Brody felt like an impulsive fool. Making love to Millie had been like heaven, but it was too soon. The poor woman needed more time to get to know him before he dropped all that on her.

He wasn’t even ready. The darkness building in his chest contracted and burned. His anger was too much to bear. He wanted to punch something, even with the taste of Millie still on his lips.

At the sheriff’s station, he had an appointment with Steve Mathews. There wasn’t enough evidence to arrest him, but he suspected him. Everyone else on the guest list for the party was already gone. None of them would have known Chris previously or had any reason to invite him up to the ranch.

Brody swept into the interrogation room, a makeshift office in the small sheriff’s station, and sat opposite the rich businessman.

“So, why couldn’t we do this at my house?” Mathews asked.

“We want this recorded.”

“Why? You don’t seriously suspect me do you?”

“I confiscated a female mountain lion from two men yesterday who claimed they were hunting on your orders. That lion was out of season. It’s a mandatory five thousand dollar fine for hunting out of season.”

“I’ll gladly pay the fine.”

“Why did you order your men to hunt that lion?”

“I didn’t. I had nothing to do with it. They are going to be fired for stupidity.”

“If we catch you hunting out of season again, it’s jail time. You understand?”

“Are we done here?”

“Chris Whitney was thrown from a cliff on your land, Mr. Mathews. Yes. There is reason to suspect you had some kind of involvement.”

“Chris Whiney wasn’t even supposed to be at the party.”

“Mathews, do you own a European brand ATV called a Quatre?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. What does that have to do with anything?”

“There was an impression of the logo of a Quatre ATV embedded in Chris Whitney’s skin.”

“I’d like to have my lawyer present for any further questioning.”

Brody grumbled. He didn’t have enough to arrest the man. He didn’t even have a motive to connect him to the murder. Mathews’s land was fenced, and inaccessible to the outside. He had numerous employees. Any one of them could have been riding that ATV.

“You’re free to go. We’ll continue this conversation when your lawyer is present.”

Mathews stood, glaring at Brody as he left the interrogation room. Sheriff Charles met him in the doorway as Mathews disappeared out of the building.

“What do you think?” the sheriff asked him.

“I think he’s our man. I don’t have enough evidence yet to arrest him, but he has the same ATV brand as the logo that was embedded in Chris’s chest.”

“You were able to find that?” the sheriff asked with surprise.

“Yes. Millie and I hunted it down on the internet. The body went missing from the morgue. It was only by chance that we decided to look into ATVs. Even with the vague photographs we had, the shapes match.”

“Well, good work,” the sheriff said, clearing his throat. He slapped Brody on the back a little too hard and Brody frowned.

He was going to have to find better evidence against Mathews. Just owning the same brand of ATV wasn’t going to be enough to prosecute a man with a team of lawyers at his disposal.

By the time he was done at the station and had done his rounds for the day, it was late in the evening. He needed to get home to check on his bees.

When he arrived at home, the weight of the world seemed to be squarely on his shoulders. He heaved a heavy sigh and went into his house where he put on his beekeeping gear.

Out in the backyard where the hives were kept, he started the smoker to calm the bees, and when through each hive, checking for signs of illness, invaders, and the honey supply.

He replaced the sugar water bowls and collected the honey from one of the hives that was ready to be harvested. Golden liquid oozed into the collection jar with the honeycomb. He licked his lips behind the bee mask. This was going to be delicious. He’d save it for Millie on their date tomorrow.