Chapter 13

Colton snagged a couple of apples out of a bowl on the kitchen table. He had a sneaking suspicion his talented sister-in-law had polished them to a high gleam and arranged them in this pyramid of perfection. They looked ripe and delicious, but he had another purpose for them…seduction was on his mind.

He headed for the stables where Sam, the big Appaloosa, was king. Mark was still at school, so Colt thought he would take another solo run at breaking down the stallion’s prejudice against him. At best, he hoped to be able to win the horse’s acceptance and trust. At worst, it would be an opening overture in a courtship of man and horse.

Colt tromped out the door, intent upon his path to the outbuildings. He knew Sam was important to Mark and Mark was important to Misty…so it made sense for him to try to bond with the horse they had in common.

Entering the stables, he heard the sound of horses’ hooves moving around in their stalls. They must know that he intended to confront Sam. The Appaloosa must be antsy, dancing in anticipation of the next time he got to put Colton, his foe, in his place.

Colton turned the corner, gazing down the line of stalls. Two of the horses were peering at him, leaning as far as they could out of their stalls. But not Sam. He was playing hard to get.

“Hey, big fellow.” Colt approached him slowly, speaking in a low voice. “You’re such a big, strong fellow.”

The horse’s ears went back, and he moved to the far side of the stall. His hooves moved rhythmically on the floor, tromping the hay underneath.

“That’s okay, Sam. You can stay over there. I’m just going to hang out here and eat this apple.” He displayed one of the apples and took a big bite out of it. He made a show of crunching it open-mouthed. He leaned against the door to the stall, holding the apple in one hand.

The horse nickered, his ears flicking from front to back. He stared at the apple in Colton’s hand.

Horses have a keen sense of smell, and Colton counted on the fact that the tantalizing aroma of fresh apple would entice his prey. “C’mon over here, Sam. I’ll share with you.” He waggled the apple enticingly.

Sam snorted and took a couple of steps closer.

“That’s a good boy. Come on over.” He extended the apple to the horse.

Two more steps and Sam stretched his neck out to accept the treat. His big horse teeth crunched the fruit, much as Colton had.

“Pretty good, huh?”

Sam shook his head, sending his mane flying in all directions, and took a couple of steps to the back of the stall.

“I see. You just want me for my apple…well, I have another one.” He displayed the second apple and waggled it for Sam to notice.

Sam tossed his head and neighed, then closed the distance between them. He reached for the apple, but Colton drew it out of reach.

“Be patient, big boy. There is a price to pay.”

Sam stared at him, intelligent horse eyes regarding him.

Colton stretched out his other hand and stroked it over Sam’s neck. “That’s a good boy. Yes, good boy.” He continued to stroke the horse’s neck with one hand and offered the apple with the other. “There we go. See, we can be friends. I’m not Mark, but I am the guy who paid top dollar to give you a home where you can be with Mark every day.”

Sam gobbled the apple but didn’t move away.

Colton stayed in the stable a while, just rubbing the horse’s neck and talking softly to him.

Small victories.

* * *

When Misty got to the Garrett ranch that evening, she wasn’t sure what to do about the photos Joe had hidden away. She was certain they were something her big brother hadn’t wanted her or anyone else to find, but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why. They were just snapshots of Joe and his four best friends from high school. They had remained friends up until Joe’s death…at least the four of them had. Not Nate Blair, since he had gone missing all those years ago.

She frowned. Two gone out of five. Those weren’t very good odds. But maybe the Blair boy was alive and well somewhere else. He could easily be living a normal life in an alternate universe…one that didn’t include crops and cattle and small-town life. One that didn’t include his father, Levi Blair, the man who had directed that his will be revised to name his nephew, Eddie Simmons, as his sole heir.

Did that mean Levi Blair had given up on his son, Nate? Did he know for certain that Nate wasn’t going to return to Langston, or worse yet, that Nate was dead?

An involuntary shiver spiraled down her spine. Misty stared at the packet of pictures she’d found. She opened a drawer in the guestroom bureau and stuffed in both the packet of photos and the gun wrapped in the old T-shirt.

Misty heaved a sigh. Just getting those two items out of sight made her feel better. A lot better.

She headed for the kitchen to see what she could do to help Leah with dinner. She found Gracie at the table, diligently doing her homework, and Leah chopping vegetables.

