Chapter 16 Devlin
SIXTEEN
DEVLIN
The next morning, I follow Atlee into town, but while she drives over to the pharmacy, I turn down a side street and head toward the Law Offices of Shawn Cooper. True to her word, Atlee spoke to Lennon, and I’m meeting with Shawn Cooper himself today to see what we can do.
I park next to the curb and get out, heading up the walkway. Before I get there, Lennon comes out of the building.
“Hey, I wanted to talk to you before you met with Shawn,” she says, putting her hands on her hips and staring at me like she can see right through me.
“All right,” I answer, crossing my arms over my chest and rocking back on my heels. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re going to make sure your sister is okay? And you’re going to do it by making me wish I had one of my brothers to back me up?”
She smirks, running her tongue over her teeth. “I just want to make sure she’s okay. If Noah’s after her, then I want to make sure she’s being protected.”
I can sympathize, but there’s a part of me that hates that she’s having to ask. “No one is going to touch her, I promise. Which is why I’m here to talk to Shawn.”
She presses her lips together, and it’s like she wants to say something, but instead she nods. “All right. Let me show you inside.”
I follow her through the door, taking in the tastefully decorated reception area. It’s professional without being pretentious, with leather chairs, dark wood, and framed degrees that let you know Shawn Cooper is the real deal. The receptionist smiles at Lennon and gives me a curious once-over.
“Mr. Cooper is expecting you,” she says, gesturing toward a hallway. “Last door on the right.”
Lennon leads the way, her heels clicking on the hardwood floors.
I’ve never been much for offices like this.
Give me open spaces and the smell of hay and horses any day.
But right now, this place might be the only thing standing between me and a jail cell.
Between us and losing everything we’ve built.
“He knows the basics,” Lennon says quietly as we walk.
“I filled him in on what Atlee told me. But he’s going to want to hear everything directly from you.
” She stops outside a closed door, turning to face me.
“And Devlin? He’s the best attorney in three counties. If anyone can help you, it’s Shawn.”
I nod, appreciating her vote of confidence even as anxiety tightens my gut. “Thanks for setting this up.”
“I’m not doing it for you,” she says bluntly. “I’m doing it for Atlee.”
“I know,” I acknowledge. “But I appreciate it all the same.”
She gives a short nod and knocks on the door. A deep voice calls for us to enter.
Shawn Cooper rises from behind his desk as we walk in. He’s older than I expected, maybe mid-fifties, with salt-and-pepper hair and the kind of weathered face that comes from spending time outdoors. Not your typical sits-behind-the-desk lawyer.
“Mr. Nelson,” he greets me, extending his hand. His grip is firm, matching my own. “Shawn Cooper. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”
“Likewise,” I respond, though it’s not entirely true. I’ve been dreading this meeting, dreading having to lay out all our mistakes to a stranger.
“Lennon, would you give us some privacy?” Shawn asks, his tone making it clear it’s not really a question.
She hesitates, glancing between us. “Of course,” she finally says. “I’ll be at my desk if you need anything.”
Once the door closes behind her, Shawn gestures for me to take a seat in one of the leather chairs facing his desk. He doesn’t return to his own chair but instead takes the one next to mine, removing the barrier between us.
“So,” he begins, leaning forward slightly. “I’ve been briefed on the situation with both Dark Skies Ranch and Grizzly River Ranch. Jesse and Truett were here earlier this morning.”
This surprises me. “They were?”
“At my request,” Shawn confirms. “I wanted to hear from all parties involved before formulating a strategy. They gave me quite an earful about your cattle rustling operation.”
I tense at the direct reference. “Former operation,” I correct, uncomfortable with how easily he throws the words around. “We shut it down.”
“So I heard,” he says, studying me with keen eyes. “But that doesn’t erase what’s already been done, does it?”
“No,” I admit, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “It doesn’t.”
He nods, seemingly satisfied with my response. “Your brother and Truett filled me in on most of the details, but I’d like to hear your perspective, particularly on what’s happening with Deputy Sanchez and Richard Morrison.”
