Total pages in book: 193
Estimated words: 184001 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 920(@200wpm)___ 736(@250wpm)___ 613(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 184001 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 920(@200wpm)___ 736(@250wpm)___ 613(@300wpm)
“What do you think? He wanted to know what happened to the men he hired. You forget. They disappeared under my jurisdiction and care, which makes me responsible unless I hand in a culprit, which would be you four.”
“What did you tell him?”
“Nothing. It’s an open investigation. He did, however, seem more than a little curious about you three.”
“Such as?”
“Who you are, where you came from, your involvement in the search.”
“That’s not public record.”
“No, it’s not,” the sheriff agrees grimly.
Marston George has been doing his research and digging deep, no doubt using Aurelia’s checkbook to get the information.
“So where is he now? I assume he’s left town.”
“You assume wrong. He’s at the ranch.” The sheriff shifts his gaze to Aurelia, who’s become pensive again. “Your ranch if I’m not mistaken.”
The one Aurelia never made it to.
It’s not far from Hearth. The house is big and comfortable and probably comes with all the amenities and luxuries our cabin doesn’t have, with a nice clear view of the mountains as a backdrop. She probably would have loved it there.
The idea of her uncle using it after what he did—and still plans to do—fills me with the urgent need to ride over there alone and burn the house down with him inside. The sound of his screams would no doubt rock me to sleep every night like a sweet lullaby while I held his niece safely in my arms, knowing she’ll never have cause to fear him ever again.
“Apparently, he wants to sell it now that it’s of no use.”
“Take me to him.”
I’m snapped out of my violent fantasy by Aurelia’s insane request that I immediately deny. “Absolutely not. You’re not going anywhere near him.”
“That’s not up to you, Khalil. He’s my uncle. It’s me he wants dead. He’s going to find out I’m alive sooner or later. Why not let it be on my terms?”
“Because it’s dangerous. Think about what he gains by killing you, Goldilocks. He’ll try anything.”
“You won’t let him hurt me,” she says quietly, appealing to my protective side.
It almost works, but she forgets one thing. “You’re damn straight because you’re not going. You’ll have to try harder than flattery to convince me to risk you.”
Aurelia’s lips part to tell me once again that it’s not my decision just for it to once again fall on deaf ears.
“I’ll take her,” the sheriff interrupts with a sigh, as if he’s volunteering to end our bickering.
“Thanks, but we’ll pass.”
The sheriff gives me a hard look. “As the young lady has already pointed out, Mr. Poverly, it’s not up to you or me. I’m not any happier about it than you, but if what you both claimed is true, Ms. George is not your prisoner, and the ranch is legally her property, which means she can damn well go where she likes. Personally, I’d feel better if I were there as a deterrent to any unsavory acts given your claims about your uncle’s intentions.”
“So you believe me?” Aurelia asks with a high note of hope.
The sheriff’s expression shutters. “I’m not saying that either, but it doesn’t matter what I believe. I’ve failed you once, and I won’t do it again.” Knowing when I’m cornered, I grit my teeth and say nothing. To do otherwise would only poke more holes in that bullshit story Aurelia gave him. “I’m glad we’re all in agreement,” the sheriff says with a grunt before snatching his hat from his desk and plopping it down over his thinning hair. “Shall we go?”
AURELIA
Khalil hasn’t spoken a word to me since we left the sheriff’s office. I’m pretty sure it’s by design, choosing instead to silently fume the entire drive as we tailed the sheriff to the ranch. But there’s also a distracted pinch to his brow that tells me this isn’t about control.
He’s using the limited time we have until we reach the ranch to come up with a plan for how to keep me safe.
He also wants to throttle me, but he’ll have to get in line.
As soon as we left the station, Khalil had radioed up to the cabin to warn Thorin and Zeke where we were going. There was violence in Thorin’s tone when he signed off, and I still felt the tight grip of his fury twenty minutes later.
My nerves are shot by the time we reach the short gate blocking access to the paved driveway. The gate and the brown picket fence it’s attached to are both easily climbable, so I figure it was built by the previous owners more for the aesthetic than for security.
It would have been the first change my uncle would have ordered if I’d ever arrived—higher walls and armed guards because he doesn’t understand how to keep a low profile. After a couple of months in hiding, he probably would have leaked the information himself to a few of his most loyal paps just to spark intrigue and keep me relevant.