“What can I do to help?” she asked.

Leah greeted her with a grin. “Not a thing. Sit down and have a glass of iced tea. You’re the one who has been working all day.” She nudged a pitcher of tea toward her.

Misty claimed a stool on the opposite side of the granite counter. “That sounds great.” She reached for a tall glass and filled it with the cold liquid. She glanced at the little girl at the table, her head bent over her textbook and tablet. “Gracie sure is hard at work.”

Leah heaved a sigh. “Intro to some kind of new math. It’s nothing like the math when I was in school. Not a fun place to be.”

“That’s okay, Mommy,” Gracie called out. “Mark said he would help me when he gets done with his chores.”

Leah rolled her eyes. “I’m so very thankful for your little brother.”

Misty grinned. “Yeah, me too. He comes in handy sometimes.” She leaned forward on her elbows. “Listen, Leah, I want to thank you for helping me clean out my dad’s room and Joe’s. It would have been so much harder for me to face the work alone.”

Leah flapped her hand. “Think nothing of it. I dropped the boxes off at the church today, and the secretary said to thank you for your donation. The ladies auxiliary will see that the clothing and other items are distributed to needy people in the area.”

Misty felt a pricking sensation behind her eyes and blinked rapidly to keep from tearing up. “I’m just glad someone could use them.”

Leah leaned across to squeeze her hand and then went back to chopping vegetables for a salad.

Colton and Big Jim came into the house together. She heard their voices first, and they sounded like they were in a good mood. When they entered the kitchen, Colton came right to where she was sitting and planted a kiss on her lips. Suddenly, all her earlier worries melted away. It seemed that everything got better by the mere fact of Colton’s presence.

He stood beside her, his arm around her shoulder. “How did it go at work?”

“Great,” she said.

He cocked an eyebrow. “Great?”

She shrugged. “Well, not great, exactly. It was boring, but I can handle it. Just a stack of paperwork Breck left for me.”

Colton frowned. “So you’re alone all day?”

“Usually. Breck is off doing other things. He leaves me notes of things to do and calls in occasionally.”

“I hope you’re safe there. Anyone could just walk right in.”

She gave him a smile. “Well, that’s what they’re supposed to do. Walk right in. It’s a law office, not a bank vault. People can walk in when they need to see Breck…and then I tell them he’s not in and make an appointment for them.” She shrugged. “Not that it happens very often. Mostly, people call ahead when they want to make an appointment.”

Colton nodded, but he looked worried.

Misty felt a chill of apprehension as she wondered if his concerns were well-founded.

* * *

It was at dinner that Misty announced her intentions of moving back to the Dalton ranch.

Colton could not have been more surprised if she had smacked him in the face.

Gracie and Mark were sitting at the breakfast bar for their meal, having finished their respective homework, and were too far from the table to overhear.

There was a chorus of disappointment, but Misty seemed to have made up her mind.

Colton was angry. He tried not to show it, but he speared his food and shoveled it into his mouth in silence.

“Do you think it’s safe?” Leah asked, giving voice to his concerns.

Misty shrugged. “I don’t know why it wouldn’t be. Mark and I don’t know anything about the banker’s death or why he wound up there.”

Leah’s brow puckered in a frown. “But what about Joe? The killer is still out there. As I understand it, the sheriff doesn’t have a lead on the person who shot him.”

“Trust me, Joe’s death is on my mind all the time.” Misty’s lips trembled before she pressed them together in a firm line. “I—I don’t know anything about that either. I mean…” Her voice dropped to a lower register. “Mark and I weren’t in the loop. Joe didn’t share his thoughts or his activities with us.”

Colton swallowed hard, his food going down like a load of concrete. “Yes, but whoever shot him might not know that. I don’t think you’ll be safe there.”

Her large, dark eyes appraised him, as though wondering at his motives, causing him to wonder what his own motives were. “Well, we can’t keep imposing on Garrett family hospitality forever. We need to get back home and try to pick up the pieces.”

Colton stabbed a piece of meat and poked it into his mouth, thus ending his commentary.

Later, he asked Misty to take a walk with him.

She hesitated but took the hand he offered.

It wasn’t fully dark outside, but the sky was streaked with purple and crimson from the setting sun. Crickets chirped, and the smell of damp earth and grass wafted on the light breeze.