I take a deep breath, organizing my thoughts.
“Noah has had it in for us since high school. Old grudges…I stole his girlfriend. But this thing with Morrison is different. It’s calculated.
” I explain about Carson hacking into Noah’s files, the evidence they’ve been gathering against us, and the doorbell cameras and traffic footage they’ve collected.
“Carson found video from a doorbell camera near the Morrison Ranch,” I tell him. “Shows our truck driving by on the night we hit their south pasture, and there’s traffic camera footage from later that same night. You can see the truck and the livestock trailer, but the license plate isn’t visible.”
Shawn makes notes on a yellow legal pad as I speak. “And what else did Carson find?”
“A complaint from Richard Morrison claiming he shot one of the rustlers that night.” I remember the bullet that almost ended Truett’s life, how close we came to disaster.
“And there are notes about Noah putting pressure on Atlee, thinking she’ll be the one to break and give him what he needs to nail us. ”
Shawn’s pen pauses. “How’s Atlee handling all this?”
“Better than I have any right to expect,” I admit. “She knows everything, and she’s still standing by me. By us.”
Something in his expression softens slightly. “Lennon said as much. The Walsh girls have always been fighters.”
“Yeah,” I agree, thinking of Atlee’s strength, her determination. “They have.”
Shawn sets his pen down and leans back in his chair. “Here’s what you need to know, Devlin. There’s an investigation happening at the sheriff’s department, and Noah Sanchez is at the center of it.”
This catches me off guard. “What kind of investigation?”
“The kind that could end his career,” Shawn says bluntly. “Allegations of evidence tampering, witness intimidation, improper relationships with certain prominent citizens…including Richard Morrison.”
My mind races with the implications. “So whatever he has against us…”
“He may not bring it out in the open right now,” Shawn finishes for me. “He’s biding his time, waiting to see how the internal investigation plays out before making any moves against you. Which gives us a window of opportunity.”
“How long of a window?” I ask, restless energy making it hard to sit still. “I’m not good at just sitting back and waiting for things to happen.”
Shawn’s mouth quirks in what might be the ghost of a smile.
“So I’ve heard. But in this case, patience may be your best strategy.
The higher-ups in the department are watching Noah carefully.
Once everything comes out, and it will come out, he’s not going to have a position in the sheriff’s office anymore.
Any case he’s built, any evidence he’s gathered, will automatically be called into question. ”
It sounds too good to be true. “And we just wait?”
“Not exactly,” Shawn corrects. “We prepare. We gather our own information on Project Watershed, on Morrison’s land grabs, and on Noah’s involvement. We build a counter-case that makes any move against you look like retaliation.”
“And if Noah moves before the investigation concludes?” The possibility hangs heavy in the air.
“Then we’re ready,” Shawn assures me. “We’ve got the groundwork laid for a defense that centers around Morrison’s improper influence over law enforcement and his attempts to pressure local ranchers into selling their land. We shift the narrative.”
I consider his words, weighing them against my instinct to take action now. “I don’t know how long we can wait,” I finally say. “Noah’s already targeting Atlee, and Morrison is involved. It feels like the noose is tightening.”
Shawn leans forward, his expression serious.
“Listen to me, Devlin. I understand the impulse to act, to confront this head-on. But sometimes the smartest move is to let your enemies make the first mistake. Noah and Morrison are both under scrutiny. Push them now, and you might give them exactly what they need to justify moving against you.”
I run a hand through my hair, frustrated but recognizing the logic in his argument. “All right,” I concede. “We play it your way. For now.”
“Good,” he says, standing and extending his hand again. “Keep your head down, keep in touch with me about any developments, and try not to give Noah any reason to accelerate his timeline.”
I rise and shake his hand. “Thanks for meeting with me. For taking this on.”
“Thank Lennon,” he says. “She’s quite adamant about protecting her sister and, by extension, you. But I would’ve taken the case regardless. Morrison’s been throwing his weight around this county for too long. It’s time someone pushed back.”
