“Thanks,” I said, trying to play it cool. “I notice details. It’s kind of my job.”
We continued searching the area, and I found myself actually getting into it. There was something oddly satisfying about looking for clues, piecing together a puzzle. Though mostly I was just enjoying being near Marcus, watching the way he moved with purpose and confidence, the way his brow furrowed when he was concentrating.
I had itbadfor him. Ugh.
“There’s more tracks here,” Dakota called from about twenty feet away. “Looks like the same shoe print from near the house.”
Marcus and I hurried over, and sure enough, there were several partial prints in the soft earth. They led deeper into the trees, away from the ranch buildings.
“Whoever this is, they’re not coming here with any of the students,” Marcus said, his voice grim. “There’d be no reason to come in and out of the property through the woods.”
“Maybe it’s a cruising spot?” I offered without thinking.
Both Marcus and Dakota turned and stared at me like I’d just said the most heinous thing ever.
“Do… Do Sagebrush people do that sort of thing?” I offered weakly.
Marcus’s face went from its usual tan to a deep red that crept up his neck and colored the tips of his ears. His jaw worked like he was chewing on words he couldn’t quite spit out. Clearly, he knew what I was hinting at. Dakota, on the other hand, just looked confused.
“Cruising?” Dakota asked. “Like... for drugs or something?”
Oh, sweet summer child. I almost felt bad for bringing it up. Almost.
“Not exactly,” I said, glancing at Marcus, who looked like he wanted the earth to swallow him whole. “It’s when gay men meet up in secluded outdoor spots for... recreational activities.”
Dakota’s eyes widened as understanding dawned. “Oh. Oh.”
“That’s not—” Marcus started, then stopped. He cleared his throat, adjusting his hat even though it didn’t need adjusting. “That’s not what’s happening here.”
“How do you know?” I asked, genuinely curious now. “I mean, these woods are pretty secluded. Someone’s clearly coming and going through here regularly. And that cigarette looked like it was smoked right there, not tossed from somewhere else.”
“Because this is Sagebrush,” Marcus said firmly, though his face was still that delightful shade of red. “People don’t—we don’t—that’s not a thing here.”
“You sure about that, Sheriff?” I raised an eyebrow. “Because in my experience, gay men exist everywhere. Even in small Texas towns. Especially in small Texas towns, actually. We get creative when we have to.”
Something flickered across his face—panic, maybe, or recognition. He looked away quickly, focusing back on the footprints like they were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen.
“Let’s just... follow these tracks,” he muttered. “See where they lead.”
He took off into the woods, leaving Dakota and I standing there.
“Well, he’s not completely right,” Dakota said as soon as he was out of earshot. “Logan and I sneak out into the woods or down by the creek to fuck all the time.”
“Duh,” I nodded, immediately liking Dakota ten times more than I already did. “Why wouldn’t you? Having sex outside is amazing.”
“Right?” Dakota nodded. He turned back toward the woods, heading that direction. “Come on. Let’s make sure he doesn’t get lost.”
I followed Dakota through the trees, my borrowed boots still squelching with every step. The forest floor was soft from last night’s rain, and I had to watch where I was stepping to avoid face planting into the mud. That would’ve been a great look—showing up at the Turner Ranch covered in Texas dirt.
Ahead of us, Marcus moved with the kind of easy confidence that came from knowing exactly where he was going. His broad shoulders were tense though, and I couldn’t help but wonder if my comment about cruising had hit a little too close to home. The way he’d reacted, all flustered and red-faced... that wasn’t just discomfort with the topic. That was personal. I had a feeling he’d done it before.
“So,” I said, catching up to Dakota. “How long have you and Logan been together?”
“About two years now,” Dakota replied, ducking under a low-hanging branch. “Met when he and Lucas moved back to Sagebrush. I worked for his family.”
“That’s sweet. Workplace romance.” I grinned. “Did you know right away? That he was into you?”
Dakota’s mouth quirked into a small smile. “Not exactly. Logan was fightin’ some demons when he was forced to move home. Took him a while to get it figured out. I thought he hated me at first.”