Colton tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and laid his hand on top of hers. It always felt so small and soft when compared to his.

“What did you want to talk about?” she asked.

He sucked in a breath and blew it out in a huff. “I’m concerned about you and Mark moving back to your home so soon after all the violence. I wish you would give the sheriff a chance to find out who’s behind the murders of your brother and Mr. Hamilton.”

Misty hung her head but stayed in step with him as they made a wide circle of the house and outbuildings. “I feel like such a moocher staying here. I appreciate you for taking us in when we were about to be thrown out. I appreciate you even more for all the sweet things you do without even thinking about it.”

He stopped, turning to face her, and lifted her chin. “Misty, honey—you’ve got to know how I feel about you.”

She gazed up at him solemnly. “No, I can honestly say I don’t have a clue. I think you like me, but maybe you need to spell your feelings out for me.” The silence that followed was like a black vortex sucking him inside.

Colton’s chest tightened as though a steel band was constricting his lungs. He swallowed hard. “Well, I guess you could say I love you.”

She raised her brows, “Guess you could say? What the hell does that mean?”

He grinned. “Damn, you’re a tough woman. I love you. There! Are you satisfied?”

“Well, I don’t know. Why was that so hard to say?”

“Because I’ve never said those words to any other woman before. It’s you. You’re the one I love.” He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers.

She broke into a wide grin of her own. “Now I’m satisfied.” She slipped both arms around his waist and delivered a fierce hug.

Colt wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him. Now she knows. He pressed a kiss against the top of her head, rocking her slightly.

“Oh, Colt. I’ve been hoping you felt that way about me.”

He snorted indelicately. “Well, if you didn’t know, you were the only one. I’ve been taking heat from Beau and Leah…and my dad.”

She gasped, raising her head. “Your dad?”

“Yeah, everyone knew but you.”

She ducked her head again, but she was grinning. He thought she was blushing, but the diminishing light hid her embarrassment. “So, now what?”

“So now I ask you again, as the man who loves you, please don’t move back to your house until the sheriff has caught whoever murdered your brother and Fred Hamilton.”

“Well, since you’re the man who loves me, I’ll take your concerns very seriously.” She blew out a breath. “Do you suppose we could go talk to the sheriff tomorrow and see if he has anything new to tell us?”

He kissed her forehead and then her nose. “Sure thing. As long as you promise to give him a little time to solve the murders.”

She broke loose with an impudent smile. “Why, Colton Garrett, I do believe you like having me around.”

“More than you know.” He gave her a little squeeze. “Now promise to let the sheriff get to the bottom of the violence before you go moving back to your ranch.”

“It depends on what he has to say.”

* * *

The next morning, Misty was pretty sure she could fly. At least that’s what it felt like. The floaty feeling in her gut kept her off balance. She kept breaking out in a grin for no good reason other than the fact that Colton Garrett had finally declared his love.

It was a good thing she was alone in the law office. Otherwise, Breck would be thinking he’d hired a crazy woman.

She attempted to clear her head and focus on the filing she had to do. No sense stuffing the papers in the wrong place just because she was distracted.

Colton’s handsome face remained seared into her brain. She replayed his deep, resonant voice telling her he loved her over and over again in her mind. That seemed like a miracle in itself.

It seemed remarkable that Colton Garrett had not been snagged by some lucky woman before now. Someone with far more to offer than herself.

There were tons of photos of him in almost every room in the Garrett house. Pictures of Colt receiving academic awards decorated the walls and tabletops, as did pictures of him participating in various athletic events. He looked awesome decked out in the team uniforms, but not as good as he looked every day in the Western shirts that accented his broad shoulders and the Wranglers that emphasized his muscular thighs and backside.

Heaving a happy sigh, she reflected on their conversation the night before. He’d confessed she was the only woman to whom he had ever uttered the words “I love you.” That in itself seemed remarkable. And she had no idea why he had found her worthy of his love. To her way of thinking, she was a completely ordinary woman. No particular talents. Not especially attractive. Certainly no possessions to give her added value.

“Hello, Misty!” Breck opened the door, clanking the bell against the glass. “Anything happening?”

Misty turned, still grinning like an idiot and blushed as though he had caught her in a misdeed. “Not that I’m aware of.”

“I’ve been busy with the ranch,” he said as he crossed the width of the room to approach his office.

“I’ve almost reached the bottom of the stack of things you left for me.”

