Carly ignored him. “From the start, you’ve assumed there was more than one hijacker. Why is that?”
“Found traces of where a vehicle had been parked in front of the body. We think Hernandez pulled over to the side of the road behind the car, someone pretending to have engine trouble. He got out and walked up to the vehicle. Whoever it was, shot him, stole the truck, and drove away. Since the car was gone, too, someone else had to have been driving it.”
“I’d like to take a look at the reports,” Linc said. “Coroner’s, deputies’, any statements that were taken, everything you’ve got.”
The sheriff came out of his chair. “That ain’t gonna happen. You got no business in this and that’s the way it’s gonna stay.”
Linc clenched his teeth to keep from saying something he’d regret.
Carly walked up to the desk, leaned over, and got right in Howler’s face. “Miguel Hernandez worked for me, Sheriff. That makes his death my business. I want to see those reports.”
The sheriff’s jaw went tight. “Now listen here, little lady—”
“My name is Carly or you can call me Ms. Drake.” Those big blue eyes were spitting fire. Linc could almost see Joe’s blood pumping through her veins.
“If you don’t want more trouble than you’ve already got,” she said, “you’ll let me see those files.”
Howler’s face went beet red. “All right, fine. As a courtesy—and so you’re satisfied there ain’t nothing there—I’ll let you see what’s in the files.”
“I can pick the information up or you can drop it off at my office whenever it’s ready. Just call and let me know.” Carly turned and started walking. “Have a good day, Sheriff.”
They crossed the office together. Linc opened the door, then followed her out of the building, over to her truck.
“I know you want answers,” he said. “So do I. But murder can be a dangerous business. Be better if you didn’t get involved.”
“I don’t trust Howler to do the job.”
“Neither do I. Which is why I’ve hired a private investigator to look into the case. His name’s Ross Townsend. He’s worked for me before so I know he’s good.”
“Has he found anything yet?”
“Not yet, but he’s just getting started. Call me when you get those files. Look them over, then I’ll take a look. Maybe one of us will see something the sheriff missed.”
“All right. But in exchange I expect you to tell me what your investigator finds out.”
Linc shook his head. “Like I said, Carly, you need to stay out of this.”
She cocked a hand on her hip and looked up at him. “By now you must realize that isn’t going to happen.”
Irritation warred with amusement. Amusement won out. “Yeah, I guess I do.” Another of Joe’s traits—she was just as bullheaded. Joe wouldn’t want her involved, but the determined set of her jaw said even Joe wouldn’t have been able to stop her.
Linc jerked open her pickup door and Carly climbed in behind the wheel.
The engine started. He watched the pickup pull onto the road, heading back in the direction of Drake Trucking. He checked his watch. Forty-five minutes till his conference call on the tire rebuilding plant he wastrying to open just east of Pleasant Hill. He didn’t have time to think of Carly Drake and he didn’t want to.
He couldn’t deny he was attracted to her, all that sexy blond hair and a body that made a man want to strip her down and take her a dozen different ways.
He knew why Joe had never mentioned him to her over the years. He’d been a hell-raiser even after prison. Nothing illegal by then, but he’d liked to party and he’d liked beautiful women. And he’d had plenty of them. Still did.
Joe had wanted someone special for Carly. He hadn’t wanted an ex-con taking advantage of his granddaughter.
But things were different now. Joe had trusted Linc with Carly’s welfare and that meant keeping her safe.
Even from him.
He climbed into his truck. As soon as he had finished his conference call, he was taking the rest of the day off. He needed some time away, needed some space to breathe. He was meeting old friends and going for a ride.
Linc couldn’t wait to get on the road.
