Chapter 11
ELEVEN
Duke kept silent as he drove her toward Wayside.
She’d waited for him to give her some indication of what he’d really found behind Kevin’s house, but other than what he’d announced in front of them, he hadn’t elaborated.
Maybe it really had been nothing and her feelings about Heath had made her believe there would be.
“You going to tell me what you’re thinking?” She tensed as the Wayside fence came into view.
“I’m thinking that it’s odd that someone would move all the way out here to the middle of nowhere and then get uptight when someone who’s lived there longer comes onto their property.”
She let the silence do the work, giving him space to talk. “Everyone gets worked up about something.”
“Are we still talking about Kevin?” Duke turned into the Wayside driveway and cast her a sideways glance.
“Yes, but you’re not wrong.”
“Want me to come inside?” He slowed the truck to a crawl.
“No. Thanks though. Connor has just been acting particularly brotherly lately. He’s never been laid back, and he won’t ever be chill about anything. I need to accept that he is who he is. It’s just hard.”
“From what I saw, he cares about you. We’ve never had trouble with the guys from Wayside. My boss, Nixon, even calls on them for help once in a while. I’m not taking his side, or yours. Just saying there might be more to the story.” He stared ahead as he parked the truck.
“Thanks. I’d thought of that. Sometimes, when you’re convinced someone is against you, you see what you want to. Lately, every time I walk in the door, he practically jumps on me. Lacy has had to divert his attention more than once. It feels like I just can’t do anything right.”
“It's none of my business, and I'm not going to make it mine, but know that family is hard for a lot of people. You aren’t alone.” His jaw hardened and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.
“Thanks.” She shoved open the door. “I’m not sure what I think of Kevin or his friend. Seemed like an odd thing to bring to you while you were sitting there drinking coffee. Seems like a weird thing to bring up, no matter what. A normal person would’ve just called it in. Trampled grass is nothing.”
“Maybe. You never know. They’re still getting used to living around here. It was hard to say the size of the wheels. There were too many to tell. It’s almost like they drove randomly over that area until the whole thing was flattened.”
That didn’t track with the ranchers she knew.
They tried to keep most of the land for what they needed.
Not just convenience. “Not on the same path? Odd.” Even on Wayside, she rode the same trails using the same tracks every time.
Why wreck more than she had to? “So someone was trying to destroy part of the property. I mean, I get that’s the literal definition of vandalism, but I guess I assumed someone had basically made a road back there.
That’s what he made it sound like at the coffee shop. ”
Duke gripped the steering wheel and his brow furrowed. “If that was the intent, they’re doing it in the dark when they can’t see their tracks.”
“In the dark . . .” Had Bailey been killed in the dark or just in the storm when no one was out? “Did you offer to set up cameras?”
Duke laughed. “I did, but he turned me down flat. He doesn’t want any devices on the property tracking their every move. I don’t think he understood that it’s attached to something, not following him around.”
Ferd swung herself out of the truck and landed on her good leg, shooting pain all the way through the hip of her bad one. “Maybe he’s worried about what someone would find if they did?”
Duke looked at her for a few seconds. “I’d thought about that, but I’d need to get a warrant. They aren’t likely to give it based on a hunch. Even asking could turn a judge sour. Until I have concrete evidence that I need to look closer at these guys, I have to move on.”
She gave a salute. “Sounds good. I’m going to go inside and try not to get in the way.”
Because lately, that’s all she’d been good at if she was at home. At some point, Connor had to understand she had her own schedule, her own life.
Inside the kitchen, she stood on one leg with the injured one off to the side. Her meds required almost constant snacks to prevent stomach issues. She pulled some crackers out of the cabinet and headed to the fridge for cheese.
Connor came into the narrow kitchen work area, and she held her breath. Was he going to come in and pester her?
“Hey, Ferd. How was the meeting?” he asked.
Her spine tightened. “Fine. We met a couple guys who’re new to the area. Ever met Kevin and Heath? They live a couple miles up the road.” She took a bite of cracker and cheese.
“Can’t say as I have. Which place are they on? I didn’t know there was any land for sale recently.”
She eyed him. Was this conversation how things would be or was he luring her into some kind of information trap that only he could see? “I don’t know which place it is. There was a red mailbox, and it was down Red Lake Road. About five miles from here. Three miles from the lake.”
Connor’s brows dipped downward. “That never went up for sale. Ol’ Abe died a year ago. The place has been empty after that. He owned it outright. It hasn’t been long enough for the county to take it for back taxes.”
“Squatters?” That would explain their behavior a little.
“Possibly. If they are, stay safe. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Ah, Teddy had talked to him. “You mean Dad told you to cool off. Dad doesn’t want me to leave yet, so you’re supposed to be nice to me.” She turned away from him and ate another bite.
He paused momentarily, and tension tightened her spine.
“I haven’t talked to Dad for a couple days. I’m sorry I’ve been harsh with you. One of our newest guests reminds me of you. Both looks and attitude. It’s been . . . a tough few weeks. I didn’t want to say anything. I should’ve controlled myself better. Forgive me?”
If a tough big brother was going to humble himself and ask for forgiveness, who was she to keep it from him. “Of course. Always.”
He leaned against the counter next to her and crossed his arms, forming a semi-intimate private space. “You think we have squatters nearby? That’s not good. I don’t like it. They’ll be hiding who they are. They’re close enough that it could be someone looking for one of our guests.”
That hadn’t occurred to her but it made sense. “Well, I’m not sure. I suggested what could’ve happened. You never know who they are or why they’re there. They could’ve known the owner and could’ve been given the property when Abe died.”
He nodded slowly. “Plausible, but after knowing the man . . . doubtful. What does your gut tell you? For real.”
She blinked. He really wants to know? She'd missed this. Real conversations with her brother. “Honestly, it’s bad. Could just be the place wasn’t maintained and was creeping me out. But the two guys were weird. Was that how the place was when Abe was alive?”
He tilted his head. “No, not really. I mean, the trees made it shady up there and the house needed a couple coats of paint, but he maintained the yard and the few head of cattle he had. He wasn’t a rancher by any stretch of the imagination, but he worked hard.
The reason I don’t believe he left it to anyone is because no one ever came to see him.
He died alone. Nixon didn’t find him until he was crusty. ”
She held back a flinch. She couldn’t let hearing things that turned her stomach show on her face. Even though Connor wasn’t on the force, he’d been in the military, which led to the same blunt way of looking at things.
“Why was he found after so long? Do you know?”
Connor stared her straight in the eyes. “A stranger called it in. Never did find out who.”