Breck cast a sideways glance at her, grinning. “Good. I’ll have to come up with some more tasks for you. I don’t want you to get bored.” He entered his private office but left the door open, which was a little more companionable than he usually was.

“Is there anything in particular you would like me to do right now?” she asked.

“Just keep an eye out for Levi Blair. He’s coming in to sign the new will you typed up.” Breck made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. “He’s given up on his son ever returning to Langston. Boy disappeared when he was just a teen. Young Nate.” Breck shook his head. “Ran around with a bunch of other wild boys, your brother Joe included.”

“So you’re saying Joe was one of the wild ones?” Misty stood in the doorway to Breck’s office and braced herself against the woodwork.

“Come sit down.” He gestured toward a chair in front of his desk. “I think all those particular boys have been in trouble at one time or another.” Breck narrowed his gaze. “Except for Nate and your brother. I never got called to get either one out of jail.”

Misty sighed and sat down. “You can blame that on my mama’s constant prayers and my strict papa.”

“Not a bad combination at all.”

“I don’t really remember much about Nate,” Misty said. “But I recall Joe mentioning him…and then I heard about the disappearance.”

Breck raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “Bad business. I’m pretty sure the boy met with foul play, but old Levi has kept his hopes up all these years. I think now that he’s decided to name his good-for-nothing nephew as his sole heir, it’s a pretty sure sign he’s given up. If Nate were out there, with everyone on the internet, some sign of him would have turned up by now.”

Misty bit her lip. “Breck, I found some pictures among Joe’s things. I’d like to keep them, of course. But I think Nate Blair is in some of the photos.”

“Really?” Breck was suddenly interested. “Digital images?”

Misty shook her head. “No, this was from Joe’s old camera. The kind you loaded film in, so they had to be developed in a photo lab. They have a date stamp on them.” She shrugged. “Maybe Mr. Blair would like to have a set.”

“I’m sure he would. Why don’t you bring them in, and we can scan them. That way you can keep the originals and Levi can have them printed, if he’s of a mind.”

Misty nodded. “I’ll bring them tomorrow.”

She went back to her desk and started on the next task in the pile.

About an hour later, Levi Blair entered the building. He appeared to have aged since the time Misty had first seen him. Indeed, his craggy face seemed to be even more morose than before.

“Hello, Mr. Blair. Mr. Ryan is expecting you.” Misty stood and started to go to Breck’s door to announce his client when Levi Blair raised his hand.

His eyes narrowed. “You the Dalton girl, ain’t ya?”

Misty swallowed hard. “Yes, Mr. Blair.”

He rocked back on his heels, surveying her. “Too bad about your dad. I don’t suppose you’re interested in selling off your property, are you? I could take it over and give you a little more than what you owe on it.”

She struggled to draw a breath. “I—I have a partner in the ranch now, Mr. Blair.”

A muscle twitched in Levi’s cheek. “You do? Well, ain’t that nice.” He drew out the word “nice,” ending it in a hiss.

Misty cleared her throat. “I’ll just tell Mr. Ryan that you’re here.” She went to tap on Breck’s door. “Mr. Blair has arrived.”

Breck looked up. “Thank you, Misty. Please show him in.”

Levi Blair gave her a nod of acknowledgment and swept his hat off as he stepped into Breck’s private office, and closed the door.

After about ten minutes, Breck called Misty in to witness Levi’s will.

“Misty found some photos that might include your son Nate,” Breck said.

Levi looked up, his eyes darting from Breck to Misty and back. “Photos of my boy?”

“Yes, sir,” Misty said. “They were taken a long time ago. My brother Joe died recently, and I was cleaning out his room.”

Levi’s face clouded even more. His fierce brows knit together. “Yes, I did hear something about that. Sorry for your loss, young lady.”

Misty released a pent-up breath. “Thank you, Mr. Blair. I found some photos of Joe and his friends. There were a couple with your son, Nate. I thought you might like to have a set. Mr. Ryan said he would scan them for me.”

Levi’s expression softened. “That’s mighty kind of you. I think it’s worse not knowing what happened to my son than if I had some idea of where he might be or if he’s even alive.” His eyes teared up, and he stood abruptly. “I’ll stop by tomorrow afternoon to get those photos.”

