Chapter 7
In Corpus Christi . . .
Conrad dropped the man off who was on patrol with him at the office and headed toward the Farm. Sandra was in the main barn supervising the overhaul of one of the tractors when he arrived.
“Everything is secure around here,” Conrad said. “I’ve got my men on high alert.”
“And Peaceful Valley?”
“Steve hasn’t returned yet. I’ll give you a full report as soon as he gets back. He’s my best man. I have confidence he’ll find the place and give us a rundown of what we might be up against.”
“They’re a bunch of scavengers living off the land,” Sandra said. “They can’t be hard to handle, especially if we catch them with their pants down. They won’t expect us.”
“It’s wise to never underestimate your opponent,” he replied.
“Have you found someone who can work o
