Chapter 40
CHAPTER 40
O live had done her job. She’d told everyone what was going on, had packed her bag, and had double-checked to make sure everyone else had also. All the vehicles were lined up and ready to go if it became necessary to evacuate.
She didn’t know what they would do about the horses. She’d need to let Reid call those shots.
She prayed things wouldn’t get that far.
As she waited for everyone to return, she stood on the porch and watched the smoke in the distance, unable to pull her gaze away. The plumes rose over the mountains. The burning, smoldering scent of smoke hung heavily in the air.
The sight was ominous, a force unlike any she’d ever confronted. The foreshadowing of what could happen made her feel like she couldn’t breathe.
Tevin stepped out behind her and frowned. “I don’t like the look of that.”
“Me neither.” She glanced at him. “Any updates?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. I have a small one at least.”
Her pulse quickened. “I’m listening.”
“I heard back from Mitzi,” Tevin started, his tone low. “She ‘accidentally’ ran into Lucy at a restaurant in Seattle. The woman had already had a few drinks, so her lips were pretty loose.”
Though Olive wasn’t a huge fan of indulgent drinking, it did work in their favor sometimes. Alcohol could be a great lip lubricant in their investigations.
“Did Mitzi find out anything?” she asked.
“It turns out that Lucy has begun to focus a lot of her attention recently on veganism.” Tevin watched her reaction.
Olive hadn’t expected to hear that. “That’s . . . interesting.”
“As part of her push for veganism, she’s become very adamant that animals shouldn’t be eaten. She’s made it a moral thing.”
“And that means she would be adamantly opposed to a ranch that raises cattle . . .”
Tevin pointed at her with finger pistols. “Exactly.”
She stored that clue in her mental vault.
“Do you think someone set this fire on purpose?” The thought had been simmering in Olive’s mind ever since she heard the news.
Tevin’s eyes widened. “You mean as a way of sabotaging the ranch?”
“Exactly. If this property is destroyed, it won’t be worth as much. It could be a tactic to drive Reid away.”
“But for someone to take it this far . . .” Tevin twisted his neck, his face pinched with doubt. “I don’t know. And if it’s the land someone is after, why destroy it? It will be less valuable to them also.”
“Unless they’re in it for the long game.” Olive stared at Tevin, watching his response.
“Maybe. But they’re putting other properties in this area in danger also. They’re literally playing with fire.”
“Selfish people don’t generally care about things like that.” Olive hesitated as a thought struck her. “Do you think Lucy could have set this fire? But then again, she wouldn’t want to do that because it might harm innocent animals, right?”
Tevin shrugged. “In theory. But some people don’t exactly think things through.”
“I can’t argue that.” Olive rubbed her arms and continued to stare at the mountains. “This is serious.”
“I wish there was another way I could help.” Tevin frowned as he stared in the distance also.
“Me too. I hate just standing here. But I also don’t want to get in the way. Reid and his guys are trying to move all the cattle to safety now.”
Olive realized she hadn’t told him about the Hannah situation, so she updated him.
When she finished, he frowned and shook his head. “That’s suspect.”
“It is. I also know Daphne is still in town. So are Jon and Edgar, though I’m not sure what they’re still doing here or what they want to prove.”
“Maybe they seriously felt threatened by you when you saw them in Skip’s office,” Tevin suggested.
“Maybe.” Olive frowned. “They’re either trying to scare me off or to silence me for good.”
“Maybe they just want to know what you know.”
“Maybe. Then there’s the dead body you saw. I can only assume those men moved it.”
Tevin let out a sigh. “Seems like a good deduction.”
“Those guys are clearly working for someone. They’re not the ones calling the shots here.”
“I agree. But who?”
She shrugged. “That I can’t tell you.”
“It has to be someone with either power, influence, or money.”
“Most likely all three of those things.”
Olive stared in the distance again and sucked in a breath.
Something new peaked over the mountains. Not just smoke.
Flames.
She could see flames.
Olive pressed her eyes shut. That meant this fire was getting even closer.
Olive watched as the men on horses came back through the pasture an hour later. Reid and his crew drew to a stop near the porch.
Olive rushed across the lawn to meet them.
“All the cattle should be safe—for now,” Reid told anyone who was listening. “But we need to take some preemptive measures in case the fire gets closer to the ranch.”
“What can we do to help?” Tevin had been on Olive’s heels as she ran down to greet everyone.
“We’re going to establish a fire line,” Reid said. “It’s where you remove all the vegetation so if the fire gets closer, there will be nothing to feed it. There’s still a chance the wind can make the flames jump the fire line. But we’ve got to do something.”
“I’ll help.” Olive kept her chin up, daring anyone to tell her no.
“We’re going to need everyone we can get,” Reid said. “We need to gather supplies. Everyone should meet back here in fifteen minutes ready to work.”
The seriousness of the situation hit her again.
This fire could be devastating.
But there was no time to waste thinking about such things.
Instead, she hurried inside and found some work boots.
Suddenly, this wasn’t about her investigation. It was about saving Reid’s legacy on the ranch.
For the second time this week, Olive found herself praying for protection and guidance.