“You don’t need to make a special trip,” Breck said. “I’ll scan them and send them to your email account. That way you can just download them directly without any delay.”

Levi cocked an eyebrow at Breck. “That so?”

Breck nodded. “If you want to have them printed, you can forward them to the drugstore. They’ll print a set right up for you.”

He offered his hand to Breck and then turned to Misty. “Thank you for your kindness.”

When Levi left, both Misty and Breck heaved a huge sigh of relief.

“It feels like he sucked all the air out of the room when he left.” Breck straightened the papers on his desk. “Well, I’m outta here. I’ll be in the office tomorrow afternoon to scan those pictures for you and send them to Levi’s email.” He left the office. Immediately after Breck departed, the phone rang.

It was Sara Beth. “Are you free for lunch?”

Misty giggled. “Free as a bird and twice as flighty.”

“Well, come on down, girl,” Sara Beth said.

Misty pushed her chair up close to the desk and turned off her desk light. She grabbed her purse and placed the CLOSED sign so that it showed in the beveled glass door insert. She made it to Sara Beth’s store in record time and pushed open the door. The cowbell clanked against the glass to announce her arrival. “Hello?” she called out, not seeing Sara Beth immediately.

“Get in here, Misty. I have something to show you.” Sara Beth popped up from behind the counter and ran to wrap both arms around her.

Misty returned the embrace. “What’s up? You look like you’re bursting with excitement.”

“That I am.” She extended her left hand, showing off a sparkling diamond engagement ring. “Frank officially proposed, down on one knee and everything. I about died.”

Misty stared at the ring, thrilled for her friend. “That’s so beautiful.”

Sara Beth gazed rapturously at her extended fingers. “I told Frank I didn’t need an engagement ring. I would be happy with just a plain gold band, but he surprised me.”

“When is the wedding?”

Sara Beth grabbed her by the shoulders. “Two months, and I want you to be my maid of honor.”

Misty felt a flush of pride. She had never had a friend this close. “Me? That’s awesome. I’m so honored.”

“I’m going to ask Leah to be my matron of honor, so I’ll have my two best friends in the whole wide world to walk down the aisle with me.”

The two women hugged again. “Thanks so much for thinking of me.”

“Thanks for standing up with me.” Sara Beth made a “follow me” gesture and led the way back to the counter at the rear of the store. She had containers of food spread out on top of the scarred glass case. “I made fried chicken last night and brought some cold for us to gnaw on. There’s potato salad too.”

“Oh, what a treat. Thanks for inviting me.” Misty seated herself and watched as Sara Beth arranged two portions on paper plates. “What about your father? Is he coming to give you away?”

Sara Beth’s shoulders sagged. “My dad hasn’t spoken to me since I married Nick Jessup and moved to Texas. He blames me for breaking my mother’s heart.”

Misty frowned. “Well, he needs to get over that. He has a beautiful and sweet daughter and an adorable granddaughter. Your dad is missing out on all the good things happening in both of your lives.”

Sara Beth blinked and looked down. “I wish he would realize that, but I’m tired of being stonewalled.” She met Misty’s gaze. “If he doesn’t want to love us, it’s his loss. I’ve had my share of rejection.”

A wave of remorse swept through Misty’s gut. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to open up old wounds.” She reached out to give Sara Beth’s hand a pat. “I’m truly sorry.”

Sara Beth sucked in a breath. “It’s okay. You expected my father to be a normal dad with normal feelings, but he’s not. He cut me off entirely.” She shrugged and pasted on a smile. “It’s really okay. I found my own family right here in Langston. It’s my baby girl and Frank.” Her smile became more genuine. “And Leah…and you.”

Misty squeezed Sara Beth’s hand. “I’m honored.”

When Misty returned to the law office, she found Colton waiting for her in his truck. Grinning, he swung out of the cab of his pickup and stepped up onto the sidewalk.

“I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” she said.

“Not long.” His voice was deep and rich in timbre, sending a tremor of excitement along her flesh.

“I—I had lunch with Sara Beth. She invited me.”

“Nice,” he said encouragingly.

“She’s getting married.” Misty felt her cheeks flushing. “She asked me to be her maid of honor.” She knew she was babbling, but she couldn’t seem to stop. “Sara Beth is really excited. I met her fiancé, Frank, the other day, and he is so nice.”

Colton grinned even wider. “Getting married, huh? That sounds like a good thing.”

