Page 3 of Stalwart Ridge Security: Murray
CHAPTER TWO
–MURRAY –
The muscles in Elodie’s back go rigid.Dammit.I told Seamus this would backfire.Then again, it’s my own damn fault.Why didn’t I tell her sooner?Jaxie wanted Burk gone, no trace of him coming to her cabin, or what went down when Nolan showed up and her living room turned into a damn shootout.
Instead of chopping up the body and feeding him to my very willing pigs, Seamus told me to leave his body to rot, preferably on his own land.Out here we have black bears, gray wolves, wild boar, and mountain lions to name a few.Any one of those would enjoy munching on Burk.
I made sure the bullets, and any evidence of the fucker being shot, were gone.No one will ever link that fucker’s death to Elodie.I fucking owe her.She saved my life.I wanted to tell her how I handled Burk, but she’s been closed off ever since it happened.
Now it’s too damn late because the body has finally been discovered.The reason Seamus changed his mind about disposing of the body was a good one; everyone needs closure and if he’s officially declared dead the company can move on.The first step was to report him missing.Which I did because I still work at the company he ran when he went missing.
Now the fucker has been found, and I answer the question by repeating it.“When was the last time I saw Burk?A few weeks ago, two days before I went by the station and filed a missing person report, remember?People tend to notice when one of the bosses goes missing.Burk isn’t the type to take a day off, and if he did, he’d be at his cabin.I checked and he wasn’t there either.Do you know what happened yet?”
Orson shrugs.“Like I said, the ME needs to do an autopsy.Though, he did notice marks on the bones...might have been a black bear.I know there have been reports about an aggressive, underfed male black bear.Have you seen it?”
“No, but I did receive the warning a few weeks ago.”I bob my head.
Right after Burk was shot we all received an alert.It’s actually when Seamus came up with the damn idea.Sounds like it fucking worked.
“It wouldn’t be underfed anymore if he munched on Burk,” Elodie mutters, making me snicker.
Her eyes go wide and her cheeks pink up adorably, as if she just realized she said it out loud.
Orson chuckles.“How are you doing, Miss Brigman?”
“Please call me Elodie.I’m okay, still processing and trying to put it all behind me.I guess there isn’t any news about who killed my horse?Kinda doubt we can blame it on a black bear since they don’t write or handle knives.Nor are they at the ranch since it’s not close to the mountain.”She winces and releases a deep sigh.“Sorry.A human death takes priority, it’s just...never mind.I guess I’m not doing okay at all.”
Orson puts his notebook and pen back into his pocket.“No need to apologize, Elodie.I saw the devastation with my own eyes.I hate we have no goddamn leads, but I swear the file is still on my desk and I’m determined to solve it.”
“Thank you,” she croaks, and it sounds like she’s going to burst into tears any damn second.
Seamus bursts through the door and comes to an abrupt stop when he notices Orson.He quickly puts his gun back in his shoulder holster.Orson misses the move and lifts his chin in greeting.Seamus raises his eyebrow at me, and I give a tiny shake with my head.
There’s no way I can let him know with one move why Orson is here.I mean, we can communicate vital shit during heat of the moment situations, but not while the sheriff is here.I don’t want to raise any suspicion.
The ability to communicate is due to years of working as a unit.I served together with Seamus and Ballard.We stayed friends when we were honorably discharged and then we all started to work for Stalwart Ridge Security.Friends are like tits.Some walking this fucked-up planet are real while others might seem fantastic, they are fake as fuck instead.
Ballard and Seamus are as real as they get.After spending weeks in Elodie’s presence I know she’s real too, even if I have no clue if her actual tits are a handful, or two, due to the baggy shirts she’s wearing.Would her nipples be rosy, all hard when I suck on them and turn darker?Fuck.Why am I thinking about the woman’s damn nipples?
A grunt rips me back to the here and now when Jaxie runs into Seamus’s back.He reaches behind him and pulls the woman to his side.
Orson looks confused until Elodie suddenly states, “You’re early, Jaxie.You’re in luck, though.I finished photographing the new collection.Do you want to see them on the camera or on the laptop?I still have to transfer them so it will be a few minutes if you want to browse through them on the laptop.”Elodie turns to the sheriff.“Did you know Jaxie makes the most amazing art?Here, let me show you.”
She walks to a box on the table and takes out a wooden hand carved robin.Elodie wanders over to the sheriff and hands it over.
Orson’s eyes widen and then bounce from the carved robin to Jaxie.“You created this?”
Jaxie bobs her head while Elodie states, “She sure does, and while she enjoys carving these gorgeous creations, she then hand paints some as well.I handle the marketing, and customers.Sounds complicated, but it basically comes down to photographing the items, updating and maintaining the website, while handling the administration, and shipping.”
Jaxie signs and it’s Seamus who translates for Orson and Murray, who don’t understand ASL, by voicing her words, “Elodie handles everything Jaxie hates about the business side so Jaxie can enjoy the creative part of it.”
