“Which is my right, under the law. That doesn’t make me a liar. I’ve already told you everything I know. Bonnie and I were supposed to meet that night. I was running late. When I got to the park, she was gone.” Joshua fished a set of keys from his pocket. “If you’ll excuse me, I have cattle to feed.”
He marched toward the driver’s side of the truck but paused with his hand on the door. Without turning around, he said loud enough for Reed to hear, “No matter what you think, I loved Bonnie.”
Joshua climbed into the old truck and the engine sputtered to life. Dust flew out behind the vehicle as he sped across the pasture.
Reed watched him go, uncertainty settling into his gut like a bad meal. “We need to follow up with Old Man Franklin.”
“Agreed.” Kyle unearthed a handkerchief and mopped his brow. “I’ll stop by there on my way back to headquarters, although if what Joshua’s saying checks out, he doesn’t have a motive for wanting Emma off her land.”
“Or he could be smart enough to make an offer on Franklin’s property to make it look like he doesn’t have a motive. Let’s check with Old Man Franklin and take it from there.”
Kyle and Reed walked back to their vehicles. Kyle drove off, but Reed slowed his SUV and pulled over to the side of the road. He took a deep breath to calm his rattled nerves. Joshua’s words echoed in his mind.
I loved Bonnie.
Loved. Past tense. As if Joshua somehow knew she was dead.
Reed squeezed his eyes shut. He wouldn’t go down that path until it was a certainty. Joshua’s word choice cast doubt on his innocence, but that was nothing new.
As if of its own volition, Reed’s hand reached for the cell phone hanging from his belt. He flipped through the messages to the right one and hit Play. His sister’s voice came from the speaker.
“Hey, Reed. I was hoping you would be able to answer. You’re probably working a big case or planning a stakeout or something. My big brother, the crime fighter. Listen, I really need to talk to you about something important. Can you call me back ASAP? It’s urgent. Thanks. Love you.”
Bonnie’s tone was resigned, as if she’d somehow known he wouldn’t return her call for hours. It reverberated inside him, mingling with the guilt and the frustration, until he wanted to exit his vehicle and punch a tree. Instead, he took a deep breath. Then another. His gaze drifted to the rearview mirror and the reflection of the ranch behind him.
Joshua had a motive for wanting Emma gone. Trying to scare her off the property so she would sell wasn’t a far-fetched proposition. Still, Reed couldn’t let his emotions get the better of him. Bonnie’s case was separate from Emma’s, and right now, Emma’s had priority.
Two days after the break-in, Emma was trying to settle back into a normal routine. The attack and the threats kept crowding into her mind. True to his word, Reed had kept a deputy stationed at her house. There hadn’t been any threatening phone calls and nothing on the ranch had been disturbed, which should have eased her worries but only put her on edge. She couldn’t shake the feeling something bad was going to happen.
Emma threw a tennis ball and Sadie, nothing more than a flash of golden fur, streaked across the grass. She caught the ball midair. Her doggie grin was evident even across the distance separating them. They’d just finished a search-and-rescue training session. Another night of thunderstorms had left the ground muddy and Sadie would need a bath now, but Emma was grateful for the distraction.
Sadie dropped the ball at her feet. Emma picked it up. “One last throw and then it’s bath time for you. Vivian and Lily are going to be back from the grocery store soon.”
The dog pranced in anticipation. Emma hurled the ball and Sadie took off. The wind shifted, rustling the hair on the nape of Emma’s neck. A creepy sensation of being watched flooded her.
She turned and peered into the trees, but nothing moved. She shook her head. Her imagination was running away with her.
“Ms. Pierce?”
Emma screamed and jumped, whirling around.
Deputy Jack Irving stood nearby. He lifted his hands. “Hey, hey. Are you okay?”
She closed her eyes, putting a hand on her chest. Her heart thundered against her palm. “I didn’t hear you coming. Sorry for screaming. I’ve been a bit jumpy the last couple of days.”
“After everything that’s been going on, I don’t blame you.” He offered her a sympathetic smile. “I came out to tell you it’s shift change now. Deputy Miller is taking over. He’ll do a perimeter check first, so you won’t see his car for a while. I didn’t want you to worry.”
“Thank you. That’s very kind. Have a good night, Deputy.”
He tipped his hat to her. “You, too, ma’am.”
She watched him drive off and checked her watch. Reed should be arriving soon. He’d called earlier and asked if he could come by to give her an update on the case.
Sadie rolled around on the grass. Her paws, caked with dried mud, wriggled in the air. Emma chuckled. “Okay, you. Fun time’s over.”
She hooked a leash to Sadie’s collar and brought her over to the hose. The dog’s steps dragged as she realized what was about to happen. Emma dropped a kiss between her eyes. “It’ll be quick. I promise.” She tied Sadie to the porch post. “Stay right here and I’ll run inside to grab the shampoo.”
She retrieved it in a flash, pausing to make sure the new front door was closed securely behind her.
Sadie barked.
Emma spun and her heart stuttered.
Owen was standing on the bottom porch step. His face was mottled with rage, his eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “What exactly do you think you’re doing, going to the sheriff and accusin’ me of things?”
She took a step back, but there was nowhere