A thrill surged through her stomach. “She’s very happy.” She pulled the office keys out of her purse and immediately busied herself with opening the lock. Anything so she didn’t have to bear the brunt of those all-too-knowing blue eyes. Her hands were shaking, and she couldn’t seem to get the key to fit.

“Let me help you.” Colton took the keys from her fingers, inserted the right one in the lock, and gave it a twist. The lock opened with a click, and he pushed the door open for her to enter.

She felt a rush of color flood her cheeks. What an idiot. Just mentioning Sara Beth’s upcoming wedding in front of Colton gave her the jitters.

“I asked the sheriff to meet us here,” Colton said. “I thought it would be easier for you.”

“Thanks,” she squeaked out, her voice barely above a whisper. She had intended to take a seat behind her desk but found herself folded in Colton’s embrace.

He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. “Is there something wrong? Something I should know about?”

Misty made a negative grunt and shook her head. “I guess I was just thinking about Sara Beth’s wedding and forgot about all my own problems.”

Colton grazed a kiss against her lips and gave her a squeeze. “Every problem has a solution.”

“I know, you’re right. I was just feeling a little down.” She tried on a smile that felt fake even from her standpoint. “That’s why I want to move back to our own place and try to sort things out. There’s so much I don’t know.”

Colton’s brows knit together. “That’s what scares me.”

They both sprang apart when the sheriff barged in, clanking the bell against the glass. “Hello, you two.”

“Sheriff.” Colton extended his hand, and the two men exchanged a hearty handshake.

The sheriff glanced at Breck’s darkened office. “Mr. Ryan is out?”

Misty nodded. “He’s gone for the day.”

“We can sit down here in the back.” Colton gestured to the long table Misty used for sorting files and collating papers.

They all trooped to the rear of the office and took a seat.

Misty gripped her hands together in her lap, hoping her anxiety didn’t show.

Colton glanced at her and then cleared his throat. “We wanted an update, Sheriff. Have you made any progress in Joe Dalton’s murder investigation?”

“I wish I could tell you more.” The sheriff huffed out a deep breath. “The medical examiner recovered the bullet that took Joe’s life. It hasn’t been matched to any other cases, but at least we have the information on file. The ME also made a determination, from the angle of entry, that the shot was fired from the passenger window of another pickup or SUV of approximately the same height that must have pulled up alongside Joe’s truck. That means someone else may have been driving, so we’re possibly looking for two individuals.”

Misty pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling. She felt the sting of tears and bit the inside of her lip to keep them from pouring out. She couldn’t bring herself to meet Colt’s eyes, but she felt the weight of his gaze upon her.

“And that’s all you have?” Colton’s arm came to rest on the back of her chair, but he turned to gaze at the sheriff, his brows drawn together in a frown.

“The murder of Joseph Dalton remains an open case. We’re still investigating.” The sheriff blinked and glanced at Misty and then back at Colton. “We’re looking into Joe’s activities the days prior to his death.”

Misty felt a choking sensation clog her throat. Sucking in air, she gasped.

Colton’s hand clasped hers under the table. “What have you found?”

The sheriff shook his head. “Nothing out of the ordinary. He was in the company of his usual local friends the three days preceding his death. He attended the stock auction at the show barns, and afterward he met three of his friends at a bar for some drinks and then went to the Eagles Hall. The next night he met the same friends at the roadhouse a few miles west of town.” The sheriff glanced at Misty before going on. “It’s a biker bar called Wally’s. The bartender remembers Joe being there. He left about midnight and appeared to be on his way home when he was apparently overtaken by the perpetrator or perpetrators and killed.”

A tremor shook Misty’s body, chilling her to the core. Involuntarily, she wrapped both arms around herself, but Colton’s arm quickly encircled her shoulders.

“His friends,” Colton said. “Are you talking about Stan Lynch, Ron Diaz, and Eddie Simmons?”

The sheriff nodded. “His usual companions.”

Colt blew out a breath. “And you questioned them?”

The sheriff looked a bit peeved. “Of course. All three said they stayed at the roadhouse long after Joe left.”

“What about Fred Hamilton? We found his body skewered in the loft of the Dalton barn. What can you tell us about his death?” Colton’s strong fingers stroked Misty’s shoulder rhythmically.

