Sheridan waited until he’d closed his office door behind him before he called Marlene. She answered on the first ring.

“Hey, your text said urgent. What’s up?”

“Oh, Sheridan, you aren’t going to believe this. Jeannette’s granddaughter is a waitress over at that swamp water joint where Brock got himself in trouble a few weeks ago.”

“Spurs?”

“Yes. Anyway, a guy came in there today saying that he was going to be getting his wife back and getting his life back on track. She wouldn’t have even taken notice but he was drinking soda pop. When she said it wasn’t much of a celebration he said he couldn’t drink because he just got out of prison.”

Sheridan glowered. “Did she give you a description?”

“Tall. Six two, brown hair, brown eyes. Sloppy jail tattoo on his left neck.”

“Okay. That’s good to know. Thanks, Marlene.”

“But there’s more.”

She dragged in a heavy breath and he could totally envision the satisfaction she had in her eyes as she revealed what she and her Naughty Book Club members had learned.

“Thomas, Josiah Applegate’s grandson, was complaining to his grandfather about a new guy he’d hired at the feed store. Wasn’t sure if he was going to work out or not. The guy had no money because he’d just gotten out of jail so Thomas helped him out a little, gave him a few bucks. Then the guy disappeared.”

Sheridan’s jaw clenched. Maybe that would give him a place to start looking tomorrow.

“Okay, good job Marlene. Anything else?”

“No, dear. But if I hear anything you’ll be the first to know.”

“Thank you. See you in the morning.”

“See you, Sheriff.”

Sheridan rocked back in his chair, hands behind his head, as he thought about what he had learned. Wade had never been the sharpest tool in the box, but for some reason not showing up for a job he had been offered seemed especially stupid. Almost as if it were made to draw attention. And the same with the situation in the bar.

Shaking his head, he scrolled through the contacts on his phone, looking for Cheyenne’s brother’s number. Brock answered on the third ring, and seemed a little out of breath.

“What?”

“Brock, this is Sheridan. Is this a bad time?”

He heard rustling in the background, and he thought perhaps a feminine snort, but he couldn’t be sure. Taking a chance, he said, “Tell Payton I’m sorry I interrupted.”

Brock chuckled darkly. “She heard you and says not to worry about it. What’s going on Sheridan?”

“Well, thought you needed to know that Wade was let out of prison a few days ago, and seems to have decided to come back to Honeywell.”

Brock cursed a blue streak. “Cheyenne?”

“She’s fine. She’s actually here with me right now, in my house. There were indications that someone had checked out her place, so rather than take a chance I brought her out here. She didn’t want to upset your parents. That’s why I’m calling you. I need you to keep a lookout on the Blue Star.”

“Hell, yes, I will. You know that.”

“But I want you to call me if he shows up,” Sheridan warned. “No taking the issue into your own hands, Brock. I’m serious about this.”

“I don’t know if I can agree to that, Sheridan. If he comes out here looking for trouble I’ll be more than happy to give it to him.”

Sheridan knew that he wasn’t going to get much of a promise from Brock, so he moved on. “I’ll be running her and the kids back and forth to summer school until it’s done next week. Hopefully by then we’ll have tracked him down and gotten him under control.”

“What the hell, man? Why did he have to come back here?”

“Well, his family is here. And to play Devil’s advocate, there is a small chance he wants to connect with the girls.”

Brock snorted on the other end of the line. “I seriously doubt that. I don’t think she’s heard anything from him in the entire time he’s been away, other than when he signed the divorce papers and sent them back to her.”

Sheridan heard murmuring on Brock’s end. He must be filling Payton in on what was going on.

“Well, I just wanted to give you a heads up. She doesn’t want your parents involved at all, if possible. So, maybe you can keep a lookout. Also, we took the dog but her horses and chickens still need care.”

“I can send someone over for them. And I’ll let some of the men know what’s going on. I have a few former military guys working here now that would probably love a little something more juicy than building fence and moving cattle.”

Sheridan laughed. He had a few men like that as well, but they had more to deal with day to day than ranch hands.

“If you come across anything let me know, Brock.”

“Will do.”

Brock could be a bit of a hothead, but he had a good head on his shoulders. If anything went down on his ranch, he would definitely know about it, and he would protect his parents with his dying breath.

Sheridan went to bed that night feeling a little more on top of things. Tomorrow would be soon enough to find Wade Shipton.