Chapter Thirty Seven: The Arrival of Reinforcements*
The drive back to Rolf's property felt longer than it should have, tension thick in the air as the Eds and Officer Green raced down the backroads. Every bump in the road seemed to tighten the knot in Edd's chest. He kept replaying Green's words in his head: Rolf had Marie. Every second counted, and the thought of her being in danger made his pulse quicken with anxiety.
As they pulled up to the barn, they noticed something strange. The property wasn't as deserted as before. Several unmarked black SUVs were parked around the perimeter, and men in dark suits were moving quietly in and out of the barn, setting up equipment. Edd's heart skipped a beat, and for a split second, panic surged through him. What if these were the masked men? What if this was part of the conspiracy they were trying to uncover?
Eddy skidded to a stop, gripping the wheel tightly. "What the hell is going on?"
Before anyone could answer, a tall, gray-haired man in a suit approached their car. His posture was commanding, and despite the tension in the air, his expression was calm and professional. They could see the FBI badge on his suit pocket.
"Agent Jameson," Green muttered under his breath, exhaling in relief.
The Eds and Green stepped out of the car cautiously as Agent Jameson walked toward them. He extended a hand to Green first, then addressed the group with a sharp nod.
"I'm glad you came," Jameson said, his voice steady and authoritative. "I've been in contact with Marie. She let me know she'd be coming to Rolf's place to question him. When I arrived in town early and couldn't get in touch with her, I came straight here."
Edd stepped forward, unable to hide the urgency in his voice. "Do you know where she is? Green said Rolf took her."
Jameson nodded gravely. "We saw Rolf leave with her. My team was already surveilling the property when we arrived. We didn't want to move in too quickly and risk scaring them off. As soon as Rolf left with Marie, we put a tracker on his car."
Eddy was practically bouncing with impatience. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's go after them! You can't just let them take her."
Agent Jameson raised a hand to calm Eddy down. "We're setting up a base camp here, and my team is tracking the vehicle. We want to make sure we know where they're going before we move in. This might be our best chance to stop the whole operation, not just Rolf."
Edd clenched his fists at his sides, forcing himself to remain calm even though the idea of Marie in danger was almost unbearable. "Do you know how close they are?"
Jameson's expression softened slightly, sensing the younger man's anxiety. "They're on the move, but we're monitoring them. I understand you're worried about Marie. She's tough, and she can hold her own. We'll get her back."
Green glanced around at the FBI agents setting up equipment in the barn, his eyes narrowing. "You believe the sheriff's involved, don't you?"
Jameson met his gaze, his expression hardening. "I do. Marie suspected as much, and her instincts have been right so far. We've been watching the sheriff for a while, but this case is deeper than I anticipated. Rolf is just a small part of it—whoever's running this operation is well-connected, and the sheriff's likely involved up to his neck."
Ed, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly spoke up. "So, we wait? For them to stop somewhere?"
Jameson nodded. "Exactly. Rolf's probably taking Marie to whoever's in charge. If we follow them, we can take down the whole operation. This isn't just about one or two people—it's a network, and we need to make sure we dismantle it completely."
Edd, still tense, looked around at the agents and their equipment. His mind was racing, thinking of every possible scenario. But deep down, he knew they had to trust Jameson and his team. Rushing in without a plan could put Marie in more danger.
He took a deep breath and turned to Jameson. "What can we do to help?"
Jameson gave him an appraising look, then nodded. "Stay close. We'll need all hands on deck once we're ready to move. For now, I suggest you stick with us and stay out of sight. If something happens, we'll need you nearby since you guys know this case better than anyone."
Edd, Eddy, and Ed exchanged glances. The waiting was torture, but they knew it was the only way. Marie's safety was all that mattered now, and they had to trust that Agent Jameson's team had the situation under control.
The barn was soon transformed into a full operations center. FBI agents were monitoring screens, radios crackled with updates, and the tension continued to build as they tracked Rolf's movements.
As the minutes ticked by, Edd couldn't help but think of Marie, hoping she was holding on, fighting like he knew she could. They just had to be ready when the time came.