The sheriff cleared his throat. “According to the crime scene technicians, Mr. Hamilton was not killed in the Dalton barn. His body was transported there and arranged with the pitchfork stabbed through his entrails, but he had been dead for some hours before this happened.”

“How do they know he was killed elsewhere?” Colton asked.

A muscle in the sheriff’s cheek twitched. “I’m not into all that techie mumbo jumbo, but it all boiled down to the fact that there was no fresh blood at the scene. The secondary wound from the pitchfork didn’t yield a blood spill. It was all for show, so we figured it had been staged to scare or intimidate someone… Got any ideas about that?” He glanced from one to the other.

A tremor shook Misty’s entire body. “But why?” she cried out. “Why would someone do that?”

“That hasn’t been determined as of yet, but maybe someone was sending a message.” The sheriff leaned forward, resting his forearms against the table. “Miss Dalton, what kind of dealings did you have with Mr. Hamilton?”

Misty blinked rapidly before heaving a sigh. “I really didn’t have any dealings with him personally. My father obtained a loan against the ranch after my mother died. Then when his health failed, my daddy couldn’t make the ranch profitable, so we were in the process of losing the property.” She shot a glance at Colton, finding courage in the kindness reflected in his eyes. “Colton met with Mr. Hamilton and paid the past due payments and late fees.”

The sheriff glanced from one to the other.

Misty felt Colton’s grip tighten, and her blush reflex kicked in.

The sheriff’s expression changed from confusion to knowing.

“Mr. Garrett is our partner in the ranch. My brother Mark and I. We signed the papers.”

Colton continued stroking her shoulder, as though he had no problem letting the sheriff know he had feelings for her.

Misty sucked in a deep breath and laced her fingers with Colton’s. Might as well step up and admit my feelings too.

Colton looked grim but pressed a kiss against her temple. “Actually, I met with Mr. Hamilton at the bank and was supposed to meet with him again that same afternoon, but when I returned, I was told he had gone for the day.” A muscle twitched in his jaw. “I was pissed off. I came to see Breckenridge Ryan the next day, and Mr. Ryan accompanied me to the bank, where the loan was secured from the vice president. I never saw Hamilton after that.”

The sheriff looked grim. “Neither did anyone else. Apparently, after your visit, his employees report that he appeared to be agitated. When he left, he claimed he wasn’t feeling well, so when he didn’t show up the next day, they thought he was still sick. Nobody checked on him until a few days had passed.”

Colton shrugged. “He was, after all, the president of the bank. They were probably a little afraid of him.”

The sheriff nodded. “I suppose you’re right, but he didn’t go to his house after you left the bank. Wherever he went, that was when he was killed. Whoever he met with shot him and then staged the scene in Miss Dalton’s barn.”

Misty sat up straight. “Shot him?”

“Yes, the ME recovered a single bullet in his chest. Not a match to any crimes on record at this point.” The sheriff pushed his chair back. “If you good folks have anything to add, let me know.”

Misty felt her lips tremble. She started to tell the sheriff about finding the photos and the gun among her brother’s personal things but somehow couldn’t bear to bring any possible shame on him. Breck had said Joe was the only one of the surviving friends from his school days who hadn’t run into trouble with the law, and she hoped to keep it that way. It was bad enough everyone in the area knew about her father’s drinking after her mother’s death and the subsequent financial mess. No reason to smear more mud on the Dalton name. After all, she and Mark would have to live it all down.

Colton stood and leaned across the table to shake the sheriff’s hand. “I just have one more question, sir.”

“Shoot,” the sheriff said, pumping Colton’s hand.

“Misty and her younger brother have been staying at the Garrett ranch, but she wants to return to her home. I’m dead set against it.” He swept her with his fierce gaze. “I think it’s too dangerous. She’s welcome to stay with us for as long as she needs.”

The sheriff fixed her with a stern glare. “You might want to listen to Colton, young lady. The Garretts are good people. There’s a murderer on the loose. At least one killer plus an accomplice in the case of your brother. We don’t have any good leads on the murder of Fred Hamilton, nor do we have any clue as to why his body was staged to be discovered in your barn.”

“Do you think the two deaths could be related?” Colton asked.

The sheriff ran his hand over his thinning hair before carefully replacing his hat. “Could be. The weapons are different and the methodology is different.” He shifted his gaze to Misty. “The Daltons are the only common denominator.”