Chapter 21 Havoc
Havoc
The guy isn’t saying anything useful.
Just threats.
Hints.
Half-truths.
Blaze zip-ties his wrists.
Ace calls the sheriff.
The Rangers handle problems.
But we still respect the law.
Eventually.
The man is hauled away.
But the damage is done.
Aspen stands in the yard staring at the barn.
Like she’s seeing it for the first time.
I walk over slowly.
“You okay?”
She doesn’t answer right away.
“He said Joseph stole something.”
Her voice trembles slightly.
“That’s not true.”
“No,” I say firmly.
“It isn’t.”
But the truth is more complicated than that.
She turns to face me.
“You knew him,” she says.
“Better than I did.”
I hesitate.
“Maybe.”
Tears shine in her eyes.
“Joseph was a good man.”
I nod.
“The best.”
She wipes her face quickly.
“Then why are people breaking onto grandpa’s property because of him?”
The question hangs in the air.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
I glance toward the barn.
Toward the lockbox.
Toward the flash drive we still haven’t cracked.
Then I look back at her.
“We’re going to figure that out,” I say.
“And until we do…”
I step a little closer.
“No one is touching this family.”
Buddy sits between us.
Guard dog mode activated.
Aspen looks up at me.
Fear still in her eyes.
But something else too.
Trust.
And that might be the most dangerous thing of all.