Dev lifted his NVG’s and led the way to the end of the dock. “Mind if I ask what you’re doing out here so late, Chief?”
“Oh, hi, Dev,” he said cheerfully, unaware of their anxiety. “Or is it Colin?”
Colin stepped up next to him. “You got us both. We didn’t expect to find anyone out here fishing.”
“I figure with the fires growing bigger, I won’t have much time in the next week, so I’m getting in some night fishing.” He cranked his rod. “I suppose you don’t like it when people fish this close to your property, but I can’t help myself. Since your dad put those cribs in near your dock, it’s the best fishing on the lake. Pretty much always guaranteed to catch something.”
The open wooden structures filled with brush were magnets for fish to take shelter in, and they were always teaming with fish, so the area made for good-sized catches.
“No worries,” Colin said. “It’s a public lake and belongs to everyone. Even this little patch at the end of our dock.”
“That’s mighty neighborly of you. Fishing is my stress reliever.”
“Kind of dangerous navigating all the boulders at the lake at this time of night, though, isn’t it?” Dev asked.
“You guys haven’t been hanging out around here much, so you wouldn’t know that I come here often and have gotten to know the lake like the back of my hand. Your manager and I have gotten to know each other pretty well too. Standup guy.”
“My mom was fortunate when she found Warren,” Colin said.
“You haven’t seen anyone else around here tonight, have you?” Dev looked around the lake, taking in the cabins, docks, and beachy shoreline. Such an idyllic setting that it would be hard to imagine a shooter in the area.
The chief shifted the rod in his hands. “Was one guy at the boat ramp when I put in.”
“He fishing too?” Colin asked.
“Not exactly sure what he was up to, but he was pulling a boat out of the water. Not a simple one for fishing like mine, but a thirty-foot cruiser.” He paused and shifted his weight, rocking the boat and sending ripples across the surface. “Probably just let the day get away from him and couldn’t get to the ramp until after sundown.”
“Anyone you recognize?” Dev asked.
The chief shook his head. “I didn’t get close enough to see him, but he’s not a local, that’s for sure. No one around here has a boat like that.”
“You get a look at his vehicle?” Dev asked.
“’Course I did. I’m a lawman, aren’t I?” He chuckled but peered directly at Dev. “This isn’t just some idle conversation, is it? You’re concerned about something. Maybe as the chief, I need to know what that something is.”
Did he need to know? Dev wasn’t so sure about that. He glanced at Colin to get his reaction. His brother gave a brief nod. Okay. Dev trusted his opinion, so he shared their situation with the chief. “We’d appreciate it if you could keep your eyes out for anyone who seems out of the ordinary. And maybe give us the details on that vehicle towing the boat.”
“I’ll do you one better.” The chief pushed his hat back and scratched his head. “I got the plates on the truck, and I’ll go back to the office to run them. I’ll let you know what I find.”
Dev recognized this as the chief’s way of inserting himself into the investigation, but Dev didn’t have access to vehicle registrations. Even if the chief gave him a plate number, he would have to call in favors from one of his deputy buddies to get it run. And Dev couldn’t be certain that he could get it done as the department was cracking down on such things. They couldn’t ask Russ either. It was doubtful he would consider it even if they were in his jurisdiction. But out of it, like here? Nah, he wouldn’t do that.
“We’d appreciate your help,” Dev said. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention to your officers that Kinsley is staying at the campground.”
“You got it.” He started cranking his fishing line into the reel, the whir of the reel taking Dev back to his fishing days. “I’ll call you with the vehicle details.”
Dev nodded and turned to march down the dock. The wooden structure held up by old barrel pontoons jarred beneath his feet and left him off balance, but didn’t distract him from searching the area for any threat.
On shore, Colin caught up to him. “It’ll be good to have him and his officers on the lookout too.”
“Yeah,” Dev said. “I just don’t like the idea of this getting around town. Especially not Kinsley’s location. We might be talking about sworn lawmen, but they like to gossip.”
“The chief is pretty good at keeping his mouth closed.”
“But I can’t be sure of that, and I need to keep a lid on this.” Dev shoved his hands into his pockets. If he didn’t, he would punch shoreline pillars put in place to keep any wayward boats away from the play area. “I can’t afford to screw up here.”
Colin grabbed Dev’s shirt sleeve and stopped him. “We all know how you feel about her, you know?”
Dev stared at his brother, his gaze unyielding. “What do you mean by ‘we all’?”