As I leave his office, Lennon is waiting in the hallway, arms crossed, expression expectant. “Well?” she demands.
“Your boss thinks we should wait,” I tell her. “Let the investigation into Noah play out before making any moves.”
She studies my face. “And you don’t agree.”
It’s not a question. “I don’t like leaving things to chance,” I admit. “Especially when Atlee is involved.”
Lennon’s expression softens marginally. “Shawn knows what he’s doing, Devlin. If he says wait, that’s probably your best play.”
“Yeah, that’s what he said too.” I glance at my watch. “I should go. Need to fill the guys in on what’s happening.”
“Tell my sister I’ll call her later,” Lennon says as she walks me to the door. “And Devlin? Don’t do anything stupid.”
I can’t help the half-smile that curves my lips. “No promises.”
Outside, I slide behind the wheel of my truck but don’t start the engine right away. Instead, I sit there, letting Shawn’s information sink in. Noah is under investigation. That changes the equation, giving us breathing room we didn’t know we had. But it doesn’t eliminate the threat.
Morrison is still out there, still pulling strings, and he has a personal grudge against us now, one that goes beyond business. We stole from him, embarrassed him. Men like Richard Morrison don’t let that go easily.
I start the truck and head toward Grizzly River Ranch, my mind working through various scenarios.
Playing the waiting game might be the smart move legally, but it doesn’t sit right with me.
In the military, I learned that sometimes the best defense is a good offense.
Strike first, set the terms of engagement.
But this isn’t a battlefield, and Atlee isn’t a soldier. She’s the woman I love, the future I never thought I’d have, and that changes everything.
By the time I pull up to the ranch, I’ve made my decision. We’ll follow Shawn’s advice for now. We’ll wait, we’ll watch, we’ll gather information. But we’ll also be ready to move at the first sign that Noah or Morrison is making a play against us.
Jesse and Truett are waiting on the porch of the main house, with Carson leaning against a support column nearby. They straighten as I approach, eagerness and anxiety written across their faces.
“What’s the word?” Jesse asks as soon as I’m within earshot.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what’s sure to be a heated discussion. “We wait,” I tell them, climbing the steps to join them on the porch. “But not for long.”
As I explain what Shawn told me, I can see the conflict in their expressions, the same wariness about waiting that I feel, mixed with the hope that Noah’s own troubles might save us from ours.
“So we just sit on our hands?” Truett questions, disbelief in his voice. “While Noah and Morrison plot against us?”
“Not exactly,” I counter. “We wait for the right moment, and in the meantime, we prepare. Carson, I need you to find out everything you can about this Project Watershed. If Morrison is trying to control the water rights in the county, there must be records, permits, applications.”
Carson nods, already looking thoughtful. “I can do that. Might take some digging, but if it’s in any public system, I can find it.”
“Good,” I say, turning to Jesse and Truett. “You two need to talk to the other local ranchers. Quietly. Find out if Morrison has approached any of them about selling their land and if they’ve had any run-ins with Noah.”
“What are you going to do?” Jesse asks, a knowing look in his eye.
“I’m going to keep Atlee safe,” I say firmly. “And I’m going to make sure Noah knows we’re not intimidated. We’re not running, and we’re not hiding.”
Truett grins, the first real smile I’ve seen from him in days. “Now that sounds more like the Devlin Nelson I know.”
I don’t return the smile. “Just remember, we’re playing this smart. No confrontations, no accusations. We gather information, we build our case, and we wait for them to make a mistake.”
“And if they don’t?” Jesse asks the question we’re all thinking.
“Then we reevaluate,” I say simply. “One way or another, this ends on our terms, not theirs.”
As we break up to begin our assignments, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re entering the calm before the storm. Noah may be biding his time, but men like him don’t give up easily, and Morrison has too much at stake to back down now.
Whatever comes next, I’m ready for it. For the ranch, for my family, for Atlee. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect what’s mine. That’s a promise I intend to keep, no matter what it costs me.