Chapter 45
Chapter
Forty-Five
After Nash let Tank out and fed him, he walked the property line around the Lovelesses’s land.
He found nothing of concern—which should have made him feel better.
Afterward, he went back to their house and knocked on the door. Wren let him in and invited him to eat some breakfast.
As they all sat at the table, Christian ate as if somebody might come take his food from him. His mother filled the plate with eggs and bacon twice. She watched as he pushed one piece of bacon and a small amount of eggs to the side of his plate, almost as if he were saving them.
He caught her watching and shrugged. “I . . . I don’t know what I’m doing. I just feel like I should keep a little for later.”
She forced a smile. “That’s okay. I’m just glad to see you eating.”
Finally, Wren stood to leave.
“I’ll walk you out.” Nash had been wanting a moment alone with her so they could chat. But he didn’t want to call a lot of attention to it and get people worried.
They told everyone goodbye before stepping outside.
“Luke texted me about a couple of things,” Nash started. “First, he saw the footage from the hospital.”
“And?” Her eyes widened with anticipation.
“And . . . the man who talked to that nurse had his head down the whole time, his cap blocking his face.”
She frowned. “On purpose?”
“Most likely.”
She blew out a breath. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“I was hoping for more.”
“Me too.” She shifted. “What else?”
“Luke and his deputy dug up the treaty box. It was right where Marlowe said it would be.”
“So Christian remembered the spot.”
“He remembered a spot.” Nash paused. “It was actually about twelve feet from where he was digging. Other side of the barn corner.”
Wren turned that over. “So he knew it existed. He knew it was buried out there somewhere.”
“That’s what it tells me.”
“But not exactly where.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “Somebody who’d been told about it would know that much.”
Nash didn’t answer, which was an answer.
“Luke left the box in the barn in case Marlowe wants it,” he said instead.
“I’ll let her know.” She paused near her car and glanced up at him. “Thanks for the updates. What are you doing today?”
He put his back against the door so he could see the road. “I’d like to look into Everett Voss more. Everybody leaves tracks somewhere. I want to see what I can find.”
Wren hesitated, something clearly on her mind.
He waited for her to say it.
“This probably doesn’t mean anything,” she finally started. “But I feel like I should mention it.”
“Go ahead.”
“Cody called me last night when I was at the hospital. He’d come to drop off Mason, and he saw the broken glass. I told him I was at the hospital.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Does he know about Christian?”
“I didn’t tell him. But he knows something is going on.
” She paused. “He doesn’t usually have loose lips, but .
. . I don’t know how much he knows or if Christian told him anything.
I don’t know if he’s mentioned any of this to anyone.
I just . . . I don’t know. I wanted to tell you in case it’s important.
It’s probably not. I also don’t know how long we’re going to be able to keep Christian’s reappearance under wraps. ”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“I wanted you to know . . . just in case.” She held his gaze a second longer, then let it go. “I’m working until I pick up Mason at school at three. I’ll miss the start of the interview.”
Nash frowned at the idea of Wren being out of his sight, especially considering last night’s events. But she was an adult, and she wouldn’t want to be babysat.
“Anybody there with you today?” he asked instead.
“Lots of people. It’s a hair salon off the square in town, Nash. We’re booked solid and very visible.”
“If anything starts to feel wrong, call me.”
“I will.”
Nash wished that made him feel better. But it didn’t.