Page 15 of Cowboy Elite 2: Mike

Then it rolled forward and disappeared around the bend.

Kenny pushed off the post. Looked at her for the first time.

"You're gonna want to tell Mike," he said quietly. "Before this gets messy."

"It's not?—"

"Yeah, it is." He turned and walked back toward the barn, hands in his pockets, shoulders loose.

Like he hadn't just stripped her down to nothing with six words.

Liv sat on the edge of the bed, burner phone in her lap, staring at the single contact saved in the directory.

Detective Sanchez.

She'd tried him four times in the past week. Four times, straight to voicemail.

Her thumb hovered over the call button.

One more time. Just once more.

She hit dial.

One ring.

Her heart hammered against her ribs.

Two rings.

She pressed the phone tighter to her ear.

Three.

"Please," she whispered. "Please pick up."

Four.

Five.

"You've reached Detective Mark Sanchez with the NYPD. Leave a message and I'll?—"

She hung up.

Sat there, phone in her hand, staring at the screen until it went dark.

Then she opened the contact. Stared at his name.

And deleted it.

The phone asked if she was sure.

She was.

She wasn't.

She hit yes anyway and the number vanished.

Liv set the phone on the nightstand. Pulled her knees up to her chest.