And if a cuddle turned to something more, he would be open to it.
Comfort came in many forms. Marshall adjusted himself and shook his head.
Of course, his mind went right there. He shouldn’t have thought of her pajamas; that was his first mistake. Because after that, he imagined his hand sliding up those shorts. For comfort of course. Maybe she needed some comforting, too.
He grabbed a pair of jeans off a chair and pulled them on. As he buttoned his shirt, he closed his eyes, picturing her hands on his chest again. Her touch was electric. With a sharp inhale, Marshall stroked a hand down his chest, willing his heart to stop racing in his chest.
A quick morning cuddle and he would be off to work.
He stepped quietly into the upstairs hallway, walking carefully so as not to wake anyone. The familiar click of Hank’s claws followed behind him. He was surprised the dog agreed to get up this early. Usually, he slept in and waited for Betsy to drop treats as she prepared food for the ranch staff. As Marshall took the stairs to the main floor, the familiar scent of coffee floated around him, his body tensing. The lights were on in the kitchen.
Had he set the timer on the coffeemaker last night? He couldn’t remember. They had stayed up playing cards and drinking beer until late. Maybe he did, as was his habit?
As he descended the staircase and walked into the kitchen, he was startled by two pairs of eyes on him. Apparently, he wasn’t eating breakfast alone after all.
CHAPTER 38
“Good morning, Marshall!”
Marshall groaned inwardly. How was his father so jovial already?
Clarence and Fletcher King sat at the kitchen island, their discussion interrupted by Marshall’s arrival.
“Hey, Dad. Hey, Grandpa. Did you guys have trouble sleeping?”
Fletcher smiled warmly. “Get yourself some breakfast, son, we’re here to help you with your morning work. You could probably use a few extra hands.”
Padding over to the coffee maker, Marshall poured coffee into a mug that was sitting next to the machine and added a drop of cream. He filled a plate with a Danish and a few small croissants and joined the men at the kitchen island. So much for his morning cuddle.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.” Marshall sighed as he bit into a pastry.
“Son, we were able to get the autopsy findings from Officer Dean. It’s not good. Jack died of blunt force trauma,” Fletcher explained in a low voice.
His appetite gone, Marshall dropped his pastry back on the plate.
“That’s what I’ve feared,” he said, giving voice to the concerns that were sitting heavy on his chest. “I just can’t imagine who… or why?”
Clearing his throat, Clarence patted Marshall on the back. “I’m going to get the best people on it, but in the meantime, you need to be careful. I’ve ordered new discreet cameras to be installed on the house and stables. Alarm systems and all that. We have to take precautions to avoid this happening again.”
Marshall’s mind raced with doubts. What had he missed? Had anyone done anything suspicious leading up to the murder? Well, yes, but damaged fence posts and missing files did not equate murder in his mind. Mischief, tampering, but nothing so extreme as murder.
“Nothing makes sense anymore,” he mumbled, swallowing another mouthful of coffee.
“Your uncle Jarrett is going to join us this morning, and of course, Lachlan is going to help with the extra load left behind now that Jack is gone. With the guest house full, some of the family stayed at the bed-and-breakfast in town after the funeral. We need to pull together as a family,” Clarence continued. He nodded and sipped his coffee.
Marshall dug his hands into his scalp. It was all so overwhelming.
“Maybe I should call Bobby again. I want to help the investigation any way that I can,” he said. Colette had convinced him that he needed to tell the officer about all the strange happenings at the ranch. Let him do what he will with the information.
His father and grandfather looked at each other and shrugged.
“There’s not much we can do unless you think of anything new that you didn’t already tell him. Just continue taking care of the ranch and keep your ears open,” Fletcher suggested. “Bobby told me they’ll be processing some of the crime scene evidence, but there wasn’t much.”
Marshall forced himself to eat, glad for the distraction when his uncle arrived for the morning chores. It would be fun, all of them getting their hands dirty and working shoulder to shoulder.
“Come here, you rascal,” his uncle Jarrett said with a chuckle as he wrapped his arms around Marshall. “You thought you would have to work all alone this morning? Ranch hands are great, but get all the King men together, we’ll have everything done in no time.”
A warm smile echoed the one on his uncle’s face. “Thanks, Uncle. I’m glad you guys are all here. It makes the loss a little easier.”
