Fuck, I should just blow their brains all over the place right now."

This is bad. I shouldn't have put off the investigation this long. Now, I have no idea where they stand, if they even have more info on me than I do them.

"Bri, calm down," Matt sighs.

"I can't fucking calm down," I pull my shirt over my head. "I'm pissed."

I make sure all of the workers are caught up in their own thing when I start snooping around. I don't bring my gun, just as a precaution in case I'm caught. By the time I've checked every nook and cranny that I was sure they'd hide the loot, I'm frustrated beyond belief. Because I have nothing. And the guns and drugs can't be gone by now because I haven't seen another delivery truck pass through here.

"Something wrong?" Johnny asks, noticing my mood.

"Yeah. Is there any part of the ranch no one really uses?"

Johnny looks at me thoughtfully for a second. "No, not really. Every square inch of this land is used for something. I mean, if you wanted to get really technical, there was this one place before the others showed up to work here, you know, not to be rude, but the Mexicans. The shed out the way back. It's kind of like their turf though. Matt, Jimmy and I never bother to go there."

Yes!

"Thanks so much," I start rushing off.

"Hey, what the hell? I thought you were coming to help me with the stalls!"

"In a bit!"

I disappear into the shed as quickly as possible without being caught. Before my dad bought it, it was actually a slaughter house. A small one, but the meat for the farm was butchered here. It always gave me the creeps. There's no light, so I rely on the sun streaming through the cracks of the wood walls for guidance. At first glance, there's nothing. Obviously. Just some of the hay from the-

I step closer, examining the small rope tying the chunks together. It's a sloppy job. Not something you'd get when you ordered it from a business. I finger it, deciding it's definitely hand done. I rip the thread, searching through the hay. I smirk, there might not be any guns or drugs in there, but this is definitely the way they've been sneaking the shit through. I check the feed delivered as well. Nothing. But again, this only proves my theory. Maybe they found out some of the hidden spaces in here and used them.

I'm just about to pry the storm cellar door open but movement outside the shack causes me to jump. My eyes dart around, looking for some place to hid. Shit, the person will definitely notice the bale of hay I took apart though.

I end up hiding behind a stack of old horse riding equipment and landscaping equipment, waiting with bated breath if the door is going to open.

It does, and the guy Matt warned me about, Joe. He looks around, noticing the scattered hay at once. My heart starts beating in my ears, and I try and steady my breathing as much as possible.

"Fuck... that guy must be a cop."

My stomach drops and my mouth dries out. Fuck, this isn't good. This isn't good at all.

"Well, we'll just have to take care of that."

Joe looks around the shack some more, trying to see if there's any one else here. I could take a shovel and bash him over the head with it, take him out right here right now, call it self defense. It'd be easy.

But as soon as I consider the thought, he leaves, closing the shed door behind him. I jump out from the shadows after I know he's far gone, wrenching open the cellar door. And I find my ticket to the whole case right in the storm cellar.

I pull my cell phone out of my pocket immediately.

"Brian?"

"Zack, I have the case. I have the evidence. I'll take the pictures and we can meet up somewhere in the nearest city. We have to be fast though. They know I'm on to them."

"Alright. Good job, Haner. I'll notify the director and call you when the meeting is set up."

I close the cellar door back up, rushing back outside to work.

"Find anything?" Matt asks when we finally get some alone time in his room.

I nod, talking quietly. "I found everything. Bastards have been hiding their stashes in the storm cellar in the shack."

Matt frowns, shaking his head. "I should've known."

"It's fine, Matt. Everything will work out, I promise." I kiss him, and he's slow to return it.

"Do you want me to make up for this morning?" I question, leading him to the bed.

"Are you trying to get this thing off my mind?"

I nod, crawling over him. "Off of both our minds."

Lord knows I need it.

But after the high and the haze that comes after it, reality always floods back. Matt is slowly nodding off as I look at him, stroking his short hair. His eyes close, then open again, trying to stay awake. I chuckle, kissing his forehead. "Go to sleep, Mattie. I'll be here in the morning."

But what about in a month from now, when the case is finally closed and done with? When I'm back in California? I can't lead two lives, the FBI takes up all of my time and being here with Matt makes me realize that I don't want to be apart from him any more. I frown, because it was a few long months I got to spend back here at the ranch, but it's only been a few weeks since we've finally re-pieced some of our relationship back together. It's not enough time for me.

I stare at Matt's peaceful sleeping face, torn. Because for once, I don't think I want to go back to the FBI.