I furrow my brows. “What happened?”
“Santiago ended up purchasing the neighbor’s land. The guy was up to his eyeballs in debt and was looking for a way to weasel money out of someone.” Walker shuts the file and unceremoniously drops it on the table.
“Oh.”
So that's one file that won't be of any use to me.
Walker flips open the next. “Levi got into a brawl with a farmer when he was on a farm call and realized the guy was abusing his cattle.”
Knowing Levi, that other man definitely had it coming.
“And this one,” Walker lets out a humorless chuckle as he finally gets to his own file. “It was a drunk and disorderly. I had to restrain the guy when he started to go after innocent bystanders.”
Probably another bust with that one, too.
“Great,” I say, dropping my head into my hands as I prop my elbows up on the table. My fingers dig into my hair as defeat mixed with frustration makes me want to pull out the roots.
Walker slides the files into my view. “You’re looking in the wrong place, Baby Girl.” His voice is full of amusement, like my amateur detective skills are gifting him with a good laugh.
He can think this is funny all he wants, but I refuse to see the humor when his life is being threatened.
Releasing my hair, I bring my hands together into two fists and rest my chin there as I glare at him. “Then where should I be looking, Obi-Wan?”
The comedy lifts from his face, shifting his features into an expression as cold as stone. “I don’t know. That’s the problem.”
Walker’s confession bequeaths me with a sense of hopelessness as my stomach sinks.
He leaves me alone in the multipurpose room, the stillness of the space becoming too great for my need to act.
What hope do I have of figuring this out if the man whose job it is to investigate doesn't even know where to start?
CHAPTER 23
SANTIAGO
Notes of ammonia layered with sweet fermentation and dust are pungent as hell, but they remind me that I’m home—doing what I love. Most people might look at my job and prefer their nine-to-five.
That’s just fine.
I’ll take shoveling horse shit, waking up every morning before the sun rises, and riding for days at a time on a cattle drive over sitting behind a desk any day of the week. Rain or shine.
The last few days have been eventful to say the least. We finally got rid of the predators at the high school, we found out what made Blake come home, Walker arrested Blakeagain, Walker finally kissed Blake…
Oh. And there was another dead body.
I’m not about to get in the middle of Blake and Walker to play referee. They’re going to have to figure things out themselves.
I’m halfway through brushing Ace’s coat when the most perfect ray of sunshine strolls into my barn with her furry best friend at her side. Her curves are swathed in black pants that are tight as hell, laced-up brown boots, an oversized cream sweater, and a puffy parka.
“Need a hand?”
Stepping around Ace, I slide my thumbs into my belt and greet her. “Well, this is a surprise. What’re you doing here?”
She shrugs with a smile. “Just wanted to see my?—”
“Boyfriend,” I finish for her.
Blake tilts her head to the side. “Is that what you are?”
